Learning and Support using MXit

by Ramon Thomas in Mobile on 0101/020202/2007200720072007 • 29 Comments • , , , , , , , ,

[This blog entry has been edited and updated on 9 Sep 2007]

Cape Town bloggers Rafiq Phillips uses MXit offering customer support for his idrive.co.za project. This idea can save small businesses money if they consider the implications – offering a support contact on MXit which can be accessible from any cellphone anywhere in South Africa (currently over 5 million users and growing at 13,000 new users per day). With some software development this service could be linked up with a call centre, if one already exists, and give clients the option of contacting your call centre via MXit.

Secondly today I met with Childline Gauteng to discuss a potential partnership to promote online safety more widely and through their regional offices. Laurie Butgereit, a researcher from Meraka Institute, part of the CSIR was also at the meeting. I was completely blown away by their project, Dr Math, which offers learning support and tutoring through MXit . The pilot at one school in the North West province is growing daily in numbers. For now the focus is on Mathematics but this mobile education programme will be rolled out with science and other subjects in future.

With this project educators can begin to warm up to MXit in new and interesting ways. And I’m looking forward to innovative ways to continue where William Smith left off.

* special note add any of the numbers 27799923960-9 as a MXit contact to access Dr Math.

MXit blasts through 3 million users

by Ramon Thomas in Mobile on 0101/020202/2007200720072007 • 3 Comments • , , , , ,

** MXit has already reached 6 million by beginning 2008. Download the Parents Guide to MXit from this link. **

Its now official MXit has broken through 3 million users. This is really a phenomenal success for a South African born and bred company. The purchase by Naspers of 30% in MXit Lifestyle (Pty) Ltd, will accelerate the roll out internationally. Herman Heunis, CEO of MXit Lifestyle, says they are still growing at between 9,000 and 12,000 users per day. And I still think it may be higher.

Anyway at this growth rate MXit will hit 4 million by April. As you can imagine this growth means that the amount of abuse, addiction associated with it will grow as well. And I’d like to remind you that at the low end that about 3% and its more likely to be about 6-9% of all users have some form of addiction. Which puts the range between 90,000 and 270,000 users.

You may also want to read this interview with Herman Heunis on Moneyweb on 26 January 2007. Please post your comment on this and let me know how you feel about MXit’s business success?

Apple iPhone finally unveiled

by Ramon Thomas in Mobile on 1111/010101/2007200720072007 • No Comments • , ,

Steve Jobs unveils Apple iPhoneSteve Jobs has done it again. Stealing the thunder from Microsoft’s Bill Gates who was the keynote speaker at the CES Conference in Las Vegas. As it happens my mentor, Arthur Goldstuck, is currently at CES but likely on his way back. Anyway you can read here about how Apple does it. To get a good overview of the capabilities of the iPhone and some concerns it has in store for IT Managers go here.

From the price range I do not think this mobile phone will come bundles with any cellphone contracts in South Africa. But this damn phone so cool its bound to be sought after no matter what the cost.

Robert X Cringely, my favourite technology industry columnist, weighs in with opinion in his weekly column on PBS – What’s in a Name?

The future of MyWireless: 'No to one size fits all'

by The Webmaster in Broadband/Mobile on 2424/111111/2006200620062006 • No Comments •

Sentech ‘s Portfolio Manager for Broadband Products Winston Smith cheered the crowd as usual with his jokes. Sentech’s MyWireless portable broadband technology complies with international standards to provide a telecommunications platform for connecting to the Internet and other communications networks securely and at high-speed. Regulated frequencies and a worldwide standard is used. By virtue of Sentech’s multimedia licence and initially using a high powered radio based network in the major metropolis of Johannesburg, Midrand, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town, Sentech now offers Internet-connectivity solutions to suit every pocket – from home users, through SOHO and small-to-medium enterprises . International roaming by Sentech will be available later.

With ’15 million people without basic necessities’ the challenge ahead of Sentech is to push the boundaries for more inclusive and broadband connectivity across the land scape. In addition to that Winston argue that there still exist greater “scarce and limited resources” plus high cost.

Sentech offers Big Bundled Bargains…a story to read.

New Mobile Broadband Report

by Ramon Thomas in Internet/Mobile on 0909/111111/2006200620062006 • No Comments •

The latest mobile broadband report has been released by MyADSL. Moneyweb has an excellent write-up with a nice summarised snapshot here. As a long time ADSL user I have consider getting wireless broadband now that I have a laptop with built-in wireless. And if you travel frequently the offerings from Vodacom and MTN are certainly worth a look.

Parents Guide to MXit available today

by Ramon Thomas in Mobile on 0202/111111/2006200620062006 • No Comments • , , , , ,

The “Parents Guide to MXit” is now available from today. This concise guide is made available at no cost to all concerned parents or educators, who may have sleepless nights about children using MXit, the popular chat application that enables communication on cell phones at the fraction of SMS costs.

Ramon Thomas, online behaviour expert at NETucation produced this guide after a spate of negative publicity and shocking incident, since being interviewed about this topic on Cape Talk/702 in early September 2006.

“This guide explains MXit in plain and simple English for parents and teachers,” says Thomas. “Once you understand MXit it very important to note the impact on your relationship with your child, the possibility and probability of addiction and abuse.”

