September 2010 - KICTANet

Might M-Kesho sound the death knell for (some) M-Pesa Agents?
by Francis.Hook＠gmail.com 08 Sep '10

08 Sep '10

1 - Equity Bank has abt 4.5 million customers. 2 - Lets wager that abt 70-80% are Safaricom subscribers...(3.15 - 3.6 million) and possibly 80% of those use M-Pesa (wild guess) 3 - A Study conducted in late 2009 (http://technology.cgap.org/2009/09/08/understanding-what-drives-profits-for…) examined the factors that make an M-Pesa agent make a profit...as well as the challenges faced by such agents (which would most times lead them to say "hakuna float"). 4 - As M-Pesa agents have become more pervasive, their profit margins have become thinner owing to competition (incl ATMs, super markets, etc). This is part of the premise of M-Kesho - to allow such agents to make revenue from additional services like insurance... 5 - M-Kesho essentially removes the need to have CASH transactions - either sending or receiving. However, to the operator the transaction fee still accrues, and to the bank, the deposits remain somewhat stable. If anything, for corporate users of M-Pesa (KQ, KPLC, etc) they can know have their accounts credited directly - no need to use an M-Pesa agent to load cash onto phone and then pay KPLC, Kenya Airways, etc. 6 - Thinking of the three or so million Equity Bank Customers who are M-Pesa users....will they EVER need to use an M-Pesa agent? before the routine to send cash was ...a) draw cash from ATM/Branch b)go to M-Pesa Agent c) send money - and vice versa to receive (go to mpesa agent, get cash, spend/deposit cash) - ergo M-Pesa agent has a role. Of course I admit, such account holders can still withdraw from their accounts using M-Kesho and get cash from an M-Pesa Agent (but I think this would be really really rare). Will M-Kesho see some rationalisation in the number and size(type) of agents? Admittedly some of the more established agents can evolve into FOSAs for Equity (and other banks), but I think at the grassroots there might be a negative impact. My two cents... Francis

2 1

Re: [kictanet] Might M-Kesho sound the death knell for (some) M-Pesa Agents?
by Francis Hook 08 Sep '10

08 Sep '10

Thanks MM - very insightful presentation! When I reached Slide 5 ("The value proposition ….cake big enough for all") I held my breath hoping Slide 6 would be "Cont...The value proposition ….cake big enough for all"...to see whether the M-Pesa agents would feature somewhere and get a slice of the cake :-), but alas... Thanks F On 8 September 2010 16:45, muriuki mureithi <mureithi(a)summitstrategies.co.ke > wrote: > Hi Sir > > I admire your thought provoking write ups > > See a research we did on the whole mobile money transfer space . will send > you a copy of published paper once done > > > > Cheers > > > > > > > > *From:* kictanet-bounces+mureithi=summitstrategies.co.ke@ > lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+mureithi<kictanet-bounces%2Bmureithi> > =summitstrategies.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke] *On Behalf Of * > Francis.Hook(a)gmail.com > *Sent:* 08 September 2010 15:32 > *To:* mureithi(a)summitstrategies.co.ke > *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > *Subject:* [kictanet] Might M-Kesho sound the death knell for (some) > M-Pesa Agents? > > > > 1 - Equity Bank has abt 4.5 million customers. > 2 - Lets wager that abt 70-80% are Safaricom subscribers...(3.15 - 3.6 > million) and possibly 80% of those use M-Pesa (wild guess) > 3 - A Study conducted in late 2009 ( > http://technology.cgap.org/2009/09/08/understanding-what-drives-profits-for…) > examined the factors that make an M-Pesa agent make a profit...as well as > the challenges faced by such agents (which would most times lead them to say > "hakuna float"). > 4 - As M-Pesa agents have become more pervasive, their profit margins have > become thinner owing to competition (incl ATMs, super markets, etc). This is > part of the premise of M-Kesho - to allow such agents to make revenue from > additional services like insurance... > 5 - M-Kesho essentially removes the need to have CASH transactions - either > sending or receiving. However, to the operator the transaction fee still > accrues, and to the bank, the deposits remain somewhat stable. If anything, > for corporate users of M-Pesa (KQ, KPLC, etc) they can know have their > accounts credited directly - no need to use an M-Pesa agent to load cash > onto phone and then pay KPLC, Kenya Airways, etc. > 6 - Thinking of the three or so million Equity Bank Customers who are > M-Pesa users....will they EVER need to use an M-Pesa agent? before the > routine to send cash was ...a) draw cash from ATM/Branch b)go to M-Pesa > Agent c) send money - and vice versa to receive (go to mpesa agent, get > cash, spend/deposit cash) - ergo M-Pesa agent has a role. Of course I admit, > such account holders can still withdraw from their accounts using M-Kesho > and get cash from an M-Pesa Agent (but I think this would be really really > rare). > > Will M-Kesho see some rationalisation in the number and size(type) of > agents? Admittedly some of the more established agents can evolve into FOSAs > for Equity (and other banks), but I think at the grassroots there might be a > negative impact. > > My two cents... > > Francis > -- Francis Hook +254 733 504561

