Tanzania

MWC2010: Zain wins ‘Mobile Money for the Unbanked Service’ award

On 02.18.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The inaugural GSMA’s 2010 ‘Mobile Money for the Unbanked Service’ award at the Mobile World Congress has been won by Zain, a leading mobile network operator in the Middle East and Africa. The Global Mobile Awards in this category has been given for Zain’s mobile commerce service called ‘Zap’.

To recognize innovative mobile banking around the world, the Mobile Money for the Unbanked Service has been established, pioneering the roll out of low-cost financial services to millions of people, in countries where traditional financial services are either not within easy reach or unavailable.

Launched exactly one year ago on February 16, 2009, Zap, is the biggest Mobile Commerce service in the world accessible to approximately 200 million potential customers in Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Ghana. It provides the most comprehensive and accessible package of m-commerce features currently available anywhere in the world.

Vodacom South Africa to launch Mobile Money service

On 02.16.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The mobile money service, M-PESA will be introduced in South Africa by Vodacom and its South African banking partner. The new service will enable 26 million mobile phone subscribers in South Africa who have access to a mobile phone, but do not have or have only limited access to a bank account, to send and receive money via their mobile phones.

Vodafone developed the M-PESA service which has already been deployed by Safaricom in Kenya, Vodacom in Tanzania and Roshan in Afghanistan (branded M-Paisa).

According to Cenk Serdar, Director of Mobile Payments at Vodafone Group, the successful take-up of M-PESA in Kenya has clearly demonstrated the demand for easily accessible, secure payment services particularly in emerging markets and mobile technology in Africa has already improved the lives of millions simply by allowing them to communicate far beyond their immediate surroundings

Tagged with: Africa • Kenya • M-Pesa • mobile money • Mobile Money Service • Safaricom • Tanzania • Vodacom • Vodafone

Vodafone introduces ultra low cost handsets

On 02.16.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: To enable millions of people in the developing world to experience the connectivity a mobile phone can offer, two new ultra low cost handsets has been launched by Vodafone.

Vodafone 150 and the Vodafone 250 offer voice and SMS services, polyphonic ringtones, 2 integrated games, a vibrating alert, memory for up to 100 phonebook entries, a 500mAh battery (up to 400 hours standby and up to 5 hours talk time) and it will operate on GSM 900/1800.

The handsets will be launched in India, Turkey, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Qatar, South Africa and Tanzania at a price of US$15 and US$20 respectively.

According to Patrick Chomet, Vodafone’s Group Director of Terminals, the cost of mobile handsets can be one of the most significant barriers for people in accessing and benefiting from the growing number of socially valuable mobile services.

Tagged with: Africa • ASIA • Congo • ebook • Ghana • India • Kenya • Launch • Lesotho • Mozambique • North America • South Africa • Tanzania • ultra low cost handsets • Vodafone

Vodafone to supply low-Cost mobiles to its emerging markets

On 02.15.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A couple of low-cost mobile phones will be started by Vodafone that will retail, without a subsidy, for less than US$20 each. India, Turkey and 8 markets in Africa – The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Qatar, South Africa and Tanzania will receive the phones initially.

An extensive logistics infrastructure, reaching deep rural segments where mobile penetration typically remains low will support the launches in order to maximize the availability of the handsets across countries with sizeable and isolated rural populations.

According to Patrick Chomet, Vodafone’s Group Director of Terminals, the cost of mobile handsets can be one of the most significant barriers for people in accessing and benefiting from the growing number of socially valuable mobile services and the lives of the people will be changed and improved as they become part of the mobile society.

Tagged with: Africa • ASIA • Congo • Democratic Republic of Congo • Ghana • India • Kenya • Qatar • Tanzania • Turkey • Vodafone

New billing system for Vodacom to be deployed by NSN

On 02.03.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A unique charging and billing system will be supplied by Nokia Siemens networks (NSN) to Vodacom Tanzania under the contract signed between them. As per the agreement, the pre-paid subscribers of the telco could benefit from the same promotional campaigns and value added services (VAS) as their post-paid counterparts, and vice versa.

The solution will be deployed the basis of ‘charge@once unified’ software allowing what it calls ‘predefined marketing scenario’s to be activated on demand.

A range of state of the art technologies for voice, data, leased lines, PABX connectivity, international connectivity, WiMAX solutions, remote communication solutions over satellite and banking solutions has been deployed by Vodacom Tanzania, country’s leading cellular network operator by subscribers.

