Industry News

Director of Fixed Business and Customer Operations at Vodafone Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai has charged organisations to consider a blend of technology and human interactions in order to deliver great customer experience.

Speaking on the topic “Technology and Customer Experience: Impact on business growth and economic transformation,” Patricia said: “Robots are delivering important transactional activities in a more efficient way. Machines will deliver the efficiencies we want but human interactions will deliver the feel, touch and emotions that machines are unable to deliver. Some customers still want a human touch and your business must be setup in a way that still allows you to deliver that human experience because again it’s what the customer wants.’’

“While the future may be bleak, I see it as an opportunity that the industry needs to embrace to win, so technology is key. At Vodafone, agents who are no longer doing the transactional things are retrained to deliver the more complex pieces that the customer will request. So the agents are not losing their jobs, on the contrary.” She added.

The Vodafone Customer Experience Summit is one of the key activities Vodafone listed as part of its Customer Experience Week celebration.

The telecommunications giant lined up a series of activities to appreciate its customers and recognise deserving customer-facing employees throughout the week. Vodafone’s management team led by the CEO, Yolanda Cuba presented gifts to loyal customers and also spent time at the Vodafone retail shops to engage and appreciate customers.

Source:Ghanaweb

MTN Ghana has organized a capacity building workshop for the Judiciary in Accra. The workshop which was organized in collaboration with e-Crime bureau was dubbed: “Capacity Building Workshop for Judiciary on Mobile Fraud and Prosecution.”
The workshop was also aimed at enriching the experience of the Judges to help them stamp out the viral fraud undermining the mobile money business in the country.
In an interview with Mr Eli Hini, the General Manager of MTN Mobile Money Limited, he said, as a company they want to foster a stronger bond between them and the judiciary in order to help safe guard the system.
According to him, it is important cog in the machinery of the criminal justice system to confront the canker of the mobile money fraud and have it stopped.
This he said, MTN wants to have speedy and effective prosecution of the criminals. It is in this regards, we are bringing the judiciary on board in order to enlighten them with the requisite information and also by schooling them on the modus operandi of these perpetrators.
Speaking at the workshop, His Lordship, Justice L.L. Mensah- Justice of the Court of Appeal, commended MTN Ghana for taking a judicious step to organize such a workshop for the Judiciary.
Mr. Mensah said the prosecution of the criminals must be commensurate with the speed with which they siphon off monies from their victims.
“In other words, as I would touch hereafter the prosecution must be fast, and effective in order to leave no room to the perpetrators of the cyber fraud that both the MTN and the Judiciary mean business,” he emphasized.
According to him, when it comes to the prosecution, the Judiciary cannot prosecute without effective or speedy investigation by the police.
Dr. Herbert Gustav Yankson, Chief Superintendent of Police and the Head of Cybercrime Unit also added that the fraudsters use some form of intrusion and malicious software to manipulate their way through and so there is a need to educate the judiciary so as to empower them in disseminating appropriate punishment to those found guilty.
“In fighting cybercrime and especially mobile money fraud, because of privacy of data, we need the court to give us an order to be able to obtain the data that we need to investigate such cases so letting them understand what goes into the investigations and the need for some quick response is key and that is why letting them appreciate the challenges that we are facing and letting them understand is key,” he added.
He said that there is a need to create awareness and sensitize the general public so as to reduce cases of fraud.
“About 60 to 70% of all the cybercrime cases are related to fraud… and so if 70% of the cases are based on fraud, then awareness is key. Meaning that if we all empower ourselves with knowledge. If we all become aware and sensitize the general public then we can reduce the cases by 70% and which is a big achievement,” He said.
The Business Operations Manager e-Crime Bureau, Mr. Philip Danquah Debrah, noted that as industry player there was the need for MTN to bring all the players to understand the invasive nature of the mobile money fraud.
It is in this regard, e-Crime Bureau, stepped in to help combat the menace. This he said, they had some programs with MTN last year by training the police and the media.
“This time, we have decided to focus on the Judiciary to help them understand the modus operandi of the criminals, when it comes to mobile money fraud”.
According to him, they have gathered a lot of intelligence as to how the criminals operate. Mr. Debrah was hopeful that, the training would go a long way to ensure the effective prosecution of these mobile money fraudsters in the country.

