Celltel innovates new prepaid billing method

Mobile telecommunications provider, Celltel, set a new standard for billing of calls on its prepaid platform with the launch of their Per Second Billing option.

Per Second Billing is a first among GSM operators that extends greater cost control for its prepaid Cell CARD users by charging them for the exact duration of their calls instead of on a per minute basis.

On the Per Second Billing option of Cellcard package users will pay for the exact number of seconds of their call duration, allowing them to pay a nominal amount for short duration calls, which was not possible.

"This way they can make more calls on their prepaid cards, or save on call charges," CEO Celltel, Dumindra Ratnayake said.

Ratnayake said that many calls were often not of long duration and on many occasions calls were for passing a message.

With the Per Second Billing package all calls by subscribers will be charged by the 'second' as opposed to a one minute block, as done today in the industry. "What's more this facility comes with no daily fee, so customers are in complete control of their call expenses."

"By introducing this system they would get additional mobile traffic which would lead to an even better service," Commercial Director Celltel Aniljith Singh said.

He said that their aim is not to be the number one operator in Sri Lanka but to be the best provider. "We are coming from behind to achieve this goal," he said.

The Cell CARD connections available will have both packages built-in and will be allowed free switching for the first time. All existing customers can also switch to the new package, via this method. The Cell CARD services are supported by an extensive dealer network.

Celltel is a subsidiary of Million International Cellular SA, a global telecommunications giant with a total of 16 cellular operations worldwide and licences in 15 countries.