Safaricom has announced that its customers will now be able to purchase the Neon Ray Pro smartphone with a deposit and installments under a new initiative dubbed Lipa Mdogo Mdogo. This new initiative is in partnership with Google is aimed at helping those on 2G phones upgrade to a 4G phone.
Customers will be able to buy the smartphone by visiting a Safaricom shop and then paying a deposit of Ksh. 1,000. They will then pay installments from as low as Ksh. 20 bob daily after which they will be able to outrightly own the phone. Customers can choose to make daily, weekly or monthly installments.
“We are delighted today to launch this product in line with our pillar of customer-centricity. Today, everyone is going through tough economic times. This product comes as a testament to our commitment to our purpose of transforming lives. Smartphones in the hands of our customers, possess life-transforming possibilities. They open a new world. We aim to take that world into the hands of every consumer through affordable means,” said Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom CEO.
“Android’s goal has always been to bring the power of computing to everyone. Access to the opportunities the internet offers is critical for any nations’ economic growth & social inclusion. We believe that this collaboration will bring more Kenyans online and help them take advantage of the opportunities that exist online,” said Mariam Abdullahi, Director, Android and Platforms Partnerships for Africa.
To participate, customers need to dial *544# and accept the terms and conditions to opt into the service. They will then receive an SMS approval of their eligibility and the value of the device they can purchase under the service. Eligibility of the financing plan will be based on customer credit score. The subscriber will need a history with Safaricom network going back at least one year and be between 18-75 years of age.
According to the company, customers will be able to make payments through a special interface. They will be able to choose the amount of money they want to pay as an installment (Ksh. 20 minimum). They can choose to pay more based on their income. If a customer under this service does not pay then the phone will be locked until they are able to pay.