Wireless Federation

Wanachi Group, Aptilo Network and Google come together to launch WiFi services in Nairobi (Kenya)

On 08.31.11, In Mobile Operators, Mobile Solutions, By Editor

Wanachi Group along with wireless data service management company Aptilo Network and Google, have come together to launch Wazi Wi-Fi, a high-speed wireless broadband network in Nairobi, Kenya. Initially being offered in the Junction Shopping Mall area of Nairobi, the service is free for the first ten minutes of use per day after which users can either pay for a single day pass (54 cents) or for one month ($5.4)per device. Payment for the same can be done using their credit cards or via M-PESA, Airtel Money and PesaPal.

As per reports, Aptilo is expected to provide cloud-based service management and policy controls for Wazi Wi-Fi. Sources claim that Wananchi Group CEO Richard Bell and Euan Guttridge, Google’s technical program manager for emerging markets in sub-Saharan Africa, aim to get more users online by reducing Internet access barriers and developing a vibrant Internet environment.

Filed under:Mobile Operators,Mobile Solutions Tagged with: Aptilo • Euan Guttridge • Google • Kenya • Manachi • Nairobi • Richard Bell • Wazi WiFi

3G services now launched in Kenya by Telkom Kenya (Orange)

On 08.30.11, In Mobile, Mobile Operators, By Editor

Telkom Kenya, the largest provider of integrated communications solutions in Kenya, has launched 3G services in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu, providing subscribers with an internet speed of 21 Mbps. The service provider operating under the flagship of Orange plans to expand the service to other regions as well in order to cater to the ever increasing demand for data related services.

According to reports, Mickael Ghossein CEO Telkom Kenya states that a new internet era has begun where Orange will steadily take the lead in offering innovative products and services while providing simplicity through customer experience and maintaining value proposition to the customer. He also confirmed that users would be able to browse for as low as 0.40 cts per MB, with these rates being applicable across all its internet platforms.

Orange also unveiled a 3G shared broadband WIFI router which will allow upto 10 users to connect to the internet simultaneously, thus minimizing cost. As per reports, Ghossein stated that the service would be using multiple pole technology which separates voice and data channels, assuring users that the quality of data will remain unaffected even when there are multiple subscribers using voice services. This service also comes with parental control software enabling customers to manage internet abuse.

Filed under:Mobile,Mobile Operators Tagged with: 3G • Africa • Kenya • Kisumu • Mickael Ghossein • Mombasa • Nairobi • Orange • Telkom Kenya

Airtel Kenya to launch 3G in 1Q11

On 11.25.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Airtel Kenya (formerly Zain Kenya) has announced that it will launch its own 3G network in the first quarter of 2011.

According to Airtel Kenya managing director Rene Meza, the company has finalized planning for 3G and expects to have the services launched at the end of the first quarter, which will change mobile telephony in the country’.

As per Jayant Khosla, CEO of Airtel Africa, the company’s immediate goal is to grow the customer base which we intend to achieve by retaining the low tariff charges, focusing on potential customers at the bottom of the pyramid and providing more additional services to the existing services. In a presentation in Nairobi, Khosla stated that Airtel Africa plans to double its subscriber base to 100 million within two years, and return to profitability.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • Airtel Kenya • CEO Airtel Africa • Jayant Khosla • Kenya • Managing Director Rene Meza • Mobile • Nairobi • Zain Kenya

Airtel to set up headquarters in Nairobi (Kenya)

On 11.24.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Bharti Airtel has been allotted five acres of prime land valued at US$6.87 million in Nairobi to build its headquarters in Africa. The land was previously owned by the Postal Corporation of Kenya.

According to Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the government had approved the request by Bharti Airtel to acquire land for their headquarters.

According to Information ministry PS Bitange Ndemo, the company will pay for the value of the land and any other taxes. The government has sold the parcel to a single buyer to speed up their construction process. The request was made to President Kibaki in June when Bharti announced it would be investing US$149.90 million in the next 18 months in Kenya. The company has since revised the investment upwards to US$299.80 million.

Airtel intends to expand its network to reach more rural areas and create 7,000 jobs by 2013. Through partners: IBM, Tech Mahindra, and Spanco â€” it has outsourced its back office operations such as a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and IT operations.

As per Dr Ndemo, the caliber of Bharti’s partners would attract other international companies to set up operations in Kenya. Every job they create will yield three more in the informal sector, while the government will benefit from tax revenues.

According to Airtel Kenya managing director Rene Meza, Bharti Group doubled the amount they intend to invest in Kenya to increase the capacity on its 2G network to accommodate other operators, under site sharing agreements.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 2G • Africa • Bharti Airtel • BPO • IBM • Information ministry PS Bitange Ndemo • Kenya • Mobile • Nairobi • Postal Corporation of Kenya • Prime Minister Raila Odinga • SPANCO • Tech Mahindra

Safaricom may see “dip” in revenue: CEO

On 09.08.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Kenya’s biggest mobile-network operator, Safaricom Ltd., has declared that it is not going to lose market leadership and will readily keep margins while competitors lower call charges.

The stock grew as much as 4.1% before dealing 2% higher in Nairobi.

