TANESCO WASHINDI HUDUMA MBOVU

Shirika la Ugavi wa Umeme nchini Tanzania (TANESCO)  limeibuka mshindi wa jumla wa kero kwa wateja wa huduma mbalimbali na  bidhaa hapa nchini kupitia mchakato unaoendelea kupitia mitandao ya kijamii ya Twitter na Facebook.

 Nafasi ya pili ilishikiliwa na Kampuni ya mawasiliano ya Tigo na ya tatu kuchukuliwa na kampuni ya mawasiliano ya Vodacom.

Katika mzunguko wa kwanza jumla ya makampuni 29 yaliingia katika kinyanganyiro na kufanikiwa kuchukua ushindi katika makundi mbalimbali .

Katika kundi la huduma za usafiri wa Anga , Shirika la Ndege la Precision ndio liliongoza kwa kero na huduma zisizo na uhakika huku kundi la huduma za maji likishikiliwa na Dawasco.

Kwa upande wa usafiri wa mabasi Kampuni ya Happy Nation iliongoza kwa malalamiko kutoka kwa wateja huku kundi la ving’amuzi vya Televisheni likiongozwa  na Star Times.

 

Kwa upande wa huduma za maegesho ya magari , eneo la Magogoni Ferry limelalamikiwa na wateja kwa huduma mbovu na kufanikiwa kushika nafasi za juu katika kundi hilo.

Kwa upande wa wateja wanaolipia huduma za Televisheni kituo cha TBC pekee ndicho kimelalamikiwa kwa kutokuwa na huduma za uhakika kwa watazamaji wake.

Katika kundi la huduma za mawasiliano ya simu za mkononi , Kampuni ya Tigo ndiyo iliibuka  mshindi ikifuatiwa na Kampuni ya Vodacom.

Zoezi hili la kukusanya kero linafanywa na Wananchi  kupitia akaunti ya Twitter inayopatikana kupitia @hudumambayatz na facebook group iliyopewa jina la HUDUMA BONGO ambapo huduma na bidhaa zote zinazolipiwa na wateja mfano Burudani, Elimu, Hospitali, Hoteli, n.k zinazowakera wateja zitaingia katika kinyanganyiro hicho.

Washauri wa kibiashara wa Huduma Bongo wanatoa wito kwa viongozi wa juu wa Mashirika yote 29 yaliyotajwa kuchukua hatua madhubuti za kuhakikisha wateja wao wanapata huduma bora kulingana na fedha wanazotoa ili kuweza kuleta maendeleo ya Taifa.

Zoezi hili linaendelea ambapo katika mzunguko wa kwanza jumla ya kero 119 ziliwasilishwa na wateja endapo msomaji una kero iliyoshindwa kupatiwa ufumbuzi na watoa huduma hawa unahitajika kuwa na akaunti inayotambulika ya Twitter au Facebook na kujiunga na Huduma Bongo kisha ueleze kero yako. Ukweli na Haki kuzingatiwa

  Chanzo:wavuti.com

 

ELIMU YA TEKNOHAMA YAHIMIZWA

Wadau kutoka kampuni na mashirika mbalimbali nchini Tanzania wameshauri kutolewa elimu zaidi kuhusu matumizi sahihi ya Teknolojia ya Habari na Mawasiliano (Teknohama) na ufanisi wake ili kuleta tija kwa watanzania wengi.

Wakizungumza na waandishi wa habari mara baada ya kumalizika kwa warsha ya Teknohama iliyotolewa na ubalozi wa Marekani nchini Tanzania,wadau hao walisema ni muhimu kwa wadau wengine ikiwamo serikali kuandaa mafunzo kama hayo kwani kuna mambo mengi ya msingi ambayo bado yanasumbua katika matumizi sahihi na ufanisi wa Teknohama.

Mmoja wa maofisa wa ubalozi wa Marekani Jeffrey Shrader alisema waliandaa warsha hiyo kwa sababu ya kukua kwa kiasi kikubwa kwa Teknolojia ulimwenguni hivyo ni vyema kuwaelimisha wengine ambao hawafahamu.

Katika warsha hiyo wakufunzi mbalimbali walitoa mada zinazohusiana na Teknohama ikiwemo ulinzi wa mawasiliano kama vile komputa na simu,mfumo wa uendeshaji wa mambo ya kuchukua na kutumia taarifa katika mitandao.

MATUMIZI YA KADI MOJA YA SIMU KWA MITANDA TOFAUTI YAJADILIWA DAR ES SALAAM

Mamlaka ya Mawasiliano Tanzania jana ilianza kuendesha mkutano wa kimataifa kuhusu usimamizi na utekelezaji wa huduma ya simu za mkononi kwa kutumia kadi moja ya simu kwa mitandao yote bila kuwa na simu kadi nyingi za mitandao tofauti.

Akizungumza kwenye ufunguzi wa mkutano huo wa siku mbili Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa TCRA,Profesa John Nkoma, alisema kadi moja ya simu ya mkononi inaweza kutumika katika zaidi ya mtandao mmoja wa simu kama mteja atataka kuhama kutoka mtandao mmoja kwenda mwingine bila kununua kadi nyingine ya simu kama ilivyozoeleka.