1 0

Re: [kictanet] Safaricom fine print?
by S.Murigi Muraya 07 Sep '10

07 Sep '10

"Insufficient funds" persist. Have 84.90 balance after loading 100 bob this afternoon. Cannot make phone calls. -----Original Message----- From: Muchiri Nyaggah <muchiri(a)semacraft.com> Sent: Sunday, September 05, 2010 18:01 To: murigi.muraya(a)gmail.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Safaricom fine print? FYI Just got a text from Safaricom informing subscribers that the multiple 'insufficient funds' error has been resolved. Kind regards, Muchiri Nyaggah Director @muchiri +254 722 506400 Semacraft.com On Sun, Sep 5, 2010 at 5:40 PM, simiyu mse <kensimiyu(a)gmail.com> wrote: when your data is active, from what i gather, you cant make voice calls below 15bob. But of late, this virtual minimum is abit erratic. Yesterday, i couldnt make a call with 75sh. Had to top up with 100 to make utilise the remaining. My siz couldnt make a call with 250 just loaded. Must have been the quick implementation of the masaa ya kubamba promotion that have thrown things in disarray. -- i dislike capital letters +254 722 278 106 _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: muchiri(a)semacraft.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/muchiri%40semacraft.com

2 1

5th Global IGF, Vilnius - Remote participation HUB in Nairobi
by Joe Kiragu 07 Sep '10

07 Sep '10

Dear Listers, Remote participants will be able to follow the meeting taking place in Vilnius by watching videocasts or listening to audiocasts from the meeting rooms and reading real-time closed captioning. Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) in conjunction with Multimedia University will be hosting a remote participation HUB at The Multimedia University, Mbagathi, Magadi road from 14th September 2010 - 17 September 2010 at the University conference facilities. Participants who would like to participate at the Kenya IGF HUB please register be sending an email to remote(a)eaigf.or.ke Remote participants will be able to interact with the meeting by sending text questions, using the remote participation platform (Webex). These questions will be forwarded to the panel moderator when he/she opens the floor for questions from the audience. Hubs are also encouraged to send short pre-recorded video questions or statement (2-3 min) outlining key issues on the local discussion agenda. Hubs will be also allowed to join with real-time video message. The links to access each meeting room will be provided before the IGF. Remote participants should take a look at the IGF schedule available here to see the room and the time of the session they would like to follow. In order to convert Vilnius local time into your time zone, you can visit this website. During the IGF, you can also use social network platforms to take part in the Internet Governance Dialogue: Share your views in Twitter: #IGF10 Share your video in Youtube Share your pictures in Flickr Leave messages in Facebook More information on Remote hub: Nairobi, Kenya Institution: Multimedia University ( By Kenya Network Information Centre) Number of Expected Participants within the Hub: 100 Possible area(s) of interest within the 5 main IGF themes: .Security, openness and privacy, Access and diversity .Managing critical Internet resources .Internet governance for development (IG4D), .Taking stock of Internet governance and the way forward, .Emerging issues: cloud computing. Planned Pre-meeting activities: . Kenya Internet Governance Forum - 29th July 2010, Nairobi .East Africa Internet Governance Forum (EA-IGF) - 111-13 August 2010, Kampala Uganda Hub Coordinator: Joe Kiragu, Administrative Manager/ Paul Museeh, Technical Manager Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) Regards, Joe Kiragu Administrative Manger Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) kiragu(a)kenic.or.ke -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by KeNIC MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. Kenya Network Information Center (KENIC)

1 0

Safaricom: consecutive "short-change" on internet bundles
by Brian Munyao Longwe 07 Sep '10

07 Sep '10

Yesterday I loaded 500shs airtime onto my internet modem and used the "Mobile Partner" application to order a 100Mb bundle, after not getting any response I clicked the 100Mb button again. After no response I shut down the application, unplugged the modem, plugged it back in and reopened the application. I received a text confirmation that I had "Limited Data Allowance 80Mb" I had urgent uploads to do so I proceeded to use this. Today, after running out, I loaded 500sh airtime, clicked on 100mb .... same as yesterday, nothing, clicked again, nothing; went through same procedure and received same "Limited Data Allowance 80Mb" I find this very strange in that these problems are happenning more than24 hours apart - and especially because I requested the 100Mb option but it seems to have charged me for the 40Mb option (which I assume costs 250/=) Befuddled, is there a system glitch? Brian -- Brian Munyao Longwe e-mail: blongwe(a)gmail.com cell: + 254 722 518 744 blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com

2 1

Does Kenya's Advertising Standards Body Monitor Social Media Advertising?
by Muchiri Nyaggah 06 Sep '10

06 Sep '10

Hi. The Advertising Standards Body of Kenya needs to start working on policy guidelines for online advertising to protect Kenyan consumers from rogue agencies out to make a quick buck. The US FTC busted Reverb Communications for having it's staff post reviews on iTunes while posing as consumers. Here's the full story http://bit.ly/bbq6Ld As penetration of Internet access improves and more Kenyan businesses set up outposts on social sites, this kind of tricks are bound to become prevalent here. ASBK may need to first start by improving its presence on the Internet though, I couldn't find their website at all (do they have one?). Kind regards, *Muchiri* Nyaggah Director @muchiri Semacraft.com

