Interesting article below...
Harry
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From: Sendoro <js@sendoro.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:56:55 +0000 (GMT)
To: 'ethink' <ethinktanktz@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Mobile phone firms seek Govt's support
Dear ethinkers,
The below article from TheCitizen may be of interest to you!
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Mobile phone firms seek Govt's support
By The Citizen Reporter
The Government has been asked to support efforts by a consortium of telecommunication companies that seek to invest in a single infrastructure connecting the companies� networks to the national backbone.
Zain managing director Khaled Muhtadi said in Dar es Salaam last week that his company, as well as Tigo, Zantel and Simbanet had teamed up under a consortium for the project.
Mr Muhtadi said instead of competing to build trenches, ducts and fibre cables, the telecommunication companies thought it wise to team up and have an infrastructure that would seamlessly integrate with the Government's one.
"Our request to the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology is to support this consortium in securing the right of way to build this infrastructure.
"The ministry should also provide us with details of the planned national backbone, including the rollout schedules, and the technical and commercial terms at the earliest time possible," he said.
Mr Muhtadi, who was speaking during the Economist Magazine Roundtable, said in the absence of such information, including right of way and clear ownership rights for the operators, Tanzania would lose an early mover advantage to neighbouring countries.
The Zain boss said in the wake of challenging economic times, Zain had adopted value creation strategies that allow it to adapt to market realities while continuing to innovate with customer insight at the heart of its future direction.
Mr Muhtadi said his company was proud that as of today, Zain customers could receive incoming transfers from abroad directly to their mobile phones through Zap. "International remittances can be sent from any financial institution abroad to mobile phones in Tanzania.
Remittance receivers can cash the received amount at a Zain shop or any of the 1,800 Zap agents across the country," explained Mr Muhtadi. He said the receivers could also use the remittance to directly pre-pay their (Luku) electricity or (Dawasco) water bills.
"In the very near future, we will announce the integration with major banks which allow customers to use their phones to transfer funds from their bank accounts to their phones and vice versa," he explained.================================================END==========================================================
Thank you.
Sendoro
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