Alisema lengo la mkutano huo ni kutaka kujadili kwa kina utekelezaji na usimamizi wa huduma maalum ya mawasiliano ya simu ambapo mtumiaji wa simu ya mkononi anaweza kutumia kadi moja tu kama atataka kujiunga na mtandao mwingine.

Huduma hiyo inatarajiwa kuanza mapema mwakani baada ya maandalizi na michakato yote,Huduma hii imeshaanza kutumika nchini Kenya tangu Aprili mwaka jana

TATIZO LA UDANGANYIFU NA WIZI KWA KUTUMIA TEKNOHAMA LIMEKUWA KUBWA DUNIANI

TAARIFA YA TCRA KUHUSU MFUMO MWINGINE WA NAMBA ZA SIMU TANZANIA HII HAPA

WATEJA WA SIMU TANZANIA KUHAMA MTANDAO BILA KUBADILIA NAMBA

Mamlaka ya Mawasiliano Tanzania (TCRA) inaandaa utaratibu wa kuanzisha mfumo mpya wa kuhama mtandao bila ya kubadili namba ya simu(MNP) na kuhamia mtandao mwingine.

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa TCRA,Prof.John Nkoma anasema mfumo huo utawasaidia watu wote wanaotumia simu nchini humo waliokuwa wanashindwa kuhamia mtandao mwingine kwa hofu ya kubadili namba ya simu,lakini baada ya kuzindua mfumo huu watu watahama mitandao kwa urahisi bila kubadili namba za simu.

Anafafanua kuwa mfumo huo utasaidia kuleta ushindani kwa makampuni ya simu na kuleta faida kwa wateja,pia makampuni hayo yataweza kuongeza ubora wahuduma kwa wateja wao.

TCRA imeandaa makutano wa kimataifa ambao utahudhuriwa na watu zaidi ya 100 wa kuzungumzia suala hilo ambapo mgeni rasmi anatarajiwa kuwa Waziri wa Mawasiliano,Sayansi na Teknolojia nchini Tanzania,Prof.Makame Mbarawa.

Mkutano huo wa siku mbili unaotarajiwa kuanza kesho umeandaliwa kwa ushirikiano na Umoja wa Mawasiliano Duniani (ITU) na utahudhuriwa na wawakilishi mbalimbali kutoka duniani kote zikiwemo nchi za Afrika Mashariki

Katika hatua nyingine Mkurugenzi huyo aliwataka wananchi kununua vinga'amuzi mapema ili kuondokana na usumbufu ambao unaweza kujitokeza baada ya kuhamia katika mfumo wa digital Disemba 31 mwaka huu.

TIGO VS OUR SAFETY

A failure in contingency planning and disaster recovery

Today, on November 14, 2012 in Tanzania, the TIGO network was completely not accessible. It was not possible to make calls or send messages. TCRA reports that in June 2012 TIGO had Subscriber base of 5,613,330 and 5,509,337 Registered Subscribers (http://tcra.go.tz/publications/telecomStatsJune12.pdf). This means, the outage of the TIGO network today has affected a big number of subscribers, related business and corporate as well and individual networks. A typical example is when one wants to communicate on behalf of his/her organization. It is also possible that individuals want to communicate and do their businesses or need to access their TIGO Pesa accounts. This has not been possible through TIGO.

It is possible to extend this thinking to other aspects of our nation including security and safety both physically and in the cyber space. These issues may need further

discussion.

Few questions are relevant though:
1. Did TIGO think of business continuity and disaster recovery?
2. Can we rely on TIGO for mission critical activities at a national, organizational, and individual levels?
3. Is it possible to now establish a customer compensation mechanism in situation like this?
4. Is it possible that what happened to TIGO can also happen to other providers?
5. Can this situation happen to all providers in Tanzania at once?
6. What is our national Business Continuity plan?

Source:Jim Yonaz on facebook.

MITANDAO YA KIJAMII KUMTAFUTA BINGWA WA KERO KWA WATEJA TANZANIA

  Jumuia ya watumiaji wa huduma mbalimbali nchini Tanzania kupitia mitandao ya kijamii ya Facebook na Twitter imezindua rasmi shindano la kusaka kampuni zinazotoa huduma na bidhaa mbovu kwa wateja nchini Tanzania. Jumuiya hiyo inawajumuisha watu wa kada mbalimbali wakiwemo wanasheria, wanaharakati, waandishi wa habari, viongozi wa kisiasa, wafanyabiashara na wateja wa huduma na bidhaa mbalimbali nchini Tanzania.

Lengo la jumuiya hiyo ni kushinikiza wafanyabiashara nchini kutoa huduma na bidhaa bora kwa wateja na kuwakumbusha umuhimu wa wateja. Kauli mbiu ya wanajumuiya hao ni Mteja ni Mfalme. Katika wiki ya kwanza tangu jumuiya hiyo kuzinduliwa jumla ya makampuni 21 yameingizwa katika shindano hilo kwa wateja wao kuwasilisha malalamiko yao. Kwa taarifa zaidi kuhusu ni fuatilia akaunti ya Twitter @hudumambayatz au kundi la Facebook linalojulikana kama HUDUMA BONGO.

