MVN-X, the company that enables niche mobile providers such as MRP Mobile and Boksel, has signed a deal with AlwaysOn to allow users to roam seamlessly across to 2 500 Wi-Fi hotspots around the country.
MVN-X has helped launched a number of mobile virtual network operators (MNVOs), including MRP Mobile from Mr Price, Afrikaans-only network Boksel and its own me&you mobile brand.
The deal allows for Wi-Fi calling as well as Wi-Fi offload, MVN-X said in a statement.
CEO Steve Bailey said the growing demand for data means it “makes business sense to enable its partner MVNOs to let their customers automatically connect to and phone via Wi-Fi”.
“Not only does it allow customers to avoid network congestion on normal GSM networks, it is also much more cost-effective to customers,” Bailey said.
MVN-X’s other MVNO customers are iSmart, Mobius and X Mobile.
Wi-Fi and GSM services both link into MVN-X’s core customer management and billing services.
“Customers won’t even notice when their phones switch from GSM to Wi-Fi, it’s such a smooth switch,” said Bailey in the statement.
Bailey explained that all the MVN-X-supported networks are built on infrastructure from Cell C, which recently launched Wi-Fi calling as a value-added service. — © 2016 NewsCentral Media
See also: SA gets Afrikaans-only mobile network