MultiChoice, InterSwitch partner on DStv

LEADING Pay-Television (Pay-TV) operator in the country, MultiChoice Nigeria, has announced its ground-breaking customer service partnership with Interswitch, a foremost electronic transaction switching and payment processing company, to ease payment services for its prized DStv subscribers across the country.

Disclosing this, Public Relations Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, Mr. Segun Fayose, quoted his Managing Director, Mr. Collins Khumalo, as saying that by virtue of the agreement signed with Interswitch recently, DStv subscribers in nationwide now can make subscription payments at 13 different bank institutions.

He also said the new innovation by MultiChoice Nigeria is expected to reduce, to a large extent, the need for customers to physically visit MultiChoice offices to pay their monthly subscription

He listed the banks covered by the partnership with Interswitch as First Bank, Union Bank, Access Bank, Skye Bank, Oceanic Bank, Afribank, GT Bank and United Bank for Africa .

Mr. Khumalo added that other banks consist of Intercontinental Bank, Bank PHB, Sterling Bank, Spring Bank and Ecobank, this is over and above collections being done by Zenith Bank, First City Monument Bank, First Inland Bank.

He pointed out that the new partnership with Interswitch is a glowing testimony to MultiChoice Nigeria’s customer centric vision of consistently growing its products and service options of Pan Nigeria to match consumer demands.

While announcing the list of the new subscription payment bank outlets, the Managing Director was quick to point out that First City Monument Bank and Zenith International Bank remain the primary bankers for MultiChoice Nigeria.

It will be recalled that MultiChoice Nigeria recently opened two new branches in Ikeja and Ibadan to bring the number of its offices in the country to nine as part of its continuing effort to remain the undisputable clear leader in the industry in terms of service options for its discerning subscribers. MultiChoice also revealed that it will soon roll out super dealerships to serve subscribers in the regions where the company currently does not have branch presence.

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How best to use stylus

Market Intelligence:

NOWADAYS most mobile handheld phones come with stylus; a pencil like writing tool that enable users to navigate their mobile devices with ease.

A stylus pronounced STAI-luhs, from the Latin stilus or ‘stake’ is an instrument for writing and, in computers, an input device used to write text or draw, especially these days of screen touch handheld devices.

Put succinctly, a stylus point is made of a firm but non- scratching plastic to “write” on today’s very popular Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and simply defined as a ‘pen’ that does not write according to StylusCentral.com.

PDA could be described as Pen-based computers made by Palm, Handspring, Hewlett Packard, Casio, Sony Ericsson to name a few.

Although some other tools have emerged into the market place such that is known as Styli and Stylus multi pens making it easier to write both on a PDA environment and on paper.

A Stylus Multi point pen has more than one writing point, which means that users have multi pens with 2 to 4 points. While one point could be a stylus and the others could be pencils of different colour pens or ball point hiliter.

One significant aspect of using Stylus, according our investigations has been in the joy of using it to give commands to your PDA instead of the normal pressing of buttons on the phone, therefore singling one out as a high-end phone user.

But one aspect that some PDA users are missing is that frequent drawing out of their stylus makes the holder which usually attached to their PDA phones to get loose and over time it does not hold tight the stylus any more.

This effect leaves the user with two choices; the ability to loose the stylus as possible or at best be extreme careful on how to draw your stylus in and out.

It is relevant for users of PDA’s to take note of where they place their PDAs, especially those who use belt-pouch meant for phones, otherwise you stands the chance of losing your stylus.

Though it could be replaced if lost for $9.99 (about N1000) in most cases the three in-one Lifedrive Stylus with Spring hook at the edge. While the least stylus cost about $3.99, that is about N450, this could be purchased off the counter in any telecom accessory shop, even as plenty of it could be seen on display at the Computer Village, Ikeja-Lagos.

Above all, if you are replacing your Stylus, it is better to use it on the PDA to ensure that works and even fits in within the stylus corner of your PDA perfectly.

