By: Tewodros Balcha
Ethio telecom
has awarded three BYD electric vehicles to winners of its TelePlay digital
gaming and customer-engagement programme, highlighting the operator's expanding
use of digital entertainment, mobile services and financial incentives to
deepen customer engagement.
The three
vehicles were selected through a lottery draw held at Meskel Square in Addis
Ababa, attended by Ethio telecom executives, representatives of the Ethiopian
Lottery Service, media partners and invited guests. The TelePlay promotional
programme has been running for the past year, with the latest draw marking the
award of the three electric vehicles.
TelePlay forms
part of Ethio telecom's growing portfolio of digital services beyond
traditional connectivity. Customers can access the platform through *830#, the
TelePlay website and the telebirr SuperApp, while purchases of airtime and
mobile packages and payments for services through telebirr can generate
opportunities to participate and earn Telecoins.
The operator
said the programme has distributed prizes valued at more than 32.6 million birr
($250,000), excluding the three electric vehicles awarded in the latest draw.
The prizes distributed over the past year include 119 smartphones, more than
17.76 million birr in telebirr electronic-money rewards, domestic tourism
packages for and more than 1.9 million mobile packages.
The scale of
the programme illustrates how the operator is increasingly using gamification
and digital services to move customer relationships beyond voice and data
connectivity. Ethio telecom has been expanding its digital-services portfolio
across entertainment, financial services and other value-added services,
including the recent launch of teleStream, an internet-based television and
video platform offering more than 60 live channels and more than 350
video-on-demand titles.
The EV prizes
also come as Ethiopia accelerates the adoption of electric mobility. Ethio
telecom has specifically promoted electric vehicles among the prizes available
through its current TelePlay campaign, alongside domestic and international
travel, telebirr cash rewards and smartphones.
Ethio telecom
said the TelePlay programme will continue, with customers remaining eligible
for daily, weekly and monthly rewards, including electric vehicles and other
prizes.
The operator's
expansion of TelePlay reflects a broader shift in its digital strategy as it
seeks to build an ecosystem around connectivity, financial services and digital
content. Its positioning of telebirr and other digital platforms alongside
entertainment services is part of a wider effort to turn its mobile customer
base into an active user base for a broader range of digital products.
