Vodacom clarified their 99c per minute prepaid rate today (18 May 2012), explaining that it is not a new tariff but actually a new \u2018All Day Per Minute\u2019 prepaid promotion.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a press release dated 16 May, we mistakenly referred to the Freedom 99 promotion as a new tariff. The correct wording should have referred to this as a promotion based on the All Day Per Minute price plan. We apologise for this mistake,\u201d Vodacom said in a press statement.<\/p>\n
It is understood that this clarification came after the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) took Vodacom to task about reducing their call rates without filing these new prices for approval with the regulator first.<\/p>\n
Unlike new tariffs, promotions do not have to be filed with the regulator for approval, which gives telecoms operators the ability to drop their prices without asking for permission from ICASA first.<\/p>\n
Vodacom has hence dropped the Freedom 99 name and the description of a tariff reduction. Consumers will however still benefit from the lower prepaid rates as part of Vodacom\u2019s All Day Per Minute prepaid promotion.<\/p>\n
Vodacom is set to launch their 99c per minute All Day Per Minute prepaid promotion on Sunday 20 May.<\/p>\n
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