Grintek Telecom, Oeight join to launch SaveSIM

Grintek Telecom and Oeight have joined forces to offer retailers the ability to save their customers' mobile phone book data onto a central server and retrieve it from any of hundreds of point of sale terminals throughout the country. The service, called SaveSIM, is available to prepaid and contract users alike through the nationwide network of Hypercom Terminals.

The service is based on the Hypercom Interactive Consumer Environment terminals, which are currently used to issue prepaid airtime PIN numbers at retail outlets throughout the country. "This is the first of many applications that Grintek Telecom is looking to roll-out on the terminals and proves the multi-function capabilities of the terminals," says Phumlani Moholi, managing director Grintek Telecom.

"Mobile phone theft is massive in this country but for most users it is not the loss of the phone which is the biggest inconvenience but the lost data," says Oeight managing director Kingsley Maunder. "With SaveSIM, users are able to retrieve their data from any terminal, even if they have another phone number." Users are charged a nominal registration fee for the service and a small charge is made each time the service is used.

User data is stored on backup servers, which are not publicly available and are limited to access through the Hypercom terminals, ensuring that user information is not compromised.

Grintek Telecom is the sole distributor of Hypercom terminals in the country and last year provided RadioSpoor with 720 terminals nationwide to issue prepaid PIN numbers. Previously the company used 'scratch cards' to issue the numbers, a process fraught with difficulties.

"One of the biggest advantages of the SaveSIM application is that the service is not limited to specific handsets or SIM cards," says Maunder. "With SaveSIM, all users with a SIM card can use the service."

The application is also a first of its kind and Oeight is looking to expand the service internationally in the near future.

Moholi says the other advantage of the application is that the point-of-sale (PoS) infrastructure already spans the country and the world. "Users already have an inherent trust in the PoS infrastructure and the learning curve is very small, which means all users can take advantage of the system irrespective of whether they are based in a major centre or not," says Moholi. "For retailers the advantages are equally significant because the SaveSIM application proves that the Hypercom terminals can deliver a range of functionality and are not simply limited to issuing electronic vouchers."

Maunder continues: "Even if users change their number, they are still able to retrieve their data by using their old number and PIN code. SaveSIM is currently being rolled out countrywide onto several hundred terminals."

"Oeight approached a number of companies with the concept before electing to work with Grintek Telecom. Grintek Telecom has always been very professional in its approach and has the technical skills required to implement a solution such as this one, which is why we decided to work together."