Telecommunications operator rain has announced that it has entered the mobile market for the first time. They are launching a new 4G mobile network, with high definition voice calls, data, SMS and national 4G mobile coverage.
Up to now rain has primarily focused on the home internet market. rain began by launching South Africa’s first 4G data only network in 2018, and South Africa’s first commercial 5G network in 2019.
Their 5G network has since expanded from metros to smaller towns and regions, covering over 7 million households. This makes one of the largest 5G network in the country and growing.
After acquiring spectrum in the 2022 auction, rain is overlaying its existing 4G network with a new layer which provides for more comprehensive reach.
This has now positioned rain to enter the market as a full mobile network operator, thus becoming the fourth telco after Vodacom, MTN and Telkom, with a network that offers national coverage in voice, SMS and data.
rain’s 4G and 5G networks are highly efficient, providing seamless, plug and play 5G streaming and now high definition 4G voice calls. And because they don’t have to maintain legacy 2G and 3G networks, rain is more cost effective and therefore able to offer significant value to the end user.
With both their national 4G mobile network and extensive 5G network, rain is now combining home and phone into one plan, branded rainOne.
Now customers can connect all their devices with one monthly bill. rainOne includes unlimited 5G home wifi, plus free monthly calls and data for 2 phones, each with 2GB of free data and 60 minutes of free, high definition voice calls every month. All for R559 month-to-month, without any long-term contracts.
Customer’s with rainOne will be able to seamlessly port their existing number and use rain mobile as their primary SIM, with national 4G mobile coverage.
“The convergence of a home and mobile voice and data offerings in one affordable plan is an innovation we are confident will appeal to South Africans. We recognise that our customers have family members, so with rainOne we are catering not only for their need to access the internet from home, but also outside on their mobile devices,” says Brandon Leigh, the CEO of rain.
“Now customers have another option for mobile services from a provider that has already established a strong reputation in the home internet market. The expansion of rain’s network, both in terms of 5G coverage and spectrum acquisition, indicates that we are serious about being a major player in the mobile market as well,” concludes Leigh.
rain’s 5G customers can upgrade to rainOne for the same price as their current plans and gain the benefit of the mobile SIMs and free monthly calls and data for 2 phones, at no extra cost.