Ili kuweza kupiga kura yako unahitajika kuwa na akaunti hai (yenye mawasiliano mara kwa mara) katika mtandao wa Twitter au Facebook na kujiunga na jumuiya hiyo. Mara tu utakapowasilisha kero yako utaifanya kampuni unayoilalamikia kuingia katika mchuano mkali wa kumsaka bingwa wa huduma mbovu kwa wateja nchini.

Huduma Bongo inatoa wito kwa makampuni yote kuboresha huduma na bidhaa zao ili kuweza kuwapatia wateja kilicho bora zaidi katika soko hili la ushindani. Imetolewa na Mshauri wa Habari wa Huduma Bongo hudumabongo@gmail.com

Chanzo:thehabari

HOW CAN YOU KNOW IF YOUR CELL/PHONE IS FAKE?

How can you know if your cell/mobile phone is fake? In which country was it manufactured? Simple, through your IMEI number. 

Tested on iPhone, Nokia, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson and Motorola phones. However, it should work on any brand.

Press *#06# on your phone and the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number appears. Then check the 7th and 8th digit.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Phone IMEI No.	x	x	x	x	x	x	?	?	x	x	x	x	x	x	x

 

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 02 or 20 this means your cell phone was assembled in China which is of low quality.

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 08 or 80 this means your cell phone was manufactured in Germany which is of fair quality.

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 01 or 10 this means your cell phone was manufactured in Finland which is of very good quality.

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 00 this means your cell phone was manufactured in original factory which is the best phone quality.

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 13 this means your cell phone was assembled in Azerbaijan which is of very bad quality and may also be dangerous for your health.

 Source:esoftnetonline

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UPGRADING TO WINDOW 8

Windows 8 is Microsoft's latest operating system. It features touchscreen capabilities and a drastically different interface, and runs on tablets as well as PCs. It can be controlled entirely by touch (on compatible devices), with a mouse and keyboard, or by any combination of your preferred input options.

The operating system is a daring effort by Microsoft to stay relevant as PCs are being overtaken by mobile devices. Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems are dominating the tablet and smartphone market, and Microsoft is attempting something big, different and risky to catch up.

This is Microsoft's first operating system since the well-received Windows 7 was released three years ago. It is a complete reimagining of the desktop computer interface, but it is built on the same base as Windows 7, so all your old applications should continue to work just fine. (Except on devices running Windows RT. More on that later.)

What's different in this operating system?

The biggest change in Windows 8 is a system-wide shift in attitude. Apple products have the reputation for being fun and creative, Windows PCs for being dull but hardworking. One brand screams "Angry Birds," the other Excel spreadsheets. Microsoft wants Windows to be hip and enjoyable to use, so it has come up with its own tablet-style interface and tried to make it work on tablets as well as PCs.

At its best, the result adds some much needed life to an all-work-and-no-play operating system. At its worst, Windows 8 feels like two creatures hastily thrown together, One interface feels better with a touchscreen and gestures, the other with a keyboard and mouse or touchpad.

The familiar desktop view has been pushed to the background to make room for a colorful, touchable, swipeable Start Screen, which acts as your home base. When you start the computer, you'll be greeted with a jazzy array of square and rectangle tiles representing applications, arranged into groups. The tiles can show live information such as your latest e-mail, breaking news, photos, the weather or calendar reminders.

This side of Windows 8 runs apps developed for and sold in the Windows Store. But you can also click on a traditional Windows application and it will open it in the desktop view.

Windows 8 review: A big, beautiful, slightly shaky step forward

Back on the old desktop view, the most visible change is that the Start button is gone. All your old applications look and feel the same in this retro world, though tapping on buttons designed for a mouse can be tricky.

If you get confused, and you will in the beginning, one swipe from the right side of the Start Screen brings up a search tool to help you track down files or applications.

Some Windows users will scoff at the attempts to liven up the old system as pandering to more casual computer users, or as somehow making the system less capable of serious work. But there are also many subtle, under-the-hood changes, including performance improvements. Most notably, the startup time is greatly improved over Windows 7. There also is a new feature called Storage Spaces that makes it easy to manage your various storage and backup options.

Who should update to Windows 8?

The first version of a new operating system is bound to have bugs and issues. Individual Windows users, especially those with just one machine who depend on it for work or school, should not rush right out for that upgrade. Wait until a more stable version comes along that irons out early problems.

If you have an non-touchscreen computer, the switch may not be worth it unless you need the under-the-hood improvements. The operating system works on regular computers that don't have touchscreens, but they miss the best parts of the experience. The Start Screen and new tiled interface aren't nearly as satisfying when you can only click on them with a mouse (a touchpad is slightly better).

If you are a diehard Windows fan, or just a tech-savvy computer user familiar with the perils of being an early adopter, you'll just need to make sure your current computer meets the system requirements.

If you want to buy a new computer, there are already a large number of touchscreen options pre-loaded with Windows 8 from major manufacturers, including Samsung, Sony, Dell and Toshiba. There are ultrabooks, tablets, hybrids and desktops at all prices. There is plenty of hardware available at launch, but the Windows Store software selection is still a bit sparse.

Corporate users are usually slower to upgrade their workforces to a new operating system, and without a compelling reason to switch to Windows 8, that will likely be the case this time as well. A recent report from technology research firm Gartner predicts 90% of enterprises will wait to upgrade to Windows 8 until 2015. Companies that depend heavily on mobile devices might be the exception.

