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Kenya ranked as one of the best countries in the world
by Alice Munyua 05 Sep '10

05 Sep '10

*http://home.co.ke/index.php/arts-and-culture/culture/127-culture/425--kenya-ranked-as-one-of-the-best-countries-in-the-world (from Access Kenya) For all y'all who'd packed your bags and were leaving for other countries, here's some news that may give you pause ... * A survey carried out by American periodical, Newsweek, has ranked Kenya as the best country in East Africa, fourth in sub-Saharan Africa, (after Botswana, South Africa and Ghana), and 87th worldwide. The ranking was out of 100 countries and five categories of national well being --- education, health, political environment, economic dynamism and quality of life --- were used to deduce the ranking. Although Newsweek says that their study is not 'perfect', it does give a good idea of how countries are performing around the world. According to Newsweek, the best country in the world is Finland, followed by Switzerland, Sweden and Australia. The USA and UK were ranked 11th and 14th respectively. Out of about 193 countries in the world (the number varies depending on who is doing the counting), numbers 80, 82, 86 and 87 went to Botswana, SA, Ghana and Kenya. North African countries, categorised differently, seemed to rank on average better than sub-Saharan countries. Egypt, for instance, was ranked 74. Tunisia and Morocco were 65 and 67 respectively. I was surprised to find that Rwanda was not mentioned at all in the top 100. And our oga brothers (Nigeria) came in at 99. Countries with smaller populations seemed to rank higher than those with big populations. Of the top 10 best countries, seven have small populations of less than 20 million people and they each enjoy a high per capita income of more than $12,000 per year --- Sh967,000 per annum or Sh80,000 per month. /Compiled by Judy Mumo/ --

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ICT event planning and business information
by Andrea Bohnstedt 05 Sep '10

05 Sep '10

Hey lovely people, I have noticed that there's a whole gaggle of ICT events next week, with several overlapping ones, which is really a pity - they all sound interesting. So I thought I'd quickly flag the Business Diary on Ratio Magazine, the online business magazine that I publish: http://www.ratio-magazine.com/Business-Diary/ On this page, you can list your business event (conference, training, seminar, trade fair) for free - just email us the details. We're in the process of changing it to the same format as the career pages ( http://www.ratio-magazine.com/careers/index.php) so that you can search for specific countries and industries, and even set email alerts for e.g. ICT events. Obviously this is not an event co-ordinating service, but the more information we have, the easier it will be to check out quickly who's doing what when, and avoid overlaps. ) And speaking of careers: if you're recruiting, send us the job ad. Regular listings are free, and 'featured jobs' are a kidogo bit of money. On that (self-marketing) note, have a good weekend! :) Andrea -- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322 www.ratio-magazine.com

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Secure ICT 2010 Conference- Change of Date
by Evans Kahuthu 04 Sep '10

04 Sep '10

Dear Listers, On behalf of the Secure ICT 2010 Conference committee, I would like to inform you that we have received a lot of requests from our 2010 conference participants to move the conference date. In addition, the muslim holiday of Eid ul-fitr might be on thursday or friday, which unfortunately thursday is one of the conference day. To this end, the new date is october 5-6, 2010 at the same venue. We are very sorry for the inconvinience. For more information regarding the conference, kindly visit http://secureict.co.ke Sincerely, Evans Kahuthu

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Fwd: [eaigfplanning] 2010 EAIGF draft report
by Alice Munyua 03 Sep '10

03 Sep '10

Dear all, FYI First draft of the 3rd EA-IGF is now online. See links below. best alice -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [eaigfplanning] 2010 EAIGF draft report Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2010 01:42:20 -0700 (PDT) From: Lillian Nalwoga <lnalwoga(a)yahoo.com> To: alice(a)apc.org CC: eaigfplanning(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke, wiu-forum(a)wougnet.org Dear members, I am pleased to announce the first draft East African Internet Governance Forum report is now available for public online at http://eaigf.or.ke/files/EAIGF_2010_Report.pdf . The 3rd EAIGF took place at Imperial Royale, Kampala on 11 - 13 August 2010. The report will also be presented the 5th UN-IGF taking place on 14 - 17 September 2010 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Best regards, Lillian Nalwoga

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Oracle Experts Needed ASAP
by Martin Njuguna-Digital Vision 03 Sep '10

03 Sep '10

Dear Listers, We need Oracle certified experts with the following qualifications with immediate effect Oracle certified professional Hands on experience in a busy environment(Oracle PL SQL scripting) Linux/UNix essentials A degree in computer science or equivalent Successful candidate will be given a 3 month contract immediately. If you are the person and you are willing to start immediately, kindly submit your cv to martin(a)digitalvision.co.ke<h/1k4a6myebmo6z/?v=b&cs=wh&to=martin(a)digitalvision.co.ke>-with the title Oracle Consultant Awaiting your cvs Martin S. Njuguna Digital Vision EA Limited http://bit.ly/c6ItdF c:+254 721 440 543 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +254 721 440 543 end_of_the_skype_highlighting t:+254 20 21 33 865 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +254 20 21 33 865 end_of_the_skype_highlighting e:martin@digitalvision.co.ke<h/1k4a6myebmo6z/?v=b&cs=wh&to=e%3Amartin(a)digitalvision.co.ke> w: http://www.digitalvision.co.ke Skype: digitalv.ke Martin S. Njuguna Digital Vision EA Limited http://bit.ly/c6ItdF c:+254 721 440 543 t:+254 20 21 33 865 e:martin@digitalvision.co.ke <e%3Amartin(a)digitalvision.co.ke> w: http://www.digitalvision.co.ke Skype: digitalv.ke

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Deteriorating Safaricom or simply broken systems??
by Odhiambo Washington 03 Sep '10

