Ericsson discount mobile solution

Ericsson has announced that it is introducing a solution that allows users to get discounts on mobile call rates of up to 99 percent based on the network load at their location.

The solution gives consumers the opportunity to see the discount currently available at their location on their mobile phone’s screen in real-time. The Dynamic Discount solution is available to any subscriber charged in real-time, whether pre-paid or part of a converged charging system. Consumers can activate the solution by entering a code.

An African operator reported rapid uptake, with two million subscribers using the service after only two months, corresponding to 60 percent of the operators’ total subscribers. At the same time, usage increased by 70 percent.

Jan Wäreby, Senior Vice President and Head of Multimedia at Ericsson, says the innovative solution marks a shift in application development.

“The Dynamic Discount solution was created in one of our Innovation Centers in South Africa, and has been launched commercially by 14 operators with great success. We see great opportunities in bringing applications that have been developed in emerging markets to the rest of the world.”

Dynamic Discount solution allows operators to discount call rates based on traffic in a particular device, introducing a new way to price telecom services.

Operator benefits include reduced churn and network congestion, and increased total revenues from existing network infrastructure investments.

Ericsson’s Dynamic Discount solution was named the most innovative solution during the AfricaCom Awards in 2008.