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Owerri confab: NCS gets new dates

THE leadership of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the umbrella organisation of the all the Information Technology (IT) professionals, interest groups and stakeholders in the country, has announcement the shift in dates for its 9th international conference slated to hold in Owerri, capital of Imo State.

The society includes associations such as Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN), Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN) Nigeria Information Technology Practitioners in the Civil Service, Nigeria Information Technology Corporate Members Group, The Nigerian Information Technology Academic Group and National Association of Computer Science Students (NACOSS).

NCS through its Acting Executive Secretary, Mr. Ejide Oladunmoye, informed that the conference earlier scheduled to hold next month, June between Tuesday 12 and Friday 15, 2007, has been postponed by one month.

“It would now be held on July 17 through 20, 2007 at the Imo Concord Hotel, Owerri,” he said.

However, no reason was given for the postponement, but industry watchers informed Champion Infotel that it was not unconnected to change of leadership at various states of the federation yesterday, May 29, after the April general polls.

Generally, the objective of NCS is the advancement of Computer Science and Information Technology systems; their applications and deployments to professional practice in education, government, the military, industry and support for work, which is important to the general community and the professions at large.

Champion Infotel recalled that last year, the 8th international annual conference of NCS was held in Adamawa State in the North East part of the country, and a year before, it was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Transformation of NCS began in 2002 when all the relevant organs agreed to form an umbrella, hence the name of Computer Association of Nigeria (COAN) was changed to NCS to reflect the industry feeling and gain recognition.

Its annual confab involves exhibitions and conferences.

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Owerri confab: NCS gets new dates

THE leadership of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the umbrella organisation of the all the Information Technology (IT) professionals, interest groups and stakeholders in the country, has announcement the shift in dates for its 9th international conference slated to hold in Owerri, capital of Imo State.

The society includes associations such as Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN), Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN) Nigeria Information Technology Practitioners in the Civil Service, Nigeria Information Technology Corporate Members Group, The Nigerian Information Technology Academic Group and National Association of Computer Science Students (NACOSS).

NCS through its Acting Executive Secretary, Mr. Ejide Oladunmoye, informed that the conference earlier scheduled to hold next month, June between Tuesday 12 and Friday 15, 2007, has been postponed by one month.

“It would now be held on July 17 through 20, 2007 at the Imo Concord Hotel, Owerri,” he said.

However, no reason was given for the postponement, but industry watchers informed Champion Infotel that it was not unconnected to change of leadership at various states of the federation yesterday, May 29, after the April general polls.

Generally, the objective of NCS is the advancement of Computer Science and Information Technology systems; their applications and deployments to professional practice in education, government, the military, industry and support for work, which is important to the general community and the professions at large.

Champion Infotel recalled that last year, the 8th international annual conference of NCS was held in Adamawa State in the North East part of the country, and a year before, it was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Transformation of NCS began in 2002 when all the relevant organs agreed to form an umbrella, hence the name of Computer Association of Nigeria (COAN) was changed to NCS to reflect the industry feeling and gain recognition.

Its annual confab involves exhibitions and conferences.

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DaniSat to introduce latest Thuraya phones @ W.Afri.Tel

NATIONAL Service provider in the country, Danisat Communications Limited, has advanced plans to launch its latest brand of popular Thuraya phones at the forthcoming West African International Telecommunications Exhibitions (W.Afri.Tel) 2007 taking place in Lagos.

Managing Director, Danisat Communications, Mr. Aigbo Emigbuan, informed that his firm would be showcasing the newly introduced Thuraya Generation II Satellite phone models S0 2510 and SG 2520 at the 7th edition of WAFRITEL billed to hold June 5-7 2007, at the Expo Hall, Eko Hotel and Suites.

He also said that the new phones which have been described as the smallest -SO 2510 and SG 2520 satellite phones in the world come with superior Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation capabilities.

In addition, he said that it has General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) for Internet mobility, camera and video with high memory capabilities, Global System for Mobile (GSM) Tri-band including Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectivity, Java-enabled for third party Java applications and several other superior features than any other satellite-based mobile communications product.

Mr. Emigbuan, noted that the superior technological advancement of the phones also places it as the “most advanced in satellite phone design technology.”

