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meeting on Thursday march 22
by Rebecca Wanjiku 21 Mar '07

21 Mar '07

hi, i hope you are planning to attend Kictanet monthly forum on thursday at 3pm at the jacaranda (JCC) Alex Gakuru, and a representative from Tespok will be discussing rural-urban connectivity, the challenges and successes, the media will be there and we should all be there just in case more interviews are needed from a cross-section of Kictanet representatives, it will be a chance to meet these journalists and you can have a chance to give your opinion on other issues, hope to meet you at the JCC. regards becky ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/

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Re: [kictanet] reminder-monthly forum tommorrow at 3pm
by Jose' 21 Mar '07

21 Mar '07

Hi, i confirm attendance and inform you that I shall be comminmg with Carthy Agallo my Co-director. Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || ----- Original Message ---- From: Rebecca Wanjiku <rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com> To: ngunjirijnr(a)yahoo.com Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 7:36:28 AM Subject: [kictanet] reminder-monthly forum tommorrow at 3pm just to remind you to be there on time, at 3pm tommorrow at the Jacaranda this month's theme is bridging the rural-urban digital divide, you dont want to miss presesntations by Alex Gakuru, who will set the pace, give consumer perspectives, what has been done and what can be done to bridge the rural-urban digital divide. Jose Ngunjiri who will will tell us of challenges and successes working with the youth at the Kimathi Information centre in Nairobi's Eastlands,- by the way, Kimathi Information centre has won accolades from PS Ndemo and WB country director Bruce Fatma Bashir from cyber school technologies will make a presentation about their efforts to connect rural schools that have no power hope to meet you there, for logistics purposes, please confirm. can write back to me, not to the whole list, if you hit the reply button, it goes to the list, regards becky KICTANet We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love (and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list._______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ngunjirijnr%40yahoo.com ____________________________________________________________________________________ Need Mail bonding? Go to the Yahoo! Mail Q&A for great tips from Yahoo! Answers users. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396546091

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Re: [kictanet] programme
by Jose' 21 Mar '07

21 Mar '07

Hey Becky, I confirm attendance on behalf of Kimathi Information Centre.Allow me to come with my co-director Carthy Atieno Agallo to assist me with the Q & A session. Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || ----- Original Message ---- From: Rebecca Wanjiku <rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com> To: ngunjirijnr(a)yahoo.com Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 8:08:03 AM Subject: [kictanet] programme KICTANet monthly forum- Jacaranda thursday march 22nd 3pm to 5pm 3.00 pm Introduction - Becky 3.15pm rural-urban digital divide, consumer perspectives- Alex Gakuru 3.35 pm Kimathi Information Centre- linking the youth- Jose Ngunjiri 3.55 pm connecting rural schools- Fatma Bashir 4.15 pm questions for all the speakers 4.55 pm tea and snacks guests leave at their pleasure Please confirm attendance by replying directly to me, Bored stiff? Loosen up... Download and play hundreds of games for free on Yahoo! Games._______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ngunjirijnr%40yahoo.com ____________________________________________________________________________________ TV dinner still cooling? Check out "Tonight's Picks" on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/

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Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: [DigAfrica] Kenya sets world first with money transfers by mobile]
by Kagwe James 21 Mar '07