Source:Ghanaweb

Picture: Ajit Pai, Chairman of the US, FCC.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) outlined plans to free up more spectrum for 5G and Wi-Fi, as well as opening up rules for rural carriers to promote investment, as it looks drive US leadership in the next-generation of mobile technology.

In a blog post, chairman Ajit Pai (pictured) outlined the regulator’s spectrum proposal, which will be voted on later this month, with the announcement building on a speech he made last week at a White House summit on 5G.

In his presentation, he focused on the FCC’s plan to promote US superiority on 5G technology through its 5G FAST Plan, on which he provided more detail with this latest announcement.

5G leadership
Starting with 5G, Pai highlighted the regulator’s plans to hold two auctions for high-band mmWave spectrum in the 28GHz and 24GHz bands beginning on 14 November, but added it also wants to free up mid-band spectrum for 5G and other uses.

Therefore, it is proposing to make better use of the 3.5GHz, which will “make targeted changes to our rules to promote investment and innovation in this important band”.

“For example, by allowing providers to renew 3.5GHz licences, we will substantially increase their incentive to deploy 5G networks using this spectrum,” said Pai.

While 3.5GHz spectrum has not been touted as 5G-suitable, it does have the potential to deliver more capacity and speed compared with spectrum currently used in today’s mobile networks.

Wi-Fi opportunity
Turning to Wi-Fi, Pai said the technology was enabled by the FCC’s decision to make certain spectrum available for unlicensed use and, as it becomes more popular, “so has the demand for more unlicensed spectrum to accommodate this traffic”.

Wi-Fi currently runs on only two frequencies, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, but expanding its use to another band could alleviate congestion.

Therefore, the regulator is proposing to expand unlicensed use in the 6GHz band, which would “promote efficient use of the spectrum that may otherwise not be used at all”. Pai added that it could make more than 1GHz of new unlicensed spectrum available.

“This last point bears elaboration: this massive amount of spectrum could enable faster Wi-Fi connections and substantially expand the reach of internet access providers that use unlicensed spectrum, like small, competitive fixed wireless companies,” he said.

Pai added the move could also enable mobile broadband companies to supplement their licensed holdings for 5G.

Finally, Pai said the regulator will also vote on modernising rules governing rural carriers, with the view of removing regulations to allow them to invest in their networks.

He said the order, if approved, would enable rural companies to take “resources currently wasted on regulatory compliance and devote them to building stronger networks and delivering better services”.

Source: Mobile World Live

Vodafone has been named the organisation with the Most Engaging Social Media presence in Ghana for the third time in a row.

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Mr Sam Koranteng, Corporate Services Executive of Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) Ghana, has said the company was bent on giving its customers the latest products the connected world craved and would aid the quest for a digital epoch.

He said MTN furnished all manner of platforms to access media, “Internet of Things” and other emerging network-based technology trends and also encouraged the capacities of local populations to feed off the cyber revolution.

Mr Koranteng, who was briefing the Editors Forum in Ho, said MTN was working to close the network coverage gap, and to transform its network with the newest technologies.

He said MTN would continue to rollout the smartest service packages to suit the connectivity needs of its customers, which includes all ranges of business, and institutions.

Mr Koranteng said MTN Mobile Money holds the prestige as the Nation’s first channel to all inclusive personal electronic finance, the nut in the shell of the cashless system.

The company’s IPO recently became the first in the world with mobile-based monetary platform as a medium to subscribe shares, serving the stock market to over 120 000 Ghanaians.

MTN also holds several top spots on the Ghana Stock Exchange including raising the largest amount, most subscribers, and the firm with the largest Ghanaian shareholder base.

Mr Koranteng revealed that the company added 500, 000 more to Ghana’s employment figures, three billion cedis plus in tax contributions over five years, and would hold on to deepening partnership with its clients.

