BY STANDARD REPORTER
Imagine you live in a remote village and desperately needs to make a telephone call. You rush to the local shop, but it has run out of airtime recharge cards.
Your heart sinks as the shopkeeper explains you have to wait before the cards are delivered from a town 50km away.
Thanks to groundbreaking technology introduced by a local firm, you may never have to face this scenario. Through the technology, retailers can now get airtime transferred to a small-hand-held device. The airtime is then sold to consumers through virtual recharge vouchers. Unlike such vouchers introduced in the past, retailers can now get the airtime "streamed"to the machines in real time, and on demand.
The machine could save mobile phone companies billions of shillings in printing, storage, insurance and staffing costs associated with scratch cards.
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This could translate into cheaper calling rates. The device, which is compatible for airtime across all networks, is cheap and easy to operate.
"It completely eliminates theft of cards," said Mr Peter Ong’uti, the representative of Telus Communications.
Mr Peter Ong’uti, whose firm has introduced new technology allowing retailers to sell virtual airtime recharge vouchers. Last year, the firm introduced a mobile radio station. BELOW: How we reported the story. PHOTO: ANN KAMONI/STANDARD] |
SPECIAL ACCOUNT
The machine uses a rechargeable battery, which can last up to three days. Any denomination of airtime requested by a customer can be transferred at the touch of a few keys.
This means there are no extra transport costs associated with large stocks and stacks of cards.
Explaining how it works, Ong’uti said dealers buying airtime in bulk give the firm the responsibility to draw it from the mobile service providers’ server to their own.
If the dealer has outlets in several towns, the airtime is electronically distributed to the various machines. Each dealer has a special account and password, which he or she can use to log in through the Internet and monitor sales.
"Through the machine which communicates through GPRS, a dealer can know the sales at each of their outlets," said Ong’uti.
The machine uses an ordinary telephone Sim card.
LOADED IN SECONDS
There is also no time lost in ordering additional airtime as an order is made electronically to the service provider and loaded in seconds.
The director of Cheche Communications Mr Peter Ondieki said the machine has tremendously cut costs at the firm.
"We no longer need the motorbike riders and courier services. We recharge airtime right from my desk," said Ondieki.
Ong’uti first came to the spotlight last year when he introduced a mobile radio station packed in a briefcase. The station, which costs Sh2 milllion a piece, has a broadcast radius of up to 50km.
He said the focus now is the new county governments that will need to communicate with residents. The stations could help them air programmes discussing issues residents identify with.
