Helios, Telkom extol Okeahalam on MultiLinks

Chief Executive Officer, Helios Towers Nigeria (HTN), Mr. Inder Bajaj, has commended Nigerian international investment strategist, Prof. Charles Okeahalam for facilitating the sale of MultiLinks Telkom to Helios Investment Partners (HIP).

ITRealms Online recalls that a dispute arose from the sale of the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) arm of Telkom MultiLinks Nigeria to Visafone Communications, due to a subsisting contract Telkom had with HIP, the owners of Helios Towers Nigeria.

This culminated HTN bringing charges of breach of contract against Telkom SA and sued for US$252 million dollars.

Prof. Charles Okeahalam, Chief Executive Officer of AGH Capital in Johannesburg and Non-Executive Director of BGL Plc, reportedly developed a strategy through which the dispute between Telkom and HIP over MultiLinks Nigeria was amicably resolved and eventually MultiLinks was sold to HTN.

“We are very pleased to reach an agreement with Telkom. Upon acquisition Helios Investment Partners will take forward the future course of MultiLinks to ensure the smooth and orderly transition, re-introduce operational stability and maximize value for all stakeholders including Telkom. Telkom and HTN wish to acknowledge the visionary leadership and diplomacy role of Prof Charles Okeahalam who brought both parties together to enable them to reach this agreement.” Bajaj said in a press statement made available to Daily Champion.

Equally commented, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Telkom, Nombulelo Moholi said they were glad to have been able to negotiate an agreement which would enhance the strategic focus for Telkom.

Chairman of Telkom, Mr. Lazarus Zim, was also quoted as saying “We believe that this is a win-win transaction that will yield benefits to both sets of shareholders,” stressing that they assume that the step taken would be beneficial to all of Multi-Links’ stakeholders particularly, employees and customers in Nigeria.

The legal battle that ensured, experts say have implications not just for the two firms in question but for the large number of employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders dependent on the continued operation of MultiLinks.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

What makes Nokia dual SIM unique – Onwubiko

Head of Marketing, Nokia West Africa, Mr. Reuben Onwubiko has identified what makes the recently introduced Nokia dual Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) phones different from the pack already in the market.

Speaking at a media roundtable of Nokia X1-01 and Nokia C2.00, Mr. Onwubiko who was accompanied by the Communications Manager, Mr. Osagie Osunbor and mobile product officer, Mr. Olumide, said that with Nokia dual SIM phones, telecom consumers do not need extra-charging or dual batteries.

According to him, dual SIM phones are generally known to consume more battery life, hence what already existed in the telecom market, mostly in emerging economies including Nigeria is that additional battery are provisioned with such a phone.

But for the latest in shelf from Nokia, the duo of C2-00 and the X1-01 series, he said are phones meant to be pocket friendly, especially for low income earners or students.

“With Nokia devices (C2-00 and the X1-01) the dual standby feature gives a long life battery and there is no need for extra charging or for dual batteries,” he said.

Onwubiko also said that Nokia is not afraid of competition, especially in the dual SIM segment, assuring that despite its lateness in this segment, Nokia devices are characterized by their durability and reliability.

“Nokia traditional devices features, services and service support make our devices unique,” he declared.

On the X1-01 dual SIM phone, he said, it was made to cater for a certain market and therefore affordable.

In addition, he explained that X1-01 phone affords consumers to give each SIM card a name and a dedicated logo as well as Media Player version 3 (MP3) devoted ring tone.

Equally, he said, X1-01, has built-in flashlight, extra long battery life and pre-loaded games, with the ability to availing users access to Nokia Life Tools (NLT) via Ovi Store.

For the C2.00, Onwubiko said that the dual SIM phone is filled with features that definitely excite Nokia customers.

The phone, he said, has an external SIM slot for multiple SIMs, unlike competition what users have to open the phone, remove battery before changing any of the SIMs.

With C2.00, Onwubiko pointed out that it comes with features such as microSD which supports up to 32 Gega Byte (GB), media player, 3.5mm AV connector, General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), Video Graphics Array (VGA) camera of 1.3 pixel, as well as web browser and micro Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector slot.

He further said, C2-00, has a messaging device which means users could stay in touch with their loved ones with the chat applications of Yahoo, Facebook and other social media platforms to name a few.

He strongly believes that the two dual SIM phones from Nokia would definitely make their inroads into the Nigerian telecom market space.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Ndukwe, Utsumi lead speakers to NigComSAT confab

Notable speakers have been confirmed for the forthcoming NigComSAT Stakeholders conference scheduled to hold in Abuja end of this month.

These include the immediate past chief executive officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman, Global System Analysis Simulation Association of United States, Prof. Tak Utsumi, President, Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Chief Chris Uwaje, his counterpart at the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof. Charles Uwadia and incumbent Executive Vice Chairman at NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah among others.

Disclosing this, spokesman of NIGCOMSAT Limited, Mr. Sonny Aragba-Akpore said that Dr. Ndukwe who currently presides over Open Media Group as its chairman, would give the keynote at the stakeholders’ conference of Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited for the pre-launch of its replacement satellite, (NIGCOMSAT-1R), of which plans have reached advanced stage for a successful meeting.

