Cell Broadcast : A new concept in Kenya

SMS Cell Broadcast messaging is designed for simultaneous delivery of messages to multiple users in a specified area. Whereas the Short Message Service (SMS) is a one-to-one and one-to-a-few service, Cell Broadcast is one-to-many geographically focused service. It enables messages to be communicated to multiple mobile phone customers who are located within a given part of its network coverage area at the time the message is broadcast. Cell Broadcast is more akin to other mass distribution media such as teletext -which KBC is planning to intoduce soon - or Radio Data System (RDS).

Since it was technologically demonstrated in Paris for the first time, in 1997, it has come a long way and finally we have it in use here in Kenya since the introduction of Super Ongea - a dynamic tariff where price "moves" depending on time and location- from Safaricom the leading Cellular network in Kenya with over 80 % of the mobile market share.
Safaricom is using Cell broadcast to inform the user the current calling charges.

More important is that Cell broadcast services can be utilised to provide vital information about any disaster, disaster management measures or any other important information. The location-based services include different services, including: traffic alert service, emergency service, public safety and information regarding weather etc. Maybe even for adverts in future ??

Cell Broadcast messaging is particularly appropriate for emergency purposes as it is not as affected by traffic load; therefore, it may be usable during a disaster when load spikes tend to crash networks.

For instance during the Tsunami catastrophe in Asia. Dialog GSM, an operator in Sri Lanka was able to provide ongoing emergency information to its subscribers, to warn of incoming waves, to give news updates, to direct people to supply and distribution centres, and even to arrange donation collections using Celltick's Cell Broadcast Center.

Read more on the scenarios where it is in use or being tested here

10 Ways To Avoid Viruses and Spyware

Viruses,malware,trojans....every windows user is wary of them. One loathes to have one on his pc.
For a long time MS Windows has been the major target but not anymore,the mac is no longer safe as was thought to be. As a matter of fact no OS is. Windows is the main target because > 90 % of PC's run on the omnipresent OS.
Websites are also targets nowadys and as the bridge between mobiles n PC's is shortened so will they.
Here are 10 tips that can help you stay safe though :
1: Install quality antivirus
2: Install real-time anti-spyware protection
3: Keep anti-malware applications current
4: Perform daily scans
5: Disable autorun
6: Disable image previews in Outlook
7: Don't click on email links or attachments
8: Surf smart
9: Use a hardware-based firewall
10: Deploy DNS protection

Read more here

Why Gmail Failed Today

Why Gmail Failed Today

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Doubling Internet speed good but not good enough!!

Access Kenya last week announced that they are live on Seacom with 2.5Gbs, and still have 2.5Gbs on Teams (for rendundancy) making a total of 5 Gbs, That's more than was actually available for all Kenyan ISP's prior to the landing of the fibre optic cables.
With this they have doubled download speeds for all their customers.And promised to double again next year,this means that for those who had 256Kbps you should now have 512 and in less than 1 yr should be getting 1Mbps. This is very encouraging.
We have an access kenya connectionin the office and the speeds have no doubtedly improved.
Am sure all ISP's will follow suit or come up with better offers.
However the dissapointing fact is there will be now price reductions any time soon as most ISP's are claiming they need to recoup the capital investment.

With the arrival of the cables most people were hoping for increased speeds and reduced costs.
And until this happens there can't be significant increase in Interenet connectvity which is still quite low in the region.

Let's just say there's still a long way to go before the much hyped benefits are realised.

History

History’s Greatest Gadgets

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Apple planning Social App?

Word on the street doing the rounds suggests that apple inc are planning to tie iTunes 9 into a “Social” application.

iTunes has few social features so this could be right for them.

According to boygenious,the application will allow you to broadcast what music you’re currently listening to, allow you to share your music with people on your network, connect with your friend’s friends and update all of your statuses at the same time. ITunes 9 will let you broadcast music statuses as well.

Surveys: Top 10 Most Profitable Vendor Certifications

In the 2009 Certification & Training Survey the top 10 certifications most valuable to solution providers are

10. Citrix
9. SalesForce.com
8. Sun Microsystems
7. Dell
6. Vmware
5. HP
4. IBM
3.Oracle
2. Cisco
1. Microsoft

The review concludes that " By far, enterprises and midmarket companies give Microsoft certifications their highest rating."

Learn more about the certiftication survey here.

