Beware of Telcommunication Companies in Ghana (Vodafone / MTN) Bearing Gifts!

The other day, I was over at the Vodafone shop in Accra Mall, trying to figure out why I no longer enjoy the 50% bonus credit Vodafone had been banging on about for the past couple of weeks.

It turns out the Vodafone was being rather deceitful about the whole promotion. It had conveniently forgotten to tell consumers they no longer enjoy the bonus credit once they activate the "8080" promotion to enjoy rate at 8gp/minute. In order to cancel the subscription, one needs to dial 1212 -- and that only after one month!

Then there is MTN.

I heard on the radio this morning that it had slashed its call rate to 7.5gp/minute.

Although I was not going to consider going back to MTN (I will only receive calls there), I wanted to be humoured. Instead I was annoyed!

The 7.5gp/minute is conditional. Yes, on condition that you subscribe to any three of their packages.

One package enables you talk for 10gp/minute in the first minute, coming down to 7.5gp/minute after 5 minutes! Another is on condition of being a "Family and Friends" member. The third is closely related to the latter two.

In short, not worthy of my time--in any way!!

I am still on Zain--and will continue to be there for a while.

Zain offers 8gp/minute to ANY network, with 8 free SMS-es a day (that's 240 free SMSes a month); and using family and friends, one gets further reduction. I can speak to my family and loved ones for some two minutes, and instead of paying 0.16GHC, I pay around 0.04GHC!!

While MTN and Vodafone have transformed themselves into the modern-day purveyors of Greeks bearing gifts, I hope Zain stays true.


labels: MTN; Zain; Ghana telcos; Accra Mall