Updated April 2025, this blog unpacks MTN mPulse for 9-to-15-year-olds: call rates, education bundles, birthday rewards, parent-child controls and cheap airtime via SmartSMSSolutions—plus FAQs and expert usage tips.
The end-March 2025 tariff hike raised PAYG calls on most Nigerian plans to 30 kobo per second. For pre-teens with modest pocket-money that is a budget killer. MTN mPulse, however, still bills voice at just 20 k/s and offers education-only data from ₦50 per week. Add in parent-child gifting and a ₦200 annual birthday bonus and you have a plan tailor-made for school life in a tough economy. This 2 500-word guide explains every feature, teaches parents how to link accounts and reveals where to buy discounted airtime so junior’s chatter never drains the family budget.
Evolution Of MTN’s Youth Tariffs (2016 → 2025)
|
Year |
Youth-Focused Plan |
Voice Rate |
Status After Mar 2025 |
|
2016 |
MTN YafunYafun |
27 k/s + hefty data bonuses |
Retired 2021 |
|
2018 |
mPulse launch |
15 k/s intro, 20 k/s standard |
Live & upgraded |
|
2020 |
Pulse Junior (promo) |
23 k/s |
Folded into mPulse |
|
2024 |
mPulse 2.0 |
20 k/s, new Parent-Link |
Current version |
Core Tariff Snapshot
|
Element |
Charge |
Notes |
|
Local calls |
20 kobo/sec |
No daily fee |
|
Local SMS |
₦6 |
On-net & off-net |
|
Data PAYG |
₦3.07/MB |
Disabled unless teen opts-in |
|
Migration |
Free first switch per 30 days; ₦102 thereafter |
Text mPulse to 344 or dial 3441# |
Why 20 k/s Matters In 2025
A teen who chats 100 minutes a month saves ₦1 000+ per term versus the default 30 k/s plans—enough for two exam practice booklets or a lunchtime snack every school day.
mPulse Bundles And Rewards
|
Feature |
Weekly Plan |
Monthly Plan |
|
Education data |
300 MB @ ₦50 |
4 GB @ ₦600 |
|
Validity |
7 days |
30 days |
|
Access scope |
White-listed e-learning sites + mPulse portal |
Same |
|
Multiple subscriptions |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Parent opt-in |
Via Parent-Link menu |
Via Parent-Link menu |
Other goodies:
- ₦200 birthday airtime (if DOB registered ≥ 30 days ahead).
- Free 30 MB on first visit to the mPulse site/app.
Parent-Child Linking — Full Control In Three Steps
- Parent line (any MTN prepaid) dials *344# → Parent/Child Link → Add child .
- Child receives prompt; press 1 to accept.
- Parent sets weekly or monthly allowance (airtime or data) and spending caps.
Up to six kids can be managed from one parent SIM; two parents can co-link the same child.
Case Scenarios
|
Student |
Monthly Needs |
Solution |
Cost Outcome |
|
Uwa, age 11 |
200 min family calls + homework browsing |
mPulse + weekly 300 MB bundles |
₦1 000 voice + ₦200 data |
|
Tobi, JS3 |
5 GB research & peer chat groups |
mPulse + 4 GB monthly bundle + PAYG top-up |
₦600 + ₦500 PAYG |
|
Zara, SS2 boarder |
Needs strict cap |
Parent sets ₦1 000 voice + 1 GB data monthly |
Predictable spend |
Buying Discounted Airtime Via SmartSMSSolutions
- Sign up free at SmartSMSSolutions.com .
- Fund wallet (bank, card, USSD).
- Buy MTN airtime for ~2 % less than face value.
- Parent can schedule bulk top-ups for allowance day; teen never runs dry during exams.
Annual saving on ₦12 000 of airtime ≈ ₦240—equivalent to five extra 300 MB study bundles.
Frequently Asked Questions
|
Q |
A |
|
Does mPulse bonus data work on TikTok? |
No—education bundles open only white-listed learning sites. |
|
Can a parent SIM be on mPulse too? |
No, parent numbers must be on other MTN prepaid plans. |
|
What happens at age 16? |
MTN may migrate the line to Pulse; birthday bonuses stop. |
|
How do I check bundle balance? |
Dial 3442*2# or *310#. |
|
Can I gift my unused education data? |
No, sharing is disabled for this bundle category. |
Conclusion: A Learner’s Best Ally In A Tight Economy
mPulse keeps calls at the absolute floor of 20 k/s, ring-fences study data at almost giveaway prices and hands parents the switchboard. For Nigeria’s cash-strapped households the arithmetic is simple: pay less, learn more, worry less. Link your child today, use SmartSMSSolutions for discounted top-ups, and let their airtime stretch as far as their ambitions.