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Google, as part of its efforts to support local businesses to explore how to provide high speed WiFi at low cost, has partnered with Wananchi Group to launch an experimental WiFi network – called “Wazi” – www.waziwifi.co.ke – at the Junction shopping area in Nairobi, Kenya.
The network offers 10 minutes free access and paid daily or monthly subscriptions. To use the service, one connects to the SSID “Wazi” and selects his/her free or paid plan, with the payment modes being through either credit card or mobile payments channels.
According to a post by Euan Guttridge, Google’s technical program manager for Emerging Markets, “it is still not clear if or how the network will expand, but there are discussions among local businesses to explore the options.”
Basically, Wazi WiFi aims to explore business models that can sustain high speed, low cost WiFi in emerging markets and is a collaboration between Google, Kenya’s Wananchi Group and other local businesses.
Charges for the service will be calculated per device and the service has no firmly set bandwidth caps, even though responsible use of the network is emphasized.
The charges are as follows: 10 minutes per day, per device is free; one day, per device is Kshs 50; one month, per device is Kshs 500 KSH and the price may change over time as new commercial models are explored.
To access the service, one can choose his/her package and pay online using MPESA, VISA, Airtel Money or PesaPal.
Telkom Kenya’s Orange Money mobile cash transfer service has introduced two new access channels for its subscribers and agents, with the firm announcing that customers will now be able to use its money transfer service via WAP as well as through a Java application (J2ME).
Telkom Kenya chief executive Mickael Ghossein said the new access channels will give customers a friendlier user interface that can be customized, and an improved menu for one to enhance the Orange Money experience.
“As you know, one of the key attributes that sets Orange Money apart from other similar services, is the fact that it offers more convenience to customers. By introducing these new channels we remain true to our promise, to ensure that Orange Money is the most convenient way to transact from your mobile phone,” said Ghossein.
The java based application, J2ME, is downloaded from the internet and uploaded onto one’s handset, while WAP is a web interface also accessed via the internet. All internet-enabled handsets can be used to access J2ME or WAP.
Customers using WAP or J2ME will access the existing services available on the customer menu. Agents can conduct all existing agent and customer transactions via J2ME as exist on the current agent menu. WAP is a web interface also accessed via the internet.
Ghossein added that the new channels also demonstrate the deliberate strategy by Orange Money to use innovative and cutting edge technology to improve the customer experience.
“This new development is in line with current statistics that shows that smart phones are increasingly gaining currency among Kenyans. With the anticipated launch of unrivalled 3G services on Orange, we anticipate that the number of Kenyans who will be using internet will rise significantly,” he said.
Orange Money was launched in November 2010, by Orange in partnership with Equity Bank, with a view to deepening access to financial services among Kenyans through a convenient solution that combines the features of mobile money transfer services and those of mobile banking.
With a national distribution network, the service takes traditional money transfer a notch higher with its innovations in offering customers a real bank account, bringing together the security and robustness of a bank account with the convenience and flexibility offered by telecoms via the mobile phone.
In celebration of the greatest wildlife show on earth, Google Kenya homepage www.google.co.ke today – August 2 2011 – , features a migration doodle which was created by Kenyan artist, Samuel Githu, the first guest artist in Africa that Google has collaborated with.
According to Google, this doodle is timely as thousands of wildebeest are currently crossing the famous Grumeti River between the months of June and August.
The great migration, currently classified as one of the wonders of the world, takes place between the open plains of the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara, where thousands of wildebeest and zebras migrate to greener pastures as the seasons change and the circle of life continues. In the process, other wildlife predators follow the Wildebeest migrating closely, waiting for an opportunity to strike their identified prey as they make their way into different territories.
The customisation of the Google logo started in 1999 by Google Webmaster Dennis Hwang, whose work is seen by millions every time he and his team exhibits on the Google homepage.
Hwang, who is 29 years old, calls these drawings “doodles”. The Google Doodlers have celebrated and marked worldwide events, anniversaries and holidays with doodles that incorporate the Google logo.
A Google “doodle” is what is called the decoration made on the firm’s logo every so often. Over the years, doodles have become one of the most beloved parts of Google, with Google doodles being produced to celebrate international holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of noted artists and scientists. Some popular doodles include Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Ray Charles, and Earth Day, among others.
Doodles have long been a part of Google’s history. Dennis Hwang became Google’s chief doodler when Larry and Sergey asked the then-intern Dennis to design a logo for the 4th of July in 2000.
