Vodacom South Africa has introduced a 4G “smartphone” that costs only R249 to wean more mobile users from its outdated 2G and 3G infrastructure.

Vodacom refers to the Mobicel-branded phone as a “cloud-based handset.” Its introduction aims to “reduce the cost of smartphone access in the country” and encourage more of the operator’s clientele to switch to 4G.

Until recently, even the most basic 4G-capable smartphones in South Africa cost at least twice as much.

Read also: Vodacom and MTN partner with Starlink and Amazon Kuiper to bridge network gap

The phone features

Vodacom said on Tuesday that its new cloud-based phone, the Mobicel S4 Cloud Phone, comes pre-installed with well-known apps like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, all of which can be accessed over the cloud, providing users with a “smartphone lite” experience. But it doesn’t seem to support WhatsApp, which would be a deal breaker for many customers. The phone has a 2.8-inch screen, a 1000mAh battery, and only 48MB of RAM and 128MB of storage.

According to Davide Tacchino, managing executive for terminals at Vodacom South Africa, “the cloud phone will help customers who are still anchored to 2G phones and not familiar with the touch-screen experience, allowing them to appreciate a smooth transition to the data and application world.”

“We think we can make progress towards working together to lower the prices of 4G-enabled smartphones through greater collaboration between governments, mobile operators, and everyone across the value chain,” he said.

“Vodacom has stayed dedicated to lowering the cost of devices over the last ten years through numerous initiatives started in collaboration with Vodafone. This featured introducing device units bearing the Vodacom brand, accelerating smartphone uptake in several Vodacom territories, including South Africa.

Read also: South African telcos urge Netflix to pay MTN, Vodacom, and others

Pressure to shift from 2G/3G to 4G/5G

Mobile operators in South Africa face pressure to shift their older 2G and 3 G customers to more recent technology, freeing up the spectrum for 4G, 5G, and other more sophisticated technologies.

Vodacom referenced a report by the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development in 2022, which was funded by Vodafone and argued that expanding smartphone availability requires bringing down device costs.

“A smartphone priced at R1 094.24 (US$62/€56) could cost about 63% of the average monthly income in Africa, according to estimates from the Alliance for Affordable Internet. According to the Broadband Commission’s study, thin-client phones, such as the new cloud-based phone that Vodacom has provided, should be investigated. Using the power of cloud computing, the new cloud-based phone offers a number of capabilities usually associated with entry-level smartphones at a lower price.