Mobile and Telecoms – Page 3

Tag Archive for: Mobile and Telecoms

Agriculture, Mobile, Mobile Money, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Nigerian ICT looks to mobile money

Nigeria’s $25 billion mobile money market is set to top the agenda at the 66^thTelecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) meeting on Friday. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and telecom operators hope the conference will address challenges facing the industry.

Eugene Juwah is gearing up for Friday's event. (image: file)

The monthly event, held in Lagos, brings together government and operators to discuss issues in Nigerian telecoms industry.

Eugene Juwah, the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, said the topic of the next event will be “Mobile Payment: The Consumer Perspective”.

Total mobile money transactions in emerging markets is expected to grow at an annual compound rate (CAGR) of 54%. From $25 billion in 2010, to $215 billion in 2015.

“There is also a forecast that mobile money subscribers will grow from 133 million users in 2010 at a CAGR of 40% to reach 709 million users in 2015,” his office said.

February 16, 2012/by actualize

Mobile Money, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

FNB’s mobile money shows significant growth

screen shot of FNB mobile money platform

A view of the mobile account screen shot on the FNB app (image source: file photo)

FNB recorded a 150% growth in the number of cellphone banking transactions and 1384% eWallet growth comparing December 2010 and December 2011.

A view of the mobile account screen shot on the FNB app (image source: file photo)

2.4 million transactions were conducted on cellphones during December 2011 in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Swaziland and Lesotho. In total R214 million was transferred. In December 2010 it was only R986 000.

Botswana, the bank’s leading cellphone banking subsidiary outside South Africa, saw just over 1.3 million transactions, a 126% increase year-on-year.

International Telecommunications User (ITU) research indicated Botswana has 2.3 million cellphone users. Namibia recorded year-on-year growth of 155%, Zambia 308% and Swaziland 227%.

Ravesh Ramlakan, FNB Cellphone Banking Solutions CEO, says service growth reflect consumers’ increasing confidence in mobile handsets in the African market.

“Innovation has played a key role in growing cellphone banking across Africa. Our ability to adapt the service for use on any cellphone has been an important driver of this growth,” says Ramlakan.

Since inception, FNB eWallet has generated 407 110 original sends in its four African operations (Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Zambia) at the end of December 2011. In Botswana, FNB eWallet original sends increased by 1236% year-on-year from December 2010 to December 2011.

eWallet allows FNB customers to send money to anyone within their borders. Recipients do not need a bank account as money is transferred instantly. With a pin code sent to their cellphones, recipients access cash by entering the code at FNB ATMs.

Yolande van Wyk, FNB eWallet Solutions CEO, says despite eWallet’s recent introduction to markets outside of South Africa, the service demonstrated continued potential future growth.

“A country like Zambia for example has 5.4 million mobile phone users and a large informal sector, making a solution such as eWallet ideal in helping bridge the financial services gap between the banked and the unbanked,” says Van Wyk.

Staff writer

February 15, 2012/by actualize

Connectivity, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Orange Tunisia introduces uncapped internet

The youngest telecom operator in Tunisia, Orange Tunisia, rolled out uncapped mobile internet access for all their ‘Internet Everywhere’ customers.

Orange Tunisia increasing their market share. (image credit: Alamy)

Currently users receive a monthly 7.5GB cap on their 3G network.

Now once the limit is reached, internet speed will slow down to 128kb/s, sufficient for internet browsing.

Customers will be alerted once their bandwidth limit is reached the company said in a statement.

Orange Tunisia was launched in 2010 by the local Mabrouk group and France Telecom.

Ahmed al-Hilali

February 15, 2012/by actualize

Connectivity, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Zimbabwe’s Telecel set to invest US$70 million

Zimbabwe’s Telecel has announced a US$70 million investment in network expansion. John Swain, Telecel Zimbabwe Managing Director, also said its recent rebranding aligned them with Telecel affiliates such as Orascom Telecom Holdings.

