Table des matières

Semaine 37 – du 12 au 18 septembre 2011
N° 191
Table des matières
Fixed Line Still a Revenue Opportunity in Africa ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2
Bharti Airtel Shares Gain After Kenyan Unit Starts Online-Payment Service ------------------------------ 2
Airtel Kenya unveils new online payment system --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
Tunisie Télécom revient en course, Torch à la main! ---------------------------------------------------------------- 4
Le paiement par GSM interdit aux opérateurs télécoms en Tunisie! ---------------------------------------- 5
Investments in Ghana’s telecoms industry hits $1.1 trillion in ten years – World Bank --------------- 6
Airtel expects US$ 5 billion revenue from its African business by May 2013 (Africa) ----------------- 7
Performances Veille
© 2011 Performances MC - www.performancesconsulting.com - Tous droits réservés
1
Fixed Line Still a Revenue Opportunity in Africa
Posted in News, Africa, EMEA, IPTV, Service Creation & Delivery, Revenue Management, Industry Events,
Infrastructure, Wireless, Broadband, VoIP
While mobile continues to grow by leaps and bounds, a “fiber revolution" in Africa is creating ample revenue opportunities for fixed-line operators there.
Billing and policy control provider FTS says fixed-line operators are perfectly placed to capitalize on an
influx of fiber and transform their networks and offerings. New services and experiences will be made
available to consumers and new revenue opportunities will be created for the operators, the company
said. FTS and Camtel – Cameroon’s national operator – will discuss these revenue opportunities next
week at Management World Africa in Johannesburg.
Fiber-optic, transmission-based networks have the potential to reach out into some areas for the first
time, or at least for the first time in an affordable, far-reaching way, the companies say. Continued investment in existing infrastructure, combined with fiber rollout, will create a high return on investment for
some carriers by providing economical transportation of existing services like telephony, mobile, broadband Internet and IPTV.
“The arrival of fibre in Africa is an exciting and significant development for the African population, many
of whom will find telephony and Internet charges more affordable," said David O’Reilly, sales director at
FTS. “Operators will be able to increase their revenues by offering new services to the market. They will
also be able to reduce costs by consolidating and collapsing their existing legacy networks onto a new
IP/MPLS core network."
Potential new revenue opportunities from installing a fiber-optic network include offering transmission
services to cellular operators and ISPs; providing legacy and NGN services to government authorities
and public bodies; as well as businesses at local, regional and international levels and private consumers, FTS said. The new networks will also support a range of advanced, revenue-generating services
including high speed Internet (especially to rural areas), IPTV, VoIP, cellular backhauling, being a carrier
of carriers, and a range of online services, including e-government, e-banking, e-commerce, e-learning
and e-healthcare.
Bharti Airtel Shares Gain After Kenyan Unit Starts
Online-Payment Service
By Subramaniam Sharma
Bharti Airtel Ltd. (BHARTI) rose as much as 1.2 percent in Mumbai trading after the telecom service
provider’s Kenyan unit started a service that enables mobile- phone users to make payments online.
The shares added 1 percent to 381.25 rupees as of 9:20 a.m. local time.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Subramaniam Sharma at [email protected]
Performances Veille
© 2011 Performances MC - www.performancesconsulting.com - Tous droits réservés
2
Airtel Kenya unveils new online payment system
Airtel’s PayOnlineInKenya service will generate a special 16 digit number that enables the completion
of the transaction. On completion of the transaction, a confirmation message will be sent to the customer's mobile phone. Photo/FILE
In Summary
Airtel's PayOnlineInKenya is touted to be the world's first virtual card that operates off a wallet and residing on a mobile phone.
The new system is in partnership with MasterCard Worldwide and Standard Chartered Bank.
Global population using mobile phones is expected to grow 70 per cent over the next year to 1.7 billion
people by 2012.
Opportunity for mobile payments is especially significant in Africa where there are close to 400 million
mobile phone users and an unbanked population of 230 million households
Safaricom and I&M Bank also unveiled a service that allows M-pesa customers to transfer money from
their accounts to a Visa pre-paid card – M-pesa prepay Safari Card – which can be used globally.
Airtel Kenya on Wednesday unveiled a new online payment system that would see her mobile subscribers use handsets to purchase online.
Dubbed PayOnlineInKenya, the new system is in partnership with MasterCard Worldwide and Standard
Chartered Bank.
