Mobile and Telecoms
South Africa Could See Cheaper International Calls Thanks to ICASA
Sourced from PC Mag The Internet Service Providers’ Association of SA (ISPA) says that it welcomes moves by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) to conduct a new ‘cost modelling exercise’ with regards to voice call termination rates and to introduce curbs on charges from local voice providers for terminating calls from outside of South Africa. The result is likely to be cheaper overseas calls and much-reduced phone fraud, says the Association representing over 200 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) members, many of which provide voice services. What are Call Termination Rates and how do they work: Call termination rates are the fees telecoms networks across the world levy on each other to ensure calls originally placed on another network can reach – or terminate – on their...
South Africans Score Big Through Nedbank-linked Game
Image sourced from PYMNTS. Expand, a mobile app that rewards players with cash and airtime for their knowledge and attention to brands, products, and services, has taken South Africa by storm. At 20:00 every weeknight, tens of thousands of people from every corner of the country are glued to their mobile device screens in an attempt to win their share of cash and airtime, and a chance to win up to R10 000 ($645,48) in cash. A first of its kind globally, Expand is a digital game of skill that was made possible through a partnership between Nedbank and Expand. Since Expand first launched on 4 October 2021 as a web-based game, thousands of fun-loving South Africans have shared in cash and airtime prizes worth more than R5,5 million ($355 047,16). According to Maude Korte, Head of Commercialis...
MTN Named the Number 1 African Brand
MTN Group, with operations in 17 countries across Africa, has been ranked the number one African brand and among the top 10 brands on the continent in the annual Brand Africa 100 survey. At a ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria to mark Africa Day on Wednesday 25 May 2022, Brand Africa said that MTN was the #1 African brand in both the spontaneous recall (where respondents are asked to name a brand across any category and region) and prompted recall (where respondents are guided to recall an African brand) rankings. This is the first time MTN has scooped both awards. MTN was also named the highest-ranking telecoms brand on the continent. “We are humbled by the recognition and remain focused on playing a leading role in building a more digitally inclusive society across Africa,” said MTN Group Presid...
The 5 African Countries That Have Launched 5G Services So Far
Many governments across Africa have been incredibly optimistic about technological advancements being the key to pull Africans from the developing space right into the developed. One of these emerging technologies that have a lot of weight and emphasis pulled behind it is 5G. Certain analysts predict that 5G could add an additional $2.2-trillion to Africa’s economy by 2034. However countries across the continent are struggling to launch the new technology due to either infrastructure challenges, adoption issues, the expensive nature of the technology and the devices needed to utilise it and even safety concerns around 5G. Many African countries are currently testing 5G and a few have successfully launched the technology in a commercial nature. These are the countries currently testing or a...
Orange Appoints New Leaders for Africa
Sourced from MSNBC. France’s Orange Group yesterday announced the appointment of new leaders across its B2B Africa and Middle East units in order to refocus and capitalise on the regions which have been seeing growth and spurred positive financials for the Group over recent quarters. Africa and the Middle East is currently one of Orange’s “major growth engines” having produced positive results in back to back quarters over recent years. The region contributed a year-on-year growth of 8.7% which equates to a cold $142-million, maintaining the overall Group revenue at a flat rate of 0.7% to $11.3-billion. The Group’s Africa and Middle-East arm continues to be one of the largest telecoms in the entire continent in terms of both revenue and customer spread. “Africa and the Middle East continue...
What You Need to Know About MTN’s New Reduced LTE & 5G Deals
MTN has announced price reductions and more value to customers on its MyMTN Home Fixed LTE and 5G home portfolios. The MyMTN Home Fixed LTE and 5G offers are available until 31 July 2022. “At MTN we are committed to providing connectivity at affordable rates for all South Africans to enable more people to enjoy the benefits of a modern connected world with as little impact on their pockets as possible”, says Mapula Bodibe, Chief Consumer Officer at MTN South Africa. The MyMTN Home Uncapped Fixed LTE and 5G internet promotional deals are shown below: According to MTN, its Uncapped Fixed LTE 10Mbps Max Speed offering has been reduced from R499 PM for 24 months to R399 per month for a more extended signup period of 36 months – an R100 reduction but for a longer commitment. Its uncapped ...
