HiPipo Money

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Kampala 

MTN Uganda celebrates another major milestone: Successful commissioning of MTN Fibre Network at Katuna Border-.

MTN Uganda on Friday 8^th February commissioned its Fibre network at Katuna Border in Kabale district.

Since its launch in Uganda in 1998, MTN Uganda has made major investments in Uganda. In 2012 alone, its CAPEX investments exceeded USD 80 million by December. This investment was mainly towards the expansion of network infrastructure, establishment of ultra-modern Switching and Data Centre, as well as rollout of fibre infrastructure to boost the quality of voice and data services

In terms of Network infrastructure, last year MTN Uganda rolled out an additional 600km of fibre backbone closing the year with over 2,800km of fibre system providing the capacity for high speed data connectivity and wider national coverage of 3G mobile data services that extend internet access to the rural areas of Uganda.

MTN Uganda has over the last 6 months completed the installation of another 81 new Network Coverage Sites and also added another batch of capacity sites to enhance the quality of network services across Uganda. MTN has a total of 1,100 sites at the end of 2012 providing Network Coverage and communication services to millions of Ugandans across the country.

In 2009 MTN Uganda launched the first mobile money service with tremendous success. MTN Uganda Mobile Money ranks 2nd in the world in terms of absolute number of active customer accounts added during 2012 as per GSMA research completed recently.

Over the past couple of years MTN has also installed backhaul systems providing connectivity to the submarine cables landed at Mombasa. This has enabled secured and reliable connectivity with the rest of the world while providing quality voice and data services and high level redundancy.

MTN has an extensive list of new innovations that will be gradually announced during the year. MTN Uganda announced recently about the plan to deploy Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in Uganda during the coming months, which will enable MTN Customers to access world class internet with bandwidth speed up to 100Mbps. Today, more than 7.5 Million Ugandan enjoys country wide the Yellow revolution providing best network, fastest growing Mobile Money services, widest coverage and world class internet.

MTN CEO Mazen Mroué said, “The launch of the new fibre system at Katuna is a major development which we are confident will have a positive impact on the future of Uganda’s ICT Roadmap and will substantially improve the connectivity with neighbouring countries by connecting them to the East African submarine cables at Mombasa and to the rest of the world. This is in line with MTN commitment of leading innovation in the market and in the region as a whole.

Over the past couple of years MTN has also made backhaul links expansion and enhancements to the Mombasa submarine cables (EASSY and TEAMS). This has enabled connectivity with the rest of the world while providing better connectivity and high level redundancy for voice and data services.

Commenting on MTN Uganda’s plans for LTE deployment in Uganda, the Mroué said, “MTN remains committed to development of the ICT sector and the Ugandan economy. LTE becomes the new standard determining the level of Technology development and offering substantially faster data speed than other technologies”.

The event held at the Katuna border post was graced by the Minister of ICT-Honourable Ruhakana Rugunda, the Executive Director of UCC- Engineer Godfrey Mutabazi as well as the MTN Uganda Chairman- Mr. Charles Mbire.

Speaking at the event the Minister of ICT- Honourable Ruhakana Rugunda said, “We at the Ministry would like to commend MTN Uganda for this investment that further confirms its commitment to provide support for this crucial sector of Uganda’s economy and further positions Uganda as a leader in ICT. The extension of the MTN Uganda fibre will act as a catalyst for economic development and will support the Ugandan government to further leverage on the existent regional partnerships in the areas of trade and industry”.

This landmark development is the first terrestrial link to Rwanda, and will greatly lower cost and significantly improve quality of communications services in the region. 

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Kampala

New and Affordable BlackBerry Service Plans Provide More Choice and Flexibility for MTN Customers

Kampala, Uganda January, 2013 – MTN Uganda today announced three new BlackBerry® service plans to give customers more choices on BlackBerry smartphones that are tailored to their needs and wallets. The BlackBerry® Social, BlackBerry® Complete, and BlackBerry® Absolute plans are designed to suit the different requirements of MTN customers, whether it’s for instant messaging, social networking, browsing, email, apps, or all of the above, and are available in daily, weekly, and monthly offerings.

For customers looking to stay connected on social networks, the BlackBerry Social Plan is only 1,000/- per day. It enables MTN customers to easily stay connected on Facebook®, Twitter® and other social networks. Customers also get access to BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger), one BlackBerry® Email account (username@mtninternet.blackberry.com) and Internet access. The plan also allows customers to search, discover and download mobile apps for their BlackBerry® smartphone on the BlackBerry® World™ storefront.

The BlackBerry Complete Plan, at 1,500/- per day, is designed for Internet access, email and social connectivity. In addition to the benefits included in the BlackBerry Social Plan, it also includes access to one third party email account (e.g. Yahoo!, Hotmail or Gmail).

