Linux Foundation unveils open source digital wallet consortium
The OpenWallet Foundation has been established to work on an open source software engine for anyone to use to make interoperable digital wallets.
Telecoms.com
Mobile Money
Orange has to spend more to boost loss-making banking business
Orange is taking sole control of its banking endeavour as well as feigning enthusiasm for ploughing extra cash into the outfit.
Orange Money partners with Ericsson Wallet Platform
Operator group Orange has turned to Ericsson to help it grow its pan African Orange Money service.
MTN walks away from Ethiopia despite mobile money permit clause
Ethiopia has formally announced that it will launch the process to award a second new mobile licence later this month, including a permit to offer financial services. But despite the removal of what has been widely seen as a key stumbling block in the liberalisation of the country’s telecoms market, African telco giant MTN is reportedly no longer interested.
Eurobites: Ethiopia to re-open bidding on second operator licence
Also in today’s EMEA regional round-up: MTN warns of H1 earnings fall; Orange combines with SSE Networks for improved maritime connectivity; Brussels looks into latest Facebook acquisition.
Safaricom shareholders greenlight Ethiopia expansion
Safaricom’s shareholders formally approved the operator’s incorporation in neighbouring Ethiopia, following it led a successful bid for a telecoms licence in Africa’s second largest country.
MTN teams up with Mastercard on mobile wallets
Africa’s leading mobile operator MTN has partnered with payment platform Mastercard to add online payment functions to its mobile wallet for user across its fintech footprint.
WhatsApp launches digital payments platform in Brazil
Social media giant Facebook has made the first tentative steps towards the digital payment environment with its WhatsApp messaging platform in Brazil.
Study claims Financial Identity as a Service could add $250 billion to global GDP
A report published by Oxford Economics has looked into the implications of bringing into the financial system the millions of people currently excluded from it.
Facebook can’t stop dabbling in financial services
Not content with trying to create a new global currency, Facebook now lets you pay for stuff through all its apps.
WhatsApp making progress on WeChat emulation ambitions
Facebook has been promising some sort of payments solution for WhatsApp, and it seems to be making a bit of progress in Indonesia.
A weak France overshadowed Orange’s Q1
The telecom operator Orange reported a flat Q1, with a weak performance in its home market partially compensated by the strength in Africa and the Middle East.
Amazon Pay acquires app aggregator platform Tapzo
Amazon has acquired Indian app company Tapzo in a deal to bolster its digital payments offering.
Google rebrands payments app ahead of international assault
Google has announced it will rebrand its Indian digital payments app, Tez, to Google Pay as the team readies a launch into new international markets.
Softbank and Yahoo team up to crack mobile money in Japan
Softbank and Yahoo Japan have announced the formation of a new joint venture, PayPay, to launch a QR-based smartphone payment services in Japan by November.
WhatsApp forced to enter India mobile money market early
The WhatsApp online payments trial received rave reviews in February, however the team is being forced to launch the market-ready version ahead of schedule for fear of being left behind by competitors.
London welcomes buskers to the digital revolution
Moving into the connected era has threatened the livelihoods of numerous individuals, but a new initiative from Busk In London and iZettle, backed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan plans to bring buskers into the digital economy.
Google wants your smart speaker to pay your bills as well
Google has announced it will launch additional features for its smart speaker software soon, including the ability to pay back friends just by using your voice.
WhatsApp to enter world of mobile money – first stop, India
WhatsApp has been granted permission to test out a money transfer service in the Indian market, a move which could generate notable ripples in the maturing mobile money segment.
Huawei and UnionPay tie up for global road trip
Huawei has signed a cooperation agreement with UnionPay International to add fuel to the worldwide rollout of Huawei Pay.
Events
Bringing value to private networks – Digital Symposium
- 30-30 March 2023
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5G Core – Digital Symposium
- 20-20 April 2023
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OpenRAN World (co-located with the 6G Summit)
- 26-27 April 2023
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Telecoms industry body the GSMA has released a couple of reports waxing on future #spectrum allocation and its econ hhttps://t.co/eY9Q8gViVg
25 March 2023 @ 17:40:10 UTC
India's Narendra Modi is sticking by his aim of launching #6G services in the country by 2030, despite the fact tha hhttps://t.co/pKOMD8fb7T
25 March 2023 @ 15:05:09 UTC
The bullish sentiment swirling around #5G fixed-wireless access (#FWA) services continues to build.Read now: hthttps://t.co/tiVTLq2097
25 March 2023 @ 13:35:10 UTC