03 Sep '10

Last evening I loaded KES 2,300 worth of credit on a Safaricom data line (0720 332211) and sent an sms to 446 to purchase a 300MB bundle. With their br0ken systems (the whole of yesterday) they could not allocate me the bundle immediately, even though they promptly deducted the KES 999. Because I could not get the confirmation of bundle allocation (CS kept telling me to wait for 20, 30, N minutes for the confirmation to come) I decided to just plugin the SIM card and use it, hoping the bundle had been allocated but only the confirmation sms was delayed. I ended up using KES 800 of my balance airtime after they deducted the KES 999 (instead of the bundle!!) and I got to know that only today when I called CS and they gave me the shocking news - you have only KES 500-and-something airtime on that line!! The whole of yesterday their system was broken down. I suffered the same during the day. I loaded 2500 on a different number and sent "activate" to 448 for a 1GB Bundle. I could not get the confirmation after about 10 minutes and called CS, who told me that they were experiencing problems and I should wait for about 2 hours. I had to buy 500 and top up and just use it like that without purchasing a bundle, while waiting for the 2+ hours... Is there a way for redress with Safaricom? They've literally stolen from me, by deducting my KES 999 and not allocating me the bundle "within the required time" (or isn't there something like this?), making me to use my reserved airtime instead! There must be better ways of dealing with this from Safaricom, or any other provider for that matter. It is simply not acceptable, and I do feel that when I buy a commodity (like the bundle) I should get it immediately, unless there is a condition that stipulates that the provider is at liberty to decide when to give it to me. I also believe that it's the obligation of the provider to notify me when they have a problem that would affect the services I buy from them. Safaricom, I want my money back, as small as it is! -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." -- Lucky Dube -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." -- Lucky Dube

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Suggestions for New Ministries Structure
by waudo siganga 02 Sep '10

02 Sep '10

Dear Colleagues, The New Constitution proposes a maximum number of 22 GoK ministries and the private Sector is being asked for suggestions on how the present 42 ministries could be merged to form 22 or less. What suggestions can we have for the ICT domicile? Kind Regards, Waudo

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Fwd: [AfriNIC-announce] AfriNIC-13 Online Registration Open
by Adiel A. Akplogan 02 Sep '10

02 Sep '10

FYI Begin forwarded message: > From: Diane Nuteau <diane(a)afrinic.net> > Date: September 1, 2010 17:33:35 PM GMT+04:00 > To: announce(a)afrinic.net > Cc: AfriNIC Meeting Co-ordination <meeting-coord(a)afrinic.net> > Subject: [AfriNIC-announce] AfriNIC-13 Online Registration Open > > Dear Colleagues, > > We are pleased to announce that the online registration for the > AfriNIC-13 > meeting, which will be held from 20-26 November 2010 in > Johannesburg, is now > open. You can register online up to 15 November 2010 at: > > For first time registration - > http://meeting.afrinic.net/afrinic-13/index.php/register/first-time-registr… > > For returning participants - > http://meeting.afrinic.net/afrinic-13/index.php/register/returning-particip… > > Registration for our meeting is free of charge. > > For more information about the meeting you can visit the meeting web > site at: > > http://meeting.afrinic.net/afrinic-13 > > Information about accommodation and the venue will be posted on the > web site > soon and we will also let you know once it is done. > > Thank you and looking forward seeing you in Johannesburg. > > AfriNIC Meeting Team > _______________________________________________ > announce mailing list > announce(a)afrinic.net > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/announce

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Secure ICT 2010 Conference- 7 Days to go!
by Evans Kahuthu 01 Sep '10

01 Sep '10

Dear Listers, Greetings from Secure ICT 2010 Conference committee. It is our pleasure to update you that the provisional agenda for the 2nd annual Information Communication Technology & Network Security Conference is available online at http://secureict.co.ke/agenda.aspx If you have not registered for the conference, its not too late. Simply register online at http://secureict.co.ke/registration.aspx Please remember to bring your business cards for networking with your peers. We look forward to seeing you at The PanAfric Hotel, Nairobi on sept 8-9, 2010. If you have any questions or need clarification, do not hesitate to contact the undersigned. Regards, Evans Kahuthu, Secure ICT 2010 Conference Coordinator, phone: +254-710649304, +254-202188830

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Suggestions for New Ministries Structure
by waudo siganga 01 Sep '10

01 Sep '10

Dear Colleagues, The New Constitution proposes a maximum number of 22 GoK ministries and the private Sector is being asked for suggestions on how the present 42 ministries could be merged to form 22 or less. What suggestions can we have for the ICT domicile? Kind Regards, Waudo

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Suggestions for New Ministries Structure
by waudo siganga 01 Sep '10

01 Sep '10

Dear Colleagues, The New Constitution proposes a maximum number of 22 GoK ministries and the private Sector is being asked for suggestions on how the present 42 ministries could be merged to form 22 or less. What suggestions can we have for the ICT domicile? Kind Regards, Waudo

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Suggestions for New Ministries Structure
by waudo siganga 01 Sep '10

01 Sep '10

Dear Colleagues, The New Constitution proposes a maximum number of 22 GoK ministries and the private Sector is being asked for suggestions on how the present 42 ministries could be merged to form 22 or less. What suggestions can we have for the ICT domicile? Kind Regards, Waudo

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Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Zain Kenya makes another move
by Wainaina Mungai 30 Aug '10

