The lack of Internet connectivity for the majority of mobile users in Africa is driving the development of innovative services that bring the Internet to SMS.
According to ForgetMeNot Africa (FMNA), a service connecting even the simplest phones to Internet services, there are over 600 million mobile phones in Africa, fewer than 10% of which are connected to the Internet. FMNA's model asserts that bridging the digital divide is not only a way to empower people, but is also an opportunity for networks to monetise online services on all phones.
The success story of M-Pesa, Kenya's mobile money transfer service, is well known, but in SA and the rest of Africa, many other services catering for basic phones are mushrooming. For basic phone users who want to connect using popular Web platforms, FMNA's Messaging Optimiser platform allows users to send or receive an 'eTXT', which is delivered to - or sent from - online services such as Facebook, e-mail and Web chat. The service has been rolled out in Kenya, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe and Cape Verde.
The importance of connectivity extends far beyond socialising: facilities such as e-mail are often a practical necessity. Last year, FMNA added a CV service, Job Xpress, to its portfolio, enabling those with no Internet access to send CVs and job applications attached to mobile e-mails using only SMS. The service aims to empower the estimated 40 million unemployed youths across Africa to find jobs. FMNA's mobile banking and e-mail services also aim to support African entrepreneurs.
In SA, a number of innovative services are emerging to capitalise on the huge feature phone market. Daily Homes, a recent graduate of the Seed Engine tech accelerator, is an online, low-cost property marketing portal that includes USSD in its access methods: users can dial *120*403# to navigate through a simple menu and be notified via SMS of new properties fitting their parameters.
Mobile shopping voucher services are also gaining ground on basic phones. The Shoprite Group has developed the 'EeziCoupon' voucher system that can be used at Shoprite and Checkers stores. The system uses a single voucher code that can be accessed via USSD (in addition to mobisites and smartphone apps), enabling customers to access savings, and providing retailers with consumer data. Mobilitrix has created a digital voucher system that can use SMS or USSD.
Even charities are capitalising on the gap. South African NGO HIV911 has created a mobile health directory, Impilo, which allows people to find healthcare service providers and give feedback using a USSD menu, while Nokia's MoMaths teaching tool piggy-backs on Mxit, and Refugees United uses mobiles to create a database of contact details, connecting loved ones during a crisis.
The basic phone market is fertile ground for new development, says Paul Roberts, founder of ForgetMeNot Africa. "Because of the comparative dearth of apps aimed at this market, there is a better chance of receiving attention."
Share