Which version of Windows should I get?

There are four versions of the new Windows operating system: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, and Windows RT and Windows 8 Enterprise. While that may seem like a lot, it's actually fewer versions than Windows has offered for its operating systems in the past.

Luckily, the decision of which to buy is pretty much made for you.

If you are an individual upgrading an existing computer, your only option at the moment is Windows 8 Pro. The basic consumer version of Windows 8 will not be available for standalone purchase until February 2, 2013.

For now, Windows RT and the basic version of Windows 8 are only available pre-installed on new computers. The differences between Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro are minor. The big decision you'll have to make when buying a new system is if you want a Windows 8 or Windows RT device.

Windows RT is a different version created for devices with ARM processers. These processers, typically found in phones and tablets, use less power, which means longer battery life. At the moment, Windows RT is only available pre-installed on Microsoft's new Surface tablet and a handful of other devices.

 In Windows 8, the iPad has its first real challenger

Windows RT and Windows 8 look the same, but there's one key difference: Windows RT will not run your old Windows applications, only applications available through the Windows Store. That means no downloading any third-party apps from the Internet. The Windows Store has 5,000 apps in stock, but that number should grow over time. This closed approach is similar to the iPad and iPhone, which can only run applications sold through Apple's App Store.

Finally, are you a large company planning on buying a large number of licenses? If yes, check out Windows 8 Enterprise.

Is Windows 8 difficult to learn?

Windows 8 presents a completely new approach to using a Windows computer, and as with anything radically new, it takes some getting used to. Do not upgrade unless you can spare some time to familiarize yourself with the layout and settings. The new look borrows heavily from the iOS and Android mobile operating systems, but isn't nearly as intuitive.

Before you get scared off, know that it's not that hard to figure out the new system. It just takes a bit of effort and time, like learning any new program would. Microsoft took a big leap and created something new. Getting acclimatized is just a natural part of the process.

Some stores selling the Windows 8 products are offering classes. Staples, for example, will have free personalized training on the new system, as well as help moving old data over to a new computer.

How much does it cost?

Microsoft is dropping the $200 price of Windows 8 Pro for its big debut. Existing WIndows 7, WIndows Vista and WIndows XP (with SP3) users can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $40 online. If you'd prefer a physical copy shipped to you in a nice box, the price goes up to $70. The deal is good through the end of January.

Source:CNN

UGANDA YAPANIA KUDHIBITI MITANDAO JAMII

Moja ya sehemu iliyofanikiwa kufanya mapinduzi makubwa ya teknolojia ya sayansi ni teknolojia ya habari na mawasiliano.

Katika mapinduzi hayo ya teknolojia ya mawasiliano kumeibuka mitandao mingi ya kijamii ikiwamo Yahoo,Gmail,Twitter,Facebook,Youtube,blogs na mingine mingi ya aina hiyo.

Kama ilivyo kwa mapinduzi mengine yanayotokea huwa na faida na hasara.Kwa hapa Afrika mitandao hiyo imeonekana kuwa mwiba kwa serikali nyingi ambako katika miaka ya hivi karibuni imekuwa ikitumiwa kuhamasisha wananchi na kufanya maandamano ambayo husababisha kung'oa tawala mbalimbali ikiwemo Libya,Misri na Tunisia.

Hivi karibuni nchini Uganda wamejikuta wakikumbwa na hasara za mitandao hiyo baada ya kutumia na kiongozi wa upinzani,Kiiza Besigye kuhamasisha maandamano ya kuing'oa serikali.

Kwa Uganda ilishindikana kutokana na wananchi wengi wa nchi hiyo kushindwa kupata ujumbe huo kutokana na wengi wao kutokuwa na mitandao au wengi wao kutokuwa na fedha za kutosha za kuingia katika 'internet cafe' .

Kutokana na tukio hilo Polisi nchini Uganda wametangaza nia yao ya kudhibiti matumizi zaidi ya mitandao jamii kutokana na hofu ya kusambaa kwa habari zinazozua tishio kwa usalama wa nchi

Hayo anayasema Ofisa Mkuu wa Polisi wa Uganda Jenerali Kale Kayihura kwenye mkutano wa wakuu wa polisi kutoka kanda ya Afrika Mashariki

Taarifa hii ya polisi inakuwa wakati wafuasi wa upinzani wakiwa wametumia mitandao ya kijamii kuwasiliana.

Kayihura katika hotuba yake kwa wakuu wa polisi kutoka Afrika Mashariki pamoja na wajumbe toka Tanzania,Sudan,Sudan Kusini,Somalia,Sychelles,Burundi,Kenya,Rwanda,Ethiopia,Eritrea na Djibuti alisema mitandao ya kijamii ni mizuri lakini inaweza kuwa mbaya kwa jamii kwa sababu inatuma ujumbe haraka.

Mwaka 2009 watu 21 walifariki katika ghasia mjini Kayunga,Uganda kufuatia taarifa kuhusu ziara tata ya mfalme mmoja wa kitamaduni.

Inaelezwa kuwa hivi karibuni vijana nchini Uganda wameanza kutumia mitandao hiyo kujadili mambo ya siasa,wakifananisha matumizi ya mitandao hiyo kuleta mageuzi kama inavyofanyika katika nchi za kiarabu ambapo mtandao wa facebook ulitumika kuhamasisha watu na kuwaleta pamoja kwa sababu za kisiasa.

