Vodacom introduces airtime buying service

Vodacom customers can now buy airtime, data bundles and SMS bundles using their debit, cheque or credit cards via their mobile phones.

Customers who bank with Absa, Standard Bank and Nedbank will be able to use this service to buy Vodacom Prepaid or Top Up airtime for themselves or for other mobile phone users.

This service – Vodacom Express Recharge – was developed in conjunction with Absa to ensure seamless and secure processing of the transactions.

“We’re taking convenience to the next level. Our customers can now recharge with ease whenever they want wherever they are. We’ve also added a new feature that allows customers to choose between purchasing voice airtime, SMS or data bundles, which means that our customers will not need to convert airtime to data bundles,” says Chris Ross, managing executive for Commercial Development at Vodacom.

Customers do not need internet access in order to buy airtime using funds from their bank account. To access this service customers dial *130*082# and follow the prompts.

“We are acutely aware that not all customers have access to internet and/or cellphone banking and thus cannot purchase airtime via our digital channels. Customers can now enjoy the convenience provided by the Vodacom Express Recharge service that uses the specific dial in code to facilitate the payment,” said Arrie Rautenbach, Absa’s head of Retail Markets.

He adds that initially the service will be used for purchasing prepaid airtime, sms and data bundles and will later be extended to allow payments with card on mobile to other merchants, products and services.

Vodacom Express Recharge is a free service and will link a customer’s bank card to their cellphone so that they are able to perform the recharge.  The recharge purchased is then deducted from the user’s bank account. Bank card charges apply.