MXit Lifestyle (Pty) Ltd, the company who created the MXit application, states the current growth is about 10,000 new users per day. Latest stats indicate 385,000 users between 12-17 and 462,000 users between 18-25. After being released in late 2005, MXit has broken through the 2 million subscriber base in record time. And is the fastest growing cellphone application in South African history. As we approach the festive season when SMS volumes normally spike, MXit usage, and subscribers should continue to increase as rapid pace.

“Parents should realise this phenomenon is unstoppable and education is the key..” says Dr Helgo Schomer, University of Cape Town academic and registered psychologist who runs the Institute of Behavioural Health in Cape Town. He further explains that in virtual environments like MXit, people have no responsibility to adhere to acceptable social etiquette. Rumours can be spread, people can create fake identities, and there is no retribution or consequences to face up to.

The most important aspects covered in the guide is this:
1. How MXit impacts on Relationships
2. Coping with MXit Addiction / Dealing with Abuse
3. Installing MXit on your phone
4. Navigating the “MXit universe”
5. How to report Abuse or Threats

Patrick Hoare, founder of Kids Online, says, “Parents should not take away their children’s cellphones because it may give rise to cellphones being used in secret.” Parents normally teach us not to talk to strangers, yet we do that online. Do not accept invitations to chat privately from strangers on MXit.

Its easy to get your copy of Parents Guide to MXit, just click here to download it right now. And spread the word by pointing people to this website.
Ramon Thomas, is available for public talks at schools, churches or non-profit organisations – please call 082 9407137 for bookings.

Mobile Bereaucracy!

by The Webmaster in Internet/Mobile on 2323/101010/2006200620062006 • No Comments •

Trapped in the democratic bureaucracy-thats the best word to define the state on MNP in the mobile industry in South Africa, early mid last month when Mr. Paris Mashile made a presentation at Mobility Conference it emerged as if ICASA is ahead of the project, still ICASA was playing hard game. The regulator become aware of the whole MNP project since 2003 but there has never been an active engagement on their part neither was there any move to investigate the project. In recent days Mr. Mashile made an argument that November 10 is the final of the final deadline. But the question to be asked is, has enough time being given to mobile operators ? The answear is Yes and No. There is far too much bereaucracy in ICASA than any where, lets get our thoughts together, technology doesn’t appreciate that, the ease with which these technologies are moving is too much!

Queue no more

by Ramon Thomas in Mobile on 0202/101010/2006200620062006 • No Comments •

Ronnie Apteker must be one of the most humble millionaires I personally know. He was the founder of Internet Solution with a few other guys back in 1993. This was also the first company I worked for in 1997 when I moved to Joburg. And I still have a strong connection with them. He writes a regular column for the Business Report (IOL) online and last Friday mentioned a mobile ordering and payment service in America, Mobo. Now in this column he does not even mentioned that his company was testing the same kind of thing in a famous experiment in the late 1990s where you could use your cellphone to order a coke from a vending machine! Here in South Africa we have some technical geniuses and we don’t always understand that we can indeed compete with the best in the world…

Remember to checkout Mobo’s website here. This is an idea who’s time has arrived even in South Africa!

Information Highway stay South:Mobile Society

by The Webmaster in Events/Mobile on 1414/090909/2006200620062006 • No Comments •

There is no disagreement, the future will revolves around the conception of Convergence, portability, affordability , and mobile banking.The next three years is likely to be dominated by South Africans, the younger generation going mobile banking.The key thing is that , do we have conducive environment that permit information highway to benefit the ‘information poor’? Are our legislative framework such that allows fair equitable market shares, and while on the other hand evenly spreading the fruites of a wireless world to the grasroots. Do South African consumers have more choice or more diversity not just plurality?

Mobility 2006 was a success overall, the need therefore for policy makers to incorporate this sucess into a more consultative and people orientated policy and regulations regimes. In order to keep this information highway reforms are needed, transparancy required and affordability a basic right.

Click below for an over view of a document by Aafrica Civil Society on ICT Does the Information Highway go South?

Mobility 2006 Findings: Impact of mobile and wireless on corporate SA

by The Webmaster in Events/Internet/Mobile on 1414/090909/2006200620062006 • 1 Comment •

Arthur Goldstuck, MD World Wide Worx

The corporate South Africa is not taking a good advantage of the potentials provided by the mobile and wireless technologies. Even though a small number of SMEs are beginning to realize such a role-many have been left behind. The VoIP has lost more value as one of the promising emerging tech to the 3G and GPRS services. GPRS has about 45 % as emerging tech in 2006; hence 3G received massive rating in 2006 of about 73 %. On the other hand, it seem obvious that most South Africans are still scared of  mobile banking only a small portion of the consumer buy airtime (23 %) and less than 10 % pay accounts. Despite this low figures Mr Goldstuck ‘s research shows that majority of South Africans will consider Mobile banking in the future.Puting enormous pressure on Service Providers therefore to educate consumer to “going mobile”-about 43% of consumer believe that they will use Mobile banking in the future.

 

Equally important, for Services Providers to convince consumers to use mobile banking they will have to deal with security matters and then work on “corporate attitude on cell transaction” as Arthur puts it. If South Africa is to succeed in mobile banking more consumer education is needed, research into these ICTs to be a government’s top priority and business inspire new thinking in the sector. We all welcome Virgin Mobile and Neotel simultaneously into the industry in 2006. Inclusion, there are more reasons to go mobile in South Africa, besides the “dark ages” will hunt us again

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