Peoples Bank of Zanzibar Launches Online Service

(Zanzibar, Tanzania) — The people's Bank of Zanzibar Limited (PBZ Ltd) which is one among the oldest commercial banks in Tanzania and the only indigenous bank in Zanzibar wholly owned by the people of Zanzibar has today expanded its online remittance services to Tanzania from abroad by launching a new service for mobile phone subscribers in the country.

The new service enables members of Tanzanian Diasporic communities to transfer money to their loved ones in Tanzania directly to their mobile phones. Thus, anyone with a mobile phone in Tanzania can now receive money securely and promptly from overseas regardless of his/her location in the country. Similar service is already enjoyed by other East African countries. The service is carried-out in collaboration with a widely renowned and an award-winning London-based financial services institution calledWorld Remit The People's Bank of Zanzibar couldn't have planned a better timing for the launch of this new service than at the moment when the local Tanzanian mobile networks just signed the 'interoperability agreement' which allows mobile money customers to transfer cash to each other regardless of whether they are using Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money or Ezy Pesa on their mobile handsets. With such an agreement in place, many families in the Diaspora will now be enticed to send e-money back home to the e-wallet accounts of their relatives even if the relatives live in remote villages. This will definitely promote a nascent ‘cashless’ economy in Tanzania and will help to drive forward e-commerce and socio-economic development in the country.

According to the People’s Bank of Zanzibar, from January 31st, 2013, when the first remittance worth only TShs 31,252.00 was sent from Toronto, Canada, up to date around one billion Tanzanian Shillings have already been remitted to Tanzania from different Diaspora communities through the People’s Bank of Zanzibar using cash pickup at the counter, bank deposit and airtime top-up services.

Visiting any branch of the bank in Tanzania today one would not fail to notice queues of customers beaming with smiles as they happily wait to pick up their cash sent by their relatives and friends from Europe. These queues are now part of the history of the People's Bank of Zanzibar, as no one would from tomorrow go to stand on a queue when he knows quite well that he can receive cash from abroad directly in the palm of his/her hand.

Monthly records of the People's Bank of Zanzibar show that the number of remittances from different Diaspora communities are increasing month after month with Canada leading. Of late, UK which has the largest population of Tanzanians abroad has also caught up with the spirit after lagging behind for sometime and if it continues with the same tempo might soon surpass Canada. 

The remittance services provided by the People’s Bank of Zanzibar were originally destined only for the recipients of those cities where the bank had its branches, viz, Pemba, Zanzibar and Dar Es Salaam. But, with the launching of this new service today, a new window has been thrown open for more than 27 million Tanzanians who own mobile phones in the country.

According to the officials of the bank in Zanzibar, the system has begun today to transfer funds to Tigo mobile phone numbers only (Tigo Pesa accounts), while the process of finalizing agreements with the other 3-BIG mobile providers in the country goes on.

Recipients are required to pre-register for mobile money service with their mobile phone providers prior to the usage of the service.

Remittance services through the People’s Bank of Zanzibar from USA to Tanzania are expected to start by the end of the year.

To all those who toiled, moiled and operated as one high performing team for the successful launching of the service today, we say it loud to them - AHSANTENI SANA!

Source: Zanzibar Ni Kwetu

Kero ya KuBeep

Mdau African Man ameleta swali kuhusu simu za mkononi (Cell phone)kwa wadau, karibuni mchangie mjadala wake.

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Assalam aleikum waungwana.

naomba uniwekee swali langu nipate michango ya wadau kuhusu hiki kitendo cha kubeep kwenye simu ya mtu. mimi ni mmoja wa watu wanaosumbuliwa sana na kukerwa na kitendo cha kubeepiwa katika simu. ninavyojua mimi simu ina huduma kama nne hivi ambazo ni kupiga simu (call), ujumbe wa sauti (voice mail), ujumbe mfupi (sms) na internet kama simu yenyewe ni smartphone. sijaona wala kusikia kuwa kuna huduma ya kubeep.

sasa inashangaza mtu kununua simu ya bei mbaya kisha kuanza kubeep watu ukimuuliza anasema hakuwa na salio. utashindwaje kununua vocha ya shilingi 5000 wakati una simu ya shilingi laki5? na mbaya zaidi unapompigia mtu anayebeep huwa aidha hana la maana la kusema au atajibu NILIKUWA NAKUSALIMIA MKUU!!!!. sasa hujiuliza kusalimia ndio huku au? mara kadhaa wanaobeep huharibu utulivu wa vikao maofisini, kusababisha ajali barabarani na hata vifo nk. baadhi ya ofisi hupiga marufuku simu kwenye vikao kwa sababu ya kero za wanaobeep.

kwa mtazamo wangu kubeep kutakuwa na maana iwapo kutakuwepo mazingira yafuatayo:

1. iwapo wahusika walikubaliana kuwa nikikubeep namaanisha kuwa nimemaliza kazi au nipo tayari kwa safari au utoke nje tuonane na mfano wa hayo.

