Accra, 1st February, 2012– 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, MTN 1188 Directory Service, the latest in the portfolio of services offered on the MTN Business platform, is being introduced in partnership with 4Sight Microsystems.Through this dial-in service, MTN subscribers have the convenience of accessing phone numbers of local companies listed in the directory.

With over 30,000 businesses listed, the directory represents a rich repository of local businesses, and is constantly updated to ensure the highest level of integrity. The listings have also been categorized by industry, location and other specifications .That way 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.

Subscribers can access the MTN Directory Service by dialing MTN short code 1188. A call to short code 1188 costs GH 0.47p the first minute and 20p for every subsequent 10 seconds. In the event that a requested business contact is not found, a refund will be issued to the subscriber within 48 hours. The directory will be updated with new business contacts regularly to ensure more companies are listed.

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 General Manager of MTN Business, Mr. Eric Nsarkoh, who launched the service, indicated that MTN recognizes 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, Mr. 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.

The service is available 24/7 so subscribers just dial 1188 anytime, anywhere within the country to request a number.
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.