He noted its livelihood empowerment contributions through a spectrum of initiatives, and said it would continue to heal cracks in the walls of society with health, education, business, and other interventions.

Modernghana.com

MTN Group received a boost in Nigeria after the country’s central bank softened its stance over a claim the operator transferred $8.1 billion out of the country illegally.

Bloomberg reported the Central Bank of Nigeria issued an email statement, citing representative Isaac Okorafor, which said MTN had provided additional information over the allegations that may lead to an “equitable resolution”.

MTN was last month ordered to refund $8.1 billion that the bank said had illegally been taken out of the country through dividends.

Shortly after, MTN’s woes in the country increased after the national regulator fined it $2 billion in back taxes related to the import of non-domestic equipment and payments to suppliers over the past decade.

The bank’s latest statement notably did not mention the tax fine.

MTN has refuted both claims, but said last week the claim for a total $10.1 billion in penalties would hinder a planned IPO in the country.

Step in the right direction
In the statement, Okorafor said four banks also provided further detail on the $8.1 billion claim, which will be reviewed by the central bank.

MTN has a history of long-running disputes in Nigeria and it will hope it can, indeed, find an amicable resolution as it did two years ago in another high-stakes row, when it negotiated a $5.2 billion fine relating to violations of rules around unregistered subscribers down to $1.7 billion.

Olusola Teniola, president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria said the latest development was “a step in the right direction. Continued dialogue to reach an amicable resolution is a minimum standard expected by the investment community”.

Source: Chamber News Desk

MTN Ghana Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Telecommunication Company MTN Ghana as part of its commitment to improve education has provided learning materials to over 300 school children.

The items which include, exercise books, reading materials, Pens, Pencils, School bags and other relevant educational materials was donated to the Awukugua Methodist Primary and Abiriw SDA Basic Schools in the Okere District of the Eastern Region.

The donation formed part of activities dubbed “Headstart, Back to School supply drive’’ and it’s an initiative of MTN Ghana Foundation in collaboration with TopDog Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).

The Executive Secretary of MTN Ghana Foundation, Mr. Robert Kuzoe said, the donation formed part of activities by MTN Foundation to improve education in the country and to commemorate the International literacy day marked every 8th September by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

He said MTN wants to improve the literacy rate which currently stands at 76 percent, by the statistics gathered by UNESCO.

“Literacy is at the heart of basic education, essential for reducing child mortality, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development’’, he emphasized.

Mr Kuzoe said the materials presented to the pupils will give them opportunity to engage themselves in “Play and learn” activities and that will help improve their Literacy skills.

He indicated that, he was hopeful the initiative will excite the children and get them to be punctual in school which will awaken their interest in reading and writing and improve their academic performance.

He then advised the pupils to continue studying hard to be more beneficial to their society and country in the near future.

 

Source: brytfmonline

A $10.1 billion fine by Nigerian authorities will make an upcoming MTN Nigeria IPO difficult, but the operator will press on, its group CFO said.

Ralph Mupita told CNBC the process will become “pretty challenging and awkward, but we have got to explore other options of continuing to meet the listing requirements” adding “we are not sitting here saying the listing is off. The listing is to remain on track”.
The Central Bank of Nigeria last month ordered the South Africa-based company to refund $8.1 billion which it said was repatriated illegally from the country, followed by the government slapping MTN with a $2 billion tax bill related to the import of non-domestic equipment and payments to suppliers over the past decade.
Mupita stated the operator is committed to staying in the country and finding a solution to these issues, which makes sense given Nigeria is MTN’s biggest market.

MTN has been preparing to list a stake in its Nigeria business since it struck an agreement with regulators to do so in 2016. However, since then, speculation has been rife on the dates, value and process, and formal details have failed to materialise.

source: Mobile World Live

 

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Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2018, Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, Ethekwini

Programme Director, Minister NomvulaMokonyane,
Acting Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, MrSihleZikalala,
Executive Mayor of Ethekwini, MsZandileGumede,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Secretary General of the ITU, MrHoulin Zhao,
AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, DrAmaniAbou-Zeid,
Members of the diplomatic corps,
Distinguished delegates,
Esteemed guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great privilege to address this opening session of the ITU Telecom World 2018.

