Licensed toll-free telephone service provider, AntCellular has introduced an integrated and shared toll-free platform called iDesk (information desk), which allows various entities to use one toll-free line and pay far less than they would for a dedicated line.
The shared line is 0800-247-247, with extensions to the customer services lines of various companies across the country at a very affordable rate to companies.
iDesk was initially piloted on MTN Call Assist Platform, but it is now available on all four telecom platforms – MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo and Glo – for all corporate entities to access for their customers to reach them for free, while the company pays about five times less than what they would have paid for a dedicated line.
Affordability
Chief Executive of AnteCellular, Eyome Ackah explained to TechGh24 that it costs GHC4,075 to set up a dedicated toll-free line and an additional GHC885.63 monthly to maintain it, plus, the company would also pay for the number of minutes of calls customers make to the line every month.
“But with the shared toll-free line, 0800-247-247, from iDesk, a company would only have to get an extension line and pay only GHC1,000 to set up, plus GHC100 monthly maintenance fee.
“You also get 100 minutes of free calls your customers can make to the toll-free line every month, and every additional minute of calls received will cost only GHC0.20 per minute,” he said.
This means, companies would have to promote the main line, 0800-247-247 and the extension line as well, or when the customers calls, the operators will redirect the call to the specific company the customer wishes to speak with.
The other advantage of the iDesk platform is that while it take six weeks to set up dedicated toll-free line, AntCellular is able to set up a line on iDesk instantly without delays.
How it works
How it works is that a company wanting to be on the iDesk toll-free line would provide AntCellular with a phone number to which their calls should be redirected, and once a call get to 0800-247-247 and it is meant for that company, it will be redirected to that number.
So for example, if TechGh24 acquired extension line number 1234 on iDesk, customers who intend to reach TechGh24 will dial 0800-247-247 and enter Extension 1234. The call will be forwarded automatically to TechGh24 at no cost to the customer.
Eyome Ackah said businesses wishing to sign on to iDesk can call 0800-24-247 and dial 0 (zero) for the operator and request for registration. Alternatively, they can go to click the link APP.I-DESK.INFO and register on the web-based App.
