Issued by: Starfish Mobile


Vodacom will make use of Starfish Mobile's proprietary content deliver platform, Griffin, to deliver SMS, MMS, USSD, WAP, WEB and IVR based content services. Starfish Mobile East Africa in partnership with Vodacom will relaunch the existing VodaTarifa content brand under a new name using the 15500 number.

Some of the new and exciting services to be launched on the 15500 brand will be love and life text services in English and Swahili, ring tones and logos. These will form phase 1 of the content roll-out strategy and moving forward, Vodacom and Starfish have identified new services such MMS, wallpapers, greeting cards, real tones and Java games as part of the phase 2 roll-out. For both phases we have identified a strong need for localisation of content as a very important part of the strategy.

The partnership between Vodacom and Starfish is based on bringing together the strengths of both parties to create the most innovative and exciting content and media platform in Tanzania.

Starfish Mobile with over five years of experience in the mobile data business has been tasked with driving the content strategy in creating the Vodacom Tanzania vision of becoming a full multimedia company. Services will include amongst others news, video, TV, sport, pictures, music, internet, logos, text messages and gaming.

“Our media strategy is a key component to the strategic edge we want to create for Vodacom over our competitors that is not tariff plan based. These are the true value added services that consumers are willing to buy in addition to their traditional Voice and SMS requirements. They are lifestyle orientated and will attract and retain subscribers, as well as addressing unfulfilled needs that are not served by the current media industry in Tanzania,” said Dylan Lennox, Managing Executive: New Technologies – Vodacom Tanzania Ltd.

Vodacom Media will provide services to both the mobile phone and data cards and will become the first choice when it comes to the delivery of entertainment. “This is in line with moves by international telco's who have positioned themselves as ‘triple play' operators in the search for new revenue streams,” said Wayne Nelson-Esch, CEO of Starfish Mobile International.

Vodacom Tanzania will provide network capacity and upgraded technology as well as innovative and aggressive marketing as part of the partnership with Starfish Mobile East Africa providing content sourcing and aggregation as well as creating and driving the Strategy.

Together both Vodacom and Starfish Mobile will form strategic alliances with the key media industry players in Tanzania in order to ensure that subscribers will turn to Vodacom for their media needs.

“This is definitely one of the most exciting partnership and projects that we at Starfish Mobile have been involved in over the past five years. The sheer scope and size of the deal is unparalleled with the most exciting aspect of it all being the fact that it really is a true partnership between ourselves and Vodacom, where we share the same vision and desire to create and build something truly exceptional and special. We at Starfish Mobile are all very excited and focused on delivering on this shared promise and vision and in so doing setting the benchmark for the future of the mobile content business in Africa,” said Nelson-Esch.

Visit our PRESS OFFICE: Starfish Mobile is involved in all the key aspects of the mobile arena including content provision & aggregation, interactive marketing campaigns & broadcast messaging. - more....

[22 Feb 2008 16:57]

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