South African Internet entrepreneur Calvin Collett is launching his latest venture, mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Melon Mobile, next week, hoping to lure customers looking for a simpler proposition for their telecommunications needs.

Collett joined TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (TCS) on Thursday to unpack the new company’s plans.

Melon Mobile, which will be launched officially next Thursday, piggybacks off MTN South Africa’s network and offers a full range of connectivity solutions, including voice, data and text messages.

Customers can choose exactly how much data, voice or SMSes they want upfront using sliders, offering them the sort of granularity that’s not available from the big network operators. Collett, speaking on TCS, explained that Melon Mobile has worked to remove the inefficiencies associated with subscribing to mobile services.

In the interview, Collett, who previously headed the MTN-owned Internet service provider Supersonic, talks about:

• Why the MVNO market in South Africa is mushrooming;

• Why Melon Mobile chose MTN as its network partner;

• Melon Mobile’s prices, and the company’s pricing strategy;

• The company’s target market and the market opportunity; and

• What its next moves are after launch.

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