Two weeks after Cell C announced it was cutting prepaid voice and ad hoc data rates, it’s announced a cut in call rates to five international destinations.

Calls to China, India, Pakistan, the UK and US will drop to 99c/minute (with per second billing) between 30 May and 31 August as part of a promotion that may become permanent.

Cell C CEO Alan Knott-Craig says the rate applies to fixed and mobile networks in the applicable countries. “We are not using [voice over Internet Protocol], but pure circuit switching ensuring the best voice quality possible.”

All existing Cell C customers — whether prepaid, contract or top-up — will automatically be billed at the new rate and the rate applies regardless of the time of day the call is made.

The promotional rate is an effective 91% reduction in Cell C’s call rates to affected destinations. Cell C says the countries that are included in the promotion are five of the most popular international calling destinations outside of Africa.

Knott-Craig says that if customers respond favourably to the new international rates — and it’s hard to see how they won’t — then Cell C will notify the Independent Communications Authority of SA of its intention to make the lower prices permanent.