It is an honour as the government and the people of South Africa to host this event for the first time on the African continent.

For us, the ITU Telecom World provides a guide to the future.

The deliberations that take place here concern the economy and society of tomorrow that we are building today.

We are at the dawn of a digital revolution that will reshape the way we work, they way we live and the way we relate to each other.

Technological change is proceeding at a pace far greater than anything humanity has experienced before.

It is through forums like this that we are able not only to anticipate technological change, but also to harness it for the advancement of humanity.

It is through bodies like the International Telecommunication Union that we craft a digital agenda for inclusivity, sustainability and development.

We have the means and the responsibility to direct the evolution of information and communications technology towards the achievement of a better life for all the peoples of the world.

It is our task to ensure that the 4th Industrial Revolution improves the human condition and that no one is left behind.

It is our task to ensure that this digital revolution responds to the needs of the developing world.

It must assist in overcoming unemployment, not exacerbate it.

It must bridge the digital divide, not widen it.

It must employ the latest in communications technology and data analytics to solve some of the world’s greatest development challenges.

The decisions we make now, as individual countries and as a global collective, will determine whether the 4th Industrial Revolution is the opportunity that so many people anticipate or the threat that so many people fear.

As our economies become increasingly dependent on information and communication techology, it is critical that governments work more closely with industry to maximise the value of digital innovations.

It is equally critical that both government and industry develop effective collaborative relationships with the communities they are both expected to serve.

It is such relationships that are required, for example, for the accelerated rollout of broadband in areas that are generally seen as not being economically viable.

And yet, the presence of broadband in such areas is vital for the viability of the economy.

The rapid expansion of broadband reach and accessibility is a priority in South Africa because it is a key determinant of economic inclusion.

There are currently 20 million South Africans who do not use the internet, for a range of reasons such as unaffordable data prices, lack of internet-enabled devices and lack of access.

Yet, about 87% of households in South Africa have access to mobile phones, presenting us with a great opportunity to overcome digital exclusion and to drive inclusive growth and innovation.

Government has recently decided to accelerate the licensing of the radio frequency spectrum in the 2.6Ghz, 700Mhz and 800Mhz bands to hasten the growth of mobile communications.

We have finalised consultations with the telecommunications industry and other stakeholders to ensure allocation of spectrum reduces barriers to entry, promotes competition and reduces costs to consumers.

Following a Cabinet decision last month, our regulator ICASA is now preparing to licence available high demand spectrum.

In addition, we have begun work in preparation for 5G spectrum licensing as part of our efforts to build a smarter digital economy.

Earlier this year, we announced plans to establish a Digital Industrial Revolution Commission to ensure we are in a position to seize the opportunities of the rapid advances in information and communication technology.

We are informed by research that associates investment in ICTs with such economic benefits as higher productivity, lower costs, new economic opportunities, job creation, innovation and increased trade.

Information and communication technology also helps provide better services in health and education and strengthens social cohesion.

Our work in this area coincides with agreement on the establishment of an African Continental Free Trade Area, which will create a single market of over a billion people.

At the Plenipotentiary of the African Telecommunications Union held last month in Nairobi, South Africa was mandated to lead a five-country committee to coordinate the development of the continental response to the 4th Industrial Revolution.

This is a task that we undertake in support of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which seeks a continent with diverse and inclusive economies, advanced infrastructure and a skilled and capable population.

In promoting this vision, we see a key role for technology.

It was precisely this – the developmental role of technology – that South Africa’s founding President Nelson Mandela affirmed when he addressed the 7th World Telecommunications Conference and Exhibition in Geneva in 1995.

It was the first year that South Africa participated in the global event as a full member of the ITU.

In his speech, President Mandela said it was crucial for South Africa and the entire African continent to be part of the organisation that would drive international policy, technological development, cooperation and skills transfer.

