- The MTN Group has announced it has signed a major deal with IMImobile to bring mobile and online content to its users.
Millions of mobile and online content users across Africa and the Middle East will reap the benefits of a landmark tie-up with IMImobile - an India-based software and managed services provider linked to 350 content providers worldwide, MTN said in a statement today.
The two companies have teamed up in a move to address the growing demand for content in emerging markets. The partnership will entail providing MTN's 21 markets access to a repository of current and globally popular content through enhanced delivery platforms. Content categories will include music (with local and international flavour), sports, games, entertainment, news and much more.
The deal will also enable MTN to launch new income-generating voice and data services across its global footprint, with revenues from mobile content and services estimated at around US$150.2 billion in 2011, up from $89.3 billion in 2006, worldwide.
One of MTN's new content streams will be the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) of which the mobile operator has exclusive global mobile content rights. Accordingly, MTN will leverage its IMImobile partnership to deliver exclusive 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) content on subscribers' handsets, including soccer match news, fixtures, match results as well as team and group profiles.
MTN Group Corporate Affairs Executive, Nozipho January-Bardill, said IMImobile was selected from a group of major global telecom software and service providers because of the scalability of its technology platforms and proven managed services business model.
"IMImobile's value proposition and technology solutions will enable MTN to reduce the time-to-market for new services, boost Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and keep MTN at the forefront of innovative services.
"We have found a partner in IMImobile that has the insight and expertise of the appropriate managed service business model and technology solution necessary to continue to deliver premium content and services to our customers," said January-Bardill.
MTN also wants to capitalize on the rapidly converging data content and voice market, with Africa, the Middle East and Latin America poised to witness the highest growth in revenue as additional mobile data services are being deployed in these regions.
Vishwanath Alluri, Founder and CEO of IMImobile said: "This is a major commercial milestone for IMImobile as we continue to build our offering to support leading operators worldwide. To be chosen by MTN as their strategic partner ahead of a strong list of competitors is testament to our unique service. We are excited by the opportunity and are looking forward to helping MTN achieve its objectives of creating substantial additional revenue streams."
Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a multinational telecommunications group, operating in 21 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. As at 30 June 2009, MTN recorded 103,2 million subscribers across its operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia.
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