South Africa-based mobile telecommunications company MTN Group has tied up with IMImobile, a city-based enabler of value-added services (VAS) for mobile operators and content providers. This strategic partnership will entail providing MTN’s 21 markets access to a repository of current and globally popular content through enhanced delivery platforms.
Content categories will include music with local and international flavour, sports, games, entertainment and news. The partnership will also enable MTN to launch new income-generating voice and data services across its global footprint, with revenues from mobile content and services estimated at around $150.2 billion in 2011, up from $89.3 billion in 2006, worldwide.
“IMImobile was selected from a group of major global telecom software and service providers because of the scalability of its technology platforms and prove managed services business model,” MTN Group corporate affairs executive, Nozipho January-Bardill, said in a release.
One of MTN’s new content streams will be the 2010 Fifa World Cup, of which the mobile operator has exclusive global mobile content rights. Accordingly, MTN will leverage its IMImobile partnership to deliver exclusive 2010 Fifa World Cup content on subscribers’ handsets, including soccer match news, fixtures, match results as well as team and group profiles.
MTN is now aligning its mobile content and media services strategy across its 21 markets in Africa and West Asia to standardise and enhance its media content offerings to its subscribers. The partnership with IMImobile will bring mobile and online content to 103 million users.
IMImobile will deploy its service delivery platform, including the DaVinci Content Management System. The content strategy includes tailoring content for local consumer preferences, including French and Arabic as well as exploiting MTN’s sponsorship of the 2010 Fifa World Cup through www.mtnfootball.com.
“IMImobile’s value proposition and technology solutions will enable MTN to reduce the time-to-market for new services, boost average revenue per user and keep MTN at the forefront of innovative services,” January-Bardill said.