This is touted as the world's first virtual cards that operates off a wallet and residing on a mobile phone.
Safaricom and I&M Bank also unveiled a service that allows M-pesa customers to transfer money from
their accounts to a Visa pre-paid card – M-pesa prepay Safari Card – which can be used globally.
(Read: Plastic money giants bet on mobile phone to reach more)
PayOnlineInKenya is a single use feature or a one time shopping card that provides the consumer with
a convenient and secure online shopping experience.
Performances Veille
© 2011 Performances MC - www.performancesconsulting.com - Tous droits réservés
3
Users in Kenya can make purchases of up to Ksh 35,000.
How it works
Each time an Airtel subscriber is shopping online he or she will be able to request a single use shopping
card number.
Airtel’s PayOnlineInKenya service will generate a special 16 digit number that enables the completion
of the transaction.
On completion of the transaction, a confirmation message will be sent to the customer's mobile phone.
The ultimate aim of this service is to allow Airtel subscribers to make payment across the MasterCard
network.
According to Airtel’s estimate over 80 per cent of adult Africans do not have bank accounts.
The mobile technology platform and Airtel's vast consumer penetration combined with the financial
structure and regulatory framework provided by Standard Chartered Bank and the global acceptance
of MasterCard will makes the new service attractive.
Global population using mobile phones is expected to grow 70 per cent over the next year to 1.7 billion
people by 2012.
Opportunity for mobile payments is especially significant in Africa where there are close to 400 million
mobile phone users and an unbanked population of 230 million households.
Tunisie Télécom revient en course, Torch à la main!
Par Maryam OMA
Les mauvaises langues commençaient à se dire que Tunisie Télécom semblait déphasé de 3Pi/2 alors
qu'après avoir été le premier à faire venir le BlackBerry et premier à annoncer le Torch, il s'est fait devancer par Tunisiana et Orange!
La révolution, la crise et la préparation de la 3G++ ont bouffé beaucoup de temps, et c'est maintenant
comme un signe définitif de santé (au moins de volonté de faire face) que Tunisie Télécom sort non pas
un terminal mais tout un pack composé d’un BlackBerry Torch compatible 3G++, d’un accès au portail
BB App Worldet (applicatifs Actualité, Finance, météo, sport, jeux, divertissements...) et du service
d’informations TAP Mobile.
Avec 50 millions d'utilisateurs de par le monde, dont un million de fonctionnaires aux Etats-Unis et plusieurs décideurs de premier plan, les solutions mobiles BlackBerry ont commencé à être commercialisées en Tunisie par l'opérateur global multiservices, Tunisie Télécom, le 20 mars 2009. Au 15 avril, l'opérateur comptait déjà pas moins de 7.500 clients, entre entreprises et professionnels, qui se partagent les 7
modèles proposés depuis ces deux années et les solutions couvrant toutes les utilisations, y compris pour
particuliers, en postpayé ou prépayé plafonné.
Dès le lancement, une équipe a été créée; des commerciaux et des technico-commerciaux dédiés au
service BlackBerry avec un support en SAV, sur site ou bien à distance, ou par e-mail. Une équipe qui a
un double rôle: aider les clients pour la configuration et fournir l'assistance technique (problèmes software, hardware).
Performances Veille
© 2011 Performances MC - www.performancesconsulting.com - Tous droits réservés
4
Un mot sur le Torch: avec son clavier coulissant, il va un peu à contre-courant de la tendance actuelle
qui consiste à proposer soit des mobiles 100% tactiles (iPhone par exemple) ou au contraire des appareils non tactiles avec clavier physique (BlackBerry Bold par exemple) faisant ainsi le choix du compromis avec deux en un. Plus, OS BlackBerry 6, écran Tactile multipoints 8cm, vidéo à la demande, la visioconférence, accès à la TV HD (quand elle sera disponible en Tunisie), capacités A-GPS/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth,
appareil photo 5 Mp avec flash, mémoire 4Go ext à 32Go.
Le paiement par GSM interdit aux opérateurs
télécoms en Tunisie!
La Tunisie n’aura pas de sitôt des solutions de paiement par GSM, ou de portemonnaie virtuel, car la
circulaire N°01/2011 de la Banque centrale de Tunisie, publiée le 6 janvier 2011 (qu’on peut consulter et
télécharger en version arabe sur le site web de l’Association Professionnelle des Banques
www.apbt.org.tn dans la rubrique Circulaires Règlementaires), fixe un cahier des charges contraignant et destiné exclusivement aux banques aux détriments d’autres opérateurs...