Chanzo:Gazeti la Tanzania Daima

TCRA YASEMA INAZINGATIA VIWANGO VYA SIMU TANZANIA

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Mamlaka ya Mawasiliano Tanzania (TCRA),Profesa John Nkoma,amesema Tanzania inazingatia viwango vya simu vinavyoingizwa Tanzania tofauti na jamii inavyofikiria.

Mkurugenzi huyo amesema hayo alipokuwa akikabidhi leseni mbili za kutoa huduma ya mawasiliano kwa kampuni ya Telesi hivi karibuni jinini Dar es salaam ambapo alieleza kuwa simu zote zinazoingizwa nchini zinafanyiwa uchunguzi ili kuhakikisha zina viwango vinavyotakiwa.

Nkoma amesema Tanzania haiwezi kuwa dampo la soko kwa simu zisizo na ubora kwa kuwa harakati zinazofanywa na nchi za Kenya na Uganda za kuzuia simu zisizo na ubora zilianza kutekelezwa nchini nchini.

Alisema iwapo wataamua kuhakikisha simu zinazoingizwa ziwe ni zile zenye ubora wa juu zaidi,hatua hiyo itawafanya baadhi ya watanzania kushindwa kumiliki simu kutokana na simu hizo kuuzwa kwa bei kuanzia shilingi 500,000 za kitanzania.

GOOGLE'S RESEARCH ON TABLETS USERS

Google just published a new research paper that delves into the details of how tablet owners use their devices. Using diaries, in-home interviews and contextual inquiry observations, the company’s researchers observed how 33 U.S. tablet users interacted with their devices. Some of the results are pretty straightforward (tablets are primarily used for personal purposes and to play games and check email), while others were a bit more surprising. Just as many participants used their tablets in their beds as on their couches, for example, and a surprisingly large number of tablet owners use their iPads and Nexus 7s while cooking.

The one area that is probably the most interesting in this paper is Google’s look at what the study participants did while they where using their tablets. Watching TV, unsurprisingly, came in first with over 60% of the participants doing so, followed by eating and drinking (about 40%) and – somewhat surprisingly – cooking (27%). The participants told Google that they were using their tablets to enhance their TV experience “by extending that activity, through for example, looking up related information about the program that they were watching.” Looking at its diary study, though, the researchers also found that many of the participants just used TV as background noise while checking their email and doing other things completely unrelated to watching TV.
Source:techcrunch.com

TANZANIA : FAKE MOBILE PHONES TO BE BLOCKED SOON!!

Tanzania will join her neighbour Kenya in getting rid of counterfeit telephone handsets in the country by switching them off.

Speaking to “Sunday News’ the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) Acting Corporate Communication Manager Mr Semu Mwakyanjala said the regulatory authority is first planning to educate the public on the need to buy genuine mobile phones. “It is a long term plan to switch off counterfeit mobile phones in operation, for now we are only focusing on educating the public into buying genuine mobile phones,” Mr Mwakyanjala noted. He said the move will eventually be taken by all the other East African Member states, including Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi.
 
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) was recently quoted as to saying that counterfeit gadgets will be switched off at the end of November this year. A survey conducted by New Vision in Uganda showed that mobile phone dealers in Uganda are feeling the pinch as customers no longer want to purchase the ‘Made in China’ phones believing most of Chinese phones are fake.
 

Mr Mwakyanjala said the aim of blocking the counterfeit mobile phones is to boost security, noting that for the exercise to work, the regulatory authority depends on cooperation of all stakeholders in the communication industry. 

Explaining the software used for blocking counterfeit phones,
Mr Issac Mruma from TCRA Consumer Affairs department said the Central Equipment Identification Registrar (CEIR) is employed to identify fake mobile phones and then block them. Mr Mruma said the country is in the process of acquiring the software, however it will only be implemented after the public is aware of the advantages of genuine mobile phones.

Although Mr Mwakyanjala said the initiative to switch off fake mobile phones was agreed on in a meeting of the East African Communication Organization (EACO). The Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) was also quoted saying that it will soon announce the date for switching off the fake mobile phones.

RURA said it is working on the methodology to disconnect fake phones off their network and they will work with telecommunication companies to execute the exercise. RURA noted that it will use the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number through network service providers to differentiate between fake and genuine handsets.

In Tanzania early this month the deputy minister for Communication Science and Technology Mr January Makamba was quoted in a local daily saying that the country is working out plans on how to deal with fake handsets in light of Kenya’s move to switch them off. Mr Makamba said the fear is that those fake phones from Kenya will flood the Tanzania market, promising to convene a meeting with TCRA to deliberate on the issue.

Reliable sources that declined to be named had noted that Telecom service providers are reluctant for government to institute the move to switch off all fake mobile phones, for fear of losing customers.

However, recently Vodacom Tanzania Managing Director Mr Rene Meza was quoted saying that the move is commendable since it is aimed at protecting consumers’ rights and heavy investments made by multination companies. TCRA is participating in the Financial Service and Investment exhibition week at Mnazi Mmoja grounds, where it is giving presentations to small and medium entrepreneurs on financial issue.