According to Chief Executive Officer Michael Joseph, the biggest company by market value in Kenya, Safaricom may report a “dip” in revenue but profit will be little changed in the fiscal year to March 2011 after Bharti Airtel’s Zain Kenya unit, Essar Telecom Kenya Ltd. and Telkom Kenya Ltd. lowered prices in August. Margins are blessed and rivals’ call rates are not sustainable.

Safaricom saw a profit of US$190 million in the year through March, and the median estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg is for net income in fiscal 2011 to rise 21%

According to Aly-Khan Satchu, an independent analyst based in Nairobi, the media blitz by Zain had scared everybody. The company is at the tail end of the overreaction by investors and it is rebounding from here.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Bharti Airtel • Essar Telecom Kenya Ltd. • Kenya • Mobile • Nairobi • Safaricom • Telkom Kenya Ltd. • Zain Kenya unit

Bharti’s ‘affordable tariffs’ expected to ignite tariff war in Africa

On 06.10.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Introduction of the concept of ‘affordable tariffs’ has been announced by Bharti Airtel a day after closing the deal for acquisition of Zain Telecom’s Africa assets for USD 10.7 billion. The move by India largest telco is expected to ignite a tariff war in the continent. Bharti Airtel is already a part of the tariff war in India where cheaper call rates and multiple tariff plans have pushed up the country’s mobile subscriber base, where a minimum of 13-15 million users are added every month.

According to Bharti Airtel CEO and In-Charge for International Operations Manoj Kohli, the company will not go for tariff cut but for a long-term affordability strategy which is good for the customer and for the company and added that the monthly usage is 60-70 minutes per customer in Africa against 450-500 minutes in India, so, there is a pent-up demand with high tariffs in Africa and the objective is not to introduce low tariffs in Africa but affordability. Bharti will see what the level of affordability normal customer wants is.

Introduction of more tariff plans suiting the customer profile and pay capability in each of the 15 African countries has been announced. Investment of USD 800-1,000 million this fiscal in Africa for network roll out and services has also been announced however, this figure is yet to be finalized. Integrating systems, processing, networks, people, IT and getting these 15 countries completely stable are some of the priorities of the company.

Nokia, Ericsson, Alacatel, IBM and Wipro which are the partners of Bharti have been invited while the telco is also in talk with Huawei and HP for partnership. Any big bang acquisition in the near future has been denied by Manoj Kohli who is in charge of the company’s acquisition strategy and will shift to Nairobi this week to head Bharti Airtel’s Africa business.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Acquisition • Africa • Alacatel • Ericsson • Huawei • India • Manoj Kohli • Mobile • Nairobi • Nokia • USA

M-pesa agents’ recruitment method changed by Safaricom

On 01.05.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Removing the need to deal directly with sub- agents, Aggregator Model, a new system has been launched by Safaricom, a leading mobile phone provider, thus changing tack on its method of recruiting mobile money transfer, M-pesa agents.

As per the new model, the sub agents will be appointed by the agents on its behalf. The model will be introduced especially in the areas like Nairobi which are considered to be highly saturated by the agents. The super agents will give a float to the agents and the details are later passed on to the sub agents who will then work on agreed commissions by the agents.

Essar, a rival telecom operator, on the other hand, is set to launch money transfer service yuCash, thus eliminating the need for sub-agents altogether. Besides, it will ensure that agents get maximum commission, which it says is yet to be finalized but will be competitive.

Safaricom says that they have taken the step to protect its partnership with the existing agents. According to Safaricom chief executive Michael Joseph, existing agents have the capacity to serve Nairobi and other areas adequately. Besides, the migration of the existing sub-agents under the agency model to Aggregator has already begun.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Africa • Aggregator Model • Essar • M-pesa agents • mobile money • Nairobi • operator • Safaricom • yuCash

Kenya: State Locked in Safaricom Sale Talks

On 09.29.06, In Mobile, By Editor

The Government is yet to conclude talks on the sale of Telkom Kenya’s nine per cent stake in Safaricom to Vodafone.

Information and Communication minister, Mr Mutahi Kagwe, yesterday said negotiations on the sale were still on.

We have not finalised the talks,” he said.

Kagwe led a delegation that met Vodafone officials in London last week.

He declined to disclose the price the Government considered good for the stake.

“Kenyans should be confident that we will get a good deal,” he said

Vodafone had initially offered the Government Sh7.3 billion ($100 million) for a 11 per cent stake in the mobile phone firm.

The Government, through Telkom Kenya owns 60 per cent of Safaricom while Vodafone holds 40 per cent of the shares.

Kagwe spoke to reporters after after opening a two-day African Business Process Outsourcing workshop at the Panari Centre in Nairobi.

He told participants that the Government was committed to develop a reservoir of skilled workers that the country needs to attract and retain international outsourcing business.

The minister also announced the Government has established a Special Purpose Vehicle, which it will use to lay an alternative undersea fibre optic cable.

Information and Communication minister, Mr Mutahi Kagwe, said the SPV would be used to implement the East African Marine Systems that will involve the public and private sector.

Source- http://allafrica.com/stories

Technorati : Kenya, Mobile, Safaricom, Vodafone
Ice Rocket : Kenya, Mobile, Safaricom, Vodafone

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Kenya • Kenyans • Nairobi • optic cable