Since then, the doodle team has celebrated and marked worldwide events, anniversaries, and holidays with doodles that are designed on, around and through the Google logo on the site’s home page. Google doodles have been produced for the birthdays of several noted artists and scientists, including Andy Warhol, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Louis Braille, Percival Lowell, Edvard Munch, among others.
Nokia has announced that the Dual SIM Nokia X1-01 and Nokia C2-00 are now available for sale in Kenya. Both models offer the most convenient and intuitive experience available for switching between SIM cards – without compromising on features and fun.
“The Nokia X1-01 and Nokia C2-00 pack more memory, better battery life and far richer SIM change and entertainment features than other Dual SIM products currently in the market. In addition to their various unique features, both of these phones remember the settings for up to five separate SIM cards, each of which can be personalized with a dedicated name as well as preferred call, SMS or data settings,” said Gopher Ogembo, Nokia head of sales for Eastern and Southern Africa.
With the Nokia X1-01, one can give each SIM card its own logo, music signature or ringtone. The phone also offers exceptional dual SIM music experience, allowing users to store and shuffle thousands of songs with up to 16 GB of memory support, create one’s own favorite playlists, and play music back over a loudspeaker that is loud and clear.
The phone, which retails for about US $ 41, also features dedicated music side keys and a battery that lasts for up to 36 hours on continued music playback mode.
The Nokia C2-00, touted as the first to dual SIM phone to have easy swap – which offers users the convenience of changing SIM cards without the need to turn off the phone or remove the battery. To swap SIM cards on the phone, all a user needs to do is to open the SIM door at the side of the phone and swap the SIMs, meaning that it does away with the need to wait for the phone to reboot.
The phone retails for about US $ 70 and has 32 GB of expandable memory, thereby enabling users to keep thousands of photos, videos and music files.
The two devices are available through authorized retail stores but not within mobile service providers resale outlets as the network operators do not stock dual SIM hadnsets.
In an earlier interview, Nokia’s general manager for Eastern and Southern Africa Ken Oyolla said that the dual SIMs would be sold via the market open market, not though network operators resale outlets.
“We have a deliberate dependence with network operators meaning that we opt to work with them, not that we cannot do without them. Most of our sales – over 50 per cent – happens via the open channel. The handsets also offer flexibility and choice to users,” said Oyolla, adding that there is demonstrable demand for dual SIMs which is driven by drop in call rates and per second billing.
Nokia’s introduction of dual SIM handsets follows that of Samsung and LG, and is meant to tackle the influx into the country of counterfeit dual SIM devices that are slowly gaining popularity with users who do not know the distinction between genuine and counterfeit.
Huawei has embarked on a road show to showcase and demonstrate the firm’s latest Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technologies in broadband beginning from South Africa.
Huawei mobile broadband (MBB) is a unique end-to-end ALL-IP solution that will assist operators to increase their revenue, improve network bandwidth and subsequently save costs. The SingleRAN LTE solution can help mobile subscribers with smart phones or smart devices such as tablets to access the internet at high speeds, making social networking such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube faster and more enjoyable.
The in-process submarine cables and land fibre laying will address the previous bandwidth challenges that the country initially faced, making it possible for everyone to create, access and share information in a completely mobile networked anywhere, anytime with any device.
In recent years, Huawei has deployed the world’s first LTE commercial network in Oslo, Norway with TeliaSonera, achieving speeds f 96Mbps and a maximum rate of 100Mbps. Locally, Huawei has deployed MBB solution for mainstream telecoms operators, which has increased their data revenue faster.
“Traditional network construction has strangled the profit potential of mobile broadband with high deployments costs and subsequently high tariffs. To curtail costs, operators require a enhanced spectrum efficiency, simplified network architecture and smart operation of the mobile broadband network. Huawei MBB solutions aims to reduce operational costs for telecoms operators through an integrated network which can save the total cost of ownership though less investment on hardware, easy and fast deployment as well as simple maintenance”, said Peng Song, Huawei Africa’s chief operations officer in a release.
Huawei’s SingleRAN was designed to meet network convergence demand and is widely deployed across the world. The solution enables customers to evolve their networks from GSM/ UMTS to LTE by upgrading software. It has also been successful in accommodating different wireless standards and enabling smooth future evolution.
Safaricom has reduced its internet prices for millions of its subscribers as the company moves to pass on the benefits of an improved business and regulatory environment to its customers.