Source:wotepamoja.com

KENYA TO SWITCH OFF "FAKE" MOBILE PHONE

 

 

Kenya has confirmed that a switch-off of counterfeit mobile phones will take place at the end of the month.

In addition, networks will be forbidden from activating new "fake" devices bought after 1 October.
Government officials said the move was designed to protect consumers from hazardous materials and to safeguard mobile payment systems.

They added it should also help them track users and limit violence ahead of March's general election.
The action had originally been scheduled to take place at the end of 2011, but was twice delayed to give subscribers a chance to replace their devices. However, the Ministry of Information and Communications has said this would not happen again.
The government said three million users were using counterfeit handsets as of June.

Official data suggests the country had 29 million mobile phone subscribers at the end of March.
Duplicated codes The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) defines fake handsets as "copies of popular brands and models made from sub-standard materials" that have not been licensed by the organisation.

They are sourced from China and other parts of Asia, as well as Nigeria and South Africa.

 

 

Analysts say the action could cause a boost in sales low-end mobile phones

The CCK said "sub-standard components" were often used which had not been put through safety checks and might emit higher than recommended radiation levels.
They have proved popular since they are often sold at a heavy discounts to legitimate models, thanks in part to the fact that retailers avoid paying import taxes.
But the commission said they had caused an increase of dropped calls for all users because of "their inability to connect seamlessly to the mobile networks".
Law enforcement agencies had also complained that some of the devices used duplicated IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identifier) codes, making it difficult to track down users suspected of using their handsets to plan crimes.
In addition, when the government publicised the switch-off in June it also linked the move to efforts to restrict fraud.
"In this era of mobile banking, use of counterfeit devices, which are manufactured without due consideration to the recognised security standards, may expose our mobile money systems as well as the wider banking and financial system to unnecessary risks," said the communications secretary Dr Bitange Ndemo.
"The government cannot allow this to happen and thus our decision to have all unregistered SIM cards and counterfeit handset mobile phones phased out by 30 September 2012."
Election violence The move was initially opposed by the Consumers Federation of Kenya, a campaign group which said the action would punish users who were not to blame for the fact fakes were sold.

 Thousands of Kenyans were forced from their home after 2007's disputed election

But last month the organisation dropped a theat to go to court to block the switch-off after a study suggested most Kenyans supported the effort.

Sunday's deadline also means counterfeit models can be barred from networks ahead of the election on 4 March 2013.
About 1,300 people were killed and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes because of clashes following 2007's disputed presidential election.

There is concern the vote could spark further violence, and the CCK has suggested that ensuring all mobiles were registered could act as a deterrent.

"As the general elections draw near, we... have an obligation to ensure that the mobile telecoms industry is not used to perpetrate instability and to incite violence," said Francis Wangusi, the commission's director general.

Precious metals Users can send a free SMS message containing their 15-number IMEI code to check that their handset is recognised as genuine.
The fact millions of devices will need to be replaced presents phone manufacturers with an opportunity to boost sales.
But there are also been worries that abandoned handsets could end up in landfill sites, damaging the environment.

 

 

The crackdown coincides with Nokia's launch of a new budget range of smartphones branded as Asha

To minimise the risk Nokia and Samsung have partnered with a local recycling company and mobile service providers to allow users to safely dispose of counterfeit models at collection points in major cities.

"Mobile phones contain many valuable and useful materials that can be recycled, including precious metals and plastics," said Bruce Howe, general manager for Nokia East Africa.

"For every one million phones recycled, it is possible to recover nearly 35kg of gold and 350kg of silver, which can be re-used in the production of future electronic goods."
The firm added that it believed Kenya's move was a model that could be adopted elsewhere in Africa and beyond.
Uganda has already said that it planned similar action.
Source:BBC

MRADI WA ANUANI ZA MAKAZI ULIPOZINDULIWA JIJINI DAR ES SALAAM

SEVEN WAYS MOBILE PHONES HAVE CHANGED LIVES IN AFRICA

Lagos, Nigeria -A little over a decade ago there were about 100,000 phone lines in Nigeria, mostly landlines run by the state-owned telecoms behemoth, NITEL. Today NITEL is dead, and Nigeria has close to 100 million mobile phone lines, making it Africa's largest telecoms market, according to statistics by the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Across the rest of the continent the trends are similar: between 2000 and 2010, Kenyan mobile phone firm Safaricom saw its subscriber base increase in excess of 500-fold. In 2010 alone the number of mobile phone users in Rwanda grew by 50%, figures from the country's regulatory agency show.

During the early years of mobile in Africa, the Short Messaging Service (SMS) was at the heart of the revolution. Today the next frontier for mobile use in Africa is the internet.

"Mobile is fast becoming the PC of Africa," says Osibo Imhoitsike, market coordinator for Sub-Saharan Africa at Norwegian firm Opera, whose mobile browser is enjoying an impressive uptake on the continent. "In fact there isn't really anything more personal than a mobile phone nowadays."

Last October, for the first time ever, the number of Nigerians accessing the internet via their mobiles surpassed the number of desktop internet users, figures from statcounnter show

The trend has continued since then. Most of those devices will be low-end Nokia phones, tens of millions of which have already been sold on the continent. The more expensive "smartphones" are however also increasing in popularity, as prices drop. Blackberry's market share has been rising in the developing world, bucking the trend in Europe and North America.