21 Mar '07

Telkom, KPLC, Nairobi Water company etc should be thinking of how they can partner with Safaricom and modify the M-pesa initiative to enable us pay utility bills through our mobile phones. Just a thought................. -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=aforbes.co.ke(a)kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=aforbes.co.ke@kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of alice Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 6:12 PM To: Kagwe James Subject: [kictanet] [Fwd: [DigAfrica] Kenya sets world first with money transfers by mobile] We are the world's first. Kudos to Safaricom -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [DigAfrica] Kenya sets world first with money transfers by mobile Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:28:50 -0000 From: Chifu <chifu2222(a)gmail.com> Reply-To: DigAfrica(a)yahoogroups.com To: DigAfrica(a)yahoogroups.com Kenya sets world first with money transfers by mobile Xan Rice in Nairobi Tuesday March 20, 2007 The Guardian The ping of a text message has never sounded so sweet. In what is being touted as a world first, Kenya's biggest mobile operator is allowing subscribers to send cash to other phone users by SMS. Known as M-Pesa, or mobile money, the service is expected to revolutionise banking in a country where more than 80% of people are excluded from the formal financial sector. Apart from transferring cash - a service much in demand among urban Kenyans supporting relatives in rural areas - customers of the Safaricom network will be able to keep up to 50,000 shillings (£370) in a "virtual account" on their handsets. Developed by Vodafone, which holds a 35% share in Safaricom, M-Pesa was formally launched in Kenya two weeks ago. More than 10,000 people have signed up for the service, with around 8m shillings transferred so far, mostly in tiny denominations. Safaricom's executives are confident that growth will be strong in Kenya, and later across Africa. "We are effectively giving people ATM cards without them ever having to open a real bank account," said Michael Joseph, chief executive of Safaricom, who called the money transfer concept the "next big thing" in mobile telephony. M-Pesa's is simple. There is no need for a new handset or SIM card. To send money you hand over the cash to a registered agent - typically a retailer - who credits your virtual account. You then send between 100 shillings (74p) and 35,000 shillings (£259) via text message to the desired recipient - even someone on a different mobile network - who cashes it at an agent by entering a secret code and showing ID. A commission of up to 170 shillings (£1.25) is paid by the recipient but it compares favourably with fees levied by the major banks, whose services are too expensive for most of the population. Mobile phone growth in Kenya, as in most of Africa, has been remarkable, even among the rural poor. In June 1999 Kenya had 15,000 mobile subscribers. Today it has nearly 8 million out of a population of 35 million, and the two operators' networks are as extensive as the access to banks is limited. Safaricom says it is not so much competing with financial services companies as filling a void. In time, M-Pesa will allow people to borrow and repay money, and make purchases. Companies will be able to pay salaries directly into workers' phones - something that has already attracted the interest of larger employers, such as the tea companies, whose workers often have to be paid in cash as they do not have bank accounts. There are concerns about security, but Safaricom insists that even if someone's phone is stolen the PIN system prevents unauthorised withdrawals. Mr Joseph said the only danger is sending cash to the wrong mobile number and the recipient redeeming it straight away. The project is being watched closely by mobile operators around the world as a way of targeting the multibillion pound international cash transfer industry long dominated by companies such as Western Union and Moneygram. Remittances sent from nearly 200 million migrant workers to developing countries totalled £102bn last year, according to the World Bank. The GSM Association, which represents more than 700 mobile operators worldwide, believes this could quadruple by 2012 if transfers by SMS become the norm. Vodafone has entered a partnership with Citigroup that would soon allow Kenyans in the UK to send money home via text message. The charge for sending £50 is expected to be about £3, less than a third of what some traditional services charge. Cheques and texts 19% Adult Kenyans with bank accounts 54% Adult Kenyans with a mobile phone or access to one 58% Most popular way to transfer money in Kenya: send it with a family member or friend (Source: FSD Kenya) 22p Cost of sending £260 via text message in Kenya £1.25 Cost for recipient to cash it in (Source: Safaricom) £102bn Money sent home to developing countries by migrant workers in 2006 (Source: World Bank) 3 billion People in world with mobile phones http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2038302,00.html <http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2038302,00.html> __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/message/5765;_ylc=X3oDMTM0ODAxbzZtB…> (1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwNXVjbGZsBF9TAzk3M…> | Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlajBldWdrBF9TAzk3M…> Messages <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJlNG85MmZuBF9TA…> | Links <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNzJnMDFzBF9TAzk3…> | Polls <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNXR2a3I5BF9TAzk3…> | Calendar <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJkdmkzc3U2BF9TA…> Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica on IT in Africa Aids-Africa is a forum for communication and information on AIDS related issues in Africa and all are welcome to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids-africa Join us on hiv/aids forum on Kenya at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenya-aids Join us at a Kenyan networking forum and NGOS at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenyainternational Yahoo! 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[Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Re: [Fwd: [Fibre-for-africa] Fibre optic delays cost 5000jobs a month]]]
by alice 21 Mar '07

