Category Archives: Mobile & Telecoms
Etisalat Nigeria Customers to get iPhone 6 and 6 Plus…
Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria, today announced it will offer iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the biggest advancements in iPhone history, beginning on Friday, 14 November 2014. Read the rest of this entry
Etisalat Commissions Flagship Experience Centre in Abuja
Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat, last weekend, commissioned a world class flagship Experience Centre in Abuja.
Speaking to journalists at the official launch of the Flagship Experience Centre, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Matthew Willsher said the company constantly strives to deliver outstanding customer service at every touch point. Read the rest of this entry
Etisalat Excites Subscribers with Vringo Services
Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company Etisalat is out to excite customers in the Nigerian telecoms market with a special video ringtone service called ‘Vringo’. The new product allows customers to customise their caller tunes by replacing it with a video clip of their choice, ranging from music, movie, and comedy to football and other sports.
Head, Digital Media, Etisalat Nigeria, Adia Sowho said the new product is to enable etisalat customers get as much pleasure as possible from their telephony experience.
“We’re committed to listening and responding to our customers to ensure that they are at the heart of everything we do. Our customers rely on us to develop innovative products that deliver value to them and ensure that they can derive as much pleasure as possible from our network,” she said.
Shedding more light on the product, Sowho said that the Vringo service also enables customersto share video ringtones with friends across multiple platforms. The service is compatible with Android, Java and Symbian devices and is available on WEB, WAP and also available as a mobile application.
Customers can opt in via SMS by sending “SUB” to 669 on an etisalat line. To de-activate, all a customer needs to do is text “STOP” to 669. The service is free for the first 30 days, after which customers will be charged a subscription fee of N 100.00 monthly.”
The application comes preloaded with a wide range of video clips including latest local and international music videos, movie clips, comedy clips, football clips and Etisalat specific content. While some of the content is free, however, premium content is available for downloads for a one off fee of N50 per download.
179,000 subscribers successfully ported
About 179,000 subscribers have successfully ported since the introduction of the Mobile Number Portability scheme in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said.
The scheme, which was introduced in April, last year, is aimed at enabling telecom subscribers choose the networks that can provide them with the most effective services.
NCC’s Director of Public Affairs Tony Ojobo gave the figure at the weekend at the prize-giving ceremony of the agency’s national essay competition, titled: The Effect of Mobile Number Portability on Telecom Service and Usage in Nigeria.
Ojobo said the scheme had deepened competition among service providers and led to innovative services.
The spokesman said the scheme also enthroned the consumer as the king in the marketplace.
Airtel to invest $300m in network expansion in Nigeria
Bharti Airtel is planning to invest $300m this year expanding its network and services in Nigeria.
Segun Ogunsanya, head of the Nigeria unit stated that: “We plan to spend about $300 million expanding Airtel’s network and services in the country this year. We have invested so much in marketing research to see what the customers want and we are delivering on those expectations.”
According to Bloomberg, Airtel plans to increase subscribers in Africa’s biggest economy to 30 million by the end of the year.
“I’m very optimistic that there are no encumbrances against growth so I’m sure we’re going to reach the 30-million mark. Despite the environment and the issues we face, I think we’re still giving relatively good service to our customers,” said Ogunsanya.
Airtel chief explains Touching Lives initiative
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsabya says the telco’s launch of Touching Lives, a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, is not meant to showcase despair but rather to raise hope and inspire people that at the end of the dark tunnel, there is always a ray of hope.
Speaking at the unveiling of the programme in Lagos, he said the programme was borne out of the telco’s desire to give back to society, stressing that the initiative will not only address particular challenges but will also seek to assist people achieve their dreams their chosen endeavours.
According to him, the mission of the telco is to be the most loved brand in the country, adding that the mission is already being fulfilled and the telco has left indelible footprints in the education, health and sporting spheres of the country.