Kenyan Government Seeks to Control Safaricom Call Charges
The Kenyan government wants to control the rates that Safaricom charges rivals for terminating calls on its network to protect small telecommunications firms. The new regulations set by the state seek to bar dominant telcos from making profits from mobile termination rates (MTRs). In this regard, Safaricom will now charge fees to cover only the costs of interconnecting calls from its competitors. MTRs, according to Business Daily, are the charges levied by a mobile service provider on other telecommunications service providers for terminating calls on its network. The Kenya Information and Communication (Interconnection) Regulations 2022 set the stage for the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to control Safaricom’s rates of interconnecting calls. However, this will only happen if Safa...
Minors Won’t Get Access to Loan Services in M-Pesa Junior Accounts
Image sourced from Kansas Discovery. Safaricom, a telecommunications provider in Kenya, confirmed that minors will not get access to loan services like M-Shwari and Fuliza. The Kenyan telco announced on Friday that it is introducing M-PESA Junior Accounts for individuals between the age of 10 and 18 years old. The company said that the minors will have access to the network via SIM cards registered under their guardians or parents. “We plan to soon launch an M-PESA Junior Product for our children who may have access to mobile phones,” Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said. According to Techweez, M-Pesa makes the most money for the company, hence it wants to expand the scope of its M-Pesa services. It recorded a 30.3% YoY growth to KES 107.69 billion ($926.2-million). The total M-PESA transaction...
M-PESA Rakes in $1.5-Billion Amid Kenya’s Betting Craze
Image sourced from WeeTracker Kenyans have spent Sh169.1-billion ($1.5-billion) betting through Safaricom’s M-Pesa in the year to March. According to Business Daily, disclosures show that the value of bets jumped 23.8 percent from Sh136-billion ($1.2-billion) a year earlier. The Kenyan government is trying to crack down on gambling by imposing higher taxes both on the companies and those who are gambling. People in the country continue to bet despite this and Safaricom, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and other firms are scoring big time. Safaricom’s revenue from betting rose by 40 percent to Sh5.98-billion ($50.7-million) last year, placing it higher among other firms that are listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). The telco company relies heavily on business lines like data a...
Nokia to Use Oracle Cloud HCM to Manage HR Processes
Image sourced from Wikimedia Nokia has selected Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management (HCM) to enhance and replace its Human Resources systems in the cloud as part of its global digitalisation program. Nokia will use a worldwide deployment of Oracle Cloud HCM to manage all HR processes, including recruitment, compensation, and performance management, for the company’s global workforce in its 130 countries of operation. In 2021, Nokia launched its ‘One Nokia Digital’ strategy to support the company’s competitiveness by digitalising its operations. As part of these efforts, Nokia will replace its on-premises HR systems with Oracle Cloud HCM. The telecommunications company has selected Oracle Cloud HCM for its ability to standardise HR processes on a common data platform, which will en...
Safaricom Partners with vivo to Launch Flagship Y15s in Kenya
The new Y15s. vivo Smartphone and Safaricom PLC have partnered to list the new Y15s flagship in Safaricom as it seeks to increase its footprint in the Kenyan market. The new partnership will see vivo’s latest products sold in Safaricom outlets and its online platform Masoko starting with the vivo Y15s, vivo Y21, and the vivo Y33s as it advances to offer more products to consumers and as it expands its portfolio. The launch of the vivo smartphones in Safaricom is set to increase smartphone penetration, fast-tracking Safaricom’s vision to drive digital inclusion in the country. “The partnership with vivo smartphone cements our commitment to bring our customers a variety of smart devices that will enable them to stay connected and have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of higher spe...
Safaricom Hires Managing Director of Citibank
Managing Director of Citi Bank, Michael Mutiga, now part of Safaricom. Image sourced from Shava TV. Safaricom, a Kenyan telecommunications service provider, has hired the managing director of Citibank to be in charge of strategy and acquisitions. The telco is currently seeking regulatory approvals to launch insurance, unit trust, and savings products in an endeavour to compete with larger financial services and expand its mobile money platform M-Pesa. Michael Mutiga, MD of Citibank and head of corporate finance for sub-Saharan Africa from 2019 will be the new chief business development and strategy officer, according to an internal memo that was first seen by Business Daily. Mutiga will be replacing former Safaricom’s chief of special projects and acting chief business development and stra...
