 |
|
|
fpo50px |
 |
 |
nefpo100090s |
 |
Facebook via USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) allows all Orange customers to access the service, regardless of the phone that they are using.
Even users with older or very basic handsets without an internet connection or data plan will be able to stay in touch with their family and friends on Facebook through a simple and affordable text-based service.
USSD is a technology used by all GSM mobile devices to send information across a 2G network, and is already used widely in Africa for services such account information and callback services.
As USSD is familiar in the region, and as there is no barrier in terms of handset requirements, Orange expects that over one million customers will use the service in the first year.
Orange launched this service at the end of 2011 for Mobinil customers in Egypt, and over 350,000 customers have connected Facebook via USSD in the first month. Today Orange is announcing the launch of the service in Orange Côte d'Ivoire this month, and that further markets in Orange’s African footprint will launch throughout 2012.
This new service forms part of Orange’s strategy to help customers get more from their digital lives and provide access to mobile services such as Facebook to the widest possible range of customers.
This is the latest in a series of services designed to open up access to digital services in emerging markets such Google SMS chat and email via SMS, and the exclusive Alcatel One Touch range of phones with deep Facebook integration.
“Social networks such as Facebook have completely changed how people stay in contact with their family and friends, and it’s important that our customers, regardless of the phone they have, are able to access and participate in these services,” said Xavier Perret, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Orange.
“We feel that it is our role to help our customers enjoy a digitally rich, connected life, and services such as Facebook via USSD this make that possible for even more of our customers.”
No special applications are required to use Facebook via USSD. Customers only need to type a specific code into their phone to open a Facebook via USSD session and enter a PIN code to access the service securely.
If the customer is using Facebook via USSD for the first time, they will have to register by providing their Facebook login, Facebook password and by creating a PIN code.
Once connected to Facebook via USSD, customers can search for friends, invite friends, accept or deny friend requests, update their status and comment/like/unlike their friend’s status’.
Customers will have the choice between four types of pricing: per session (10 to 20 minutes), daily, weekly and monthly. Exact bundles and tariffs will be confirmed by each country as the service comes to market. • 2/12
Altobridge and Gateway Communications Join Forces
Altobridge and Gateway Communications have entered into a joint sales and marketing initiative, which will offer mobile network operators (MNOs) across Africa the combined power of each company’s world-class mobile/satellite solutions and services for the delivery of cost-effective remote community mobile communications.
The agreement will see each participant effectively promoting each other’s complementary portfolio, and follows successful trials of the Altobridge lite-site™ with Gateway’s Africa CellDirect services. CellDirect is Gateway Communications’ new bandwidth-efficient, Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) VSAT solution, a major element of the company’s extensive African network and voice connectivity offerings. The Altobridge lite-site is part of the Altobridge remote communications portfolio, which has been deployed with leading MNOs in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Altobridge CEO, Mike Fitzgerald, said, “Gateway’s satellite services offer an extremely bandwidth-efficient solution complementing our pole-mountable, low-bandwidth and low-power-consumption solution. The combination of the two will be hard to beat in terms of the total cost of ownership for any MNO deploying mobile services to remote communities and enterprises. MNOs can turn to this partnership as an effective one-stop-shop for all their remote communications requirements, knowing they will end up with the most capable and cost-effective solution-set available in the market today.”
Mike van den Bergh, Gateway Communications CEO, said, “With more connections into Africa than any other wholesale carrier we bring considerable strength to this partnership, and Altobridge’s solutions keep our customers’ costs and satellite bandwidth usage to an absolute minimum.”
“It makes complete sense,” van den Bergh continued, “to combine our strengths and for Gateway Communications to recommend the Altobridge lite-site to MNOs who adopt and use our Africa CellDirect VSAT services, but who have yet to find the right technologies for their remote sites.”
Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Government agency responsible for the development and internationalisation of Irish enterprises, was instrumental in bringing the two parties together in what will be one of the strongest such partnerships for remote communications in Africa. Today’s agreement will be signed at Enterprise Ireland Headquarters in Dublin and is being hosted by CEO, Frank Ryan, and attended by Altobridge and Gateway Communications CEOs along with other key members of all three organisations.