Ogubsanya said the initiative was not driven by the desire for profit, neither was it a publicity stunt to gain attraction, stressing that it was genuinely borne of the need to really touch people’s lives at the point of their need, especially when all hopes appear dim.
According to the telco, the initiative marks a significant milestone in the company’s history of CSR interventions in the country, noting that Airtel Touching Lives is a responsive CSR intervention targeted at providing timely aid to underprivileged Nigerians irrespective of their gender, background or geographical locations.
The programme seeks to identify underprivileged persons with specific challenges, pains and struggles with the ultimate objective of providing the needed help to empower and enrich the lives of these individuals.
Ogunsanya described the programme as a timely, deliberate and responsive CSR initiative aimed at empowering underprivileged Nigerians and tackling the various challenges confronting millions of people.
He underscored Airtel’s commitment to the programme, saying the company is devoted to enriching the lives of Nigerians especially the underprivileged people.
“At Airtel, we are passionate about the people we serve and the Nigerian society. Airtel Touching Lives provides a platform for the underprivileged in our society to be identified, heard and also cared for.
“It is our commitment to connect with millions of Nigerians, alleviate their suffering and bring smile to their faces,” he said.
The Airtel CEO also explained that the company primarily embarked on the initiative because of its genuine interest in the general well-being of Nigerians, especially people with special needs.
He added that the project is one of the vehicles by which the company complements the developmental efforts of various governments.
Also speaking on the project, its Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, Mr. Emeka Oparah, expressed the readiness of the telecommunications operator to contribute to efforts of government, non-governmental organisations and individuals who are highly-spirited like Airtel Nigeria in humanitarian courses.
Meet the 2014 Etisalat Prize for Literature Panel of Judges
Most Innovative Network Etisalat Nigeria, today, Friday 19th July 2014 announced the judging panel for the second edition of its prestigious literary prize the Etisalat Prize for Literature. Chaired by renowned Nigerian writer Sarah Ladipo Manyika, the distinguished panel consists of award winning British/Sudanese writer Jamal Mahjoub, prolific Francophone writer Alain Mabanckou and writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga.
Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher said the judges for this year’s prize are some of the most respected individuals in the literary world and they will bring in diverse experiences and expertise to the judging panel. “What is most exciting is that we have a very diverse panel that will bring in their individual perspectives to the judging process. They are an accomplished panel with vast amount of experience in the creative writing world”.
The Judges
Chair Sarah Ladipo Manyika holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and currently teaches literature at San Francisco State University. Her writing includes essays, academic papers, reviews and short stories. Sarah’s first novel, Independence, is published by Legend Press (London) and Cassava Republic Press (Abuja). Sarah was one of the inaugural Judges for Etisalat Prize for Literature 2013.
Jamal Mahjoub is an award winning writer of mixed British/Sudanese heritage. Born in London, he was raised in Khartoum where the family remained until 1990. He is also an award-winning novelist, translator and essayist. Jamal Mahjoub reflect on notions of ancient Egypt in modern life and art. He was awarded a scholarship to study in England and attended the University of Sheffield. He has lived in various countries including the UK, Denmark and currently, Spain. He writes in English and has published seven novels under his own name. In 2012, Mahjoub began writing a series of crime fiction novels under the pseudonym Parker Bilal.
Alain Mabanckou is considered to be one of the most talented and prolific writers in the French language today and the first francophone sub-Saharan African writer to be published by Gallimard in its prestigious “collection” called La Blanche. He is mostly known for his novels, notably Verre Cassé (BROKEN GLASS) which was unanimously praised by the press, critics and readers alike. In 2006 he published Memoires de porc-épic (Memoirs of a Porcupine) which garnered him the Prix RENAUDOT, one of the highest distinctions in literature written in French. His novels are published in more than fifteen languages.