21 Mar '07

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: [Fibre-for-africa] Fibre optic delays cost 5000jobs a month]] Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 23:30:59 +0300 From: Gerhard MAY <gerhard.may(a)gmail.com> To: alice <alice(a)apc.org> References: <46001ACD.6070907(a)apc.org> I read the article and my opinion is that the crucial point is missed totally. Kenya requires a fibre optic connection to reduce cost of doing business in Kenya and ensuring that Kenyan companies can compete successfully with their competitors abroad. This is very important for all existing companies in kenya and will let them grow. This BPO is from my point of view a absolute niche and too narrow minded. What impact will call centres lets say with even 10.000 agents make on the GDP? This are peanuts. MY logical chain is: fibre optic cable reduces cost of telecoms; fibre optic cable improves quality of service eg speed, reliability etc kenyan companies are producing at lower cost, respond faster etc (additonal companies consider kenya as attractive) this will push employment and grow GDP Lets create an enabling environment for the economy by providing good quality telcoms at reasoanble cost. gm On 3/20/07, *alice* <alice(a)apc.org <mailto:alice@apc.org>> wrote: Hi Gerhard Would you like to be part of this community?????or are you completely out of sorts with the ICT sector? -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: [Fibre-for-africa] Fibre optic delays cost 5000jobs a month] Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 20:01:47 +0300 From: Kai U. Wulff < kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke <mailto:kai.wulff@kdn.co.ke>> Reply-To: Kenya ICT Action Network - KICTANet <kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet@kictanet.or.ke>> To: alice(a)apc.org <mailto:alice@apc.org> Hello, As much as I agree that we need at least 2 cables, please see the following cost calculation: Assume a 1 Mbps duplex Sat capacity costs USD 6 000 per month (it is actually lower). Compression for good quality ranges from 8 Kbps to 16 Kbps, so let's take an average of 12.8Kbps So on one Mbps you can have a minimum of 80 calls or 4800 call minutes per hour. On a 20 hour operation this leads to 96 000 call minutes per day a and in a 30 day month to 2 880 000 call minutes per month. You communication cost per call minute = 0.14 KSH !! If you say your call centre is only loaded by 50% = a quarter of a KSH per call minute. What is the cost of electricity, labor, rent ... in perspective? I still believe we can build competitive call centers even on SAT basis! Rgds Kai -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff= kdn.co.ke(a)kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kdn.co.ke@kictanet.or.ke> [mailto:kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke@kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke@kictanet.or.ke>] On Behalf Of alice Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 18:06 To: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke <mailto:kai.wulff@kdn.co.ke> Subject: [kictanet] [Fwd: [Fibre-for-africa] Fibre optic delays cost 5000jobs a month] Fibre optic delays cost 5000 jobs a month By Steve Mbogo, Business Daily, March 20, 2007 Every month that passes without Kenya having a fibre optic cable link to the rest of the world, the country loses an opportunity to create 5,000 jobs. The figure, based on data collected by Business Daily interviews with individuals involved in making Kenya a hub for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). BPO involves hiring of vendors to handle business processes like customer care, accounting, and content provision. In Kenya, call centres and publishing content provision are the main focuses, but other examples of BPO include human resources, accounting and payroll outsourcing. Dave Stewart, general manager of KenCall, Kenya's largest call-centre, said while foreign investors are looking at Kenya as a good destination for BPO, the lack of a fibre link is stifling some. "This (fibre link) is a must if there is to be a serious investment in this area," said Stewart. Currently established businesses, like KenCall, have no choice but to use the expensive bandwidth through the satellite network. Mr Stewart, whose call centre employs 300 people, spends $30,000 to $70,000 (Sh2.1m to Sh4.9m) for the bandwidth. BPO players estimated the advent of the fibre-optic cable could reduce bandwidth costs by 60 per cent. But cautioned that a single cable might not make a difference as it will run like a monopoly. Outsourcing operations have thrived in developing countries like India which have sufficient, and cheap enough bandwidth as well as educated human resources and sound legal and financial infrastructure. Educated work force Industry players feel Kenya is well positioned to become a preferred BPO hub, despite not measuring up on bandwidth. "Kenya's competitiveness in terms of human resources is very high," said Mr Stewart. "Kenya, like India, has a very highly educated work force. The accents here are very popular with the Americans and the Europeans," he added. And unlike in the West where most see call centre careers as a stepping stone to other opportunities, in Kenya being employed in a call centre is regarded as a career. "This is a potential for growth." Mr Wallace Gichoho the chief executive of Call Centre Africa Ltd and chairman of Kenya ICT Service Exporters (KISE) said the type of employees that Call Centres look for are those that may not make the universities cut off point but had fared well in the key subject that would enable a company develop skill in them. This forms a majority of the potential working force and has proved more stable than graduate employees. Mugure Kabugua's BPO company, Preciss offers a service called PrecissPatrol that prowls the Internet on behalf of clients, and the company is planning a call centre. She said the business environment for BPO is improving thanks to the Government encouraging more investment. She says the local industry is getting attention from international BPO concerns. Estimates on how many jobs could be created vary. While Ms Kabugua suggested "hundreds of thousands," Waudo Siganga, the chairman of the Computer Society of Kenya said a well-functioning BPO industry can create an estimated 60,000 jobs every year, supported by more than 400 companies licensed to offer information communication technology training. Meanwhile, Dr Wahome Gakuru, a coordinator for Government's Vision 2030 development plan, said BPO could created "millions of jobs," for young professionals. Whichever number is correct, the sector is getting attention from the places of power. _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org <mailto:Fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org> http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet@kictanet.or.ke> http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kai.wulff%40kdn.co.ke ************************************************************** Scanned by eScan Anti-Virus and Content Security Software. Visit http://www.mwti.net for more info on eScan and MailScan. ************************************************************** ************************************************************** Scanned by eScan Anti-Virus and Content Security Software. Visit http://www.mwti.net for more info on eScan and MailScan. ************************************************************** _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet@kictanet.or.ke> http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/alice%40apc.org

