Posted inCyber Security
Posted inConnectivity Startups
We are now a billion dollar company, says clone factory Rocket Internet
Germany headquartered Rocket Internet, notorious for shamelessly cloning successful startups, announced today via a press release that they are are now a billion dollar company. The release says the company has, since May 2012, managed to raise a total of $500 million from Investment AB Kinnevik and Access Industries.
Posted inBroadband
Even cheaper internet as Africom launches unlimited data for $35 promo
In a market that's increasingly competitive, internet providers have to do more to attract subscribers. That more is in the tune of $35 for unlimited internet in the case of Africom, making entrenching their position in the market as the provider with the lowest priced internet in Zimbabwe.
Posted inBroadband Connectivity
iWayAfrica attempts to wake from slumber, launches $99, 40GB package
Back in the day, around 2005, the brand Mweb was synonymous with the internet in Zimbabwe. They were the giants. You couldn't plan getting an internet connection and not think first about Mweb. Them and a few others like ofcourse, like Africa Online. Then Telkom happened, and along with it, it seems, a decision to take a back seat and let the other providers eat into their market share.
Posted inBroadband Connectivity
Take this Zim broadband survey and stand a chance to win $120 Android phone
A few weeks ago we posted a mobile broadband survey to help us understand what internet speeds mobile users are getting on their mobile phones in ZImbabwe. It was a tiny sample of respondents and we shared the results. But in doing so, the need for a comprehensive survey with a wider group of respondents has become clear. Which is why we have opened a new one.
Posted inMobile Money
What everyone should know about bitcoin
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you have probably heard about bitcoin. What makes bitcoin fascinating is that it's the first currency which is not just free, as in 'free beer' but free as in 'free speech'. In fact. In fact, ever since the first standardised coins were created in Western Turkey in the 7th Century BC, money has never been associated with all of the following 3: Open, Universal and Free. Bitcoin changed that.
Posted inConnectivity
That didn’t take long… SABC soaps weekly DVDs now available on Harare streets
When suggestions were made two weeks ago that Zimbabweans would seize the opportunity to sell weekly DVDs of South African soapies that were pulled from free-to-air satellite TV as part of the SABC's new encryption, we didn't think it would happen in the immediate. How wrong could we be!
Posted inMobile Money
The EcoCash mobile payments strategy and numbers: a case study by GSMA
Recently, the GSM Association released a case study report they did on EcoCash this year. The case study focuses on EcoCash's rapid uptake since launch in September 2011 with a look at how the company has managed to register 2.3 million Zimbabweans in under two years.
Posted inConnectivity
Going old school to secure your data
When looked at through the rose tinted glasses of time, sometimes the past appears to be more romantic that it actually was. For example one of the first Apple computers is expected to sale for over $500 000 and no the specs will not blow your mind: 8KB RAM and a 4 rows of A-D; I don't eve know what that is.
Posted inConnectivity
Now you can actually start using Microsoft’s Office 365 in Zimbabwe
When two weeks ago we posted that Microsoft had released Office 365 in 9 more African countries including Zimbabwe, we noted that the Software as a Service suite applications was actually not available in these countries
Posted inBroadband Connectivity
Zim broadband speed mini survey results: Telecel has the fastest broadband (Update)
Surveys can yield the strangest results and the results for the mobile broadband speed survey were quite shocking in some aspects. According to the results Telecel, of all the mobile operators that grace our country with their service, is not only the fastest service provider in terms of internet speed but the most reliable as well.
Posted inConnectivity
Mahindra Comviva introduces Square-like payments dongle for Mobiquity platform
Over the past 3 or so years whenever we've met senior guys from local companies in the payments space we've asked them if they know Square and Square cloning. Square is basically a dongle that can be plugged to any phone through headphone jack, enabling the phone to accept credit card payments.
Posted inConnectivity
Zimpapers introduces internet only business news service, blunders ad timing
Like many of us, you probably saw the teaser ads in the Zimpapers papers these past two weeks for a product called BH24. On Sunday, the paper finally revealed in a full page ad the introduction of a service providing "daily business updates on your phone, tablet or laptop".
Posted inStartups
Bulawayo based startup, Avelgood, releases measurement tools Nokia app
To have your app downloaded more than a million times is a dream come true for any developer anywhere in the world. Whether they make lots of any money from it or not, it’s massive validation of the need and therefore market for a solution. What if we tell you that a local startup has had such success?
Posted inBroadband
Zimbabwe UNWTO 2013: Econet to launch 4G LTE services in Victoria Falls
Econet Chief Marketing Office, Isaiah Nyangari, announced last week that Econet will be rolling out services in Zimbabwe’s tourist town of Victoria Falls, where this year’s United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly will be held. The announcement was made at the official handover of a Communications Centre to the Ministry of Tourism by the company in Harare. The centre will be used for the UNWTO conference.
Posted inConnectivity
Press Release: New Telecel promo rewards suspended subscribers for reactivating lines
Telecel has introduced yet another promotion, the Sim Card Reactivation promo which gives suspended subscribers a total of $20 in bonuses for reactivating their dormant lines.
Posted inConnectivity Social Media
Quib.ly to the parents’ rescue
Let’s be honest, when it comes to technology most parents are, well, “dumb.” At least that is what most teenagers think and it is hard to argue against this. Many a study have shown that younger people have more friends on social sites such as Bebo, Facebook and Twitter, that they make more updates including intimate details and pictures of themselves; play more video games; go to the movies and parties much more often and are early adopters of technologies.
Posted inConnectivity
Mukuru launches mobile app. Users can send money, chat with friends
International remittance service, Mukuru, announced today the launch of a new mobile app that provides money transfer and communication services to Mukuru subscribers.
Posted inConnectivity
Press Release: Latest version of Sage Pastel Evolution includes mobile module
The Pastel division of Chips Enterprise Solutions has announced the new modules and features that will be included in the latest version of Sage Pastel Evolution, Version 6.82, which is due to be launched in Zimbabwe soon.
Posted inMiscellaneous
SABC encryption a welcome development, says ZBC. Now pay your TV license!
An article in the state owned daily The Herald today says the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has "hailed" the encryption of the South African SABC channels a few days ago, which made the channels inaccessible on free to air decoders. The report says ZBC is urging viewers to pay up TV licences as this would enable ZBC to improve the programming.
Posted inBroadband
Econet contract subscribers have paid more for broadband all along!
If you're like us you probably assumed the new Econet data tariffs announced in March applied to all subscribers, pre and post paid. Not so! Those only apply to prepaid subscribers. The contract customers - that small but loyal and very high value category - were actually paying more for their data all along. You'd think the loyal guys would actually get lower rates!
