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accells, the new contactless network provider, and Fundamo, the world’s largest specialist provider of mobile financial services, announced a partnership to bring NFC retail payment and other POS services to emerging markets. Fundamo and accells will showcase their integrated service, including new mobile NFC payment terminal, at Mobile World Congress (Hall 7, MM01).
The partnership is set to benefit from the latent demand and a clear route to market for NFC services in emerging markets, which include the following advantages:
Fundamo and accells will leverage Fundamo’s 50 existing mobile financial services deployments across more than 40 countries globally, including 27 countries in Africa and the Middle East, to roll-out NFC retail payment services. Fundamo’s deployments currently have the potential to reach a user base of more than 180 million consumers to offer various mobile financial services.
“NFC has always been a technology with potential. But the industry has been entirely focused on the growth of NFC in developed markets despite adoption being years away. What about emerging markets, the cradle of mobile financial services?” asks Hannes van Rensburg, CEO of Fundamo. “NFC represents a natural evolution in developing markets with fewer barriers to adoption and an immediate opportunity. The reality is that NFC take up in emerging markets will be rapid and market players need to be prepared for accelerated uptake. It is more than likely that emerging markets will leapfrog developed once again.”
By linking an NFC ‘Tag’ to the mobile phone number, and introducing low-cost POS terminals or terminal add-ons, accells seamlessly turns any mobile phone into a NFC device for fast, secure and easy-to-use access to any service. Consumers enjoy the contactless experience, just tapping their phone at the terminal and confirming a retail payment transaction and many other transactions with a simple PIN. The merchant can process transactions more efficiently, implement its own loyalty program, and add 3rd party service offers to its current portfolio. Mobile network operators can achieve higher ARPU, less churn and greater market share. Financial institutions and service providers will benefit from stronger protection against identity theft and other fraud losses.
“Our vision is to enrich the point-of-sale experience anywhere and everywhere mobile phones are present,” said Eduardo Shoval, CEO of accells. “We are especially excited to bring the benefits of our contactless network to emerging markets, where retail payment and other new mobile services can simplify everyday life through less queuing, greater personal safety and more financial control. Fundamo’s strong, established presence in these markets makes them an ideal partner for us in the launch of our services. We are pleased to have won Fundamo’s confidence in pursuit of this large and growing opportunity.” • 14-2-11
accells technology Ltd. („accells“) is a contactless network provider enriching the experience at the POS. The accells network turns any mobile phone into the mobile contactless key for fast, secure and easy-to-use access to a ready-to-use loyalty program and to any other service.
The accells contactless architecture is composed of market proven, standard building blocks and is based on an open cloud architecture and utilizes a novel patent-pending, system design.
The accells team is comprised of a group of experienced, seasoned entrepreneurs, experts in the field of mobile and contactless technologies, electronic payments and security.
Backed by international investors, accells is in active discussions for roll-out of its network in several markets.
Fundamo’s Enterprise Mobile Financial Services platform is architected for configurability and scalability to evolve with the needs of mobile subscribers to deliver increasingly compelling, tailored and differentiated mobile financial services as the market matures. The company’s vision is for a truly connected financial services ecosystem that supports the ubiquity of mobile devices. Fundamo has some 50 deployments in over 40 countries, including 27 countries in Africa and the Middle East and another 10 globally.
Next Generation PreTUPS™ Platform Delivers Anytime, Anywhere Prepaid Top-Up
Comviva, announced that its next generation PreTUPS™ electronic top-up platform has been selected by Vodafone Egypt to deliver e-recharge services to the operator’s 24.6 million subscribers (March 2010).
Comviva’s PreTUPS™ will empower Vodafone’s customers in Egypt to top-up their talk-time with any value, anytime and anywhere. PreTUPS™ will extend prepaid service reach, by improving access, convenience, and service delivery to new and existing customers. PreTUPS™ will also extend service to Vodafone Egypt’s postpaid customers by enabling them to pay their mobile bill via the operator's network of authorized channel members.
Commenting on the alliance, Sherif Bakir, Head Of Marketing Services, Vodafone Egypt, said “Our alliance with Comviva brings added-value to our business and we are excited about the greater convenience, flexibility and simplicity we will be delivering to our customers with PreTUPS™.
We are also confident that Comviva’s PreTUPS™ will enable improved access to mobile services, via the varied denominations on offer and the improved delivery and distribution of traditional voucher-based products. By providing diverse, easy-to-use and accessible top-up solutions to our customers, we will be able to increase our market penetration.
Our customers will no longer need to visit retailer outlets to top-up their accounts, as PreTUPS™ will enable top-up from practically anywhere.”
Speaking on the occasion, Manoranjan Mohapatra, CEO, Comviva said, “Our PreTUPS™ solution has received overwhelming acceptance from operators and subscribers in emerging markets, with millions of mobile prepaid subscribers now enjoying the ability to top-up their accounts with any amount.
