Moya Messenger is a new mobile messaging app that enables users to communicate without incurring data cost – provided they don’t send any attachments and are willing to be exposed to advertising.<\/p>\n
Developed in South Africa, the app’s users can message each other without airtime or a data balance on their smartphone.<\/p>\n
The app offers unlimited texting, group chat, end-to-end security with automatic encryption of all messages, and automatic contact discovery that allows users to connect with others also using the Moya app.<\/p>\n
However, while message attachments like photos, videos, voice notes, documents and the like are fully supported, sending media attachments is not data-free<\/strong>. Moya users will be pre-emptively warned when they will incur mobile data costs, or need to switch to WiFi.<\/p>\n Moya said that it is able to offer this service for free as it has\u00a0reverse billing agreements with MTN, Vodacom, Cell C and Telkom, and has built a technology platform that enables partners and customers to make their apps and websites data-free for end-users.<\/p>\n The group’s commercial model is to give businesses access to these users<\/strong> – though it said that all business communication to a consumer is on an opt-in<\/strong> basis only.<\/p>\n