Wrap-Up: Our pick of main stories, Wednesday April 8th, 2015

Angani unveils Cloud and hosted service packages for Kenyan clients…. Safaricom cracks down on subscribers in airtime fraud….. Kenyans texting more, talking less on phone……. 13 money transfer firms closed over links of funding terrorists…. and more…

13 money transfer firms closed over links of funding terrorists

Money transfer companies have topped the list of 86 accounts alleged to be funding terror groups according to a gazette notice issued under Kenya’s prevention of terrorism act and signed by Kenya’s police Chief Joseph Boinnet. Among the notable money transfer companies mentioned were Dahabshill, one of the most important transfer companies across the wider Horn of Africa region. Dahabshill has agent locations and branches in 126 countries worldwide.

Safaricom cracks down on subscribers in airtime fraud

Thousands of Safaricom subscribers are under police radar for their involvement in a multi-million-shilling airtime theft that took place last month. One of the suspects was on Tuesday charged in court with manipulating the telecoms firm’s computer system and stealing electronic airtime.

The Directorate of Investigations (CID) is reportedly pursuing the masterminds of the electronic theft and about 10,000 Safaricom subscribers who bought the stolen airtime at half the market price. The subscribers face a charge of handling stolen property.

Kenyans texting more, talking less on phone

Kenyans are talking less and texting more on their mobile phones, the latest statistics by the regulator indicates. The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) says in a report that on average mobile phone subscriber called for 73.3 minutes per month in the quarter to December, down from 84.1 minutes in the same period last year and 85.6 minutes in three months to September.

Angani unveils Cloud and hosted service packages for Kenyan clients

In the rise of a series of terror attacks in Kenya, picture a solution that can capture real time data from your CCTV, get the same backed up in the cloud, still have the same data disseminated to a number of people who can access the cloud service as well as send you an alert in case of a motion in the area where the CCTV covers. This is exactly what Angani Vault can do.

The new solution was launched today by Kenya’s Cloud-services provider Angani among its other cloud and hosted service offerings. Angani also announced its partnership with local data center operators that will make it safe and cost effective to provision cloud solutions.

Samsung focuses on commercial property market with new AC systems

The growing market for high-end office and residential blocks in Nairobi has seen Kenya’s construction industry enjoy a sustained boom, with both the commercial and residential real estate markets growing steadily to keep up with the country’s push to attain higher economic growth.

To meet industry demand for smarter, faster, higher capacity air conditioning systems, global electronics company Samsung Electronics has introduced the 3rd generation Digital Variable Multi System (DVMS). Currently the world’s largest single unit capacity air conditioning system, the DVMS is a high performing unit with the capacity to support 540 square meters of cooling, while consuming up to 30 per cent less energy and occupying up to 43 per cent less footprint (building space). Suitable for both high rise buildings and smaller commercial spaces, the DVMS is designed to provide customised air cooling solutions, utilising smart technology to allow users to monitor and control the unit through a remote management system (RMS) over the internet through a smartphone or computer.

Airtel sets up fundraising for terror attack victims

According to Airtel Kenya, it has launched a fundraising drive via Airtel Money for the victims of the terrorist attack at Garissa University College on 02 April 2015. The mobile firm said it has set up a donation paybill number for well-wishers to send funds to the Red Cross.

The company revealed that donors should go to the Airtel Money menu and select Paybill, then select ‘other’, then type in Redcross (one word with no space in between) as the business code. They should enter the amount they would like to donate followed by their PIN and finally, type in ‘Garissa’ as reference.

M-Pesa clients can now make transfers between Kenya and Tanzania

Weeks after Vodafone which is Safaricom’s largest shareholder launched its first international money transfer corridor between Tanzania and Kenya through M-Pesa, Safaricom has now introduced cross boarder transfer for Tanzania and Kenya to carry out transactions through IMT Tanzania.