1 0

mashilingi : Google & Huawei bring Kenyas first low-priced smartphone
by Brian Longwe 06 Sep '10

06 Sep '10

Brian Longwe has sent you a link to a blog: Interesting developments. Can't wait to get my hands on one of these! Blog: mashilingi Post: Google & Huawei bring Kenyas first low-priced smartphone Link: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com/2010/09/kenya-gets-low-priced-smartphone.html -- Powered by Blogger http://www.blogger.com/

1 0

Safaricom fine print?
by eonchari＠lynxbits.com 06 Sep '10

06 Sep '10

It has been happening for three days now, I make calls and I get disconnected for insufficient funds. When I send a balance inquiry sms, I have a balance of Ksh16.04. Mr. MJ, is this a tactic to ensure that those that intend to switch to other networks part with Kshs16.04 (after purchasing the sim cards they have anyway) or was there some fine print that I missed? Edwin +254-0720-755-951

8 9

What's the value of ITIL certification?
by Moses Kamau 06 Sep '10

06 Sep '10

What's the value of ITIL certification? Many CIOs are moving their technology organizations into the role of internal service providers to assure the applications they provide to end users. The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a framework based on industry best practices to apply IT service management business processes to IT management. For network administrators and other IT professionals, being able to implement ITIL could lead to more central and valued roles within their current organizations. The way to gain those skills may be through ITIL foundation certification. What's more, unlike vendor-specific certifications, ITIL training is not limited to a given role within the IT organization or a particular technology, which makes it more of a no-brainer for network engineers. Getting a foundation certification in ITIL IT staff might also receive ITIL foundation training as part of an enterprise's shift to an IT service management model. Giving the teams a baseline of understanding about ITIL and IT service management will help establish expectations and set the tone for an ITIL rollout. "Adding the merit badge of the ITIL foundation to one's credentials has virtually no downside," said training and certification expert Ed Tittel. He noted that "the foundation classes and testing are relatively inexpensive, and many enterprises are either looking at a service management framework or are in the process of implementing one." BJ Havlik, president of SRC Technologies, a Green Bay, Wis.-based technology services and managed services firm, said: "Most IT professionals that take the ITIL foundation course have a moment where IT service management clicks for them ... where they see how the work they do fits with the overall business processes and goals." By Michael Brandenburg .................................................................................................. QUINTICA KENYA Quintica will be running the next Public ITIL v3 Foundation Course from Sep 13-15, 2010. The Foundation Course price is Ksh 29,500 and the Certification Examination is Ksh 15,000. These prices are inclusive of catering and all accredited course materials. All prices are exclusive of VAT. Quintica is accredited to deliver ITIL courses by the APM-Group, the official International ITIL Accreditation Body (www.apmg-international.com<http://www.apmg-international.com>). Documents Attached: * Course Brochure * Public Course Calendar * Registration Form References: Quintica Kenya has delivered successful ITIL courses to the following corporate clients: * Kenya Airways * ILRI * Chartis Insurance * Nairobi Stock Exchange * Microsoft EA * Dimension Data * AAR * Etc... For more information please email sales.ke(a)quintica.com<mailto:sales.ke@quintica.com> or call +254-20-4442900 or visit our website www.quintica.net<http://www.quintica.net> Regards, Moses Kamau Sales Manager & Consultant - Service Management Kenya Office: +254 20 444 2900 Kenya Mobile: +254 720 416 564 Email: moses.kamau(a)quintica.com<mailto:moses.kamau@quintica.com> Skype: moses_kamau www.quintica.net [cid:image001.jpg@01CB48EF.B49B95B0]

1 0

The Future of the Internet
by Grace Bomu 06 Sep '10

06 Sep '10

Interesting analysis from The Economist on the future of the Internet and Internet Governance. Food for thought for us..... http://www.economist.com/node/16941635 In part: (on fragmentation of the net) But China is by no means the only country erecting borders in cyberspace. The Australian government plans to build a firewall to block material showing the sexual abuse of children and other criminal or offensive content........ (on net neutrality) ........Whether such preferential treatment becomes more widespread, and even extortionary, will probably depend on the market and how it is regulated. It is telling that net neutrality has become far more politically controversial in America than it has elsewhere. This is a reflection of the relative lack of competition in America’s broadband market. In Europe and Japan, “open access” rules require network operators to lease parts of their networks to other firms on a wholesale basis, thus boosting competition. A study comparing broadband markets, published in 2009 by Harvard University’s Berkman Centre for Internet & Society, found that countries with such rules enjoy faster, cheaper broadband service than America, because the barrier to entry for new entrants is much lower. And if any access provider starts limiting what customers can do, they will defect to another. -- Grace L.N. Mutung'u (Bomu) Kenya

1 0