David Byrne, Head of High Growth Markets with Enterprise Ireland, said, “Altobridge is one of Ireland’s most innovative and technologically advanced companies. Africa is one of Ireland’s high growth markets with particular potential for Irish firms in sectors such as ICT and telecommunications. Altobridge’s success with Gateway will endorse Ireland’s reputation as a source of innovative, quality, high-tech products and services in the African market and I congratulate them on their achievements in securing this highly significant contract with Africa’s leading telecoms company.” • 1-10-10
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 transmission and power-optimised GSM solutions for remote areas where the only current communication option is satellite. At the heart of the company’s offering lie the patented and patent-pending technologies: Local ConnectivityTM, Split ArchitectureTM and Data at the Edge™, which drive down backhaul costs, reduce power consumption and offer MNOs new incremental revenue from the broad, untapped, global remote community subscriber base, estimated to be close to two billion people. Altobridge’s solutions are deployed and operational in more than 20 countries. • Further information about Altobridge’s network offerings is available to MNOs at: info@altobridge.com
Gateway Communications is the largest provider of carrier solutions in Africa, providing voice and data services to Africa’s leading mobile operators. With more than 60 transponders of satellite capacity over Africa it manages more connectivity over the continent than any other operator. Moreover, with 24 dedicated teleports, access to multiple SAT-3 and SEACOM landing ports, 17 African offices and teams of local experts, it has more on the ground support than any other operator.
Gateway Communications is recognised for setting the standards for tomorrow’s communications. Recent awards include:
First 3.75G network in Kenya • Latest technology, same as that being rolled out in Europe and USA, to offer world-class 3G experience to consumers • 3G capability will allow users to make video calls, watch live TV, send and receive emails and download music from internet enabled devices
The launch of the 3.75G platform promises profound changes to how subscribers in the Kenya experience the web on internet-enabled devices. The improved technology will enhance multimedia functionality, high speed mobile broadband and internet access; allowing users to make video calls, watch live TV, send and receive emails and download music from the devices.
This is the latest global HSPSA plus technology with 21 Mbps speed, also being rolled out in Europe and the USA.
It is the fastest 3G available and will be enormously beneficial for a variety of users, which include large Corporates, Small or Medium Businesses and the Youth.
“The technology on our 3.75G network will give our customers the opportunity to interact with data in a different way,” explained Mr. Shivan Bhargava, chief operating officer, Airtel Kenya.
“This is why Airtel doesn’t see 3G as a product but a platform that enables the community expand its social and commercial horizons, alongside the rest of the world.” According to Mr. Bhargava, Airtel will be rolling out its data network across all of Kenya with the objective of building the fastest and largest 3G network across the country, and will continue to provide useful and innovative services to make use of this new technology.
He added that “We are grateful to the Government of Kenya, represented by The Honorable Minister of Information and Communications Mr. Samuel Poghisio today, for being here with us today and sharing the Government’s vision of enhancing the country’s telecommunications platform. This has the capability to enhance social, cultural and commercial participation amongst the people of Kenya and the global community.”
He added; “Our 3.75G platform will allow customers to combine the enormous potential of the internet with the convenience of cellular phones and other devices. It will liberate the potential of our youth, through enabling fast access to the Internet for social networking, creating, accessing and sharing learning content like e-books and music. For the small and medium business, it will enable the entrepreneur to embrace a highly mobile way of working with high speed access to email and internet and it will allow large companies to increase productivity through vastly enhanced mobile internet speeds and access to record and allow for communication via video calls on handsets.”
The new 3.75G network will initially be available to Airtel customers in the key commercial centers of Kenya including Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret and Naivasha.
“Kenya is an emerging market and subscribers all over the country are increasingly demanding better network quality and superior services. We have partnered with Bharti Airtel to deliver the right infrastructure and solutions to help them meet these demands.” says Dimitri Diliani, Head of Africa Region, Nokia Siemens Networks.
“With our strong products and services portfolio, we will partner and support Bharti Airtel to deliver HSPA+ technology, which will enable their customers in Kenya to enjoy high-speed mobile Internet services. This technology will enable Bharti Airtel deliver a unique experience to their customers.”
"We are pleased to have been selected by Airtel for the upgrade of their network in Kenya, and see Mobile broadband as key to realizing our vision of the Networked Society," said Lars Linden, Head of Ericsson sub Saharan Africa.
“The new technology will enable Airtel to meet its desire to provide its customers with the most advanced solutions and quality browsing experience to its customers in Kenya and Africa”.
The company is offering its customers a FREE 7 day trial during first 15 days. Customers can access the FREE trial by simply sending the word start on SMS to 544. • 2/12
Full name: Burkina Faso
Full name: The Republic of Ivory Coast
Full name: The Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Full name: The Republic of Mali
Full name: The Republic of Niger
Full name: Republic of Senegal
Full name: Togolese Republic
Telco Updates
Telco spots on TwitterPropuestas en Brasil
Cabo Frío: paraíso a 200 km de Río • Niterói: playas, arquitectura y agenda cultural • El camino de Niemeyer: recorrido arquitectónico
Propuestas en Argentina
Ruta Nacional 40: Recorrido por la parte Norte • Centro (Cuyo) • Sur (Patagonia)