Telecel Managing Director John Swain (image: TechZim)

“We are planning, with the assistance of our strategic partners, to invest more than US$70 million in the geographic expansion of our network and improving our core network systems. We are also investing in human capital and in management and technical training to ensure efficiency and improved service delivery,” Swain said.

“We have just introduced an emergency credit service, in response to requests from our customers. This allows active customers, who have been active on our network for at least three months, to access emergency credit,” he added.

Telecel Zimbabwe recently became the first mobile operator in Zimbabwe to offer its subscribers a credit facility.

Charlie Fripp – Online editor

February 14, 2012/by actualize

Connectivity, Legal & Regulatory, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

10% penalty for poor telecoms service

Uganda’s Communications Commission is investigating possible penalties to telecommunications providers delivering poor service quality. New proposed companies could face a 10% of their gross income.

: Uganda might penalise telecommunications providers who deliver poor service quality (image: instablogs)

“We are in consultations with all telecoms to come up with a detailed report indicating how much to be fined for which offense. The law allows us fines of up to 10 per cent in comparison to gross income,” Fred Ottunu, the UCC communications and consumer affairs manager told Uganda’s Daily Monitor recently.

The public outcry about poor service quality sparked discussions the UCC added.

Various telecommunications companies said they are yet to come to an agreement, but do not expect any penalties.

“There is nothing conclusive yet and I hope the commission will first consult widely before it introduces penalties,” said Shailendra Naidu, the Warid chief commercial officer.

UTL’s Jamal Sultan added that “Even as UCC’s recent Quality of Service report placed Utl in the lead in terms of service, we have not tired of laying strategies for improving our services.”

February 10, 2012/by actualize

Connectivity, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Partnership deal bolsters Nigerian broadband

Nigerian carrier services provider Phase3 Telecom and Dancom Technologies have announced their partnership deal boosting broadband services in the country.

Phase3 Telecom and Dancom Technologies’ partnership will boost broadband in Nigeria (image: stock.xchng)

Phase3 Telecom and Dancom Technologies' partnership will boost broadband in Nigeria (image: stock.xchng)

They said in a joint press statement they would upgrade their respective networks in order to “provide robust transmission services to deliver reliable broadband services to individual end-users and businesses.”

Stanley Jegede, Phase3 Telecom chief executive officer, said both firms “have made extensive investment to deliver transmission services that will enhance and ensure that high-quality broadband services are available to all users and businesses in line with global realities of today.”

Telecom experts are excited about the IT and telecom infrastructure boost in Nigeria. They believe the partnership will lead to others pushing for similar endeavours.

“We realise that there is an increasing requirement for broadband services in Nigeria in line with global development and we at Phase3 Telecom are ready to facilitate the effective delivery of (the) same to businesses and all other users using our reliable aerial fiber optic network. This informs our partnership with Dancom Technologies which has resulted in the development of one of the most robust and extensive fiber optic network coverage in the country. We are ready to lead the broadband revolution and ensure that we help Nigerians enjoy the benefits and comfort of broadband connection,” Jegede said.

Boye Olusanya, Dancom Technologies chief executive officer, stated the companies installed some of the most advanced technologies in their networks to meet customers’ expectations.

“Our aim has always been to provide quality service to our customers. In driving this, we have invested significantly in the latest technologies that can deliver required services to our customers. This investment, coupled with our use of aerial fibre as well as our partnership with Phase3, allows us to meet and surpass the quality threshold we set for ourselves,” he said.

David Eto

February 9, 2012/by actualize

Agriculture, Mobile, Mobile Money, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Western Cape taxis to use smart cards

The Peninsula Taxi Association (PTA) in the Western Cape will become the first taxi organisation using electronic payments in South Africa.

The Peninsula Taxi Association (PTA) will become the first taxi organisation to use a smart cards system for payment (image: Gateway)

The end of January saw the launch of the Tap-I-Fare card payment system. Five thousand cards were distributed to passengers. These cards are compatible with the MyCiTi bus service and Johannesburg’s Reya Vaya bus service too.