30 Aug '10

This is a very aggressive and most likely, a huge loss-making move in the short-run. I hope Zain has a well crafted (*sustainable*) longterm strategy. If they are simply 'playing politics' against a 78% market leader (Safaricom), then they will eventually price their way out of the Kenyan market. Kencell losses *>>>* Celtel losses *>>> *Zain losses *>>> *AirTel losses *>>> oblivion (or market leadership)* My opinion is not influenced by my 'Safaricom shareholder/MPESA user' status ;-) Wainaina On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 11:43 AM, Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> wrote: > BY MICHAEL KARANJA > Updated 13 minutes ago > > NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 30 - Mobile telephony operator Zain Kenya has > introduced Sh5 and Sh10 denomination airtime vouchers as it steps up > its efforts to capture the mass market. > > The introduction of the new vouchers is seen as a move to make the > operator more accessible to the low-end market after a change in > strategy following the entry of its new shareholders, Bharti Airtel. > > Zain Kenya Managing Director Rene Meza said the move is aimed at > complementing its recent 50 percent reduction of call charges. > > “We are offering a wide range of scratch card denominations to suit > the needs of all individuals. Access to telecommunication services is > no longer a luxury but an integral part of each Kenyan’s > socio-economic needs,” Mr Meza said. > > .... > > Read more: > http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/business/Kenyabusiness/Zain-Kenya-makes-another-… > Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives > > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers >

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Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Zain Kenya makes another move
by Wainaina Mungai 30 Aug '10

30 Aug '10

I like the comparisons here. Safaricom's success lies in the sustainable BoP focused strategy they rolled-out awhile back; so does Equity's success. Zain's strategy should therefore be a calculated shift from elitist to a BoP focus...not a simple anti-Safaricom or "Vuka" campaign. Wainaina On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 2:11 PM, Johnstone Ole Turana < jturana(a)ke.nationmedia.com> wrote: > Economics aside, the ongoing price wars mirrors the yesteryears customer > battle between Equity Bank and the other banks. When Equity entered into > conventional banking, it broke down all the entry barriers- ‘free account’, > no charges for account maintenance (we all can recall the punitive minimum > balance extortion), and banking the mwananchi. Big banks fought this and > gave Equity one year or so-after all banking was high cost, high end game > not for the villages with erratic income. Few years down the road the > others have abandoned the exclusivity banking and embraced the Bottom of the > Pyramid (BoP) customer. > > At least now I know for sure I can call and have a decent chat, cross the > t’s and dot the i’s which is good for my provider. > > > > Cheers > > Ole Turana > > > > *From:* ke-internetusers-bounces(a)bdix.net [mailto: > ke-internetusers-bounces(a)bdix.net] *On Behalf Of *Solomon Mburu Kamau > *Sent:* Monday, August 30, 2010 1:58 PM > *To:* Sam Gatere > *Cc:* ke-users; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Zain Kenya makes another move > > > > I always find ot interesting to see people always giving pessimistic views > on an investment. I'm not a shareholder of either Safaricom or Zain, but > find this trend welcome. Zain(Airtel) will make losses in the first round, > but then, let's wait and see what they want to offer to the Kenyan market, > as long as the consumer is the winner. > I don't think the consumer is worried about the losses Zain made, but > he/she wants to communicate using the most affordable pricing in the market. > The rest, to him, are just politics of the corporate world. > > Me thinks > > On 30 August 2010 13:37, Sam Gatere <sam.gatere(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Moaning about safaricom could be one of the strategies employed here... but > we have to give a little grace to the dominant player where dealing with 15 > million plus clients is no easy task! However it would also be important to > look at the difference in mind set between Western Investors and those from > the East. The former (West) have no problems making 10 bob profit per call > while their counterparts seem not to mind making 50 cents! We also need to > look at this whole price war from a birds eye view before narrowing down to > Kenya. Airtel has 15 networks across the continent while Safaricom is only > in Kenya. Should Airtel make Nairobi their Africa hub (of which I think it > is) they will definitely up their game in by investing more to make their HQ > a profitable one. Possibly We will see this war move on to the Data arena in > not to long. > > > > Sammy. > > > > > > > > On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 12:50 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt < > andrea.bohnstedt(a)ratio-magazine.com> wrote: > > That's really the key issue, isn't it? They won't make money anytime soon > - there's the low rates, but also the fact that they'll have to invest > heavily in network and systems. Easy to moan about Safcom's customers > service - but they manage 16m clients. I'm curious to see if Zain will grow > their customer service at the same speed to accommodate all those new > subscribers. > > I also suspect that it'll be mostly very very price sensitive people who > will change - again not the clientele that will earn the company much money. > > > In 2008, when Zain had the Vuka tariff (KES8 on and off net, if I remember > correctly), the company made nearly USD90m losses. Last year, USD46m losses. > > > I found Mickael Ghossein's statement that 'the market is in a mess' quite > telling. I suspect in this battle of the elephants, Orange and Yu are in > most peril - which could easily contract the market again where subscribers > have less choice. > > Full disclosure: I'm a client with both big companies. There's only so much > a girl can put into her handbag. > > On 30 August 2010 12:31, Wainaina Mungai <wainaina(a)madeinkenya.org> wrote: > > This is a very aggressive and most likely, a huge loss-making move in the > short-run. I hope Zain has a well crafted (*sustainable*) longterm > strategy. > > > > If they are simply 'playing politics' against a 78% market leader > (Safaricom), then they will eventually price their way out of the Kenyan > market. > > > > Kencell losses *>>>* Celtel losses *>>> *Zain losses *>>> *AirTel losses > *>>> oblivion (or market leadership)* > > > > My opinion is not influenced by my 'Safaricom shareholder/MPESA user' > status ;-) > > > > Wainaina > > On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 11:43 AM, Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > BY MICHAEL KARANJA > Updated 13 minutes ago > > NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 30 - Mobile telephony operator Zain Kenya has > introduced Sh5 and Sh10 denomination airtime vouchers as it steps up > its efforts to capture the mass market. > > The introduction of the new vouchers is seen as a move to make the > operator more accessible to the low-end market after a change in > strategy following the entry of its new shareholders, Bharti Airtel. > > Zain Kenya Managing Director Rene Meza said the move is aimed at > complementing its recent 50 percent reduction of call charges. > > “We are offering a wide range of scratch card denominations to suit > the needs of all individuals. Access to telecommunication services is > no longer a luxury but an integral part of each Kenyan’s > socio-economic needs,” Mr Meza said. > > .... > > Read more: > http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/business/Kenyabusiness/Zain-Kenya-makes-another-… > Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives > > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: andrea.bohnstedt(a)ratio-magazine.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat… > > > > > -- > Andrea Bohnstedt > Publisher > +254 720 960 322 > www.ratio-magazine.com > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: sam.gatere(a)gmail.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/sam.gatere%40gmail.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: solo.mburu(a)gmail.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/solo.mburu%40gmail.com > > > > > -- > *Solomon Mbũrũ Kamau* > > ***************************************************** > *Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all > the same way to the side of a hill!* > > AND > > *It is better to die in dignity than in the ignominy of ambiguous > generosity! * > > http://smiley2.wordpress.com > http://mburu.sikika.co.ke > > > > > > DISCLAIMER: The information contained in or accompanying this e-mail is > intended for the use of the stated recipient only. It may contain > confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information. No > confidentiality or privilege is waived or lost by any mistransmission. If > you receive this message in error, please immediately delete it and all > copies of it from your system, destroy any hard copies of it and notify the > sender. You must not, directly or indirectly, use, disclose, distribute, > print, or copy any part of this message if you are not the intended > recipient. > > Any views or opinions presented herein are solely those of the author and > do not necessarily represent those of the *Nation Media Group*<http://www.nation.co.ke> > *.* > > To get all breaking news alerts send the word BREAK to 6667 or visit > http://mobile.nation.co.ke to read news on your mobile phone. > > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > >

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Innovation Policy
by Barrack Otieno 30 Aug '10

30 Aug '10

Dear Listers, Just wondering, in light of our evolving information society do we have such a policy in place. If so what does it say with regard to ICTs and innovation and who are the key stakeholders? -- Barrack O. Otieno +41767892272 Skype: barrack.otieno

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Searchable List Archives
by Odhiambo Washington 28 Aug '10

28 Aug '10

Hello Members, It is now possible to do a search (using keyword(s)) on ALL the lists hosted by KICTANet. This search facility is not as advanced but serves the purpose. List archives are accessible from a link which appears as a footer on the e-mails you receive from the list (to which you are subscribed), but is typically http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/LISTNAME/, e.g. http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/kictanet/ Some list archives are restricted to membership only, so you may not access them unless you are a member of that list and has an e-mail address/password combo to access them. -- Best regards, List Administration

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Mobile Innovation Workshop - Nairobi.
by Muchiri Nyaggah 27 Aug '10

27 Aug '10

Hi Listers. On September 4th, 2010, Semacraft is hosting a workshop on 'How to Innovate Mobile Services for the Bottom of the Pyramid'. Facilitated by Niti Bhan from the Aalto University Design Factory (http://aaltodesignfactory.fi <http://aaltodesignfactory.fi/> ), the focus of the workshop will be on equipping participants with the understanding on market segmentation at the bottom of the pyramid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottom_of_the_pyramid) and how to innovatively develop services on the mobile platform for this space. You can book your place at http://www.bookwhen.com/semacraft Spread the word and see you there. Kind regards, Muchiri Nyaggah Director @muchiri +254 722 506400 Semacraft.com

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Fwd: [i-network] Zain Kenya Crying Foul at Safaricom
by Barrack Otieno 27 Aug '10

