MTN Ghana has introduced a new service that enables subscribers to have access to contact numbers of various institutions and companies in the country. The service dubbed, MTN 1188 Directory Service, is the latest in the portfolio of services offered on the MTN Business platform, and is in collaboration with 4Sight Microsystems. A statement signed by MTN Ghana Corporate Services Executive Cynthia Lumor said “through this 24/7 dial-in service, MTN subscribers have the convenience of accessing phone numbers of local companies listed in the directory.” It said the directory has over 30,000 businesses listed, which represents a rich repository of local businesses, and is constantly updated to include more companies and ensure the highest level of integrity. “Business owners who wish to register their businesses in the directory can do so for free on the website www.mtn1188.com or call 1188 to have an agent register your business. Businesses already listed in the directory can also update their information through the same medium,” it said. The MTN Directory Service provides access to contact numbers of institutions in the country, such as hotels, schools, hospitals and many more. A live agent searches for the business or institution whose number is desired and an automated system subsequently reads out the number to subscribers. The number is also sent via SMS directly to the subscriber’s phone, thus allowing storage for future use. The statement said the listings have also been categorized by industry, location and other specifications to it easy for customers to find the addresses and numbers they want. “…even if a subscriber is unsure, for example, of the specific pizza restaurant they are looking for, they can just ask the agent to search for the keyword pizza, which results in a list of suggested pizza restaurants from which a selection may be made for the subscriber,” it said. The statement said subscribers could access the MTN Directory Service by dialing MTN short code 1188 and pay 47Gp for the first minute, and subsequently, 20Gp for every 10 seconds. Sources at MTN said it is expected that each customer would have been served within one minute to prevent the payment of 20Gp for every subsequent 10 seconds, which may have been to delays not caused by the customers. “In the event that a requested business contact is not found, a refund will be issued to the subscriber within 48 hours,” the statement said. The statement also quoted General Manager of MTN Business Eric Nsarkoh as saying MTN recognized the importance of making information available to its subscribers without limitation to their location. “This service will relieve customers of the stress they go through when searching for numbers of businesses while on the go. It also is more efficient for people without direct access to the internet to obtain the results of their search quickly,” he said. He added that MTN is always proud to identify with innovative firms like 4Sight Microsystems and will always ensure they promote such relevant products and services on their network. The CEO of 4Sight Microsystems, Kwame Kyiamah emphasized the need for services in the country that make a positive impact on the lives of Ghanaians. “We believe this is the beginning of a great partnership with MTN, which will greatly benefit subscribers.