ForgetMeNot Africa » Econet

Econet uses Facebook to promote eTXT

FMNA — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:51:22 +0000

Econet has just launched a new promotional campaign via Facebook for its eTXT service. The service takes advantage of ForgetMeNot Africa’s award winning Message Optimiser technology to allow users to chat, email and use Facebook on their phone via SMS. There is no need for mobile data in order to use eTXT.

eTXT, which launched in Zimbabwe earlier this year has already had a great impact in bridging the rural-urban digital divide in the country, and it is hoped that the promotion can do more to increase internet usage in the country.

The promotion requires users to post to the eTXT from Econet Facebook page using eTXT saying why they like the product. Entrants are then rewarded with free airtime and entry into a prize draw, and early winners have already been announced.

Econet in bid to block Zain Nigeria sale

FMNA — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:11:33 +0000

According to IT News Africa, Econet Wireless Group (EWG) of South Africa has started moves to block the sale of Kuwaiti-based Zain’s interests in Zain Nigeria until a ruling on a dispute over ownership of the company is passed. Last week media reports indicated that the Zain Group, a mobile telecoms company with operations in 22 countries in the Middle East and Africa, may agree to a deal to sell its African operations to French company Vivendi for up to USD12 billion.

According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database, Zain Nigeria was founded as Econet Wireless Nigeria (EWN) in 2001, named after the South African holding company Econet Wireless International (EWI) which held a 5% stake and a contract to run the cellco. Following a takeover attempt by Vodacom of South Africa in 2003, a protracted boardroom dispute ensued, with EWI unwilling to relinquish its stake or its management control. Eventually in 2004 EWN was renamed Vee Networks and its brand name changed to Vodacom. Barely six weeks after taking over the cellco, Vodacom pulled out of its contract and walked away from Vee Networks, citing ‘irregularities’ in the payment of the brokerage fees. Management of the company was handed to Dr Gamaliel Onosode, of the Delta State Ministry of Finance, and services were rebranded again, this time under the V-Mobile banner. Celtel International, a division of Zain, purchased 65% of the company in May 2006. EWI has since surfaced to try and gain a court ruling to overturn the sale to Celtel, claiming its pre-emption rights were breached when its predominantly Nigerian partners decided to sell their shares in V-Mobile to Zain in 2006.

Source: TeleGeography

Interview with Econet boss – Strive Masiyiwa

FMNA — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:54:02 +0000

Strive Masiyiwa

As founder and chief executive of Econet Wireless he has pursued his ambition of creating a truly African multinational business, spinning a web that spans seven countries, more than 25 million customers and generates an estimated $3bn (£1.8bn) in annual revenues. He has fought his way through Africa’s often tangled legal jungle and had the security forces on his tail – more often than not sitting outside his house.

Next week his legal team will enter a courtroom in the Netherlands to mount the next challenge: throwing a spanner in the works of what could potentially be one of the biggest deals in African history, the $10bn sale of rival mobile-phone operation Zain.

Read the rest on the Guardian website…

Source: Guardian