27 Aug '10

Listers I found this discussion interesting, interesting opinions from our brothers across the borders. Kind Regards ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Timothy Kabaza <tkabaza(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 9:57 AM Subject: [i-network] Zain Kenya Crying Foul at Safaricom To: I-Network Uganda <i-network(a)dgroups.org> Badru, agreed from a purely free and competitive market environment. But it has never happened before anywhere in the world or in any industry? Why? Remember (Prof Micheal) Porter's five forces of competition 1. * Existing competitive rivalry between suppliers* 2. *Threat of new market entrants* 3. * Bargaining power of buyers* 4. * Power of suppliers* 5. * Threat of substitute products (including technology change)* here in our region, the biggest distortion of competition is #4, the power of suppliers (operators), not # 1 because of the oligopolistic/cartel tendencies. Hence my view that the regulators step in to protect the consumers. i am not advocating that the regulators protect the suppliers , NO, but to protect us, the consumers against the power of the suppliers. The last time the market was left to the power of suppliers with a 'self regulating' regime ( at most with minimum regulation), we ended up with the global financial collapse - (we are still suffering from the same and we should expect further failures, bail outs notwithstanding!). Tim On 24 August 2010 14:24, Badru Ntege <ntegeb(a)one2net.co.ug> wrote: > Tim > > There's two schools of thought here in a market environment the best > performer wins and takes the lion share. However it seems that when this > happens we then call for big brother the regulator to come help the none > performers. I think that is a wrong way towards building a sustainable > industry. Those players who cannot handle should seek partners who can help > them build a competitive business as opposed to hoping that the regulator > will always help them out. > > Regards > > Badru > > Sent from my® smartphone > ------------------------------ > *From: * "Timothy Kabaza" <tkabaza(a)gmail.com> > *Date: *24 Aug 2010 11:58:30 +0200 > *To: *I-Network Uganda<i-network(a)dgroups.org> > *ReplyTo: * "I-Network Uganda" <i-network(a)dgroups.org> > *Subject: *[i-network] Zain Kenya Crying Foul at Safaricom > > Precisely! > > Remember what I contributed about interconnection charges and the resultant > tariffs? I am of the view that regulators should take a strong stand in the > interest of the users and pro-actively address the issue of tariffs across > board. Perhaps the EAC Secretariat should include communication tariffs on > the custom union agenda. > > Tim > > On 20 August 2010 06:48, Kiiza Edgar <edgar212516(a)googlemail.com> wrote: > >> ** >> Zain accuses Safaricom of blocking calls >> *In Summary* >> >> *What CCK says on competition* >> >> · Commission says a competition study by PricewaterhouseCoopers will >> enable it identify the dominant companies, their price structure. >> Commission to apply a price cap on off-net tariffs >> >> · It costs Sh0.01 to terminate SMS on mobile and fixed networks but the >> operators charge up to Sh3.50. The lowest is Sh2 per SMS. >> >> A mobile phone company on Thursday sensationally accused its competitor of >> sabotaging its customers’ calls as a business war looms in the industry. >> >> Zain, which cut its calling charges by half on Wednesday, accused >> Safaricom of blocking its subscribers from calling the market leader’s >> numbers. >> >> The accusations came on the day the regulator announced a cut in the >> charges operators levy each other for calls across networks, setting the >> stage for cheaper calls. >> >> Now networks can only charge each other Sh2.21 a minute for calls and >> Sh0.01 for an SMS. Zain has already taken advantage and cut its calling >> rates to Sh3 and SMS to Sh1. >> >> But the company on Thursday said its subscribers were having problems >> making calls to Safaricom, because the bigger company was limiting the >> access of Zain callers into its network. >> >> In a complaint to the Communications Commission of Kenya, Zain claimed >> Safaricom was “abusing dominance” and asked CCK to intervene. >> >> “Our customers are experiencing congestion and call set-up issues when >> they call Safaricom and not when calling Zain. This is purely for the simple >> reason that our main competitor has been delaying the capacity increase >> request from our side to accommodate the incremental traffic coming from us >> after we launched our new offer in the market,” said Zain Kenya managing >> director, Mr Rene Meza. >> >> Safaricom dismissed Zain’s claims and instead accused its competitor of >> poor planning. Chief executive officer Michael Joseph said: “We feel that >> their request to the CCK to declare Safaricom dominant so soon after the >> launch of their new tariff is insincere, particularly as it was the result >> of poor planning on their side.” >> >> He added: “We have always been courteous to Zain, even to the extent of >> accommodating them when they were unable to clear the significant debt that >> they owed us. This notwithstanding, we shall continue to cooperate with them >> as guided by the inter-connect agreement and other industry rules. We invite >> them to engage us within those parameters.” >> >> Mr Joseph said Zain ‘’is fully aware of the procedures that all operators >> must adhere to when seeking to increase their inter-connect traffic >> capacity. Under the agreement the inter-connect pipe belongs to them and >> they should have upgraded it long before yesterday to accommodate their >> changed tariff plan.” >> >> The Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek), welcomed the drop in charges >> but asked CCK to ensure fair play in the sector. ‘‘We do hope that >> competition among service providers shall remain decent, honest and >> objective,’’ Cofek said in a statement signed by programme officer Calvin >> Otieno. >> >> The organisation also asked CCK to tackle the issue of low speeds and high >> charges for internet long after all major fibre optic cables landed in >> Kenya. CCK director-general Charles Njoroge said Zain’s allegations would be >> investigated. >> >> “We shall look into the complaints. We know there could be challenges when >> the traffic is changing patterns and the important thing is to investigate >> and once we have answers we shall be able to take corrective measures to >> ensure whatever is happening is corrected,” he said. >> >> Mr Njoroge, speaking at CCK offices, said as the market opens up there >> will be alignment in terms of efficiency, and operators should co-operate to >> ensure there is access because the interconnection agreements demand they >> facilitate seamless interconnection. >> >> He said CCK had noted the wide difference between what operators charge >> customers to make calls within their networks and to competing networks and >> how this was being used by the large operators to block competition. The big >> companies were creating a “club effect” by using interconnection charges to >> discourage their customers from calling other networks. >> >> “This pricing mindset is offensive to competition as it entrenches tariff >> imbalances in favour of large operators and makes other networks net payers >> to large networks,” he said. Mr Njoroge said the issue of dominance will be >> comprehensively dealt with through a report to be released soon. >> >> He said the interconnection charges could have gone down to Sh0.99 but CCK >> said this would disrupt business plans of the operators. The Sh2.21 had >> factored the return on investment, but added that the benefits must be >> passed to the consumers. >> >> “We need to move to the second step. We have initiated a process, and have >> regulations and once we declare (a company) dominant and it is seen that the >> company is abusing the dominance we shall come in and put a cap to regulate >> the retail (prices),” Mr Njoroge said. >> >> He said they had a competition study by PricewaterhouseCoopers which will >> enable them identify the dominant companies, their price structure and know >> if there is an abuse of the market. He said in order to remedy the >> competition problem at the retail fixed and mobile voice markets, the >> commission intends to apply a price cap on the off-net tariffs >> >> Visit the I-Network website - www.i-network.or.ug Follow I-Network on >> Twitter: http://twitter.com/inetwork The I-Network Dgroup is a platform >> for ICT Knowledge Sharing >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Visit web site <http://d2.dgroups.org/iicd/i-network/> >> Click here <leave.i-network(a)dgroups.org> to unsubscribe >> The email is intended only for the recipients. The owners of the Dgroups >> cannot be held responsible for the contents of the email message. >> > > > Visit the I-Network website - www.i-network.or.ug Follow I-Network on > Twitter: http://twitter.com/inetwork The I-Network Dgroup is a platform > for ICT Knowledge Sharing > > ------------------------------ > > Visit web site <http://d2.dgroups.org/iicd/i-network/> > Click here <leave.i-network(a)dgroups.org> to unsubscribe > The email is intended only for the recipients. The owners of the Dgroups > cannot be held responsible for the contents of the email message. > > Visit the I-Network website - www.i-network.or.ug Follow I-Network on > Twitter: http://twitter.com/inetwork The I-Network Dgroup is a platform > for ICT Knowledge Sharing > > ------------------------------ > > Visit web site <http://d2.dgroups.org/iicd/i-network/> > Click here <leave.i-network(a)dgroups.org> to unsubscribe > The email is intended only for the recipients. The owners of the Dgroups > cannot be held responsible for the contents of the email message. > Visit the I-Network website - www.i-network.or.ug Follow I-Network on Twitter: http://twitter.com/inetwork The I-Network Dgroup is a platform for ICT Knowledge Sharing ------------------------------ Visit web site <http://d2.dgroups.org/iicd/i-network/> Click here <leave.i-network(a)dgroups.org> to unsubscribe The email is intended only for the recipients. The owners of the Dgroups cannot be held responsible for the contents of the email message. -- Barrack O. Otieno +41767892272 Skype: barrack.otieno

