National Daily

Celtel Nigeria launches Nigeria's 1st $20 GSM phone

CELTEL Nigeria has recently introduced Nigeria's first ever $20 mobile phone, a new initiative aimed at empowering low income earners in the country to overcome the entry barrier to telecom services.

The initiative tagged “Celtel Ultra Low Cost Handsets Scheme” will help to make handsets available to people on the lower rung of the income ladder, enabling about two millions Nigerians get connected in a cost effective manner, empowering them to communicate, and enhancing their businesses activities and social networking.

Each of the ZTE branded GSM phones, which are available to retailers and buyers at N2, 600.00, come bundled with a SIM card and N50 airtime. On activation of the SIM card, customers will get additional N200 airtime, bringing the total value of free airtime to N250.00 per handset. Celtel's Chief Commercial Officer, Michael Foley, described the occasion as unique, as the company has stepped into a terrain which no other GSM operator has attempted.
He noted that Celtel was democratizing telephony by making the facility available to the masses in response to the call by the Federal Government to make telecommunications available to both urban and rural dwellers.

Foley observed that “the new Celtel Ultra Low Cost handsets are the least expensive phones in the Nigerian telephone market today at N2, 600”, adding that the introduction of these low cost handsets was in line with the company's promise when it entered the Nigerian telecommunications market two years ago to make its products and services available to Nigerians across the various socio-economic strata.

“This is an eloquent testimony to our corporate philosophy of MAKING LIFE BETTER”, he explained.

The scheme will be launched in other regions across the country soon and the handsets will be available in Celtel shops, mobile vans, appointed distributors and strategically located Celtel outlets across the country.

Value Card, E-tranzact, Interswitch in for E-payment Company of the Year

IT Driven University of the Year, Public: University of Ife, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University, National Open University while IT-Driven University of the year, Private: would see Abti America University, Babcock University, Bells University and Covenant University.

Cash Card (Interswitch), 3.5G (MTN) and 3G plus (Glo) are nominated for the Tech Product of the Year and for Tech Personality of the Year, Female: Bunmi Afolabi, Adenike Osofisan, Chioma Ekeh and Cecilia Ibru are in contention.
Total Solution Provider Company of the Year, would be a steep contest among the following nominees, PPC, Telnet Group and Sidmach Technologies.

For the Telephone Company of the Year, Reltel Wireless, Multi-Links and Intercellular would do battle with MTN Nigeria, while Starcomms and Reltel Wireless are doing the same for the Telecommunications Company of the Year.
ISP of the year, has Swift Networks, DOPC and Linkserve while Alpha Technologies, PNN and iTouch are up for Value Added Company of the year, for the IT training company of the year, Aflon Institute, HiiT Institute, New Horizons and NIIT are top contenders.

IT Driven Secondary School of the Year, Private: Caleb International School, Corona Secondary School and Grace High School while IT Driven Secondary School of the Year, Public: Oke-Ira Grammar School, Kings College and Igbobi College.

The "Titans of Tech" 2008 is a two-day event scheduled between April 3 and 4 would feature a conference, an exhibition and an award night to recognise the "Titans of Tech".