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programme
by Rebecca Wanjiku 21 Mar '07

21 Mar '07

KICTANet monthly forum- Jacaranda thursday march 22nd 3pm to 5pm 3.00 pm Introduction - Becky 3.15pm rural-urban digital divide, consumer perspectives- Alex Gakuru 3.35 pm Kimathi Information Centre- linking the youth- Jose Ngunjiri 3.55 pm connecting rural schools- Fatma Bashir 4.15 pm questions for all the speakers 4.55 pm tea and snacks guests leave at their pleasure Please confirm attendance by replying directly to me, ____________________________________________________________________________________ Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast with the Yahoo! Search weather shortcut. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts/#loc_weather

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reminder-monthly forum tommorrow at 3pm
by Rebecca Wanjiku 21 Mar '07

21 Mar '07

just to remind you to be there on time, at 3pm tommorrow at the Jacaranda this month's theme is bridging the rural-urban digital divide, you dont want to miss presesntations by Alex Gakuru, who will set the pace, give consumer perspectives, what has been done and what can be done to bridge the rural-urban digital divide. Jose Ngunjiri who will will tell us of challenges and successes working with the youth at the Kimathi Information centre in Nairobi's Eastlands,- by the way, Kimathi Information centre has won accolades from PS Ndemo and WB country director Bruce Fatma Bashir from cyber school technologies will make a presentation about their efforts to connect rural schools that have no power hope to meet you there, for logistics purposes, please confirm. can write back to me, not to the whole list, if you hit the reply button, it goes to the list, regards becky KICTANet ____________________________________________________________________________________ Need Mail bonding? Go to the Yahoo! Mail Q&A for great tips from Yahoo! Answers users. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396546091