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Re: [kictanet] Deteriorating Safaricom or simply broken systems??
by cliff＠acwsp.com 26 Aug '10

26 Aug '10

MJ, May I also draw your attention to my personal experience that the CC could not assist. On june 10th, I sent an sms to a number in China but it bounce back with an error- 'Failled by service'. I had to try 3 times before the sms was sent. Instinctly, I checked my balance coz I had just loaded airtime, I had been charge for all the sms. I checked with the guy on yahoo chat I was sending the sms if he received all the 3 so that I can offer an apology, he confirmed receiving only one. I called CC for a refund, I was told once the sms leaves my phone, its charged whether delivered or not. It happen again on 16th July when sending sms on the same number and the response from CC was the same! Honestly, why should customers be charged for a service never delivered? Kind regards, Cliff > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Deteriorating Safaricom or simply broken > systems?? > From: Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo(a)gmail.com> > Date: Thu, August 26, 2010 2:37 am > To: cliff(a)acwsp.com > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > > > > On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 10:45 AM, Brian Munyao Longwe wrote: > > > Hi Washington, > > On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 10:39 AM, Odhiambo Washington wrote: > > > > > Hi Brian, > > I beg to disagree with your supposition that these are "mundane and rather trivial issues". Safaricom does not sell vegetables at Gikomba, nor Mandazi at Kibera. This is their core business and if anything goes wrong with these, as one Harry Truman, put it decades ago, the buck stops with one, Michael Joseph! > > > > > > PS: MJ - Thank you so much for taking up this issue. > > > > > > > Both you and I have run online service operations - these kind of issues do *not* need the CEO to spend his time on - unless things have deteriorated to abyssmal levels. > > > > Nevertheless his attention is much appreciated. > > > > > I am happy to report that after MJ's intervention, Safaricom has "indemnified" me on the case(s) that I complained about. To be precise, I got refunds for the amounts used "out-of-bundle" when their systems delayed in allocating me the bundles I had purchased. > > > I'd also like to publicly acknowledge their apologies, received from Muthoni Karimi and Jack Siperia. > � > I feel much better now, as a Safaricom customer, because I have been treated right, thanks to MJ. > > > > > -- > Best regards, > Odhiambo WASHINGTON, > Nairobi,KE > +254733744121/+254722743223 > _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." > > � � � � � � � � -- Lucky Dube > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: cliff(a)acwsp.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/cliff%40acwsp.com >

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Re: [kictanet] Deteriorating Safaricom or simply broken systems??
by muliaro＠yahoo.com 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

It depends on how you define quality. take a system perspective and customer care would be reduced to one of the dimensions of quality. This aside, the point is- CCK has the responsibility of ensuaring that licensed companies like safaricom deliver within the acceptable limits thus protecting consumers. Dr Muliaro Wafula Sent from my Nokia phone -----Original Message----- From: McTim Sent: 25/08/2010 11:02:00 pm To: muliaro(a)yahoo.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Deteriorating Safaricom or simply broken systems?? Hi, On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 10:18 PM, muliaro(a)yahoo.com <muliaro(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > This is Quality of Service issue. To be precise, this is a customer service issue, not a QoS issue. Most people mistakenly use the term incorrectly. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_of_service -- Cheers, McTim "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route indicates how we get there." Jon Postel

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Re: [kictanet] Deteriorating Safaricom or simply broken systems??
by muliaro＠yahoo.com 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