With a fleet of 250 vehicles, the PTA is testing the system on a number of taxis for now. “As a pilot project at the moment, the card system was being implemented in 42 vehicles which ran the city to Victoria & Alfred Waterfront route but would be rolled out to other routes in future. The 42 vehicles had wireless hand-held devices upon which the cards were swiped,” the New Age wrote.

“As the most progressive taxi association in the country, it was always the vision of the PTA to look ahead and pre-empt the ever changing needs of the commuter. This meant that changes had to be made to keep up with the times, and this card payment system was but one option that was explored,” said Ghaalid Behardien, association spokesperson .

The first 1000 passengers to buy a new card will get it at 50% discount, while card holders’ fares from Cape Town central to the V&A Waterfront are reduced by 50c.

Charlie Fripp – Online editor

February 8, 2012/by actualize

Connectivity, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Nigerian regulator setting sight on fixed lines

Nigeria’s telecommunications regulator said on Monday it hopes to increase the number of subscribers to its fixed-line licenses to boost broadband internet services in the country.

hopes to increase the number of subscribers to its fixed-line licenses in the next year (image: stock.xchng)

Speaking to Bloomberg, Eugene Juwah, Nigerian Communications Commission CEO, said fixed-lines are key to boosting the country’s internet capacity.

“The licenses will be issued to revive the fixed-line telecommunication services that have been comatose and will benefit our broadband initiative,” Juwah said.

The agency wants to provide a “enabling environment” for private investors to expand the country’s broadband infrastructure, he said.

With Africa’s largest population of more than 160 million, Nigeria’s telephone users dramatically increased over the past decade. According to data published by the NCC, users grew from under a million in 2000 to over 90 million at the end of 2011.

Zooming out, fixed-line telephone users make up less than one percent of the total number, leaving room for growth in broadband communication as demand increases for data services, the NCC chief said.

David Eto

February 7, 2012/by actualize

Agriculture, Mobile, Mobile Money, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Uganda’s Airtel launches mobile money

Uganda’s Airtel officially launched its mobile money scheme on Tuesday with Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi making the first transaction to a local journalist. The new platform should enable Ugandans to access their real money and convert it to e-money in order to pay bills and accounts, top up mobile credit and receive money across the country’s telecom networks.

Uganda’s Airtel officially launched its mobile money scheme on Tuesday (image: Blogspot)

Mbabazi said that telecom operators in the country are now giving users more options and adding value to their operations, which the PM said would have a “positive social impact and economic growth” for the country, singling out rural areas as having the greatest potential.

Airtel’s launch means the country now has four operators serving mobile money, after MTN, Uganda Telecom and Warid Telecom already had launched their services.

Airtel Uganda Managing Director, V.G Somasekhar told guests that the company invested sh300-million ($130 608) to upgrade its network services at 300 sites countrywide.

He said this enabled at least 1.5-million more customers to be accessed, bringing its total customer base to 4-million.

Andrew Matapare

February 2, 2012/by actualize

Agriculture, Mobile, Mobile Money, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Kenya’s Cellulant and Barclays partner for digital services

Kenyan mobile services provider Cellulant has inked a deal with UK’s Barclays Bank in order to provide digital services across the African continent.

The two companies will partner on a new platform aimed at connecting banks (image: stock.xchng)

According to the deal, the two companies will partner on a new platform aimed at connecting banks with third-parties, including mobile network operators to boost the efficacy of mobile money services across the continent.

“Cellulant’s platform will be deployed in stages in Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Seychelles, Botswana and Kenya,” the companies said.

Cellulant’s chief business officer, Paul Ndichu, said in a press release that “we have built a mobile commerce network connected to different platforms across different value chains in Africa such as [mobile] wallets, banks, merchant bill payment gateways and content delivery channels to deliver a transformational experience on mobile.”

According to John Gachora, Barclays Africa’s corporate banking MD, the digital drive is part of Barclay’s One Africa strategy to increase channel access for both retail customers and corporate clients.

“For corporate clients, this offers an efficient and cost-effective channel to bill and receive payments from their customers,” he added.

Janan Yussif

February 2, 2012/by actualize