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[Fwd: [Fibre-for-africa] Fibre optic delays cost 5000 jobs a month]
by alice 21 Mar '07

21 Mar '07

Fibre optic delays cost 5000 jobs a month By Steve Mbogo, Business Daily, March 20, 2007 Every month that passes without Kenya having a fibre optic cable link to the rest of the world, the country loses an opportunity to create 5,000 jobs. The figure, based on data collected by Business Daily interviews with individuals involved in making Kenya a hub for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). BPO involves hiring of vendors to handle business processes like customer care, accounting, and content provision. In Kenya, call centres and publishing content provision are the main focuses, but other examples of BPO include human resources, accounting and payroll outsourcing. Dave Stewart, general manager of KenCall, Kenyas largest call-centre, said while foreign investors are looking at Kenya as a good destination for BPO, the lack of a fibre link is stifling some. This (fibre link) is a must if there is to be a serious investment in this area, said Stewart. Currently established businesses, like KenCall, have no choice but to use the expensive bandwidth through the satellite network. Mr Stewart, whose call centre employs 300 people, spends $30,000 to $70,000 (Sh2.1m to Sh4.9m) for the bandwidth. BPO players estimated the advent of the fibre-optic cable could reduce bandwidth costs by 60 per cent. But cautioned that a single cable might not make a difference as it will run like a monopoly. Outsourcing operations have thrived in developing countries like India which have sufficient, and cheap enough bandwidth as well as educated human resources and sound legal and financial infrastructure. Educated work force Industry players feel Kenya is well positioned to become a preferred BPO hub, despite not measuring up on bandwidth. Kenyas competitiveness in terms of human resources is very high, said Mr Stewart. Kenya, like India, has a very highly educated work force. The accents here are very popular with the Americans and the Europeans, he added. And unlike in the West where most see call centre careers as a stepping stone to other opportunities, in Kenya being employed in a call centre is regarded as a career. This is a potential for growth. Mr Wallace Gichoho the chief executive of Call Centre Africa Ltd and chairman of Kenya ICT Service Exporters (KISE) said the type of employees that Call Centres look for are those that may not make the universities cut off point but had fared well in the key subject that would enable a company develop skill in them. This forms a majority of the potential working force and has proved more stable than graduate employees. Mugure Kabuguas BPO company, Preciss offers a service called PrecissPatrol that prowls the Internet on behalf of clients, and the company is planning a call centre. She said the business environment for BPO is improving thanks to the Government encouraging more investment. She says the local industry is getting attention from international BPO concerns. Estimates on how many jobs could be created vary. While Ms Kabugua suggested hundreds of thousands, Waudo Siganga, the chairman of the Computer Society of Kenya said a well-functioning BPO industry can create an estimated 60,000 jobs every year, supported by more than 400 companies licensed to offer information communication technology training. Meanwhile, Dr Wahome Gakuru, a coordinator for Governments Vision 2030 development plan, said BPO could created millions of jobs, for young professionals. Whichever number is correct, the sector is getting attention from the places of power. _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa

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[Fwd: [DigAfrica] Kenya cancels SNO offer to Indian firm]
by alice 20 Mar '07