En effet, cette circulaire stipule que tout flux de paiement ou de monnaie virtuelle, ou de transfert électronique, ou de création d’un compte virtuel est considéré comme une activité exclusive des banques
et des organismes financiers. Donc ni Tunisie Télécom, qui a acquis une plateforme complète de paiement par GSM, auprès de la SSII canadienne Telepin www.telepin.com, plateforme déjà opérationnelle et installée depuis fin 2010 pour un investissement dépassant le 1 million de dinars, ni Orange Tunisie qui dispose d’une solution complète de transfert électronique et de paiements par GSM (qui a été
installée dans plus de 10 pays africains où cet opérateur dispose de licences), ni encore Tunisiana, ne
peuvent déployer encore moins utiliser ou promouvoir le paiement par GSM. Alors que partout dans le
monde, les opérateurs télécoms disposent de solutions de paiement par GSM. Encore une exception
tunisienne.
Un opérateur privé tunisien, Farès MABROUK, a même constitué une société, Viamobile, dont la BIAT
Bank est actionnaire et Tunisiana partenaire technologique, et qui a disposé d’un crédit bancaire de la
part de la BIAT de 800.000 Dt et qui a lourdement investi dans une plateforme complète logicielle acquise auprès CREOVA, une SSII en France, installée, testée et prête pour l’emploi et qui a obtenu même
un accord verbal en 2009 de la BCT pour une licence d’un opérateur financier. Avec convention avec
la BIAT pour le cash in et le cash out, mais qui bien que la solution soit opérationnelle, le projet demeure
à l’arrêt. Ce qui plombe ses comptes et renvoie au chômage ses cadres. Du coup, Farès MABROUK n’a
pas eu de choix que de jeter l’éponge, permettant ainsi à son partenaire technologique CREOVA de
devenir l’actionnaire majoritaire, avec la nomination de Madame Anissa MASMOUDI en tant que directrice générale.
Certains professionnels considèrent que la Tunisie est en retard non par rapport à l’Europe, l’Asie ou les
USA, mais tout simplement par rapport à des pays africains comme le Mali, le Niger, le Burkina Faso, le
Kenya, le Ghana ou encore le Nigeria où des solutions de Mpaiement ont été mises en place et utilisées
depuis plus de 5 ans par les opérateurs télécoms, certes dans des pays où le taux de bancarisation est
faible, mais cela a permis un raccourcis technologique. Et un saut qualitatif.
La Tunisie, à force de vouloir tout réglementer, tout légiférer, en un mot de vouloir régir et organiser tout
et rien par des lois, finit par être en retard, technologiquement parlant. La preuve en est que, aujourd’hui, les operateurs télécoms qui disposent du savoir-faire, des plateformes technologiques, de réseau, des terminaux et des clients ne peuvent le faire faute d’autorisation; pareil du reste pour les
banques tunisiennes qui n’ont pas engagé –à notre connaissance- de projets dans ce sens là, faute de
vision, de réseau et d’innovation. Et de savoir-faire.
Performances Veille
© 2011 Performances MC - www.performancesconsulting.com - Tous droits réservés
5
On espère que cette règlementation, faite avant le 14 janvier, sera modifiée par le nouveau locataire
de la BCT, et ce pour propulser la Tunisie sur la voie de la modernité, du paiement électronique, du
Mpaiement, de la monnaie virtuelle et de la technologie. Ca sera encore un miracle dédié au feu Mohamed BOUAZIZI!
Investments in Ghana’s telecoms industry hits $1.1
trillion in ten years – World Bank
A new World Bank report shows that investments into Ghana’s telecommunications infrastructure within
a ten-year period have hit $1.13 trillion.
These investments, made by both government and private companies from 1998 to 2008, represents
1.1% of Ghana’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to the report titled “Africa’s ICT Infrastructure: Building on the Mobile Revolution”.
Ghana was among the top ten countries in sub-Sahara Africa to have received such investments in the
telecoms sector placing ninth, according to the report. South Africa was first with $18.1 trillion, followed
by Nigeria, $12.7 trillion and Kenya, $ 2.9 trillion.
