Glo Gateway takes prepaid roaming to US

Remmy Nweke

Subsidiary of Globacom, the Glo Gateway International, has taken the prepaid roaming on the network to eight countries, namely the United States (US), France, Israel, Russia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, India and Sri Lanka.

It would be recalled that Globacom in December 2004 became the first network in Nigeria to introduce prepaid roaming. Hitherto, roaming facility was enjoyed only by post-paid subscribers in other networks in the country.

Chief Operating Officer (COO), Glo Gateway, Mr. Charles Odiase, disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos, saying that the next phase will encompass some African countries such as Kenya, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Mali.

Mr. Odiase also disclosed that arrangements have been advanced to ensure that services would take off as planned.

“The extension of prepaid roaming to these selected countries was to offer Glo prepaid subscribers who travel abroad for business or leisure, broader opportunities to stay on the Glo network,” he said.

Mr. Odiase equally said that the roaming plan would enable subscribers to make and receive calls on their phones in major countries around the world.

He described the proposal as a way of making Glo prepaid roaming service available in most parts of the world.

Odiase further said Glo Gateway’s roaming option “gives subscribers crisp clear calls. The subscriber, whether on a prepaid or post-paid platform, and is able to stay in touch with friends, family and business associates back home and the quality of service makes him feel as if he is just next door.”

The COO equally said Globacom’s prepaid roaming is offered on the Customised Applications for Mobile Enhanced Logic (CAMEL) phase 2 platforms, which allows inbound and outbound roaming.

CAMEL is superior to the one-way roaming or the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) roaming obtainable in some other African countries.

He explained that CAMEL enables the prepaid customer to enjoy all the privileges currently being enjoyed by the post-paid subscribers including the ability to make and receive calls as well as receive text messages.

To enjoy the prepaid roaming service, Odiase further explained, a Glo Mobile subscriber would simply recharge his account and takes off for his destination, where he will be able to all services offered on the network.

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