Equally, he said the phones were specifically re-designed and modernized to be smaller, sleeker and sturdier to ensure it meets the growing demands for portable satellite mobile phones especially in Nigeria where slim phones have began to emerge since the introduction of GSM over six years ago.

“With the Thuraya satellite phones, subscribers can initiate and or receive calls from anywhere in Nigeria as well as more than 110 countries where Thuraya operates with the guarantee for better reception and higher call success rate,” he said.

Mr. Emigbuan emphasised that this success rate is based on satellite technology with Global Positioning System, a technology that offers subscribers the ability to determine their exact location and the phone, just as it is compatible with GSM phones.

He, therefore enjoined all visitors to WAFRITEL-07, to visit Danisat stand at the Expo Centre of Eko Hotel throughout the exhibition to experience the latest in satellite mobile telephony on display, as he further described Thuraya phones “as one that covers a third of the globe and yet fits conveniently into everyone’s pocket.”

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SAT, NetCom Africa enter deal on tourism

THE South African Tourism (SAT) has entered into a partnership with an Internet Protocol (IP)-based communications company, Netcom Africa in the country.

A press statement made available to Champion Infotel by the authorities of SAT, said that in a ground deal South African Tourism (SAT) is partnering with Netcom Africa, one of Nigeria’s leading communications infrastructure providers of satellite and wireless broadband in West Africa, to promote South Africa as a tourist destination to its database of subscribers.

SAT’s Trade Relations Manager for West Africa, Thuto Sethole was quoted as saying that the partnership would accelerate the alternative platforms to promote South Africa in the most populous nation on the continent.

“We have been looking at alternative platforms to promote South Africa to Nigeria. Partnering with Netcom Africa was a strategic decision as it is a reputable company that is trusted by the Nigerian community and industry,” Sethole said.

According to the SAT manager, current and potential subscribers using Netcom‘s services such as the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) and wireless broadband products daily in their homes and work environment afford the opportunity of presenting SA Tourism to engage with them.

The partnership, which is the first of its kind, Sethole said, means great rewards for the NetCom subscribers on the continent and especially in Nigeria.

“The Netcom and SAT partnership, the first of its kind for Netcom, means great rewards for the Netcom subscriber base in the form of promotions and easy access to travel information on South Africa as a tourist destination,” the press statement said.

Also speaking on the deal, Marketing Manager at Netcom Africa Mrs Lolade Shonubi, described SAT as a reputable entity.

“South African Tourism is a reputable organization with a similar target market. There is a strong synergy between Netcom and SAT that will enhance the Netcom brand greatly,” she said.

Mrs Shonubi pointed out that as an award winning company, “our partnership strengthens our mandate to bring a premium variety of IP services to our subscribers and promote the Netcom brand internationally,” she declared.

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Briscoe to showcase products

MAJOR distributor of Motorola two-way communications products in the country, Briscoe Technologies has said it would be displaying avalanche of telecommunications handy solutions at the West African International Telecommunication otherwise known as W.Afri.Tel-07.

Sales and Marketing Manager at Briscoe Technologies, Mr. Aloy Ezugwu, said that the company has already concluded preparation for the 7th W.Afri.Tel coming up next week Tuesday through Thursday at the popular New Expo Centre, Eko Hotel & Suites Lagos.

Some of the products earmarked for display at the expo, he said, include the MOTOTRBO, the first digital two-way radio solutions, MOTOWi4 - a portfolio of wireless broadband solutions, TETRA radios as well as the ARTEVEA T-Matrix hi-tech TETRA base station.

He also disclosed that the MOTOTRBO, which has special customized features and capabilities of boasting twice the talk channels of conventional analogue two-way system that comes with Global Positioning System (GPS) that facilitates its tracking and internet protocol data applications.

This, he said is a unique combination, that has the capacity to improve workforce productivity for professional organisations involved in transport, education, construction, manufacturing, security, aviation, oil & gas and other specialized industries.

