The MTN Group is proud to announce that it has joined the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) which will support the company’s efforts to drive mobile media innovation across its 21 operations in Africa and the Middle East.
This means that over 134 million MTN subscribers across the Group’s operations can expect to receive more innovative mobile content and entertainment service offerings going forward as MTN ups its innovative game.
MEF is the global trade body that represents leading companies in the mobile media and entertainment industry, helping them to improve their competitive advantage.
Says MTN Group’s senior vice president: commercial and innovation, Mr Christian de Faria: “With mobile users set to use their devices on a substantial scale in 2011 to engage with retailers to purchase products and engage in mobile social gaming, MTN is well positioned to take advantage of the growing mobile content and services opportunity.”
According to the MEF’s 7th Business Confidence Index Report, the mobile media industry is expected to grow by 23% in 2011. This growth will be driven largely by mobile vouchers and coupons, which combine social media in-app billing and location-based services.
De Faria says MTN’s partnership with MEF will leverage both parties’ strengths and promote co-operation across the mobile media value chain.
“The explosion of data, which has been precipitated by the growth of smartphones, means that consumers will access the web more often as mobile content and services become more diversified and widely available. For mobile operators like MTN, the increase in the consumption of these services will generate more revenue streams,” says De Faria.
Rimma Perelmuter, MEF Executive Director, added: “We’re delighted that MTN has joined MEF as a full member and we look forward to supporting their activities through knowledge transfer and business development opportunities. This collaboration can make an even bigger difference in Mobile First markets where mobile is the primary point of internet access for consumers.”
In 2009, MTN appointed IMI Mobile to streamline content management and launched MTN Play, which has helped to deliver a seamless user experience for the Group’s over 134 million subscribers who now have access to the latest and personalized content and services as a result.
MTN’s continued investment in mobile data solutions, among other things, enabled the Group to increase data revenues by 46% to R2, 9 billion in the six months ended 30 June 2010 compared with the same period last year.
For more- visit MTN’s Press Office
