Product Overview

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data or USSD in short is a service that allows mobile phone users to interact with a remote application from their device in real time. A predefined session is started once a user dials in to facilitate the transfer of information between your application and the user. It is a highly scalable service as it does not require an internet connection and is supported by both feature and smartphones

Dedicated USSD

This is a three digit code for example *384# that is used solely by one user for their company or service

Shared USSD

This is a code that is used by multiple companies or services. Each company is allocated a channel on our dedicated codes, for example *384*65#

The Power of Exposure

Dumi Kaliati, a developer based in Malawi, saw an opportunity to turn people’s mobile phones into their own personal billboards and classifieds through Peza, a USSD and SMS based mobile application that acts as a mobile marketing platform for blue collar professionals

Read their story

Use cases

Query services

Give access to structured information from your application with USSD menus. The interactive nature can layer leading questions to deliver the right information

Data collection

USSD is a powerful tool for data collection because it is universally accessible on any mobile phone. The session-based nature of USSD services also make them better suited for structured surveys as compared to SMS

User Registration

USSD is a powerful marketing tool for leading users to quickly register for your service. Enhance the customer on boarding experience by adding services such as SMS and Voice to your USSD application

Features

High Capacity

Our USSD gateway is built to handle thousands of concurrent API requests at any one time

Flexible Pricing

Choose between pre-paid and post paid billing options depending on your business needs.

Painless Integration

We have made it easy for a developer to build and deploy a USSD application within minutes

Pricing

Kenya

Shared USSD Code

Type Cost
Set Up Cost Free
Monthly Maintenance KES 5,000 + 16% VAT

Post-Paid costs per session (Cost is covered by the code owner)
Basic Plan
KES 0 - 19,999		 Plus Plan
KES 20,000 - 99,999		 Premium Plan
KES 100,000 - 399,999		 Max Plan
400,000+
Safaricom KES 1.5 KES 1.5 KES 1.25 KES 1.25
Pre-Paid costs per session (Cost is covered by the end user)
Cost
Safaricom KES 1
Airtel KES 3



Dedicated USSD Code

Safaricom

Type Cost
Test Bed KES 15,000 + 16% VAT
Set Up Cost KES 125,000 + 16% VAT
Pre-Paid Monthy Maintenance KES 50,000 + 16% VAT
Post-Paid Monthy Maintenance KES 50,000 + 16% VAT

Airtel

Type Cost
Set Up Cost KES 100,000 + 16% VAT
Monthly Maintenance KES 40,000 + 16% VAT

Telkom

Type Cost
Set Up KES 40,000 + 16% VAT
Test Bed KES 15,000 + 16% VAT
Monthly Maintenance KES 35,000 + 16% VAT

Post-Paid costs per session (Cost is covered by the code owner)
Basic Plan
KES 0 - 99,999		 Plus Plan
KES 100,000 - 499,999		 Premium Plan
KES 500,000 - 999,999		 Max Plan
KES 1,000,000+
Safaricom KES 1.5 KES 1.5 KES 1.25 KES 1.25
Airtel KES 4.5 KES 4.5 KES 4.25 KES 4.25
Pre-Paid costs per session (Cost is covered by the end user)
Cost
Safaricom KES 1
Airtel KES 3
Telkom KES 1

Shared USSD Code

Type Cost
Set Up Cost Free
Monthly Maintenance UGX 500,000



Dedicated USSD Code

1. Paid to UCC

Type Cost inclusive 18% VAT
UCC Application USD 295
UCC Annual Fee USD 11,800
Flash Message UGX 15
Reverse Billing UGX 45 for 20 second session

2. Set Up to Networks

Network Set Up Monthly Maintenance
MTN Uganda Free UGX 2,500,000
(first month paid upfront)
Africell USD 500 Free

Shared USSD Code

A shared USSD code will be raised on Airtel, Tigo and Vodacom and attract an overall monthly maintenance fee of $110

Basic Plan (TZS 0 - 499,999) Plus Plan (TZS 500,000 - 2,499,999) Premium Plan (TZS 2,500,000 - 9,999,999) Max Plan (TZS 10,000,000 +)
Vodacom TZS 107 TZS 107 TZS 100 TZS 100
Tigo TZS 65 TZS 65 TZS 60 TZS 60
Airtel TZS 20 TZS 20 TZS 20 TZS 20



Dedicated USSD Code

Application

Service Cost Paid to
USSD short code acquisition $2000 TCRA
USSD Licence Renewal $2500 TCRA
Application Fee $50 TCRA
Application Fee TZS 1,600,000 Africa’s Talking

Integration

Mobile Operator Annual Fee Set up
Airtel $2300 (To Airtel) $200
Tigo Free $50
Vodacom Free $50

Price per session

Basic Plan (TZS 0 - 499,999) Plus Plan (TZS 500,000 - 2,499,999) Premium Plan (TZS 2,500,000 - 9,999,999) Max Plan (TZS 10,000,000 +)
Vodacom TZS 107 TZS 107 TZS 100 TZS 100
Tigo TZS 65 TZS 65 TZS 60 TZS 60
Airtel TZS 20 TZS 20 TZS 20 TZS 20

Dedicated USSD Code

Service Cost
RURA Application Fee 25,000 RWF
RURA USSD fee(Paid annually) $1000
Africa’s Talking Set up fee 432,500 RWF
Monthly Maintenance Fee 259,500 RWF
Session Cost (Postpaid) 13 RWF
Session Cost (Prepaid) 8 RWF



Shared USSD code

Service Cost
Set up Fee 86,500 RWF
Monthly Maintenance Fee 26,000 RWF
Session Cost 13 RWF

Shared USSD Code

Type Cost
Set Up Cost Free
Monthly Maintenance NGN 20,000 + 5% VAT

Post Paid ( Owner of the code pays for the session costs)

A compulsory deposit of NGN 36,000 is required for the session cost
Basic Plan
NGN 0 - 99,999		 Plus Plan
NGN 100,000 - 499,999		 Premium Plan
NGN 500,000 - 999,999		 Max Plan
NGN 1,000,000+
MTN (Charges are per 20 seconds of a session) NGN 5 NGN 4.5 NGN 4.2 NGN 3.9
E.g 40 seconds spent on a session will incur 2x the cost; maximum session length is 120 seconds.

Pre Paid (End user pays for the cost of the session)

The telco deducts the cost of the session directly from the end users’ airtime. We charge an amount per session as well as indicated in the table below.
Telco charge to end user Basic Plan
NGN 0 - 99,999		 Plus Plan
NGN 100,000 - 499,999		 Premium Plan
NGN 500,000 - 999,999		 Max Plan
NGN 1,000,000+
Airtel (Charges per 20 seconds of a session) NGN 5 NGN 2 NGN 1.5 NGN 1.2 NGN 0.9
Glo (Charges per 120 seconds of a session) NGN 10 NGN 2 NGN 1.5 NGN 1.2 NGN 0.9
9 Mobile (Charges per 20 seconds of a session) NGN 5 NGN 2 NGN 1.5 NGN 1.2 NGN 0.9



Dedicated USSD Code

We currently do not offer dedicated USSD codes in Nigeria.

Shared USSD Code

Type Cost
Set Up Cost Free
Monthly Maintenance MWK 25,000



Dedicated USSD Code

We currently do not offer dedicated USSD codes in Malawi.

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