2. iwapo wahusika wamekubaliana kuwa nikikubeep namaanisha kuwa unipigie kwa kuwa sina credit ya kutosha.

3. iwapo wahusika wamekubaliana kuwa nikikubeep namaanisha kuwa kuna ujumbe mfupi (sms) nimekutumia na umepita muda mrefu sijapata jibu hivyo nasisitiza kuwa unijibu hiyo sms.
ukiondoa sababu hizo hapo juu ambazo ni lazima wahusika wawe wamekubaliana kabla, kubeep kutaendelea kuwa kero na maudhi kwa wamiliki wa simu. inasikitisha kuwa watu wengi wanaendeleza tabia hii ambayo kwa hakika inakera sana. baadhi wakibeep usipowapigia hununa na kukasirika. sasa hujiuliza nini maana ya kubeep? ulitaka nikupigie kwa nini usipige wewe? au jee tuliweka makubaliano hayo kuwa ukibeep nikupigie? maswali ni mengi na majibu ni machache.

nadhani kuna haja ya makampuni ya simu kudhibiti hali hii aidha kwa kutoza fedha kidogo kwa wanaobeep au kuchukua hatua kali zaidi juu yao. kuwe na system kuwa ukibeep ovyo unaweza kufungiwa line yako nk. wakati mwengine mtu hubeep zaidi ya mara 10 na unapoamua kumpigia kwa kudhani kuwa labda kuna emergency au ana shida muhimu unaishia kupata majibu ya kijinga...aaah niliona nikusalimie tu mzee....au aah nipo hapa klebu karibu na kwako... na majibu mengine kama hayo. wakati mwengine ulikuwa umelala kabisa umechoka na mizunguko ya maisha au upo na kazi very sensitive na mtu anakuondoa stimu kwa beep za kijinga.
naomba wadau wanisaidie mawazo yao jee kubeep hasa kuna maana gani maana mimi nimechoka na hii kero.

mdau

Simu ya Kifo Yatokea Kweli Kenya!!!

Eti ukipokea simu kutoka kwa namba fulani huko Kenya, ubongo utapasuka. Uvumi unasema kuwa watu zaidi ya elfu moja wamekufa. Imebidi serikali ya Kenya iingilie!!!

Walipa Kodi Marekani Hebu Chekini!

Walio Marekani wataelewa. Unakuta mtu eti maskini anaishi kwenye projects, hafanyi kazi anapokea welfare check lakini ana gari, anavaa nguo na viatu vya bei mbaya na kuwa na simu latest! Huko wewe unasota minimum wage na huna kitu cha maana cha kuonyesha!

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This is classic. Our TAX Dollars at work!

Recently Michelle Obama went to serve food to the homeless at a government funded soup kitchen .

Cost of a bowl of soup at homeless shelter $0.00 dollars

Having Michelle Obama serve your soup $0.00 dollars

A homeless person who is receiving government funded meals while taking a picture of the first lady using his $300 Black Berry cell phone $$$$ Priceless
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Simu za Mikononi Bongo

This is a fact, you may verify yourself. Written by Voda customer who is tied of voda:

Calling Voda to Voda is Tshs 360 per minute. Calling from Voda to other networks in the country is Tshs 560 per minute. Voda SMS to all networks is Tshs 60 per sms.
Ok,Calling Tigo to Tigo Tshs 300 per minute. Calling from Tigo to other networks in the country is Tshs 360 per minute. Tigo sms to all networks is Tshs 45 per sms.
Calling Zantel to Zantel is Tshs 250 per minute. Calling from Zantel to other networks in the country is Tshs 275 per minute.

Just by looking above assuming calling/usage time is constant, Tigo customers would spend more than 40% or 50% (depending on other packages listed below) less compared to Voda customer whereas Zantel customer would spend less than 55% compared to voda customer.Assume Voda customer use 100,000 per month, then Tigo would use less than Tshs 60,000 whereas Zantel customer would use just some shs above 40,000.

