When we half-jokingly said “it seems like just about everyone has an MVNO these days,” when Spar Mobile launched, we didn’t expect to cover the launch of Nedbank’s own mobile virtual network operator, Nedbank Connect, quite this soon. Nevertheless, it will arrive locally sometime this September.
As you’ve probably guessed by this point, Nedbank Connect isn’t doing anything out of the ordinary. It’s piggybacking off MTN just like nearly every other MVNO on the market, and the prices don’t appear particularly enticing. There is a level of flexibility, however, that might appeal to certain customers.
Can you feel the Connection?
“Whether it’s one line or ten, everything is managed digitally – there is no need for paperwork, call centres or branch visits,” Nedbank said in a statement. “Pricing and plans are also clear and competitive, starting at just R169/month for a package that includes unlimited calls, SMSes and 3GB of data. Larger bundles are also available, with options going up to 20GB.”
Whether you’re picking from Connect’s three separate monthly plans or building your own (à la Melon Mobile), you must first be signed up for a savings or current account with the bank to register via the Nedbank Money app. If that’s you, there’s a choice of eSIM or physical SIM (R100 delivery) — but with the bonus of R100 free airtime.
Customers can also unlock extra airtime rewards by engaging with the bank’s Greenbacks rewards scheme, with each level earning you larger rewards. For example, level one Greenbacks are only worth R30 of airtime, but get that all the way up to level five, and you can unlock R300 of extra airtime.
Read More: MTN partners up with SA’s taxi industry to drive digital change
“We didn’t build Nedbank Connect to replicate what’s already in market,” said Ciko Thomas, group managing executive for personal and private banking. “We built it to solve the frustrations we know our clients experience, like high data costs, lack of flexibility, and complicated user journeys. Our mobile offering puts control back in your hands, where it belongs.”
Where Nedbank Connect departs furthest from tradition is its new group plans, which allow customers to manage up to ten different SIM cards under a single account — targeting small businesses or larger-than-average families. Owners can freely distribute the plan’s airtime, data, and SMSes among other accounts, all in real-time.
It’s worth mentioning that any data accrued through Nedbank Connect’s prepaid or custom monthly packages does not carry over to the new month and is reset when you are billed. That’s according to the MVNO’s FAQ page, which is worth checking out if you’re serious about making the switch to Nedbank Connect.