Now, in the year of the centenary of his birth, let us be guided by his vision of a world in which everyone is connected, not only by technology, but also by a common humanity.

Since rejoining the ITU, South Africa has worked with other member countries to advocate for the transformation of the institution and the entire global communications landscape to promote equality and inclusivity.

In the World Summit on Information Society, held in Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005, we advocated for a people-centred and development-oriented information society, where citizens’ lives are enhanced by ICTs and member states are recognised on an equal footing.

We continue to champion the internet as a tool for social and economic development.

We support universal broadband and universal broadcasting to connect all citizens and ensure that they have access to information.

Most recently, we have advocated for the safety of ICT infrastructure and secure use by all online.

Important to Africa and developing countries is the need for countries to share manufacturing and localisation opportunities to allow equal access and shared growth throughout the world.

We support equitable access to global ICT resources such as orbital slots, satellites and governance of the internet.

Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We firmly believe that there is a strong correlation between innovation and growth.

South Africa recently embarked on an investment drive to attract $100 billion in new investment in the country over the next five years.

This is part of a broader effort to set the economy on a new path of growth, employment and transformation.

We will be holding an Investment Conference on 25-27 October, where we will showcase the country’s lucrative investment offerings.

We are determined that the ICT sector be an integral part of this investment drive, with a focus on infrastructure investment, e-commerce, local manufacturing of equipment, and innovation.

South Africa has demonstrated its capabilities in the development and deployment of information and communications technology.

We expect that the Investment Conference will help to demonstrate the country’s great potential.

In conclusion, we are certain that Telecom World 2018 will produce innovative solutions to societal challenges and establish a platform for greater inclusive growth.

I thank our industry partners and state owned companies that heeded the call to support government in hosting this event for the first time on African soil.

Special thanks to the Secretary-General, the entire leadership and officials of the ITU for having shown confidence in our country to host this event.

To our guests from across the continent and across the world, we are honoured and delighted to welcome you to our shores.

It is my pleasure to officially declare the ITU Telecom World 2018 open.

I thank you.
Issued by:
The Presidency

Source:ITU World 2018

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Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has said bridging Ghana’s wide digital divide is crucial to the country’s socio-economic development of the country.

As a result, she noted, government is embarking on a deliberate agenda to digitize Ghana, which is an ambitious technological programme of infrastructural development with national broadband infrastructure and connectivity with the unserved and underserved at the heart of the agenda.

The government of Ghana in recognition of the “importance of connectivity for socio-economic development”, she told the ongoing International Telecommunications Union (ITU) world conference in Durban, South Africa, believes “it’s imperative that all citizens benefit from the opportunities presented by digitization and it is crucial that we close the digital divide which threatens to further marginalize the most vulnerable in our communities.”

She said as government of Ghana scales up its digitization effort, the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) — which is mandated by law to provide financial resources for the establishment of universal service and universal access to all communities and to facilitate the provision of access to basic telephony, internet services, multimedia broadband and broadcasting services — is playing an increasingly “critical role” in the digital transformation “our countryside.”

She said the growth in teledensity in urban areas fueled by mobile technological uptake has resulted in a “widening digital gap between rural and urban areas” and because the extension of connection to the rural areas is not considered commercially viable, they continue to be left behind.

She said there are almost 2000 communities in Ghana without mobile signals and through GIFEC, the government is working in collaboration with the network operators to achieve 100% coverage by 2020 and telephone subscription to as many citizens as possible.

“We are making significant stride on this journey,” she stated adding from the year 2006 to 2017, 117 rural telephony sites were constructed and that the Akufo-Addo led government has significantly scaled up these operations and 2017 alone 100 rural telephony sites were constructed and activated to over 500 communities where access to mobile signals was not previously available.

She further noted “as at now in 2018, we have 80 sites already completed and we are on course to complete 200 sites this year with our partners MTN and Huawei for the second phase of this project which involves the deployment of voice and data connectivity.

Source: Ghanaian Times