Global mobile roaming services provider Roamware has launched a solution to enable operators to offer their pre-paid customers enhanced roaming and “home network” services. Operators can generate substantial revenue by fully enabling non-IN based pre-paid roaming services, the company says.
Roamware’s Prepaid Local Number (PLN) service enables visiting prepaid roamers to sign up to the visited network via their mobile device and be allocated one or more local prepaid numbers. The visiting roamer can then use both their home and visited network profiles in parallel. Additionally, when the roamer is using the Prepaid Local Number(s), incoming calls are free, providing an attractive tariffing opportunity.
Roamware said that, today, 40% of the global prepaid base cannot roam — some 480 million customers. Additionally, 25%(300 million customers) only have limited service. And while prepaid users represent 76% of the total global GSM customer base, only 30% of the existing global roaming customer base is prepaid. There is huge potential to encourage roaming for the prepaid market, and it is from this market that future growth in roaming revenue will be generated, Roamware said.
Prepaid roaming lacks the seamless service of postpaid as only around 30% of operators worldwide are compliant to CAMEL — required to provide intelligent roaming services and real-time billing for prepaid customers. Roamware’s PLN provides an alternative solution.
Mohan Gyani, Roamware CEO, said, “With this unique service we have addressed a key gap in the roaming environment. Operators who do not invest in creating an environment for roamers that provides enhanced services could jeopardise their roaming revenue.”