Why Mobile Money is Important in Developing Regions

For many, mobile money transfers are intriguing not because they represent a new business and industry, though that is important. Making mobile phones function as a virtual bank or ATM in places where the banking infrastructure is under-developed is important as an economic development tool.

Visa outlines ‘digital wallet’ vision

Visa’s head of mobile innovation, Bill Gajda, says mobile devices are becoming “true digital wallets.” That's an interesting way of putting things, as you might have been thinking Visa is mostly interested in the "payment" or transaction part of the mobile money business. It is, of course. But the related businesses, ranging from advertising, local commerce and credentials management to loyalty and marketing programs are not areas Visa might see as outside the scope of its extended ambitions.

Referencing what he described as “the convergence of mobile and payment networks,” Gajda’s vision for a mobile wallet focuses on “mobilizing existing Visa accounts, extending mobile banking to payments, enhancing the consumer payment experience, enabling customer control, and offering new transaction types."

Visa outlines ‘digital wallet’ vision; signs up 100,000 payWave users in Korea

The History of Money According to Barclay's

Barclay's takes a look at the history of money, as it promotes new mobile money ventures.

Egypt Mobile Operator to Launch Mobile Money Transfer Service

Mobile phone operators in Egypt are planning to launch money transfer services. Of the country's some 80 million inhabitants, analysts estimate that only about 10 percent of the population owns and uses a credit card. Mobile money transfer services, which recently received an initial green light from authorities in Egypt, could assist the millions who don't have access to a credit card or bank account, while also helping line the pockets of mobile operators.

"In a country where a small number use credit cards, there's a potential for mobile payment as an alternative for the circulation of cash,"said Hassan Kabbani, chief executive officer of the Egyptian Co. for Mobile Services, better known as Mobinil, the country's biggest mobile operator by subscribers. Read more..

The launch date for mobile money transfer services, or MMTS, in Egypt, is still to be determined, but comes at a time when similar systems started in Africa have proved a raging success."

Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM, Sony Share Nortel Patents

Nortel Networks Corporation has sold about 6,000 patents to a consortium of bidders including Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, Research In Motion and Sony. Google is not on the list.

The sale includes more than 6,000 patents and patent applications spanning wireless, wireless 4G, data networking, optical, voice, internet, service provider, semiconductors and other patents. The extensive patent portfolio touches nearly every aspect of telecommunications and additional markets as well, including Internet search and social networking.

Given the amount of patent infringement activity in the mobile business these days, the deal essentially means Apple, Microsoft, RIM and Sony Ericsson have gained some protection against such lawsuits, the typical resolution being cross licensing between the parties. But a firm needs a trove of patents to have something to trade.

The sale increases the likelihood of patent infringement suits against Google, because Google will not be seen as having sufficient protection in the form of intellectual property to cross license.

Nortel Announces the Winning Bidder of Its Patent Portfolio for a Purchase Price of US$4.5 Billion - MarketWatch:

Smart Phones Outsell Feature Phones in U.S. Market

It was only a matter of time before sales of smart phones eclipsed sales of feature phones, and according to Nielsen Wire, that time is now. It will take a while before the installed base of smart phones becomes a majority, but that, too, is inevitable.

$4 Billion North American Backhaul Market in 2015

The market for wholesale backhaul services in North America will grow from $2.45 billion in 2010 to $3.9 billion in 2015, with the majority of this growth coming from Ethernet backhaul, according to Yankee Group analyst Jennifer Pigg.

Average macrocell backhaul requirements were 10 Mbps in 2008 (seven T1s, five E1s). Today’s requirements are 35 Mbps in 2011, and by 2015, Yankee Group predicts they will demand 100 Mbps.
The Yankee Group analysis suggests 66 percent of rural cell towers support at least two mobile operators while suburban towers house up to six antennas, while urban towers can house 12 to 20 antennas, belonging to multiple operators and networks.