The roaming war started in November 2013 when Etisalat launched the GEM roaming product where GEM subscribers get free incoming calls when they roam in select destinations around the world. The product also included free incoming calls while the customer is roaming. However, to get the offer, customers had to maintain a minimum balance of N5,000. This product endeared a lot of people to Etisalat as it was the first to come out with this kind of product.
The other telcos sat and watched to see if the product would get a lot of traction. It actually did and this prompted the other companies to come up with their own version of the product.
Airtel was quick to react and it came out with smartROAM in July 2015. smartRoam allows Airtel subscribers to receive free incoming calls while roaming on 7 networks in 5 countries after recharging N5,000 and above in a month. The N5,000 and above can either be for a single recharge or cumulative recharges within one calendar month. The free incoming calls is only be valid for 30days after the subscriber’s recharges hit N5, 000. To enjoy this feature, postpaid customers only had to have N5000 or more in their credit balance.
Upon this launch by Airtel, Etisalat quickly responded by modifying its roaming offer from minimum balance to recharge base offer in August 2015. The exclusivity to GEM subscribers was now modified to include all Etisalat subscribers.
MTN Nigeria has now finally reacted by introducing the MTN Super Roamer. MTN Super Roamer offer will allow customers on any of MTNN’s Prepaid, E-Postpaid and Postpaid customers to receive free incoming calls of up to 300 minutes valid for 30 calendar days in select destinations. Prepaid customers had to recharge up to N2000 or more (cumulatively or as a single recharge) in the same calendar month or must have previous month- spend of N2000 or more. For E-postpaid and Postpaid Customers, customers with a credit limit of N2000 qualify for the offer.
Well in all this, the customer is the winner as the competition is driving to make these products cheaper.
