Vodacom has pioneered a new way to watch video via mobile. Video Play is an app that utilises spare network capacity to download and cache selected video content at a reduced cost. Users pre-select their content, which is then downloaded during low-demand periods (typically overnight). By Staff Writer
Vodacom announced on Tuesday Vodacom Video play app that lets you browse through its catalogue of videos and tag those you want to download on to your device.
When installed on a mobile device the app offers access to a selection of mobile videos from content producers like eNCA, eTV, Urban Brew and MobiTV. The initial content consists of music videos, with a focus on gospel, local and African music. The selection will be expanded to include a variety of other content over time.
Rather than billing per unit of data, Video Play bills in minutes, not megabytes, allowing customers to easily control and manage their spend. It’s the perfect way to watch uninterrupted video at a reduced cost.
Once in the app users select the videos they want to watch and add them to their download queue. Video Play then manages the download of the content to the device overnight. Once downloaded, the customer can watch the videos offline whenever they want.
Video Play is free to browse i.e. zero data charges are applied for browsing.
Customers have to buy a pre-paid bundle of minutes, available in the app, to use the service. There is no charge for browsing, only for the minutes of the video they download. For example, if a three minute video is downloaded only three minutes will be deducted from the video bundle. No other data charges apply.
Vodacom said at launch customers will be able to buy 30 minute bundles for R5. Additional bundles will be included in the future.
“You’ll be charged based on the ‘duration’ of the video. e.g. if you download a 10-minute video, 10 minutes will be deducted from your video minute bundle,” said Vodacom.
The Video Play app is currently available for free downloaded in the Android and BlackBerry app stores, with other platforms to follow shortly.
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