Google, for its part, plans to sell 200 million of its Android phones in Africa and it is estimated that by 2016 there will be a billion mobile phones on the continent.

In 2007, President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, said: "In 10 short years, what was once an object of luxury and privilege, the mobile phone, has become a basic necessity in Africa."

Below are seven ways that mobile phones have transformed the continent:

BANKING

M-PESA is a mobile money transfer service launched by Safaricom, Kenya's largest mobile operator and Vodafone, in 2007. Five years later M-PESA provides services to 15 million Kenyans (more than a third of the population) and serves as conduit for a fifth of the country's GDP.

In Kenya, Sudan and Gabon half or more of adults used mobile money, according to a survey by the Gates Foundation and the World Bank.

The runaway success of M-PESA in Kenya is inspiring similar initiatives across the continent, from South Africa to Nigeria to Tunisia, as governments struggle to extend banking services to large numbers of the population -- across sub-Saharan Africa only one in five adults own bank accounts.

Many Africans now use mobile money to pay their bills and airtime, buy goods and make payments to individuals, remittances from relatives living abroad are also largely done via mobile banking.

ACTIVISM

One lesson from the 2011 uprisings across North Africa was that mobile phones, with the infinite opportunities they offer for connection and communication, are able to transform ordinary citizens disenchanted by their governments, into resistance fighters.

Realizing this, the beleaguered Mubarak regime successfully put pressure on Egypt's mobile phone networks to pull the plugs, in a bid to slow down the tempo of opposition activity. And so on January 28, 2011 mobile phone networks in Egypt went dead.

Three years earlier, in the aftermath of bloody elections in Kenya, citizens were able to report violent occurrences via text messages to a server (via the Ushaidi platform) that was viewable by the rest of the world as they happened.

Across the continent mobile phones are also bringing unprecedented levels of openness and transparency to the electoral process, empowering citizens from Cairo to Khartoum to Dakar to Lagos.

 EDUCATION

Nokia capitalized on the growing popularity of social networking in South Africa to launch MoMath, a mathematics teaching tool that targets users of the instant messaging platform Mxit.

 Mxit is South Africa's most popular social media platform, with more than 10 million active users in the country, the company says.

The potential for transforming the continent's dysfunctional educational system is immense, as mobile phones -- cheaper to own and easier to run than PCs -- gain ground as tools for delivering teaching content.

It is hoped that mediating education through social networking will help reduce the significant numbers of school-age African children who are not receiving any formal education.

ENTERTAINMENT

A 2009 survey found that "entertainment and information" were the most popular activities for which mobile phones are used in Nigeria, in particular for dialing into favorite radio shows, voting in reality shows, downloading and sharing songs, photos and videos, as well as tweeting.

However companies are creating mobile-only platforms targeted for this market. Africa now teems with online platforms like Kulahappy (a popular online Kenyan "entertainment channel" developed for the mobile screen) and AfriNolly, which bills itself as "African movies in your pocket."

Nigeria's mobile music industry (covering everything from mobile downloads to ringtone and caller-tune subscriptions) is now a multimillion-dollar industry.

Interestingly, Lithuanian mobile social networking site, Eskimi, recently became the second most visited site in Nigeria, after Facebook, and is in the top 10 bracket in several other African countries. Half of the site's seven million-plus active users are Nigerian.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Mobiles have been finding innovative uses in refugee camps, allowing displaced persons to reconnect with family and loved ones.

An NGO, Refugee United has teamed up with mobile phone companies to create a database for refugees to register their personal details.

The information available on the database allows them to search for people they've lost contact with.

South Africa's 2008 xenophobic attacks inspired the launch of SMS emergency reporting and relief system.

AGRICULTURE

Mobile phones have made a huge difference in the lives of farmers in a continent where the agriculture sector sis one of the largest employers. Most of these people will be "smallholder farmers," without access to financing or technology.

By serving as platforms for sharing weather information, market prices, and micro-insurance schemes, mobile phones are allowing Africa's farmers to make better decisions, translating into higher-earning potentials. Farmers are able to send a text message to find out crop prices in places thousands of kilometers away.

As far back as 2003, Kenya's Agricultural Commodities Exchange partnered with mobile operator Safaricom to launch SokoniSMS64, a text-messaging platform to provide pricing information to farmers.

M-Farm also offers a similar service, while the iCow is a mobile app billed as "the world's first mobile phone cow calendar." It's an SMS and voice service that allows dairy farmers to track their cows gestation, acting in effect as a veterinary midwife. Farmers are also given tips on breeding and nutrition.

HEALTH

A simple text-messaging solution was all 28-year-old Ghanaian doctoral student, Bright Simons needed for his innovative plan to tackle counterfeit medicine in African countries. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 30% of drugs supplied in developing countries are fake. In 2009, nearly 100 Nigerian babies died after they were given teething medicine that contained a solvent usually found in antifreeze.

Simons' pioneering idea was to put unique codes within scratch cards on medicine packaging that buyers can send via SMS to a designated number to find out if the drug is genuine or not.

The system is now being used by several countries in Africa and rolled out to places such as Asia where there are similar problems with counterfeit drugs.

