Briefing Paper

Top Operators for Personalised Prepaid Products

Pent up demand for internet service has driven strong growth in data revenues for operators throughout Africa. Traditional voice and SMS revenues have, in turn, been shrinking but have yet to lose their significance. Operators are launching promotional and personalised data products as a means of adapting and gaining revenue. With Over-the-Top (OTT) services increasingly acting as substitutes for the traditional voice and SMS services, operators are opting not to resort to raising prepaid prices on their cheapest tariffs as a means of making up lost revenues. Regulatory interventions such as cost-based termination rates have created consumer expectations of continued price reductions.