Afrihost will next month launch what looks very much like a fully fledged mobile virtual network operator on MTN’s infrastructure, providing users with voice minutes, SMS and data on a prepaid and month-to-month contract basis.

The Internet service provider’s CEO, Gian Visser, told an audience in Johannesburg on Wednesday that Afrihost Mobile will be launched on 10 November and has promised aggressive pricing.

Afrihost is controlled by MTN, which owns 50% of the business. The company already provides mobile data packages using MTN’s network.

“You will be able to get voice minutes, mobile data and SMSes on one Sim card,” Visser said. “You can use it in your primary phone. Everything will be integrated into our Client Zone [on the Afrihost website] and through on our mobile app.”

He said Afrihost Mobile customers will be able to track usage and purchase minutes and data online. “The out-of-bundle shark will be well and truly caged,” he said, adding that the company’s out-of-bundle fees will be not be dissimilar to in-bundle rates.

Visser did not reveal any details about pricing or packages that Afrihost Mobile will offer.

“We will provide both prepaid data that lasts a year, as well as prepaid and month-to month-packages. There will be no long-term contracts,” he said.

Separately, Visser apologised to Afrihost’s ADSL subscriber base for problems the company has experienced with its network in the past year. He said Afrihost has re-engineered the network and those problems should now be a thing of the past. — © 2015 NewsCentral Media