Tsitsi Dangarembga is a contemporary African feminist. She published a short story in Sweden entitled “The Letter” and in 1987, she published a play in Harare entitled “She No Longer Weeps.” Her real success came at age twenty-five with the publication of her novel Nervous Conditions. This novel was the first to be published in English by a black Zimbabwean woman. In 1989, Nervous Conditions won her the African section of the Commonwealth Writers Prize. She had made many film productions, including a documentary for German television. She made the film entitled Everyone’s Child in 1996. It was shown worldwide at various festivals including the Dublin Film Festival. In 2006, she published The Book of Not: A Sequel to Nervous Conditions.
Now in its second year, the Etisalat Prize for Literature is the first Pan-African prize for debut fiction writers of African citizenship. The Prize was launched in June 2013 and has become one of Africa’s most prestigious literary prizes for fiction.
Zimbabwean NoViolet Bulawayo was the winner of the maiden edition with her debut Fiction novel Bom Boy. She received £15,000 in Prize money and a fellowship at the Unversity of East Anglia in the United Kingdom which she gifted to runner-up Yewande Omotoso.
Zuriel Oduwole Pays Courtesy Call On Etisalat Nigeria
Eleven year old award winning girl child education advocate, documentary film maker, conference speaker, and writer on Tuesday 8 July, 2014, payed a courtesy call to Etisalat Nigeria.
The courtesy call was made to the Youth Segment Team, in what can be described as a chat on Cliqlite, our child-friendly product, recently rolled out to the market.
The visit which lasted about 50 minutes had in attendance Wole Rawa, Director of Consumer Segments, Enitan Denloye, Director, Brands and Communication and the Youth Segment Team who were on ground to welcome Zuriel to Etisalat.
The Cliqlite tablet was the major subject during the chat. Idiare Etimomo explained the reason behind the product launch and stated the pros that come with the device while highlighting the security measures made available to ensure that kids using the devices are actually using it for the right purpose; learning while having fun.
In her remarks, Zuriel commended Etisalat for such innovation, especially for identifying with children at a time when child education in Nigeria was on the decline. She also told the team that Nigeria was her 4th country stop for her #FollowTheBallForEducation project, a campaign in support for Education among children which was launched in Brazil. The Campaign will cover countries like Brazil, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mauritius and South Africa in a bid to gather support and signatures from players, fans, government officials, organizations and ordinary people as she brings attention to the need for safe education for girls across Africa.
The ball signing session was also conducted at the Etisalat premises by Enitan Denloye and Oluwole Rawa.
Zuriel was later presented with a Cliqlite tablet from Etisalat.
“What happened to my data bundle”…The question people are all asking…
It’s no news that mobile data subscribers have been asking questions concerning their data usage. I saw a case of a reader who subscribed to a 4GB data plan valid for a month. In seven days the reader was disconnected with claims that he/she had exhausted the 4GB data allowance. Remember I stated the reader subscribed to a 4GB data plan. Please see the image below for a better explanation:
1 – The duration of time spent online
2 – Total amount of data used within 7 days
3 – Note that I now on WiFi and not my mobile data
I’m very sure a lot of people out there have the same question…”What happened to my mobile data?” or maybe for you “Where did it go?”
Note that the screen shot also says “Measured by your mobile device. Your service provider may account for data usage differently.”
We really don’t get any help from the customer care help lines as you’d always hear “Some of your apps refresh in the background especially your social media apps“. Yes they do, but most tablets and smartphones now give you the option to turn off unused apps so as to manage your data usage and also manage the amount of apps refreshing in the background. Turning off unused apps is now the way to go in managing both data and battery consumption for heavy users like me, but that doesn’t answer the question because after trying hard to manage data, we still find ourselves wondering where it all went.
To help manage and keep track of your data usage, download any Data Management app for your mobile device if your device doesn’t have one pre-installed or bundled.
Download My Data Manager for iOS and for Android and set a daily limit/budget for your data usage, hopefully this should help you keep track of your data usage and if possible, make a case with your Service Provider if you feel cheated.
Please feel free to drop your comments and if you have any problem we can help you with, we sure will.
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