The BlackBerry® Absolute Plan (previously known as the BlackBerry® Internet Service Plan), gives customers unlimited access to BlackBerry data services from their BlackBerry smartphones. This includes access to the Internet, BBM, social networking sites, BlackBerry World and up to 10 supported corporate and personal email accounts. It also includes BlackBerry® Protect™, a free application designed to help find your lost BlackBerry smartphone, and keep the information on it secure.

“As the leading network in Uganda, MTN has tailor made these packages to ensure that customers get just want they need, and nothing that they don’t,” said Ernst Fonternel, MTN Uganda Chief Marketing Officer. “In addition to the choice of BlackBerry service plans, MTN customers also have a choice of daily, weekly and monthly smart plans, which further reinforces our belief in offering customers choice, while delivering on our long term commitment of making Internet access more affordable.

“We know our BlackBerry customers like to stay informed and connected while on-the-go, to keep in touch with their contacts be it family or business through email and chat services like BlackBerry Messenger and other social media channels. Our new BlackBerry service plans will provide our customers with more options for accessing data services, while allowing them to be completely in control of their budget and monthly data usage.”

The new plans are available for both MTN postpaid and prepaid customers. Prepaid customers can activate and check their status by dialling *150*4#. Postpaid customers can activate by contacting their Account Manager or dialling 121 or 0313 121 121.

Prices for the new BlackBerry service plans

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Kampala

At MTN, we are committed to constantly giving and demonstrating value to our customers through simple and innovative promotions; from “MTN overload” to the most recently concluded “Win airtime for a Year” promotion.

Today, MTN is launching Free Weekend Calls. In this campaign, MTN prepaid customers simply need to dial *188# once to activate and thereafter, load a minimum of 2,000/- worth of airtime during the week from Monday to Friday to receive Free Weekend Calls.

Customers will automatically receive 10 Free MTN weekend minutes to use on Saturdays and Sundays.

“At MTN we value our customers and we continuously look at innovative ways to make their lives a whole lot brighter. We would like to give them an opportunity to stay in touch with their loved ones as they wind down and enjoy their weekends ”, says Ernst Fonternel, MTN Uganda Chief Marketing Officer.

This campaign will run for three months starting 7^th February to 5^th May 2013.

For more details about this promotion including Terms & Conditions, please visit http://www.mtn.co.ug/Help/Legal/Free-weekend-Calling-Promo.aspx

The HMA Nominees

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Kampala

You have heard of so much but I trust you have not seen something like Tots & Teens Magazine and Newspaper in the Ugandan market.

Tots and Teens Magazine and Newspaper is a brand new innovative publication that is aimed at creating educative, engaging and creative content for kids especially in schools around Uganda, presenting different issues, situations and life experiences, with lots of entertainment buzz!!

The idea and presentation of this magazine is only comparable to world class teens’ magazines such as M Magazine, Teen Ink, Discovery Girls, J-14, Popstar! , Girl’s Life, Twist, American Cheerleader, Seventeen and Teen Vogue among others.

Speaking to Rose Busingye the Managing Director Tots and Teens, she expressed excitement for the good reception the publication is receiving just after 3 releases.

She said, “People have shown interest in our publications, recently one Minister called us to secure monthly supply for copies of our monthly magazine to his family and school.”

Tots and Teens publications are targeted for schools and families. The Bi-weekly newspaper goes for UGX 1,500 and the Monthly Magazine costs UGX 5,000 per copy.

Back ground:

Tots & Teens Newspaper, “the children’s voice” is located at plot No 3, 8thstreet Industrial area Kampala. It is registered to produce literature for Children through a Magazine and Newspaper. 

It is designed to avail to Children a reading material that is Educational, aiming at grooming them to be better citizens.

Tots and teens news paper has professional staff who are deployed to produce the best material for children.

Objectives

• Providing a community forum for children’s issues and an advocacy to enhance child care and protection.
• To provide information, education and a communication reading material for children and expose them to the right reading materials. 
• Providing partners and advertisers with a high- readership newspaper material that will generate high return in relation to their missions. 
• Providing a ‘voice’ for the children where they will express their opinions, views and creativity to enhance their participation in the social- economic development of their country.

Our Vision Statement.

Children empowered, protected, grow in wisdom, awareness and good life through children’s voice newspaper.

Mission Statement.

Producing the most accurate and interesting source of news for children that will adhere to high ethical, moral standardads and advocate for children’s rights, their responsibilities and participation.

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Kampala

Facebook search has for a long time been lacking! In a bid to improve search experience and hopefully also tap into the search adverting money, Facebook announced a search product called Graph Search.   Facebook Graph Search could be a starting point.  With some intelligence to interpret human like questions, this could be a good addition to the semantic web. The questions that may not be answered as yet are how users will receive this new product and if users’ mental model will be able to change in a way oriented to social/connection graph search.

