Vodacom Connectu Portal Exceeds 34 Million Unique Users In 2 Years
With more than 34 million unique users visiting the platform over the course of the past two years, Vodacom claims that the zero-rated ConnectU platform has experienced “exponential growth.” This translates to an average of 3.5 million new unique customers per month, according to the telephony group.
The portal, which was launched in April 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, was created to enable free access to a number of crucial services and material geared toward social progress.
Its main objective is to provide information based on the following important pillars: government, SMMEs, social, health, and safety. According to Vodacom, the three pillars with the most visitors are jobs, health, and education. Universities, TVET colleges, early childhood development centers, Vodacom’s e-School platform, and other institutions are all accessible at no cost through the education pillar.
According to the mobile operator, this pillar receives the most unique visitors, an average of 68 000 each month. Melanie Forbes, managing executive of consumer marketing and insights at Vodacom South Africa, speaking said that when ConnectU launched two years ago, the company wanted to provide an innovative digital solution that would allow Vodacom customers to access critical information and essential services online at no additional cost.
“When we launched ConnectU two years ago, we wanted to provide an innovative digital solution that would allow Vodacom customers to access critical information and essential services online at no additional cost.
“Since then, the portal has gone from strength to strength, helping millions of South Africans overcome challenges they are facing off the back of the pandemic and ongoing unemployment. ConnectU is driving digital inclusion for all, which underpins our purpose as a techco,” said Forbes.
Since its launch, ConnectU, according to Vodacom, has given a zero rating to more than 770 organizations and 1400 URLs, including the national departments of education, home affairs, and health.
In order to combat the high rate of unemployment in the nation, Vodacom also introduced Get-a-Gig, a job platform with a three-year goal of matching one million young people with gigs or jobs by 2024.
The mobile operator declares that in order for everyone on the Vodacom network to participate in the gig economy, it has expanded its Get-a-Gig campaign to offer job or gig opportunities.
Get-a-Gig, which is now accessible via the ConnectU platform, is listed under the jobs pillar. This free job platform connects applicants to openings or positions at Vodacom and its external partners.
“Our Get-a-Gig platform is powered by JOBJACK, a company that shares the same vision as us on job creation and driving economic participation in South Africa. We are excited to partner with them. Together we believe we can contribute to fighting the scourge, one job at a time, and take South Africa further.
“At Vodacom, we believe in the power of technology to transform lives and our goal is to connect the next 100 million customers by 2025. ConnectU supports this vision, providing transformative socio-economic development opportunities online at no data cost, and encouraging participation in the digital economy now and into the future,” Forbes concludes.