20 Mar '07

They demanded one "too many" privileges Kenya cancels SNO offer to Indian firm By A STAFF WRITER Investigations by The East-African have revealed that Kenya cancelled negotiations with Reliance Communications of India the company that had been negotiating with the government for a licence to operate both fixed-line and mobile services because the Indians demanded "too many" privileges. Just a day before the deadline within which the Indian company was asked to formally submit its application, the president of the company, Punit Garg, wrote to the government making demands that were way outside the condition of the tender. According to informed sources, the privileges Reliance wanted were in three sets namely duties, relaxation of rules for listing of its local subsidiaries on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, and a commitment to share infrastructure from existing mobile companies. With respect to duties, the Indian company wanted the following. First, zero import duties on import of telecommunications infrastructure and equipment; zero import duties on new and used handsets and zero value-added tax. The privileges requested with respect to listing requirements were not only excessive but were of the type that the government could only give at the risk of bending the rules governing capital markets. First, the Indian company wanted the government to give it a commitment that it would allow any local subsidiaries it formed to go to the market to raise money on the Nairobi Stock Exchange regardless of whether or not the company met the requirements for listing. The Indian investor suggested that the local subsidiary it intended to create be listed on the basis of compliance of the parent company in India. Secondly, it wanted the government to permit the listing of at least 10 per cent of the equity of the SNO on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. Thirdly, it asked that the government allow dual listing of the company that it intended to establish in Kenya. On the sharing of infrastructure, the Indian investors wanted assurances on the sharing of towers, co- location of equipment for interconnection and long distance networks. The company argued that duplication of infrastructure in telecommunications networks was costly. The Indian investor further argued that only a harmonised system can ensure ready availability at regulated cost-based tariffs. Reliance also said that it was not willing to put in an application without these assurances and privileges. It is understood that on receiving the demands, a meeting of the board of the Communications Commission of Kenya was hurriedly convened at which the regulator formally announced the cancellation of negotiations with the Indians and the decision to tender afresh. The government will now be hoping that Vtel of Dubai, who had offered to pay a whopping $169 million for the licence, will still want to come and invest in Kenya. Kenya's telecommunications industry is changing rapidly. The two mobile players Safaricom and Celtel continue to maintain a stranglehold in a market that more or less operates like a duopoly. Currently, it is estimated that Safaricom has around 75 per cent of the market and Celtel 25 per cent. Both companies have recently been licensed to operate international gateways. Kenya tried unsuccessfully to auction an SNO licence in 2003. In May last year, the CCK put out an international tender for the licence. The successful bidder, Vtel Ltd, was consequently invited to take up the offer but failed to do so following disagreements with its local partners. In accordance with the tender regulations, the offer was subsequently withdrawn and extended to Reliance Communications, the second highest bidders. Upon receipt of the invitation by CCK, Reliance Communication confirmed that they would take up the offer and requested more time to enable them to comply with the various formalities. The CCK board agreed to the request by the Indian investors and granted an extension of the application deadline to March 15 this year. By the expiry of the set deadline of 4.00 pm on Friday last week, the Indian investors had not made a formal application for the licence. http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/News/News19030715.htm <http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/News/News19030715.htm> __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/message/5760;_ylc=X3oDMTM0NmQ2MHN0B…> (1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwcWdqYzU3BF9TAzk3M…> | Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZ3R2azduBF9TAzk3M…> Messages <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJldnVua3Q5BF9TA…> | Links <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmb2s0cXYwBF9TAzk3…> | Polls <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJmaTVyMmlqBF9TAzk3…> | Calendar <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJkYTVzcjRuBF9TA…> Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica on IT in Africa Aids-Africa is a forum for communication and information on AIDS related issues in Africa and all are welcome to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids-africa Join us on hiv/aids forum on Kenya at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenya-aids Join us at a Kenyan networking forum and NGOS at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenyainternational Yahoo! 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[Fwd: [DigAfrica] Kenya sets world first with money transfers by mobile]
by alice 20 Mar '07