We have successfully deployed our next generation PreTUPS™ prepaid solution for over 25 leading mobile operators across the globe.”
Comviva is a world leader in the provision of prepaid solutions, with its PreTUPS™ platform and suite of applications handling over 33 million transactions a day in multiple operator sites across 3 continents. PreTUPS™ enables electronic transfer of talk time, and provides a method of directly and indirectly topping-up talk time in the subscriber’s prepaid account via various access channels, including STK, web, SMS, and USSD.
PreTUPS™ has broken the conventional prepaid service delivery chain and replaced scratch cards, allowing operators to vend prepaid talk time in electronic form over existing distribution channels. With PreTUPS™, operators are able to serve the lowest income segments of the market cost-effectively and thereby expand their customer base, which ultimately translates into a more thriving economy and greater economic growth,” commented Sabri Amireh, Vice President, MENA Region, Comviva. • 28-6-10
Vodafone Egypt is a total communications provider, offering customers voice, data, and 3G broadband and fixed internet. Vodafone Egypt now boasts a team of more than 6000 employees serving more than 24.6 million customers nationwide. Vodafone Egypt offers roaming services through agreements with more than 564 partners from more than 188 countries.
Comviva is the global leader in providing mobile solutions beyond VAS (Value Added Services). With a continuous focus on innovation, Comviva offers an extensive portfolio of products and solutions including content, commerce and community-related offerings that enrich mobile users’ lives. Comviva enhances operator efficiencies and revenue performance by adding value at every stage of the customer lifecycle – with solutions for provisioning, prepaid recharge, usage and retention and customer care. Further, Comviva has pioneered end-to-end management of operators’ entire VAS portfolio with its award-winning Managed VAS Services offering. Present in 15 countries and with its solutions deployed by operators in over 85 countries, Comviva powers services to more than 600 million mobile subscribers globally.
A demo of the RIDER NFC tester will be available during the Mobile World Congress, at the AT4 wireless booth located in Hall 1, no. H29.
AT4 wireless has worked in a close partnership with the NFC Forum for the implementation of the NFC Forum Digital Protocol test cases in its RIDER NFC test solution. The AT4 wireless team has been intensively working during the last months to be officially approved by the NFC Forum designated Validation House at the beginning of the Certification Program.
The NFC Forum has verified that AT4 wireless RIDER NFC one box test solution correctly implements the NFC Forum Digital Protocol and Tag Types Operation test specifications among other important validation requirements, such as conformance testing security requirements, conformance user interface and results reporting capabilities, etc.
AT4 wireless RIDER NFC Test Tool
In addition to this, the AT4 wireless R&D team is working to integrate the future NFC Forum Analogue RF test requirements, expected to be included in the next certification waves, in the same test tool that has been approved for this Certification Program. This will prevent users from investing in additional hardware platforms to support future RF and Protocol NFC test requirements, given that RIDER provides a one box solution to the vendors and test laboratories.
“We are proud to provide NFC vendors and Test Laboratories with the first approved test solution for the NFC Forum Certification Program,” commented Luis Fernando Martínez, AT4 wireless General Manager. "We have a strong commitment to the NFC Forum, and we have been working together to make our test solution be available with the launch of the NFC Forum Certification Program. NFC is a quite exciting technology that will create new business models and interesting opportunities in the Mobile Market”.
“The NFC Forum's Certification Program can be only as effective and robust as its test solutions,” said Debbie Arnold, NFC Forum spokesperson. “AT4 wireless has not only provided our certification program with its first approved test tool in RIDER NFC, but has also demonstrated in-depth expertise that will help ensure the ongoing success of our certification program.” • 14-2-11
Telecom networks • Asia-Pacific
TCC Tonga launches new mobile-broadband-enabled network ahead of schedule
Tonga’s new mobile-broadband-enabled GSM network, delivered and installed by Altobridge has been launched by Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC) in the presence of the Prime Minister of Tonga, the Honourable Dr. Feleti Vaka’uta Sevele.
This commercial launch, which has taken place in the capital, Nuku’alofa, followed the May award to Altobridge by TCC of a contract for the replacement of the previous macro-GSM network, and is aimed at ensuring the continuous provision of service across the three main island groups: Tongatapu, Vava’u and Ha’apai. Roll-out has been completed well within the six-month timeframe allocated to the deployment’s first phase.
Part of this milestone event was the demonstration of mobile broadband based on Altobridge’s EDGE-capable network. Reliable, high-speed data access and coverage to even the remotest parts of the island nation have been demonstrated.
TCC Managing Director, Timote Katoanga, said, “Today marks a new beginning in the provision of advanced mobile communications services throughout our nation and we are delighted that Altobridge’s efforts have enabled us to go live earlier than expected. We are also most privileged to have the support of the Tongan Government on this important day and are delighted that the Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. Feleti Vaka’uta Sevele, has taken the time to be with us to celebrate the occasion and inaugurate the new network.”