This is Quality of Service issue. It is CCK that needs to handle such complains. any body from CCK to take on this issue? Soon CCK will be overwelmed with more ICT actors attempting innovative ways to stay ahead of there competitors at the expense of regulations. Dr Muliaro Wafula Sent from my Nokia phone -----Original Message----- From: ESTHER MUCHIRI Sent: 25/08/2010 4:34:23 pm To: muliaro(a)yahoo.com Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' Subject: Re: [kictanet] Deteriorating Safaricom or simply broken systems?? Hmm - is someone from Safaricom looking into these matters? It is really frustrating waiting for the bundles and getting none.. Or being told you have received 300MB and it evaporates in a day or two with limited use! ===================== "The future belongs to those who believe the beauty of their dreams.". -- Eleanor Roosevelt From: kictanet-bounces+emuchiri=andestbites.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+emuchiri=andestbites.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Brian Munyao Longwe Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 3:24 PM To: emuchiri(a)andestbites.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Deteriorating Safaricom or simply broken systems?? I had similar experience last week with the 500sh bundle - it took almost 12 hours to activate and in the meantime about 400 sh of my airtime was chewed by the off-bundle rate... Brian On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 3:08 PM, Harry Karanja <kairo(a)softlaw.co.ke> wrote: Washington, I share your frustration. I experienced the same thing albeit with smaller amounts. When I called CS I was told that it could take up to 48 Hours for the bundle to be loaded, and no they could not refund the airtime. I was forced to purchase more airtime and use the KES. 8 out-of-bundle charges. To date I am not sure whether the bundle was ever allocated. Harry Karanja n Director n SoftLaw Limited n Genius Executive Centre n 15th Floor View Park Towers n Utalii Lane n Nairobi CBD n Tel: +254 20 342 225 From: kictanet-bounces+kairo=softlaw.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+kairo <mailto:kictanet-bounces%2Bkairo> =softlaw.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Odhiambo Washington Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 2:22 PM To: kairo(a)softlaw.co.ke Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Deteriorating Safaricom or simply broken systems?? Last evening I loaded KES 2,300 worth of credit on a Safaricom data line (0720 332211) and sent an sms to 446 to purchase a 300MB bundle. With their br0ken systems (the whole of yesterday) they could not allocate me the bundle immediately, even though they promptly deducted the KES 999. Because I could not get the confirmation of bundle allocation (CS kept telling me to wait for 20, 30, N minutes for the confirmation to come) I decided to just plugin the SIM card and use it, hoping the bundle had been allocated but only the confirmation sms was delayed. I ended up using KES 800 of my balance airtime after they deducted the KES 999 (instead of the bundle!!) and I got to know that only today when I called CS and they gave me the shocking news - you have only KES 500-and-something airtime on that line!! The whole of yesterday their system was broken down. I suffered the same during the day. I loaded 2500 on a different number and sent "activate" to 448 for a 1GB Bundle. I could not get the confirmation after about 10 minutes and called CS, who told me that they were experiencing problems and I should wait for about 2 hours. I had to buy 500 and top up and just use it like that without purchasing a bundle, while waiting for the 2+ hours... Is there a way for redress with Safaricom? They've literally stolen from me, by deducting my KES 999 and not allocating me the bundle "within the required time" (or isn't there something like this?), making me to use my reserved airtime instead! There must be better ways of dealing with this from Safaricom, or any other provider for that matter. It is simply not acceptable, and I do feel that when I buy a commodity (like the bundle) I should get it immediately, unless there is a condition that stipulates that the provider is at liberty to decide when to give it to me. I also believe that it's the obligation of the provider to notify me when they have a problem that would affect the services I buy from them. Safaricom, I want my money back, as small as it is! -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." -- Lucky Dube -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." -- Lucky Dube _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: blongwe(a)gmail.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/blongwe%40gmail.com -- 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

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Africa has 7 of top 10 safest web surfing nations
by Leonard Mware 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

Interesting article http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=3236847 For once we can flaunt our 'safety' rating!

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Re: [kictanet] Pondering mobile competition
by Andrea Bohnstedt 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

The 'abuse' complaint was silly, I think: Zain's network was congested from day one of their tariff launch. I'm sure, very very sure, that telecoms professionals at both Zain and Bharti are, well, professional enough to anticipate the need to increase network capacity if they launch such an aggressive tariff. You've seen the fun little leaked exchange between Rene Meza and Michael Joseph - Zain approached Safaricom in the evening asking for capacity on the Safaricom-owned link, and Joseph promised to look into this in the morning. The interconnection agreement between both companies states that this protocol can take up to seven days, as far as I understand. http://www.ratio-magazine.com/201008203586/Kenya/News-Analysis-Telecoms-Pri… Either they could have just increased capacity before the launch, or, if they were worried about alerting Safaricom to this, then just suck up and tell customers that the network will be congested for another seven days. So for Zain to come out the next morning and shout about abuse is dishonest and a cheap marketing ploy that I think they really don't need. I'm a happy capitalist. Competition is a good thing, in Kenya as elsewhere. So I'd like them to compete on the strength of their services and concepts, not by overnight accusations of 'abuse'. Mind you, if Zain kill of Orange and Essar, we'll have a bit less competition in terms of numbers, but hey ... :) Happy phone calls, Andrea On 24 August 2010 14:34, Emmanuel Khisa <oloo.khisa(a)googlemail.com> wrote: > Hi Andreas, > > You have spoken for me on this one...I have also wondered since zain/bharti > lodged their complaint with CCK over clogged network, were they just playing > spoilt kid or do they have a valid claim? My opinion is that since they have > experienced an unanticipated rise in subscribers they didnt have the network > infrastructure to support these calls and so quickly blame the rival and > make them look bad. But then again maybe they have a valid case against the > boys in green. > Nonetheless the winner here is the consumer. Shall we safely say that we > have entered the third mobile revolution. > > > > > On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 1:56 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt < > andrea.bohnstedt(a)ratio-magazine.com> wrote: > >> I'm wondering: >> >> Will CCK strictly enforce the cut-off deadline for unregistered SIM cards >> at the end of August? Are Zain making sure that everyone picking up a new >> line also register them immediately? >> >> If price war is Zain's strategy, will they have enough money left to >> invest in infrastructure and customer service once their subscriber numbers >> go up significantly? Will they be able to scale up both systems quickly >> enough? >> >> Telkom Orange are cited in the media as complaining that the interconnect >> rate also applies to their fixed line service and that this is not even >> covering their costs ( >> http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/Telkom%20unhappy%20with%20interlink%2…) >> I wonder if the two big ones having it out won't kill the two small ones >> first? >> >> Bharti/Zain have also launched free sms alongside lower on and off-net >> calling rates and free minutes in Nigeria: >> http://telecomyatra.afaqs.com/news/?sid=1652_Bharti+subsidiary+Zain+introdu… >> >> Happy afternoon, >> Andrea >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> This message was sent to: oloo.khisa(a)gmail.com >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/oloo.khisa%40gmail.com >> >> > -- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322 www.ratio-magazine.com