Facebook Flips The Switch On Real-Time Search, Goes After Twitter Where It Hurts

Facebook Flips The Switch On Real-Time Search, Goes After Twitter Where It Hurts

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Facebook Takes FriendFeed To Take On Twitter

Facebook Takes FriendFeed To Take On Twitter

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16 Apps That Make Sharing Large Files A Snap

16 Apps That Make Sharing Large Files A Snap

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Number Portability long overdue in Kenya

The announcement by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) of an approximately 1 year deadline to introduce number portability service. Service providers have 6 months to start implementing the service.
Number portability allows a subscriber to retain there number while migrating from one service provider to the other. The 3 underdogs (Zain,Orange and YU) were undoubtedly very elated. The dominant player (Safaricom) is not,and am sure they will put all obstacles possible towards achieving this as they definitely stand to lose the most.Their CEO was already on TV critising the service talking of how expensive it is to implement and ineffectiveness in getting subscribers to migrate.
CCK has asked the public to give its views. CCK says studies carried out by the commission indicate that Service Provider Number Portability (SPNP) offers effective intervention in markets that are dominated by single players.
From a consumer point of view this is long overdue. Furthermore it has already been implemented in African countries including South Africa,Nigeria and Egypt
However the one time fee of KSh. 1000 to users is extorbitant. Most Kenyans will be wondering what makes more sense between loading airtime worth Sh 1000 and making a switch.
The service should be either free as in most countries like Brazil,Israel, UK, Ireland and many others or for a reasonable fee such as the one Safaricom is suggesting of about Sh 20 (same as a SIM card).
The proposed 3 day period it will take for the switch to effect is too long considering it takes a mere 20 minutes some countries such as in the Republic of Ireland.
These are some of the challenges that need to be addressed before this service is implemented.

Mobile Money Transfer posing serious security challenge

Two days ago a friend of mine narrated to me the ordeal his relative underwent after being kidnapped in one of Nairobis estate.The kidnappers used his phone to contact his family demanding USD 5000.What struck me was the mode of payment they insisted on,which was M-PESA, Safaricom's mobile based money transfer. There has been a recent wave of kidnappings in the City. A while ago thugs (most of whom were in jail) would call someone they know and threaten you with murder if you failed to send a certain amount of money to their mobile based accounts.Most people sent them the money losing their hard earned cash easily.
Obviously Mobile based money transfer is the preffered mode/enabler for such crimes as the only two other options available are not viable,Cash delivery would expose them to being ambushed outright by cops, while bank accounts are well regulated and thus it's easy to follow the money.
The recent Govt. directive for Mobile SIM card users registeration can be seen as a positive step but is not sufficient.
I think more needs to be done now,Mobile based money transfer services such as ZAP and MPESA should now be put under CBK regulations and thus account opening/monitoring should follow same regulations as Bank accounts. There should be CCTV servuillance at all agents/dealers where subscribers can withdraw/deposit cash.This may mean fewer agents and this is not obviously music to the ears of Mobile operators.
But Security has a price !!!Otherwise uncontrolled and unregulated the trend of mobile based theft will worsen.

Internet Speed

We have been browsing on Safaricom Live today morning and are very impressed with the new connection speed.I hope the costs come down drastically soon enough.

Telecomms Reshaping

An interesting week for Kenya's ICT industry.
The establishment of a user database is surely a step towards number portability.Ofcoz the market leader will not be pleased with this. Call it a level playing ground...healthy competition. It's known to be the norm in the western world.No need to change numbers,justice to higest bidder.
Bring it on i say!!
Meanwhile four companies are said to have lost Teams shareholding.Mwenye nguvu mpishe.
At the same time Vivendi have dropped interest in Zain Africa after a senior exec visits Nairobi.
Will Zain now head to the east?

Seacom

Tommorrow East Africa will witness the go live for the first of three fibre optic cables.
This is eagerly awaited by ISP's,Telecomm carriers, data services providers and ofcourse us the consumers.
mmmmh...Can't wait for the downloads to start...


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Google Chrome OS

One of the worst kept secrets in the technology world that Google has long desired to build an OS to take a shot at the Microsoft Windows monopoly is finally out.
Google are creating a thin client OS that loads fast that works with a linux kernel as base and is designed for netbooks. Not sure how many people like notebooks.they r not so good.
This is both a good thing and somehow irrelevant.
Google intend to revolutionising IT (like MS did with the PC) with web based appz.
Apparently when the OS boots it will load Chrome.Is it goodbye to the PC and PC based appz?