You can now get a free Airtel Smartphone in Uganda at a cost of paying back later with the red telco’s new credit initiative aimed at increasing smartphone usage in the country. In partnership with Mastercard, Asante, and Samsung, Airtel’s new Kwata Essimu credit service will allow customers own smartphones at giveaway prices.
Statistically, the Uganda telecommunications sector has registered a bullish rise in active subscribers from 26.7 million in 2019 to 28.4 million by late 2020 translating to over 1 million new subscribers and a quarter to quarter growth of 7%. However, the total number of smartphone users is still low with 7million as of March 2020, but with new credit options like the Airtel Kwata Essimu, feature phone users will be able to acquire smartphones for less.
Similar to MTN Uganda’s Pay mpola mpola initiative which allows customers to get smartphones on credit and payback later, currently the Yello telco has the MTN Kabode as its only smartphone on the offer package. Likely, Airtel’s Kwata Essimu initiative too roams on favorable re-payment timeframes ranging from 3months, 6months, 9 months, or 10 months period.
Currently, under Airtel Kwata Essimu you can get a free Samsung smartphone at a cost of paying back later. Available models the Galaxy Core A3, Galaxy A01, and Galaxy A11. On re-payment, you can clear your device from as low as UGX 1,000 everyday, or monthly depending on the selected smartphone model and preferred timeframe.
How to get a free Airtel Smartphone with the Kwata Essimu Credit Initiative
The Kwata Essimu initiative is based on Airtel Money as the gateway to getting a free airtel smartphone at a cost of paying back later (on credit), and so, your repetition on the money transfer service translates into the smartphone model you can get under the credit initiative.
More so, if you’re a regular user of Airtel’s loan service ‘Wewole’, your loan repayment history serves as a benchmark on what smartphone you can acquire. However, if you wish to grab a free Airtel smartphone at the cost of paying back in your preferred timeframe, here is how you can get started.
- Dial *284*49#
- Your current eligibility status will be displayed, if you’re eligible, choose get a phone (on the list of options)
- Then, choose your preferred Smartphone model
- Once selected, visit your nearest Airtel service center with an original National ID card to pick your Smartphone
- DONE: At the Airtel service center, you’re be required to sign final paperwork + an initial payment in order to receive your brand new Smartphone and pay back later
All in all, smartphones in Uganda will soon be affordable and acquirable on credit with new initiatives from mobile operators. Given the fact that you can get a smartphone and payback later, the ratio of smartphone users will rise by atleast another 1 or 2 million subscribers in early 2022 with smartphones and feature plus phones like the MTN Kamunye, Africell 4G Vida available to mobile subscribers.