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Re: [kictanet] kictanet Digest, Vol 39, Issue 42
by ALEX OWITI 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

** * * *SAFARICOM UNVEILS NEW POSTPAY RATES* * * *August 24, 2010...*Safaricom’s PostPay customers can now call make calls at a flat rate of Sh3 per minute. This follows the launch of a new tariff plan for this category of subscribers by the country’s leading telecoms operator. The rates will apply for both on and off-net calls and will be applicable throughout. Per second billing applies on this tariff, which takes effect starting August 25 and is targeted at the firm’s PostPay, a key component of its 16 million-strong subscriber base. Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph said the tariff was a way of thanking the firm’s PostPay subscribers for their loyalty and extending to them price concessions similar to what PrePay customers were enjoying. “Our PostPay customers are a huge reason for our success. We thank them for their custom and considerable spending on our network. We promise to remain responsive to their needs and promise them a number of incentives, going forward,” said Mr Joseph. Earlier in the day, Safaricom had announced a value-based PrePay tariff promotion whose main point was a Sh2 per minute calling rate on the purchase of certain air-time denominations, the lowest level in the market currently. *ENDS...* * * *About Safaricom...*Formed at the turn of the decade, Safaricom has firmly established its credentials as a regional leader, spawning a virtual telecoms revolution in Kenya. Safaricom is a total telecoms company. With a subscriber base of over 16 million, Safaricom offers all telecoms services under one roof: mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms: Kenya’s widest and only 3G network; a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence. For more details please go to: *http://www.safaricom.co.ke/* Alex. ** * * * * * * * *

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Safaricom personalizes mobile service Implements Nokia Siemens Networks’ subscriber data management platform
by ALEX OWITI 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

* * *Press Release* *Nairobi**, Kenya** – August 25, 2010* *Safaricom personalizes mobile service*** *Implements Nokia Siemens Networks’ subscriber data management platform * Leading Kenyan telecoms operator Safaricom will soon be able to offer new, personalized services to its subscribers. The operator is deploying Nokia Siemens Networks’ Subscriber Data Management (SDM) platform to pull together subscriber data that currently resides on multiple databases. The platform will allow Safaricom to gain better insight into the needs and likes of its customers and offer targeted services. The deployment is part of Safaricom’s transition to an all-IP network. “We want customers that stay with us because we offer the specific services they love,” said John Barorot, chief technology officer, Safaricom. “Nokia Siemens Networks’ subscriber data management platform helps us understand the needs and demands of our subscribers. This enables us to provide more customized and secure services and that makes for happier customers.” “A central, unified data base allows secure, seamless data management for services and applications,” added Manfred Egger, head of Safaricom customer team, Nokia Siemens Networks. “By bringing together subscriber data, Safaricom will obtain insight into its subscribers’ behavior and be able to offer customized services that meet their varied interests.” Nokia Siemens Networks will supply its subscriber data management solution, including the One-NDS real-time subscriber data repository, to consolidate subscriber data from multiple applications. The consolidation is far more efficient than managing multiple databases for different applications, including Home Location Register (HLR), Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and converged Data Authentication, and provides a converged platform that makes it easier to create and deliver new services. Nokia Siemens Networks will also enhance Safaricom’s network management system to enable better monitoring and optimization of its network.Integration and consulting services will be provided to ensure a smooth implementation. *About Safaricom* Formed at the turn of the decade following the liberalization of Kenya’s telecoms sector as a joint venture between global leader Vodafone of the UK and the government of Kenya, Safaricom has firmly established its credentials as a regional leader, spawning a virtual telecoms revolution in Kenya. Growing from its cradle in mobile voice services, Safaricom is a total telecoms company. The firm, which has a subscriber base of over 16 million, offers all telecoms services under one roof: mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms: Kenya’s widest and only 3G network; a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence. For more details please go to: http://www.safaricom.co.ke/ About Nokia Siemens Networks Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of telecommunications services. With its focus on innovation and sustainability, the company provides a complete portfolio of mobile, fixed and converged network technology, as well as professional services including consultancy and systems integration, deployment, maintenance and managed services. It is one of the largest telecommunications hardware, software and professional services companies in the world. Operating in 150 countries, its headquarters are in Espoo, Finland. www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com Talk about Nokia Siemens Networks’ news at http://blogs.nokiasiemensnetworks.com and find out if your country is exploiting the full potential of connectivity at http://connectivityscorecard.org Media Enquiries Nokia Siemens Networks Nada Chammas Media Relations, Middle East and Africa Phone: +971 4 4460213 e-mail: nada.chammas(a)nsn.com Media Relations Phone: +358 7180 31451 e-mail: mediarelations(a)nsn.com Safaricom Washington Akumu Public Relations & Sponsorship Manager Phone: +254 724 509 033 e-mail: pr(a)safaricom.co.ke Notes to editors: *After the data consolidation, Nokia Siemens Networks will substitute the existing HLRs with new data-less NT-HLR frontends. Further, data-less network applications such as Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Equipment Identification Register (EIR), Mobile Number Portability (server) (MNP) and Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (server) (AAA) will follow soon.

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