In South Africa there's Impilo, a service that allows people to find healthcare providers anywhere in the country 24 hours a day, using their mobile phones.

Mobile phones are going to play an increasingly important role in mediating the provision of better healthcare to the citizens of African countries. Phone companies are realizing that mobiles are highly effective -- and potentially lucrative -- for the dissemination of health and lifestyle tips, and reminders for doctors' appointments.

In June 2011 a consortium known as the mHealth Alliance organized a Mobile Health Summit -- touted as Africa's first -- in Cape Town. The Alliance describes itself as a "[champion of] the use of mobile technologies to improve health throughout the world.

Source:CNN

SMS ZINAPOTUMIKA KUOKOA MAISHA YA GHANA

Mvumbuzi wa programu hii ya Kighana Herman Chinery-Hesse alitaka kuchukua hatua dhidi ya matukio ya ujambazi wa kutumia silaha mjini Accra. Ndivyo alivyokuja na programu hii ya "Hei Julor" au "Ewe mwizi" kwa lugha ya wenyeji wa mji huo.

"Hei Julor" ni programu ya mfumo wa usalama inayotumiwa katika simu ambapo mtu anaweza kutuma ujumbe mtupu kutoka kwenye simu zaidi ya tano zilizosajiliwa katika eneo, pale makaazi ya mtu au biashara yanapovamiwa.

Hatua hii inasababisha kutumwa kikosi cha waokoaji kutoka kampuni binafsi ya ulinzi, na wakati huo huo watu wengine kumi wakiwemo majirani na marafiki wanapata ujumbe huo na wanaweza kufika haraka nyumbani kwa mhusika ili kumsaidia.

Huduma hii ya Hei Julor ilizinduliwa chini ya mwaka moja nyuma, wakati wa vuguvugu la mageuzi katika mataifa ya kiarabu na wakati ambapo maandamano ya vrugu yalikuwa yanafanyika nchini Uingereza.

Chinery-Hesse: "Baba wa Teknolojia Afrika"

Herman Chinery-Hesse akiwa ofisini wake.

Katika matukio yote mawili, teknolojia ya simu za mkononi kama vile ujumbe wa Blackberry au BBM ulikuwa ukitumika kuratibu shughuli. Chinery-hesse, ambaye amepewa jina la baba wa teknolojia barani Afrika anakumbuka jinsi yeye na marafiki zake walivyokuja na wazo la "Hei Julor."

"Tulikuwa tunafuatilia maandamano katika nchi za kiarabu and nchini Uingereza kupitia redio mchana moja na ikatujia akilini kuwa walikuwa wakitumia BBM kuratibu maandamano hayo. laazima itakuwa na manufaa makubwa kwa jamii yetu, katika utamaduni wetu au nchi yetu. Na kwa sababu hiyo, tulikuja na wazo la "Hei Julor."

Haikuwachukulia muda Chinery-Hesse na marafiki zake wanaofanya kazi katika kampuni ya programu za kompyuta ya "Softribe" kuweka mawazo hayo katika vitendo.

"Tumekuwa wataalamu kwa vile hii ndiyo kazi tunayoifanya kazini kwetu, kwa hiyo tulikuwa na vifa vyote vinavyohitajika. Tulikaa ofisini, tukamualika kila moja kuhudhuria kikao na kujadili namna ya kuja na huduma ambayo kila moja angeweza kuipata kwa bei nafuu na kuizuia Ghana kuwa taifa la wahalifu." Anasema Chinery-Hesse.

Wafanyakazi wawili wa huduma ya Hei Julor nchini Ghana.

Ili kujiunga na huduma hii mteja anahitaji kununua kadi yenye kodi, ambayo mteja anaituma kwa kampuni hiyo. Chinery-Hesse anasema programu hiyo imesanifiwa kwa ajili ya wenye uwezo mkubwa na hata waliyo na uwezo mdogo. Anasem wateja wenye uwezo mkubwa wanaweza kulipia huduma hiyo kwa mwaka mzima, na wale wenye uwezo mdogo wanalipa cedi 10, sawa na euro 4 kwa mwezi.

Teknolojia hiyo imeokoa maisha ya baadhi ya watu. Chinery-Hesse anakumbuka mifano ya watu wawili hivi karibuni.

"Wa kwanza alikuwa mwanaume moja mzee aliyepatwa na kiharusi na kulikwepo na watu nyumbani kwake lakini yeye alikuwa ghorofa ya juu na alikosa nguvu za kushuka chini au kupiga ukelele wa kuomba msaada lakini simu yake alikuwa nayo kwa hiyo alichokifanya na kutuma Hei Julor mchana, na kampuni ya ulinzi ilikuja kumpeleka hospitali."

Kituo cha mawasiliano cha kampuni hiyo ni kodogo sana lakini kikiwa na vyombo vya kuhefadhi na kusambaza taarifa za intanet duniani kote. Kwa mujibu wa afisa moja wa juu, wafanyakazi mar nyingi huwa na kompyuta aina ya laptop ili kuwa na mawasiliano na wateja wakati wote. Mkurugenzi wa kampuni ya Softribe, Anthonio Tettey anasema kwa sasa wana wateja zaidi ya alfu moja.

Chanzo:www.dw.de