Telecommunications solutions firm Psitek has launched a GSM product described as a mobile business terminal aimed at the informal sector.
The Jembi GSM payphone can be operated by an informal trader to allow customers to make calls, pay certain accounts and print receipts.
"Jembi represents a desktop GSM payphone that will differentiate between owner and end-user by means of an internal software menu structure. A supervised wireless payphone product allows the owner to control talk time credit, and allows the user to control the individual telephone call or SMS message," says Clint Hill, Psitek regional sales manager.
"Jembi specifically targets the informal sector. The informal payphone operator is unemployed or self-employed within the informal trading sector."
Jembi was designed and developed in Cape Town. Its benefits over the more traditional unsupervised payphone market include the creation of employment opportunities, as well as much lower start-up capital requirements, he says.
Hill says Jembi will cost R3 200, and the owner could in turn make approximately R2 000 a month on calls and services generated by the device.
"To facilitate additional income, Psitek developed a secure printer module that can be attached to the back of the Jembi. In future, Psitek expects users to be able to pay electricity and other accounts, and even purchase lottery tickets. The printer module is capable of receipt printing or voucher printing, dependant on the service configuration," says Hill.
"The basic unit can be connected to a remote customer terminal by means of a 1.5m extension cable. This enables the user to conduct the phone call on a separate device from the owner for privacy reasons."
Jembi comes in a backpack to transport the device; eventually it could grow to a fixed business terminal device. Its internal battery provides a talk time of seven hours and standby time of 30 hours.
"Psitek launched their vending services portal that will allow operators and owners alike to access the vending services offered by Jembi and Psitek. We have started discussions with utilities and service providers who are able to supply prepaid electricity and related services from any active 'vending-ready` Jembi device. Likewise we have entered negotiations with companies to offer additional points for account payments like TV licences or clothing accounts."
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