MTN has signed a global agreement with Norway’s Opera Software to boost mobile internet services for its 150 million mobile subscribers across Africa and the Middle East. The company will achieve this by offering a special co-branded version of Opera Software’s Opera Mini, the world’s most popular mobile web browser.

According to MTN this collaboration with Opera Software will provide MTN subscribers with a more affordable, user-friendly and faster mobile web experience. By employing Opera Mini, users will obtain one-click access to MTN’s content portals via their Opera Mini startpage.

Under the terms of this agreement, MTN will centrally launch a tailor-made version of Opera Mini to each of its 21 markets, with localised links and content. Opera Mini has north of 115 million monthly users around the world, and is available on over 3000 different mobile phones ranging from the high-end smartphone such as the iPhone 4 through to basic feature phones the likes of Nokia C2-01.

Opera Mini shrinks down websites and web data by up to 90% before delivering them to the users mobile phone, making the browsing experience faster as well as bringing down mobile data costs and increasing network capacity for operators such as MTN.

The introduction of customised versions of Opera Mini strengthens MTN’s small-screen strategy to take customers’ mobile web experience to the next level. Christian de Faria, MTN Group’s chief commercial officer explains: “By offering faster access to websites and easy entry to MTN portals, MTN subscribers can reach the content they want, with less frustration and less expense. With just one click, customers have music, news, games, and information on MTN products and services at their fingertips.”

De Faria stated that MTN wants to offer its subscribers innovative mobile internet services that have a positive impact on information, sharing and communication in their everyday lives.

“We are eager to bring the best Web experience to Africa and the Middle East, and working with MTN Group’s network enables us to achieve that. We have seen incredible uptake of Opera Mini in that geography so far, and we look forward to building on that success with one of the region’s leading mobile communications providers,” added Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera Software.

In related TechSmart recently caught up with Phillip Gronvold, Opera Software's product manager for mobile, to discuss the company’s mobile browsers.