GloFirst CashCard Records Over 150, 000 Activations In 1st Quarter
2007-05-31 19:18:34 | Viewed 1026 times
The management of Globacom, the second national carrier, last week announced that GloFirst CashCard, a pre-paid debit card introduced along with First Bank Plc. and Interswitch, has recorded over 150,000 activations within the first quarter of 2007.
The company, while releasing the figures said that the activations were done mostly by students and small scale businessmen many of whom previously did not have bank accounts but who have now found the card an easy route to bank transactions.
GloFirst CashCard is a payment card which allows users who do not have bank accounts to perform electronic transactions like bank account holders and debit card users via the Glo Mobile network.
According to Globacom’s Key National Accounts Manager, Mr. Niyi Olukoya, the high activation figures were despite the absence of direct marketing by Globacom.
He, however, announced that from June this year, Nigerians will be able to acquire the product, free of charge, from Gloworld shops and First Bank branches across the country.
He further noted that “up till now, the product has only been made available at special programmes and events. The release of the product to Gloworld will make the card more easily available to consumers and would further increase the rate of acquisition and activations,” Olukoya said. He added that this will be accompanied by an awareness campaign for traders in most major markets in Lagos while other markets in the country will follow soon.”
The new product which boosts the country’s electronic payment system can be used for a variety of transactions including cash withdrawals from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and day-to-day purchase transactions in outlets with point-of-sale terminals (POS).
However, unlike existing debit cards in the market, GloFirst CashCard is available to both bank account holders and the non-banking public.
Olukoya said at the launch of GloFirst that the card could be used for making purchases on the internet, in retail stores, fuel stations, hotels and restaurants where card payments are accepted.
GloFirst can also be used to withdraw money, check card balance, print mini statements, change Personal Identification Number (PIN), and transfer money to another cash card or bank account. For example, parents can send money to their children in schools using GloFirst CashCard as long as they are on the Glo network. The card can also be used to buy airtime.
...Makes EasyTalk more attractive for subscribers
Apparently trying to aid its subscribers in ruling their world, national telecommunications operator, Globacom, says it is creating more opportunities for its subscribers on the Easy Talk package making it the most attractive among this category in the GSM sector.
It said the Glo Easy Talk package, which was introduced in October 2006, now provides better opportunities to achieve greater savings for small business owners, young and upwardly mobile professionals and other discerning phone users who use up between 100 to 500 minutes of talk time each month.
Apart from offering free midnight talk, the package also offers a longer period of talk for the user as the subscriber is free to talk for free between 12 midnight and 5.am. every night.
The Glo Easy Talk package, according to the company, also offers very low call rates and the lowest on-net SMS rate of N5.00 among the operators.
According to the company’s Head of Consumer Marketing, Chris Ehimen,the new features are part of the company’s response to the needs of the people of the country, especially those who make more calls on their phones and seek to have value for money.
Ehimen added that Globacom has not deviated from the target it set for itself to always bring the best and affordable services to its subscribers. He also said that the offer is proof of the round the clock reliability of the Glo network.
“All a subscriber willing to enjoy the free midnight service needs to do is to use up a minimum of N1,000 worth of airtime in a month and then qualify to talk freely from midnight to 5.am all through the following month,” said Ehimen.
He added that existing Glo subscribers can migrate to the Easy talk package by dialling 125 on their line while new subscribers will also find the package attractive and cost effective.
Ehimen recalled that Globacom, as part of its drive to build Africa’s biggest and best network recently paid for a 3G licence, saying that his company has as a result, commissioned Alcatel-Lucent to build a network that will be the best around.
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