The reduction has been effected by increasing the data volume for every bundle by up to 150 per cent for the same value. For instance, a subscriber who pays US $ 11.1 (KShs 999) for 600 MB of data will now get 1500 MB, indicating a more than double increase in data volumes.
The move to lower the data access rates follows a meeting between industry players and the government held to discuss how best to implement a Presidential directive calling for a review of internet pricing in Kenya.
President Mwai Kibaki made the directive two weeks ago when he launched the government open data portal – www.opendata.go.ke – which aims to boost transparency in governance and empower citizens with relevant information.
It further follows commitments made by the industry regulator, Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) and the Ministry of Information and Communication to lower spectrum fees and review the overall spectrum policy for industry players by end next of month.
The government has also undertaken measures to address rampant fibre vandalism, which has been a huge cost to the industry, as well as classify ICT infrastructure as national utilities to bring the sector up to par with power and water providers. The new guidelines are expected to allow for compensation by local authorities and public works bodies for damage occasioned to ICT infrastructure during road or sewer construction.
According to the new prices, heavy data users will also have the option to subscribe to either a weekly tariff for US $ 11.1 (KShs1,000) or a monthly tariff for US $ 33.3 (KShs 3,000), thereby allowing them to manage their data spend and access internet without worrying about their usage.
While announcing the reductions, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said the move was in line with the Safaricom 2.0 culture which puts customer needs at the centre of all the firm’s actions.
“We are continuously reviewing our value proposition to ensure that our customers enjoy unrivalled communication services at the most affordable rates while expanding the options available to them.
“Safaricom is sensitive to the strain placed on our customers’ finances by the obtaining high cost of living and hence our effort to ease this by passing the benefits of an improved working environment by lowering our prices.”
Current industry statistics indicate that, nine out of 10 regular internet users rely on the Safaricom’s network, which consists of a 3G network and WiMAX.
ITU is pleased has announced that the world’s newest nation, the Republic of South Sudan, has today been assigned the international dialling code 211, following the country’s formal recognition as a UN Member State.
The fledgling South Sudan Ministry of Telecommunications and Postal Services welcomed the new code, which has particular resonance for South Sudan’s citizens as representing the year in which South Sudan gained independence (2011), the date of its referendum (which took place in the first day of the first month of 2011), and a symbol of good fortune. The number had been specifically requested following a special Council of Ministers Resolution.
Dr Hamadoun Touré, Secretary General, ITU: “A country code may seem like a small thing, but it is a real signifier of sovereignty and independence. We join with the international community in congratulating the government and people of South Sudan on achieving full nationhood. As a young developing country there will be challenges, but the power of modern connectivity will bring a tremendous boost in areas such as commerce, health and education. ITU is here to help with advice on the necessary steps towards improved connectivity.”
On independence and recognition by the UN General Assembly, a country can apply to ITU for a country code. In this case, ITU officials had been in contact with South Sudanese officials since January 2011 to explain the procedures in the case of independence, which meant the country code could be pre-allocated and assigned as soon as the UN General Assembly gave South Sudan recognition.
The global country code numbering system is defined in an ITU standard known as ITU-T Recommendation E.164. ITU communicates this information to other Member States and the world’s telecommunication operators in a publication called the ITU Operational Bulletin, which will also detail the transitional numbering plan from the previous to the new country code. In addition to the country code, the Government of the Republic of South Sudan will be assigned a mobile country code (MCC) and a signalling area/network code (SANC). SANCs facilitate all telephone calls by indicating how calls should be routed.
Making the announcement in Nairobi during his official visit to meet with local partners, Luise Murguia, Senior Vice President Ecosystem and Channels Europe and Middle East and Africa said SAP tour which takes place every year, will showcase all the innovations the firm is doing for customers in order to enlighten them about the availability of products offered in the market, what they are and where they are.
“We will give more opportunity to upcoming businesses to learn more on how to compete with bigger companies, showcase all our innovations for customers to know about the availability of the products we offer,” said Murguia.
He said that in Kenya, SAP works with partners, adding that the availability of SAP products and solutions will be purely done with our partners, thorough interaction with them to drive the firm’s co-innovation agenda in the market.
Luise said that during the tour, SAP will also meet with local software development companies to chart the way forward for the development of locally-relevant software.
“We will be joined by our partners whom we have managed to meet during our visit and they were glad to be part of us. We currently have 15 partners in Kenya and another 14 from other East African countries that we work with,” he said.
