MTN Partners GTBank and Fortis for Mobile Money Scheme

Africa’s mobile network provider MTN,has signed a memorandum of understanding with Fortis mobile money, a recently licensed mobile financial services provider in Nigeria and GT Bank to deploy mobile money solutions to millions of users in Nigeria. With the partnership, fortis mobile money will be available to every subscriber across different device types on Nigeria’s largest mobile network, MTN.

The mobile network is active in 21 countries in Africa and middle east and is rated as the continent’s most deployed mobile money system on the Fundamo platform. Forts Mobile Money is part of the Fortis Microfinance PLC, a leading provider of microfinance in Nigeria.

The partnership will see Fortis Mobile Money access the network infrastructure and distribution network of Africa’s leading mobile network provider in Nigeria. Henry Nwawuba, CEO at Fortis Mobile Money, “in our desire to deliver services that meets the strong compelling needs of millions of banked and unbanked Nigerians and justify the confidence of the regulator in us as the only licensed Microfinance bank in Nigeria for mobile money services, we actively sought partnerships that will meet our visions for the Nigerian markets. It is an exciting future ahead for us, working with Africa’s leading mobile network provider”.

According to MTN’s C.E.O., Mr. Brett Goshen, “For MTN, Mobile Money represents another opportunity to bring additional added value services to our over 40 million and growing subscriber base. “The use of mobile money products will not only improve the quality of people’s lives, but will also encourage banking as opposed to storing one’s earnings in cash. “Nigeria will also benefit, as the impact of Mobile Money will flow into the other segments of the society and have a multiplier effect on the economy.”

MTN Mobile Money enables users transform their mobile phone into an e-wallet. Any MTN subscriber with a mobile money compatible SIM can create an e-wallet on their mobile phone and deposit funds in it. Once funded, the mobile money account can be used to pay for goods and services with the mobile phone at participating merchants or transfer funds to friends, family, and clients.

MTN as industry leader comes with a proven and superb understanding of mass market telecommunications services offerings while Fortis Mobile Money with background in Microfinance is an industry leader in providing low value financial services for the bottom of the pyramid. It is a perfect entry strategy and a relationship built on mutual knowledge of the world most deployed mobile money system, Fundamo.

Panasonic shows two iPAD Alternatives at CES

Panasonic believes that its ruggedized Android tablet, the 10-inch Toughpad A1, could appeal to companies that see the iPad as too flimsy for outdoor and field usage.

Despite the iPad's roaring sales success, using it in enterprise environments is problematic for a couple of reasons: Not only does iOS lack enterprise level security, the iPad also isn't designed to withstand the wear-and-day of daily use in the field, according to Thomas O'Connor, senior national business development manager at Panasonic Solutions Company, Orange, Calif.

"Enterprise environments are tough on devices. People drop them, and they use them out in the elements," O'Connor said in an interview on the CES show.

Panasonic's A1 Toughpad has a screen that's viewable in direct sunlight, and a construction that allows it to be used in temperatures ranging from minus-30 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It's also virtually dustproof, as all of the screws on the rear casing of the device are gasketed, O'Connor said. Support for Bluetooth, 3G, 4G LTE is also part of the package.

"You could take [the A1] out on a tractor in the winter in Montana, and in a squad car in Nevada in the summer," he said. "All of the things that preclude iPad being used out in the field, in direct sunlight, are fixed with this Toughpad.

Panasonic is also including enterprise grade security in the form of a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip, which provides hardware-based security for data in e-mails and on the hard drive, and prevents users from downloading unauthorized applications. TPM chips have begun appearing in ultrabooks, too, as a way to ease IT departments' fears about corporate assets falling into the wrong hands.

Coca Cola, UPS, FedEx, and other large enterprises have expressed interest in the Toughpad A1, said O'Connor. "Anyone that's driving a truck and gets people to sign things is going to want this," he said. Other potential uses include warehousing operations for supply chain logistics, and retail food services.

Like all of Panasonic's enterprise products, the A1, and its forthcoming 7-inch cousin, the B1, will be sold through distribution and resellers. "You're probably going to see it at either vertical specific resellers that specialize in supply chain logistics and distribution, because part of the value is going to be marrying the underlying application with the tablet itself," he said.

Panasonic is planning to launch an enterprise application store and is "actively recruiting" developers to build enterprise class apps for the device, O'Connor said.

The Toughpad A1 is Panasonic's first Android product, but it's not another me-too tablet. O'Connor said it could replace Panasonic Toughbooks in scenarios where they're being used primarily in convertible mode

The A1 will be generally available in April and is priced at $1,299. Panasonic is planning to release the Toughpad B1 later this year but has yet to reveal pricing.