The rest are Sudan ($1.8 trillion), Uganda ($1.6 trillion), Senegal ($1.5 trillion) and Tanzania ($1.4 trillion),
DR Congo ($1.2 trillion) and Angola ($1 trillion).
“In Ghana, the government invested in extending the fiber-optic network controlled by
owned electricity transmission utility (the Volta River Authority [VRA]) and then included the
cations assets in the privatization of the incumbent telecommunications operator, Ghana
said the report co-authored by Mark D. J. Williams, Rebecca Mayer, and Michael Minges,
overall guidance of series editors Vivien Foster and Cecilia Briceño-Garmendia.
the statecommuniTelecom,”
under the
The report mentions some of the investments made in the country’s telecommunications sector as the
completion of Ghana Telecom (now Vodafone Ghana) equipment supply phase 1 in 2003 costing $200
million part of which the Eximbank of China financed with $79 million. The contract was executed by
Alcatel Shanghai Bell (ASB). In 2005, an agreement was signed to complete phase 2 of the project costing $80 million with ASB as the contractor.
Another investment that the report captured was the execution of a CDMA 2000 1X network for Kasapa
Telecom now Expresso in 2005 by the Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment Company Ltd (ZTE).
The cost and financier of the project were unknown.
The construction of the $70 million National Fibre Backbone Project which was started in 2006 by Chinese company Huawei Technologies was also indicated in the report. The China Eximbank made available $31 million towards the project.
In 2007, the report said there was the construction of a communication system project for the country’s
security agencies also partly financed by the China Eximbank and executed by ZTE.
The sale of 70% of Ghana Telecom (GT) to Vodafone of UK in August 2008 for $900 million was not left
out in the report. Leading to the purchase of Ghana Telecom the government in 2002 abrogated the
management contract with G-Com consortium headed by Telekom Malaysia and bought back the
shares.
The purchase of GT including its fixed and mobile lines was seen as a controversial one as some say the
$900 million deal was under valued and was not in the interest of Ghana.
Performances Veille
© 2011 Performances MC - www.performancesconsulting.com - Tous droits réservés
6
The then National Democratic Congress (NDC) in opposition was totally against the sale. The NDC indicated that it will reveal the transaction when voted into power. But after winning elections and the NDC
formed the government in 2009, there has not been any significant change in the transaction up to
date.
Ghana’s ex-President John Agyekum Kufour under whose presidency the deal was finalized in a recent
interview with Metro TV, defended the deal saying it was the best for the country.
According to Mr. J.A. Kufour, Ghana could have suffered if Ghana Telecom was not sold because the
world was entering into the economic crunch.
The challenge facing all these schemes, the report says is how to use public resources to boost overall
investment in backbone networks without displacing private investment or adversely affecting competition.
Ghana has six mobile operators. They are MTN, Vodafone, Tigo, Airtel, Expresso and Glo which is yet to
start operations in the country.
By Ekow Quandzie
Airtel expects US$ 5 billion revenue from its African
business by May 2013 (Africa)
Bharti Airtel has reportedly said that it expects its African operations to generate revenues worth $ 5 billion by May 2013. As per sources, Manoj Kohli, CEO (International) and Joint MD, Bharti Airtel said that
they are extremely satisfied with their African acquisition. He added that they were on track to achieve
their target of reaching $ 5 billion in revenue and $2 billion EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortisation).
Bharti had acquired Zain’s African business for $10.70 billion in 2010. Airtel’s African operations had reported a net loss of US$ 98.8 million, while revenues stood at US$ 2.7 billion crore in 2010-2011.
In response to MTN being the market leader in Africa, Kohli has said that while MTN is very competitive,
they are digging their heels and are trying to get their foundation, network and customer services right.
If foundation is right, leadership is not far away. He further said that the African business has been very
satisfying. He claims that this is the last frontier of the global markets, specifically telecom market, and
he believes that Bharti’s entry has not only been right but also tangible which will be seen in the next 10
years. He added that the African market has a population of 1 billion with an average age of just 18
and clearly, it needs voice, communications and wireless broadband.
Regarding the company’s new tower, he said that their first objective is to build their own tower company which is in the process. In next few months, they expect to have their tower company ready, registered, all the staffing completed and all the legal approvals done. He said that the new tower company will help improve the cost efficiency by bringing down the fuel cost, which in turn brings down the
cost of the tower.
Performances Veille
© 2011 Performances MC - www.performancesconsulting.com - Tous droits réservés
7