Written by Facebook PR, here is a list of questions and answers about graph search.

What is Graph Search?
Graph Search is a new way for you to find people, photos, places and interests that are most relevant to you on Facebook.

What is Graph Search useful for?
Graph Search will help you instantly find others, learn more about them and make connections, explore photos, quickly find places like local attractions and restaurants, and learn about common interests like music, movies, books and more. All results are unique based on the strength of relationships and connections.

What can I search for?
With Graph Search, you can search for people, photos, places and interests.

How do I search?
Type your search into the blue bar at the top of the page. As you start to type, suggestions appear in a drop down. You can refine your search using the tools on the right-hand side of the page.

Some example searches include:
· People who like tennis and live nearby
· Photos before 1990
· Photos of my friends in New York
· Sushi restaurants in Palo Alto my friends have liked
· Tourist attractions in Italy visited by my friends 

How are you rolling this out?
Graph Search is in a limited preview, or beta. That means Graph Search will only be available to a very small number of people who use Facebook in US English.

How can I get Facebook Graph Search?
You can sign up for the waitlist at www.facebook.com/graphsearch

Does Graph Search change any of my current privacy settings?
No. Graph Search follows your current privacy settings. You can only search for content that has been shared with you.

How do I control what tags, locations and photos can show up about me?
To control tags, photos or posts with locations about you that appear in search, go to your Activity Log.

Sample Question One Can Ask Using Facebook Graph Search: Insporired by Techcrunch post What Can You Search For On Facebook Graph Search?

Dating

How to Use Facebook New Search for Dating: Based on your status and what you may want, below are questions you may put in the search box: Which Questions Will You Ask the Search Tool?

• If you’re desperate: Single men in Kampala
• If you want a nerd: Single women nearby who Like Star Wars
• If you need someone your parents will like: Single men in Kampala Who Went To Makerere
• Hunting for cougars in Kampala: Women in Kampala older than 38
• If you want someone kinky: Single women in Kampala who Like 50 Shades Of Gray
• If you want to get beat up: My friends’ moms

GETTING ADVICE

• How to pop the question?: My friends who are married
• Getting that cavity fixed?: Dentists Liked by my friends
• What game should I play in the off-season?: Sports games my friends play
• How can I find my passion?: What Groups are my friends in?
• What should I watch tonight?: Videos by TV shows Liked by my friends

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Kampala

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Kampala

British Airways is equipping its 3,600 pilots with iPads to further improve customer service and operational efficiency levels.
The move, which follows the airline’s rollout of iPads across its cabin crew and ground operations teams, is part of the company’s £5bn investment in new products and technology to provide the best possible flying experience for British Airways’ customers.

By having access to additional real-time operational data, shared with ground colleagues, pilots will be able to plan the flight more efficiently using the most accurate information available pre-departure.

This means flight crew can provide customers with faster and more accurate flight information than ever before. With the latest operational updates customers will be better informed and able to make plans if their flight time has changed for any reason.
Pilots will also be able to use historic and current data, supplied by the customer, to provide an even more personalised service during the flight.
British Airways’ Country Manager Faith Chaitezvi   said: “We want our pilots to deliver a safe and memorable experience for each and every British Airways customer, on every single flight. The I Pads will help us to achieve this goal by giving us the means to provide a more personalized service and share more timely flight information with our customers and colleagues.”

It is commonly said that if you do not plan then you are planning to fail. Companies and brands need to carefully plan and budget for their social media presence. Social media is here to help build and/or strength corporate/SME or individual brands but if not well used it can damage brands. Jasmine Sandler , discuss the following among things to consider in your company/brand social media budget:

1.     Social Media Marketing Strategy

This budget in some cases may have to be delivered by consultants hence would come at cost. Even when delivered by internal company personnel, coming up with strategy will cost time of your marketing team.

2.     Social Media Channels/Pages Setup

In the event that you are just stepping in to social media for the first time, social media channel setup will be your first hard cost which may need graphics persons to design custom skins for pages such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn (company header) with clear focus that your brand is well represented in all the designs.

3.     Content Development

Content marketing it at the center of social media marketing! Without content your social media strategy will be weak. Compelling content takes professionalism in design, writing skills, video production, photography, audio development, and more hence plan for this in your budget.

4.     Channel Management

Once you have a working content plan, you’ll need daily management of the social channels that will drive your online brand awareness and engagement. Social media management takes listening, research, staying on top of trends and influencers, and ongoing creative thinking.

5.     Social Media Campaigns

There are loads of opportunities to create and deliver display ad and PR campaigns within the social networks. In doing so, cost factors include: design, goal-setting, analytics and reporting, and of course, outreach and management. Best practices at a minimum for any serious social media marketer include one strong targeted campaign per quarter.