As said by him, MOTOWi4 is a portfolio of wireless broadband solutions that has the capacity to deliver unprecedented bandwidth coverage via broadband technology for virtually all applications used everyday by service providers, government, municipalities and other businesses.

He also stated that the new digital products can also work in analogue mode; by this, organisations that are already using analogue products can equally use the digital radios in both analogue and digital modes while gradually migrating to full digital mode at their own pace.

While extending invitation to the general public and specifically the corporate organisations and visitors at large to visit Briscoe Technologies stand at W.AfriTel, he said that it would afford them the chance of embracing the new solutions as a way of improving productivity and efficiency.

Just as he did not forget that they could also take advantage of Briscoe’s public IP-TETRA network which enables customers to hook up to the radio network without worrying about licenses or owning their infrastructures.

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MTN presents cars to Love bug promo winners

Telecommunications giant in the country, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, on Sunday presented cars to the winners of its Love Bug promo that ended in Lagos recently.

These winners were led by the star prize winner and an Akure-based civil servant, Mr. Biodun Ogunwoya who went home with BMW 1 series wagon car.

The presentation came in the heels of the winners return from their weekend treats for two for the 10 winners and return of the star prize winner from one week trip to Paris with his partner.

Speaking, the General Manager, Consumer Marketing at MTN Nigeria, Mr. Ikechukwu Kalu, informed that the pomo witnessed tremendous participation of about 93 million subscribers.

He also said that the star prize winner, enjoyed a trip to Paris with his partner and following the winners return to base, MTN has decided to present them with their brand new cars, recalling that the star prize winner, also had in addition the sum of $3,500 for a change of wardrobe.

Also, 72 subscribers on the network, he said, won N100,000 each at various electronic draws for the promotion as well as four journalists, even as 10 other subscribers benefit by having a weekend trip to any resort in the country for two in addition to their ownership of new Toyota Corolla cars respectively.

The MTN Y’ello Love bug promo was a Valentine campaign launched by the telco to avail its subscribers the opportunity to win BMW 1 series, a trip to Paris for two plus $3,500 cash, 10 customers won weekend trip to a resort in Nigeria in addition to a Toyota Corolla and N100,000 for wardrobe make over.

Another 50 customers also went home with N100,000 each, 100 customers were treated to a special Valentine’s day dinner with free hotel accommodation, yet another 5000 subscribers won N5,000 airtime each and 500 customers won exquisite hamper for the season.

MTN Nigeria prides itself as a leading cellular telecommunications company, which launched its GSM operation on May 16, 2001 in the country.

Since its commercial launch in August 2001, MTN has steadily deployed its services nationwide covering over 223 cities and towns, more than 10,000 villages and communities and a growing number of highways across the country, spanning the 36 states of the Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Many of these villages and communities are being connected to the world of telecommunications for the first time ever.

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Glo boosts prepaid offer with Classic Plus

SECOND National Operator and Third Generation (3G) licensee, Globacom Limited has give boost to its prepaid subscribers as it availed its prepaid subscribers on the Classic 200 package to take advantage of the competitive rates offered in the new Classic Plus package.

Globacom also said its offering these Classic subscribers further opportunity to migrate free onto to its new Classic Plus platform.

Company sources said that the enhanced Classic Plus package offers among other things a new off-peak on-net call rate of 40 kobo per second and 48 kobo per second for on-net calls at peak period.

Glo’s peak period is from 7a.m. to 9:59pm Mondays to Fridays, while off peak is from 10pm to 6.59am and all weekends.

“Old prepaid subscribers who are still on the Classic 200 platform, but wish to enjoy the very low tariff of Classic Plus, have the opportunity to migrate free of charge to Classic Plus by simply dialing 125,” a statement from Globacom’s marketing department informed.

Classic Plus was launched in October 2006, with a lower tariff plan than what then existed in the industry including Classic 200, the standard Glo prepaid package. Subscribers were invited to migrate to the new package for free, or move to another package called Easytalk for a token fee of N300.