The introduction of mobile number portability in Kenya on April 1 this year was expected to change the country’s mobile telephony scene, with one of the effects being reduced preference for dual SIM handsets.
But slow uptake of number portability by subscribers, with figures from Porting Access indicating that the number of porting requests is still less than 30,000 out of the country’s over 20 million mobile subscribers, shows that not much has changed almost two months since the initiative was launched.
Mobile handset manufacturers, keen to serve users’ need to be available one multiple networks, are currently introducing into the market dual SIM devices that enable subscribers to have two active numbers simultaneously.
Most of the major handset manufacturers, notably LG and Samsung, currently have dual SIM handsets.
Nokia, which has not been very visible in the manufacture of dual SIM devices, also plans to launch two dual SIM handsets ¬- C2-03 and C2-06 retailing for between US $ 105 and 112 – in the local market by August this year.
According to handset manufacturers, dual SIM devices are ideal for Africa’s mobile telephony scene as most networks do not have full coverage throughout a specific geographic location or country.
“Dual SIM devices are also ideal for subscribers who are frequent travelers to other countries and move across borders as they may need to purchase local SIM cards while visiting but still want to stay connected to their home networks. This is only possible via dual SIM handsets as they come with two SIM card slots,” said Paulo Ferreira, Samsung South Africa’s head of mobile product and software solutions.
Ferreira added that dual SIM devices also gives subscribers the possibility to stay connected on two SIM cards – one being the business or formal SIM and the informal or home SIM card – via the same handset and at the same time.
“The dual SIM handsets offers a complimentary service to users and is not an alternative service to mobile number portability,” noted Ferreira, adding that in view of the demand for the devices, Samsung is set to release new entry-level dual SIM smartphones in the regional market.
Even though there is a perception that dual SIM devices only do well in countries with more than one mobile phone service provider, device manufacturers think otherwise as subscribers may choose to have multiple SIM cards from the same network for various reasons.
But even as handset vendors develop these dual SIMs and push them to the market, in order to offer more choice to subscribers to ensure that they are reachable no matter the location where they are, mobile network service providers are not keen on supporting this innovation and trend.
This is because their resale out lets are only stocking single SIM handsets and not dual SIMs, for various reasons, the main one being they want subscribers to retain only one SIM, the assumption being that the other SIM slot will be used to connect to a rival network by inserting the latter’s SIM card on the second SIM slot.
What may not be clear – or is ignored – by operators is that subscribers may and do buy and operate two or even more SIM cards from the same service provider for various reasons.
The reply I got from one of Safaricom’s care centres and resale outlets when I enquired about why they don not stock dual SIMs is that “we want our subscribers to retain a single SIM,” meaning Safaricom line.
But what about if I need the additional line (from the same network), within the same handset, for my own personal reasons, for calling different groups of people?
The response from Airtel Kenya was: “We do not have dual SIMs at the moment…”
Three “moments” or visits later, on different days, the response was still the same, even though I was careful to enquire from different care attendants every time I went.
“Dual SIM cards and number portability will always co-exist. I know of a country (Ethiopia) where there is only one mobile network (Ethiopia Telecoms) and subscribers still possess multiple SIM cards – one for business and the other informal,” said Robert Ngeru, Samsung’s commercial director for East and Central Africa.
And it is not just the major handset manufacturers – like Nokia, Samsung and LG among others – that are keen to provide to get in and serve subscribers’ growing demand for dual SIM handsets.
Recently, India’s TechCom launched into the local market its own range of dual SIM handsets that would be marketed through the firm’s 20 distributors and 500 retailers in Kenya. The relatively low-priced handsets retail from US $ 28 to US $ 58 and come with a one-year warranty.
But the handset vendors need to work to stem the perception by some subscribers and s section of consumers who still believe that dual SIM handsets are substandard, and are mainly counterfeits of the genuine handset.
This is more so for a brand like Nokia, which even when it releases its genuine dual SIM handsets into the market, will still need to address the issue of non-genuine dual SIM Nokia phones in the market.
During a recent anti-counterfeit drive, Nokia’s Ken Oyolla said rigorous enforcement of anti-counterfeit laws and continuous training of law enforcers could help the region save billions in revenue annually and help consumers get value for their money.
An example here is Kenya, which is estimated to be losing over US $ 35 million annually directly through tax evasion for mobile phones at the ports of entry.
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