For a voda customer spending Tshs 50,000 per month, Tigo customer would spend a range of Tshs 20,000 to 30,000 per month, whereas Zantel customer could spend even less.

Other packages!1. Tigo has extreme call package whereby you subscribe Tshs 1500 and you call all Tigo number from 6.00am to 6.00 pm. Comparatively Voda has the same service called Chizika but you NEVER be able to subscribe whenever you want-if you think I am joking try *147# and dial (which is a way to subscribe to free unlimited call for 12hrs from 6.00am) to see if you will get through. Definitely you will be told to try again tomorrow! You will be very lucky if you get through.

Friends have been saying for every 1000 people one gets through! Anyway Vodacom does not want you to know this service because they have not even advertised it. Have you heard or seen chizika advert anywhere if it is not only one found along Ali Hassan Mwinyi road in Dar es Salaam? For your information with Zantel you can call zantel customers for 24hrs with only Tshs1500. only that zantel customers are not as many.
2. Tigo has sms extreme package whereby you subscribe Tshs 500 and send sms to ALL networks for 12hrs from 6.00am. Voda despite of charging Tshs 15 more on every sms, it does not give any releaf package in this area. Zain (not Zantel) has the same package by subscribing Tshs 400. It is not my intention to bring in Zain now since its calling cost is almost like voda’s

3. With Tigo you can call for one shilling from 6.00pm to 5.59am to tigo to tigo. So from extreme call you enjoy during the day, in the evening you have another relief. Huree! Voda has almost the same relief but this one starts at 10.00pm to 5.59am. Despite of that “dead night time” you have to try yourself to see if you can get through a call. It is not easy even you have an emergency!

4. With Tigo you can call tigo subscribers for one shilling from Friday 6.00 to Monday 5.59am! By that Time, voda customers are calling voda subscribers for normal rate Tshs 360 and non voda subscribers for Tshs 560! ALAS VODA!

5. Even with Zain (Celtel), one is far better off compared to voda!

Some rumors created which make people not to shift.

1. Voda has very extensive network and is reliable! Fact check: If you are based in Dar or another city and you call most networks with certainty from Tigo, Zantel or Zain then the above rumor is cheating people! If voda was reliable it could be reliable when you subscribe to chizika and when you make even emergency call from 10.00pm.

2. Remember, you don’t travel so much in the interior parts of the country. If you are sure of been where you are for 11months of the year without going to interior parts of the country, then you don’t need voda. You can reach interior people with whatever network they may be through Zantel, Tigo or even Zain with much cheaper rates.
voda subscriber compared to Tigo, Zantel and somewhat Zain friends! I don’t think if
Advise:1. We don’t have to fool. We are incurring much much much higher cost by been there will be any person on earth except fool who will be happy and comfortable to pay higher rate for less! This is what voda customers we are getting!

2. Corporate customers who pay for their employees airtime could save up to 40% or 50% if encourage their employees to shift to cheaper networks. Company may leave airtime rates (they give to employees) at where they are and they are will minimize to a great deal number of complaints on air time increases by employees. If you are giving your employee an airtime of Tshs 50,000 in Voda and he/she complains, with Tigo, Zantel or even Zain (somewhat) complaints will be very very minimal!

Simu ya Kifo kweli!

Siku hizi watu wengi wana simu za mkononi. Lakini zina athari zake. Siku nyingi watu wamesema zinapunguza nguvu za kiume au kuua mayai ya mwanamke! Mara waseme zinaleta tumours (uvimbe) kwenye ubongo.

Sasa leo kuna habari kuwa baba moja huko Korea ya Kusini kafa kazini kwake baada ya simu yake ya mkononi kulipuka kwenye sharti yake na kumwua. Wanasema betri ndo ililipuka ndani ya poketi kwenye sharti aliyovaa. Simu enyewe iliyeyuka kifuani mwake! DOH!

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- An exploding mobile phone battery apparently killed a South Korean man in the first such known case in this gadget-obsessed country, police say.

The man, identified only by his family name Suh, was found dead at his workplace in a quarry Wednesday morning and his mobile phone battery was melted in his shirt pocket, a police official in Cheongwon, 135 kilometers (85 miles) south of Seoul, told The Associated Press.

"We presume that the cell phone battery exploded," the police official said on condition of anonymity.

The official said the phone was made by South Korea's LG Electronics, the world's fifth-biggest handset maker.

LG Electronics confirmed its product was involved in the accident but said such a battery explosion and death was virtually impossible.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/11/113_14581.html

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/28/phone.explosion.ap/index.html