Also in attendance at the event, Altobridge CEO, Mike Fitzgerald, said, “We are delighted to have been selected by TCC to deploy its new mobile-broadband-enabled network and that, combined with our remote communications expertise, this network will help maintain and deliver advanced communications to connect Tonga’s population, including the thousands of people who remain unconnected.” • 27-8-10
Related: Altobridge signs 3-Year Wireless Network Supply and Services Contract with TCC
Headquartered at Kerry Technology Park, Ireland, with further R&D, service and sales offices in San Jose (USA), Shenzhen (China), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Altobridge is a leading provider of telecommunications solutions that cut the cost of communications to, from and between wireless devices. Altobridge sells wireless network solutions and can provide Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Government Organisations & NGOs with a Fully Managed Service, working hand-in-hand with local, in-country service partners.
Like many telecommunications service providers, Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC) began life as part of the island nation’s Post & Telegraph Department. This later went on to become the Telephone & Telegraph Department. In July 1978 the Telephone & Telegraph department split the business into international and domestic. The International business was taken over by Cable & Wireless Plc of the UK and the domestic business was re-christened Tonga Telecommunication Commission (TTC). In July 2000, Cable & Wireless Plc exited Tonga and the company was then merged with the domestic business to form Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC) as we are known today.
Today’s TCC is a 100% Tongan-owned company and Tonga’s only full service communications company offering total communication solutions. TCC is a public enterprise and falls under the Ministry of Public Enterprises of the Government of Tonga.
TCC employs more than 300 people spread over seven operating divisions, namely: Administration & HR, Sales and Marketing, Finance, Corporate and Finance Operations, Internal Audit, Engineering, Settlement & Roaming.
CTIA 2010
mMarketing V3.0 simplifies corporate messaging and marketing campaigns
Netsize, a Gemalto company and the leading mobile commerce and communications enabler, launched mMarketing V3.0 for the North American market. Netsize mMarketing is a web-based solution for corporate mobile messaging and mobile marketing campaigns.
“With over 89% of the U.S. population carrying a mobile phone and the increased capability of new smartphones, consumers are looking to their phones for more information and expecting their favorite brands to deliver relevant content to them,” stated Stanislas Chesnais, Chief Executive Officer, Netsize. “The mMarketing platform provides an easy way for companies to build innovative services and engage with customers on the go.”
mMarketing version 3.0 includes an optimized user interface that simplifies campaign management, progress tracking and monitoring of contacts making the solution very easy to use for even novice users. Netsize mMarketing can be fully customized to fit a customer’s corporate branding. Application Programmer Interfaces (APIs) are provided, which enable the use of mMarketing by other software such as enterprise CRM and ERP systems, email solutions, and web pages.
Delivered as software-as-a-service mMarketing does not require installation, and all popular web browsers are supported. mMarketing is part of the Netsize SaaS Portal where customers manage their accounts, access technical support and have tools at their disposal to analyze messaging usage. The portal also provides a wealth of marketing intelligence on the mobile market. • 24-3-10
Now targeting its growth into the 50 million unbanked consumers with mobile phones • Unique approach to mobile financial services secures MCB 70,000 mobile customers and in excess of half a million mobile transactions in less than eight months
MCB, one of Pakistan’s leading banks, has passed an important milestone. In less than eight months the bank’s MCB Mobile service has processed more than US$10 million worth of transactions. The unique ‘shared platform’ approach in Pakistan, implemented by Access Group with Fundamo technology and expertise, means that all banks and mobile operators are able to use the same technology to deliver mobile financial services to end users. The use of a single, flexible technology platform frees banks and operators to focus on developing services that appeal to consumer needs, rather than implementing proprietary technology solutions.
70,000 MCB Mobile customers have made more than half a million transactions (such as mobile money transfers, bill payments, top ups and balance enquiries) since July 2009.
“The Pakistani regulator is one of the most proactive in the world and this shared platform would not have been possible without its support. This is a truly unique approach that stands apart from the piecemeal, proprietary implementations in other countries. It should be viewed as a blueprint by other nations looking to emulate our early success,” said Qasif Shahid, EVP, MCB Bank. “After the early success of MCB Mobile, we are now set to extend banking services to some 50 million, mobile savvy, unbanked consumers, offering them secure and convenient access to financial services.”
“Pakistan’s single platform has been a significant catalyst for mobile financial services uptake. By collaborating and embracing regulation, participants have been able to think big, start small and scale fast,” said Aletha Ling, Executive Director of Fundamo. “The result is an ecosystem that will support the long term and sustained growth of the Pakistani mobile financial services market. MCB has entered into mobile financial services with the perfect attitude – focusing on creating products and services that its customers really want.” • 17-2-10
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