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- Feb 11, 2006
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Some 4.1 million Vodacom customers in Tanzania will soon be able to use their mobile phones to send money home following the expansion of the Vodafone backed, M-PESA service. Vodacom plans to launch the service at the end of this month.
Vodafone M-PESA was originally developed and deployed by Kenya's Safaricom (in which Vodafone has a 35% stake), where the service has now been running for over one year, with more than 1.6 million active customers. In February 2008, Vodafone launched the service in a second market, Afghanistan in partnership with the Afghani operator Roshan.
"M-PESA, meaning M for mobile and Pesa for money in Swahili, is one of the world's first cellphone-to-cellphone PESA transfer services for people who do not have access to conventional banks," said Vodacom Tanzania managing director Dietlof Mare. "After finalisation of all technical and other requirements, the service should be available to Tanzanians from the 28 April 2008," Mare added.
Vodafone M-PESA is a service that is expected to revolutionise the way Tanzanians manage money. "Of the 21 million Tanzanians over the age of 16, only 1.6 million currently have a bank account, but more than 7.5 million Tanzanians have a cellphone or have access to a cellphone," Mare said.
Hatem Dowidar, CEO of Vodafone Partner Markets said: "We are delighted that Vodafone, with our partner Vodacom, will be extending our award-winning M-PESA mobile money transfer service to Tanzania.
"Along with neighbouring Kenya, Tanzania is fundamentally a cash-based economy, and this service will provide an instant, effective and secure way for Tanzanians to send, store and receive money, wherever they are in the country. We welcome them to the Vodafone M-PESA community."
Vodafone M-PESA is available only to Vodacom customers, who have to provide their mobile phone number and identification at an M-PESA agent, which will include Vodacom airtime dealers and selected petrol stations, post offices, banks or supermarkets. Both pre-paid and post-paid Vodacom customers will be able to open a Vodafone M-PESA account at no cost.
Vodafone M-PESA was originally developed and deployed by Kenya's Safaricom (in which Vodafone has a 35% stake), where the service has now been running for over one year, with more than 1.6 million active customers. In February 2008, Vodafone launched the service in a second market, Afghanistan in partnership with the Afghani operator Roshan.
"M-PESA, meaning M for mobile and Pesa for money in Swahili, is one of the world's first cellphone-to-cellphone PESA transfer services for people who do not have access to conventional banks," said Vodacom Tanzania managing director Dietlof Mare. "After finalisation of all technical and other requirements, the service should be available to Tanzanians from the 28 April 2008," Mare added.
Vodafone M-PESA is a service that is expected to revolutionise the way Tanzanians manage money. "Of the 21 million Tanzanians over the age of 16, only 1.6 million currently have a bank account, but more than 7.5 million Tanzanians have a cellphone or have access to a cellphone," Mare said.
Hatem Dowidar, CEO of Vodafone Partner Markets said: "We are delighted that Vodafone, with our partner Vodacom, will be extending our award-winning M-PESA mobile money transfer service to Tanzania.
"Along with neighbouring Kenya, Tanzania is fundamentally a cash-based economy, and this service will provide an instant, effective and secure way for Tanzanians to send, store and receive money, wherever they are in the country. We welcome them to the Vodafone M-PESA community."
Vodafone M-PESA is available only to Vodacom customers, who have to provide their mobile phone number and identification at an M-PESA agent, which will include Vodacom airtime dealers and selected petrol stations, post offices, banks or supermarkets. Both pre-paid and post-paid Vodacom customers will be able to open a Vodafone M-PESA account at no cost.
