Millicom to drive data takeup with smartapps
- premium apps bundled in monthly packages
- popular apps include Tigo Music, Qello and Gameloft
- new campaign to drive digital lifestyle adoption
Stockholm, 22 October, 2014 – Millicom (Stockholmsbörsen: MIC), the international telecommunications and media company, announced today the launch of its Tigo “smartapps” service to drive further takeup of data and smartphone usage in Latin America.
The smartapps service: bundling premium services with data
Tigo’s post-paid customers will be able to choose and activate from a group of premium applications included in their monthly data plan:
- Tigo Music: featuring 30 million streamed tracks as well as an online listening facility
- Qello: exclusive full-length HD music documentaries and concerts spanning all genres
- Gameloft: users select four games each month such as Sonic, Assassin’s Creed and Spiderman
- Busuu: with over 200 hours of online lessons to learn eleven different languages, including English, German, French and more.
- Smartbooks: Tigo’s own smartbooks app has a library of 1,000 titles.
With APPtualizate, Tigo’s prepay customers will be able to discover from dozens of apps, which will include locally-relevant content such as maps, cooking, fitness, basic music and film.
The service begins its full rollout in Colombia and will be available in El Salvador and Bolivia later this month and in all Latin American Tigo markets by the end of the first quarter of 2015. With low penetration of debit and credit cards in these countries, the service is a simple way for customers to access mobile content.
Over the past year Millicom has experienced a significant rise in the number of its customers taking data packages with one in four now having mobile online access. Its drivers have included Tigo Music with over 600,000 customers and the FIFA World Cup app which was a top download in five Tigo markets. This has been boosted by the wide availability of smartphones at around $45.
The smartapps campaign: guiding and motivating the consumer
The first phase of the smartapps marketing campaign in Colombia, including a TV spot filmed in Medellin, features the simplicity of using apps on mobile devices as well as the extraordinary range of content available.
It shows the millions of consumers who may be unfamiliar with the concept of apps, how they work and how useful and entertaining they can be to position Tigo as a trusted and friendly provider.
The campaign reinforces the Tigo Smart brand which promotes a selection of smartphone products and services designed to make customers’ lives easier and the smartphone experience more fun.
Commenting on the launch of the new service today, Millicom’s CEO and President Hans-Holger Albrecht said “Online use on the go keeps on growing and now our smartapps service will reinforce this decisive shift from voice to data use on mobile devices. It’s a key part of our strategy to provide a digital lifestyle and promote stronger customer loyalty with valued services and attractive bundles.”
For more please visit: www.millicom.com or contact:
Press Enquiries:
Julian Eccles, VP, Corporate Communications
+44 7720 409374
press@millicom.com
Investor Enquiries:
Nicolas Didio, Director of Investor Relations
+44 203 249 2220
investors@millicom.com
About Millicom
Millicom is a leading international telecommunications and media company dedicated to emerging markets in Latin America and Africa. Millicom sets the pace when it comes to providing digital lifestyle services to the world’s emerging markets, giving access to the world, primarily through mobile devices. Operating in fourteen countries, primarily using the Tigo brand, Millicom offers innovative and customer-centric products. Millicom employs more than 16,000 people and provides mobile, cable, broadband, TV content, online and financial services to over 50 million customers. Founded in 1990, Millicom is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm under the symbol MIC. In 2013 Millicom generated revenue of $5.16 billion and EBITDA of $1.9 billion.
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