As part of its plans to give Nigerians a friendly mobile package through Classic Plus, Globacom slashed tariff for calls made between midnight and 5.00 am everyday within the network to as low as 5 kobo per second on net and 35k per second off net .

Glo’s midnight call rate and the on-net tariffs are considered the lowest in their category in the industry. Glo’s midnight call period of 12midnight to 5a.m. is also the longest. Taken holistically, a combination of the rebate from the long off-peak period and low tariffs, gives the Glo Mobile subscriber a very competitive bargain through the Classic Plus package, without access fees and migration charges.

According to the statement, SMS on the Classic Plus package costs only N5 on net, and N15 for SMS to other networks and international destinations. International calls to all countries of the world, except small islands, cost 65k per second.

The statement from the company said that Glo Mobile, by this value enhancement package, is giving subscribers a mobile line that is easy to use, pocket friendly and reliable.

“We want to give our subscribers an excellent network that keeps them happy,” the statement said.

Meanwhile the Glo Mobile has appealed for subscribers’ understanding over disruptions of service currently being encountered on the network in Shendam, Plateau State and some parts of Makurdi in Benue State.

The company’s Executive Director for Marketing Communication, Okon Iyanam, explained that the disruptions are occasioned by an ongoing network expansion by Globacom, and deployment of optical transport network in the affected areas.

“We sincerely apologise to our subscribers in the affected areas for the difficulty in making and receiving calls. Globacom’s commitment to ensuring that our subscribers enjoy the highest quality has necessitated network expansion which is causing temporary disruptions in making and receiving calls”, Iyanam explained.

“We crave their patience and understanding and assure them that our network engineers are working round the clock to ensure that network quality in the affected areas is improved within the shortest possible time”.

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Celtel to reward Nigerians with N220m

Third Generation (3G) compliant telco, Celtel Nigeria is dangling an anniversary package worth N220 million to thank Nigerians for acceptance of the brand in the country in the last one year.

Disclosing this, Celtel’s Head of PR, Events and Sponsorships Division, Emeka Oparah, said the telco has announced a N220 million free airtime offer for its customers to mark its one year of operating in Nigeria under the Celtel brand name, and to express appreciation to its customers for their loyalty.

According to him, the offer, which commences May 28, 2007, would provide Celtel subscribers the opportunity to win 100 free minutes each every week by simply recharging their phones with N500 weekly. The offer will end on June 25, 2007.

Mr. Oparah, also said precisely a year ago, May 28, 2006, Pan-African Mobile Operator, Celtel International acquired 65 per cent controlling equity in then Vmobile, leading to a change in the brand name to Celtel Nigeria.

“We look back those weeks and months with pride and excitement having reasonably achieved our core objective of ‘making life better’ for Nigerians-a philosophy which underpins our every single action,” he said.

Mr. Oparah added that at Celtel the marking of the anniversary, which coincided, with the celebration of the gradual coming of age of democracy in Nigeria is intended to appreciate Nigerians and especially its subscribers.

“As we mark the anniversary, which fortuitously coincides with the celebration of the gradual coming of age of democracy in Nigeria, we say thank you to Nigerians, customers and intending customers alike,” he said.

He further said that during the offer, Celtel would give its esteemed customers the chance to win a total of 10 million free minutes, stressing that about 25,000 customers would emerge winners weekly over the four-week period.

“A total of 10 million free minutes is up for grab and about 100,000 lucky winners are expected to enjoy the free airtime,” he said.

Mr. Oparah explained that in order to qualify for the weekly draws, customers are expected to recharge their phones with N500 weekly. The recharges could be N500 recharge card denomination/Mobile top up or several recharge cards denominations (e.g. N200, N100, and N300) totalling N500.

As said by him, to enhance their chances of winning, customers could make many entries by recharging their phones with multiples of N500.

He pointed out that draws will be done every week and customers who qualify for the week’s draw by recharging their phone with N500 will be offered the opportunity to win 100 free minutes.

Further, to ensure transparency in the selection of the winners, a leading International firm of auditors, Alexander Forbes, has been appointed to collate and verify the entries and to supervise the weekly draws.

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