According to him, Ndukwe would be discussing “Satellite and Broadband Penetration” and is expected to share his experience with the audience at the conference due to take place at the Abuja International Conference Center on Thursday, July 28, 2011.

He also said, Dr. Juwah would x-ray regulation as it relates to Communications Satellite, while Prof. Utsumi, would examine the global socio-economic implications of Communications Satellite.

Additionally, he said, Utsumi, a Japanese-American, will share his experience in the global community with stakeholders at the conference.

ISPON president, Chief Uwaje and NCS president Prof. Uwadia, he said, have also confirmed their participation as speakers at the conference.

The conference which is expected to be declared opened by the Minister of Science and Technology would also have Dr. Sola Afolabi of USAID/West Africa Hub, Accra-Ghana; Dr. Jimson Olufuye, President, Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN); Dr. Tomi Davies of Mobitel; Mr. Lanre Ajayi of PiNet Informatics; Ms Funke Opeke of Main One Cable Company and a lecturer at University of Jos, Mr. Joe Anuga among others as speakers.

Aragba-Akpore explained that besides listing the advantages of communications satellite to national development, the conference would answer several questions about job creation via satellite communications and the opportunity to take the telecommunications services to the un-served and underserved parts of the country.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

MobileMoney hosts Africa Unbanked summit

Nigeria-based Mobile Money Africa has concluded plans to host stakeholders to Unbanked Africa Summit 2011, tomorrow at Oriental Hotels, Lagos, with the theme: Mobile Phone: An opportunity for Low cost Banking in Africa. Principal Associate, Mr. Emmanuel Okoegwale said that Africa is home to over 800 million people unbanked and mobile phone be used to drive adaptation and cultivating this population.

“Africa is still grappling with significant unbanked populations even among the urban populations across cities, semi urban and rural communities. Regulators, innovators, technologist, financial services providers, international developmental organizations and governments are rallying around this significant dilemma of Banking the unbanked African,” he said.

New exciting technologies like the Mobile and cards are bridging the wide divide with innovative solutions like agency Banking, mobile financial services, community and micro finance Banking.

He noted that unlike any other place on the globe, mobile financial services is ushering a new dawn and hope to millions of unbanked people in Africa.

This, he said, brings convenience of banking anytime and anywhere using the mobile phones as a means of authentication for basic financial services.

Okoegwale further said mobile technologies is proving to be the solution to a century old challenge as a transformational channel for previously unbanked which are accessing services for the first time through the convenience and security of the mobile phone.

He highlighted that the ubiquitous mobile phone with the strong compelling needs of Africans, coupled with sheer ingenuity is changing lives and connecting Africans to the global e-commerce ecosystem which is more advanced with formal Banking services.

“With Nigeria’s quest to join the likes of Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda in mobile financial ecosystem, Central Bank of Nigeria is actively reviewing the approval in principal granted to sixteen firms while additional fresh seven, received approvals in principal to commence pilot projects,” he said.

According to him, Pieter de Villiers, Ceo of world’s largest online sms provider, Clickatell, will be leading other speakers to this continental summit.

Other speakers, he said, would come from Ghana’s first mobile based micro finance Bank, Glife financial services, Craft Sillion of Kenya, Globalmpay of US and other leading innovators will be showcasing, new exciting technologies to reach the unbanked African at the event.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Comviva’s solution to increase ARPU by 41%

Leader in providing mobile solutions beyond Value Added Services (VAS), Comviva, at the weekend said its Mobile Data Solutions could assist operators in Africa increase data volume by 41 per cent and increase Average Revenue per User (ARPU) by 20 per cent.

Mr. Sundeep Mehta of Corporate Communications unit at Comviva Technologies Limited, who disclosed this in a press statement said that Comviva’s Mobile Data Platform deploys advanced optimization, data management and monetization techniques to enhance the user experience and stimulate revenue growth, whilst generating upto 45 per cent savings on bandwidth and upto 50 per cent on infrastructure investment.

He said, Comviva, with over 10 years experience in managing mobile data pipes for more than 80 operators globally across and over 40 countries, is ideally positioned to be the solution provider to evolve an operator’s mobile data strategy.

The award winning, Comviva Mobile Data Platform (MDP), he said, is a comprehensive data suite offering acceleration, optimization, smart caching, video caching, P2P caching, policy and bandwidth management, DPI based profiling and inline billing.

However, the Vice President, Africa Region, Comviva, Mayank Sharma, was quoted as saying that Africa has witnessed the highest growth in mobile broadband globally and operators in the region need solutions that could complement their infrastructure with this growth.

“Comviva’s comprehensive approach to mobile data management enables efficient and effective handling of the various types of data traffic,” Sharma said.

Adding that Comviva’s mobile data solutions enable all mobile users to exploit the true power of the Internet by addressing all profiles of traffic found on the internet, such as http, progressive http, and other data services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Virtual Private Network (VPN).

“Our solution helps to enhance mobile internet experience by improving data download speeds,” Sharma declared.

Further, the VP said that Comviva’s Mobile Data Platform enables operators to focus on optimizing bandwidth and Capital Expense (CAPEX) investment; enhancing the user’s service experience with personalization, policy and advanced analytics’ engines, while adding to the monetization opportunities with improved ability to price on a differential basis.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D