20 Mar '07

We are the world's first. Kudos to Safaricom -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [DigAfrica] Kenya sets world first with money transfers by mobile Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:28:50 -0000 From: Chifu <chifu2222(a)gmail.com> Reply-To: DigAfrica(a)yahoogroups.com To: DigAfrica(a)yahoogroups.com Kenya sets world first with money transfers by mobile Xan Rice in Nairobi Tuesday March 20, 2007 The Guardian The ping of a text message has never sounded so sweet. In what is being touted as a world first, Kenya's biggest mobile operator is allowing subscribers to send cash to other phone users by SMS. Known as M-Pesa, or mobile money, the service is expected to revolutionise banking in a country where more than 80% of people are excluded from the formal financial sector. Apart from transferring cash - a service much in demand among urban Kenyans supporting relatives in rural areas - customers of the Safaricom network will be able to keep up to 50,000 shillings (£370) in a "virtual account" on their handsets. Developed by Vodafone, which holds a 35% share in Safaricom, M-Pesa was formally launched in Kenya two weeks ago. More than 10,000 people have signed up for the service, with around 8m shillings transferred so far, mostly in tiny denominations. Safaricom's executives are confident that growth will be strong in Kenya, and later across Africa. "We are effectively giving people ATM cards without them ever having to open a real bank account," said Michael Joseph, chief executive of Safaricom, who called the money transfer concept the "next big thing" in mobile telephony. M-Pesa's is simple. There is no need for a new handset or SIM card. To send money you hand over the cash to a registered agent - typically a retailer - who credits your virtual account. You then send between 100 shillings (74p) and 35,000 shillings (£259) via text message to the desired recipient - even someone on a different mobile network - who cashes it at an agent by entering a secret code and showing ID. A commission of up to 170 shillings (£1.25) is paid by the recipient but it compares favourably with fees levied by the major banks, whose services are too expensive for most of the population. Mobile phone growth in Kenya, as in most of Africa, has been remarkable, even among the rural poor. In June 1999 Kenya had 15,000 mobile subscribers. Today it has nearly 8 million out of a population of 35 million, and the two operators' networks are as extensive as the access to banks is limited. Safaricom says it is not so much competing with financial services companies as filling a void. In time, M-Pesa will allow people to borrow and repay money, and make purchases. Companies will be able to pay salaries directly into workers' phones - something that has already attracted the interest of larger employers, such as the tea companies, whose workers often have to be paid in cash as they do not have bank accounts. There are concerns about security, but Safaricom insists that even if someone's phone is stolen the PIN system prevents unauthorised withdrawals. Mr Joseph said the only danger is sending cash to the wrong mobile number and the recipient redeeming it straight away. The project is being watched closely by mobile operators around the world as a way of targeting the multibillion pound international cash transfer industry long dominated by companies such as Western Union and Moneygram. Remittances sent from nearly 200 million migrant workers to developing countries totalled £102bn last year, according to the World Bank. The GSM Association, which represents more than 700 mobile operators worldwide, believes this could quadruple by 2012 if transfers by SMS become the norm. Vodafone has entered a partnership with Citigroup that would soon allow Kenyans in the UK to send money home via text message. The charge for sending £50 is expected to be about £3, less than a third of what some traditional services charge. Cheques and texts 19% Adult Kenyans with bank accounts 54% Adult Kenyans with a mobile phone or access to one 58% Most popular way to transfer money in Kenya: send it with a family member or friend (Source: FSD Kenya) 22p Cost of sending £260 via text message in Kenya £1.25 Cost for recipient to cash it in (Source: Safaricom) £102bn Money sent home to developing countries by migrant workers in 2006 (Source: World Bank) 3 billion People in world with mobile phones http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2038302,00.html <http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2038302,00.html> __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/message/5765;_ylc=X3oDMTM0ODAxbzZtB…> (1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwNXVjbGZsBF9TAzk3M…> | Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlajBldWdrBF9TAzk3M…> Messages <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJlNG85MmZuBF9TA…> | Links <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNzJnMDFzBF9TAzk3…> | Polls <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNXR2a3I5BF9TAzk3…> | Calendar <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJkdmkzc3U2BF9TA…> Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica on IT in Africa Aids-Africa is a forum for communication and information on AIDS related issues in Africa and all are welcome to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids-africa Join us on hiv/aids forum on Kenya at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenya-aids Join us at a Kenyan networking forum and NGOS at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenyainternational Yahoo! 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