Tagged with: East Africa • Nokia Siemens Network • Tanzania • Value Added Services • Vodacom • Vodacom Tanzania • WiMAX

Telco’s to enlist on country’s stock exchange- Tanzania’s parliament

On 02.02.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A new telecommunications bill has been passed by Tanzania’s parliament making it mandatory for all mobile network operators to list on the country’s Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE).The move has been cited as a retrograde step for the industry and has been facing vocal criticism from the firms.

According to Vodacom Tanzania’s head of legal and regulatory affairs, Mr Godwin Ngwilimi, the bill takes the country back to the era of nationalization when individuals were forced to sell their companies or shares to the government.

However, the government considers the bill justified in the wake of opeartor’s unfair treatment of end users and their withholding of billions to the state by way of taxes. If the bill is passed and becomes a law, domestic telcos will be forced to offer shares to the public and will also be required to list with the DSE within three years of it entering the statute.

Tagged with: Africa • Dar es Salaam • operator • Tanzania • Vodacom Tanzania

WiMAX network launched by Sasatel in Dar es Salaam

On 01.21.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A high speed wireless broadband service has been launched by Sasatel Tanzania based on WiMAX technology in the capital Dar es Salaam. Sasatel has also promised that it is not going to pass on the installation costs to customers or in other words it will provide a ‘low cost’ broadband option to end users.

The company said that all this have been possible because of its link to the Seacom fibre-optic cable which helps it effectively to eliminate its WiMAX investment costs. According to products director Thomas Andre Molvig, after launching its EV-DO internet services for small and medium-sized businesses in June last year, the company is now launching WiMAX internet access to cater for the internet needs of large businesses and corporate customers.

In June 2009, Sasatel became the seventh company to provide mobile services in the country with the commercial launch of the new network in the capital Dar es Salaam.

Tagged with: Dar es Salaam • Middle East • Seacom Cable • Tanzania • WiMAX

Zain’s money transfer service reaches West Africa

On 01.08.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: After a huge success of the concept of mobile money transfer in East Africa and particularly Kenya, Zain has announced to expand its mobile commerce service Zap to Niger, Sierra Leone and a full commercial pilot project in Malawi.

With this move, six African markets would be covered by the service with a combined population of 150 million people. The concept launched in February last year would complement the financial services sector in the continent as the mobile phone users will be able to send and receive money, pay for services as well as interact with their bank accounts using the service.

According Saad Al Barrak, Zain Group chief executive, the expansion of the service is an important step in pushing the boundaries of mobile communications and with the kind of impact the Zap had in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, similar impact is hoped by Zain in Malawi, Niger and Sierra Leone, where formal banking services are largely restricted to urban hubs.

Zain has entered into a partnership with the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) and NBS Banks in Malawi, EcoBank in Niger and Zenith Bank in Sierra Leone besides working with Citibank and Standard Chartered in East Africa.

Tagged with: Africa • East Africa • Kenya • Malawi • mobile money • Mobile Money Transfer • Niger • Sierra Leone • Tanzania • Uganda • West Africa • Zain Group

Sasatel first to launch half a shilling tariff (Tanzania)

On 12.11.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: SASATEL became the first telecommunication company in Tanzania to offer new voice tariff of half a shilling per second 24 hours a day. Through this tariff, Sasatel customers can communicate at the rate of
only half a shilling at anytime of the day.

According to Sasatel’s Managing Director, Mr Christian Haeger, not only mobile customers but also those customers who purchase internet and fixed wireless phone can also enjoy Sasatel’s new tariff rate of half a shilling per second 24 hours a day.

The voice tariff can be bought from their shops located in Libya, Jamhuri, Msimbazi, Kariakoo, Msasani streets and Toure drive.

Tagged with: ASIA • Jamhuri • Kariakoo • Libya • Msasani • Sasatel • SIM • Tanzania • Tariff

Sasatel sign up for Seacom cable

On 12.11.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Sasatel became one of the few telecom companies in Tanzania to sign up for connection to the Seacom cable. The move is aimed to deliver superior service, speed and reliability to its Internet customers.

According to Sasatel Chief Technical Officer, Jonas Edgren, due to the passage of Sasatel Internet traffic through the Seacom cable, Sasatel customers can now avail the facility of efficient and high quality internet connectivity.

Sasatel also provides affordable internet connection to homes and individuals including small, medium and large businesses through its CDMA network via EVDO WiFi Routers, the EVDO Modem and the Fixed Wireless phone.

Tagged with: Africa • CDMA • EVDO • quality internet connectivity • Sasatel • Seacom Cable • Tanzania • Traffic • WiFi Router

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Feb
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31