Mobile Technology Creates New Opportunities In Post-Earthquake Haiti
"The one year anniversary of the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake has come and gone. While the efficiency of Haiti's relief and rebuilding efforts have been criticized by politicians and citizens alike, there is a powerful tool that has brought much assistance to the Haitian people and whose market for change continues to expand: the cellular phone."
SBI-Airtel form JV for mobile banking
"SBI and Airtel have joined hands to form a new company that will offer mobile banking services. The initiative is aimed at financial inclusion of the un-banked population in the country. Under the new initiative Airtel outlets and retailers will serve as business correspondents (BC) of SBI (State Bank of India) and the bank's customers will be able to deposit and withdraw money from their accounts at Airtel outlets. They will also be able to transfer this money to others electronically as well from Airtel and SBI outlets. Services in the near future will include loans, insurance, credit cards and purchase transactions."
Deepak Chandnani promoted as Obopay global CEO
"Obopay, a leading mobile banking and payment provider, today announced the promotion of its President, Deepak Chandnani as CEO of Obopay, Inc. Founder and CEO, Carol Realini will assume the new role of Executive Chairman. In his new role, Chandnani will focus on the company’s significant growth in size and geographic scope, while Realini will continue her focus on corporate strategy as well as furthering Obopay’s corporate vision: evangelizing the need for mobile money and building its widespread adoption throughout the world."
Half of Tanzania’s population on phone
"A research team at the University of Dar es Salaam says half the Tanzanian population is currently hooked to mobile phones, and that it takes just a handset to run a business in the country. Led by Prof Ophelia Mascarenhas of the university, there is no need for offices, visiting cards or huge capital investments."
Gates Foundation, USAID Give Prize for Haiti Help
"A $2.5 million prize to get Haitians buying, selling and banking with their mobile phones didn't push the winner into the mobile banking business, but the Gates Foundation's incentive did make the company move much faster. 'It was a real gruesome race,' Digicel CEO Maarten Boute after the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced Monday that his company had won the money for being first to establish cell phone banking in Haiti in less than six months."
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