Smile Communications Nigeria has partnered with Samsung Electronics West Africa to launch LTE voice over broadband service on smartphone, for the first time in West Africa.
Smile said the giant stride is in line with Smile’s vision of providing superfast and reliable internet service to Nigerians leveraging Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
Mr. Michiel Buitelaar, managing director, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, while speaking at the service and product launch on Monday in Lagos September 21, 2015, described the partnership as historic and will benefit millions of Nigerian telecom subscribers.
Buitelaar said after securing US$365 dollars funding, Smile is repositioned to transform Nigerians’ telephony experience.
He said, “This partnership is significant to us in an effort to transform subscribers’ telephony experience. It’s is going to change the face of broadband to assist Nigerians in their different endeavours.
“With the US$365 dollars funding, we are ready to double our network output; spread to different cities and continue enhancing our network capacity by next year. So, we are excited to work in partnership with Samsung which invests in R&D, understands the market and has unleashed the first LTE compliant smartphone in Nigeria
Smile Communications Nigeria is not only the first authentic 4G LTE provider in Nigeria but the first to go into this performance enhancing partnership with Samsung; a global technology giant.
Also, Emmanouil Revmatas, director, Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung Electronics West Africa, underscored the need for both companies to enhance the customer experience through their product propositions.
According to Revmatas, the Galaxy S6 edge has the world’s first-ever dual curved edge display, which distinguishes the device as the ultimate premium Smartphone.
“This partnership with Smile on S6 edge is the first of its kind in Nigeria, offering consumers the opportunity to drive productivity with a unique smartphone coupled with the 4G experience that Smile LTE network offers.
“Our collaboration with Smile on the Galaxy S6 Edge LTE launch is a staunch affirmation of Samsung’s drive for novelty in the smartphone market globally. Samsung is committed to continuously engaging in partnerships that highlight innovations that create an impact in the life of consumers’. This partnership with Smile on S6 Edge will give Nigerians the opportunity to drive productivity with a unique smartphone coupled with the 4G experience that Smile LTE network offers,” said Revmatas
The 4G LTE mobile network will allow faster Internet on the S6 Edge which includes video calls, faster music, video streaming and conferencing, faster downloads and more pictures.
“We are pleased that Nigerian consumers will have the opportunity to reach new and progressive frontiers with their Samsung Galaxy S6 edge device,” Revmatas concluded.
In a presentation at the launch, Alero Ladipo, chief marketing officer, Smile Nigeria remarked on the noble pedigree and innovative streak of both companies which they are determined to harness in serving the best interest of their customers.
Ladipo said that the offer will be available at all Smile Stores and some selected Samsung stores.
Speaking further on the partnership, the Smile CMO stated that Smile Communications is specifically focused on the importance of partnerships of this nature to deliver on the end-to-end needs of the customer.
“The customer experience at our shops should create a lasting impression with the customer. A customer must enjoy the simplicity of the service and leave ready-to-go. Our partnership with Samsung gives the customer the opportunity to own the latest Samsung LTE compliant smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S6 edge with a Samsung complimentary clear cover), a 5GB bundle SmileOn plan for a fixed price,” Ladipo added.
Smile Communications Nigeria Limited was founded in 2007 with the transformative objective of using the best and most innovative technologies to provide its customers with high quality, easy to use and affordable communication services.
Its vision and mission is to be the broadband provider of choice in Nigeria and enable its customers to fully benefit from the Internet world.
Smile launched West Africa’s first true 4G LTE network in Ibadan in 2013 thereby revolutionizing the way people access the Internet.
Smile owns and operates mobile wireless 4G LTE broadband networks in the 800MHz band in Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda.
By the end of 2015 Smile will offer clear voice services and have national coverage comparable to the largest 3G network in each of its current countries of operation.
Smile will launch its broadband network in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) early in 2016.
