MTN Mobile Money To Be Interrupted As They Switch Platforms

MTN’s Mobile Money platform will be down for a few days from Friday, 17th October 2014 at midnight to Sunday 19th October 2014 at midnight to be specific. Normal service is expected to be restored on Monday, 20th October 2014.

This is in order to facilitate the expansion of their Mobile Money service to another platform that will enable them to perform other linked functions and provide an overall better service to their customers than before.

Speaking at a press briefing today, MTN Zambia Chief Sales and Distribution Officer Amon Jere said “the move is meant to give MTN Mobile Money customers more value as the new platform has more functionalities that support the expansion of Mobile Money products and services. 

MTN Zambia is focused and committed to harnessing advancements made in mobile technology to deliver digital solutions aimed at enhancing both businesses and the lives of our individual consumers. This is in line with our vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world.”

Well, we hope so because for mobile money to become very successful, providers of the service have to make it versatile with other financial systems already in place to encourage cross-transactions between different networks and other financial institutions. There also have to be incentives put in place that make it user friendly and highly demanded for.

As we have been saying regarding financial inclusion of the mobile money market in Zambia, Mr Jere added on that “MTN Mobile Money is the answer to financial inclusion as it is the most affordable way to capture the unbanked population. The fact that it does not rely on brick and mortar banking but on MTN network availability means it is the most effective way to reach all corners of the nation.”

So if you’re planning to make any transactions via MTN Mobile Money in that period, you may want to reconsider another option or wait until the service is back on. They have since apologized in advance for any inconveniences.

For the sake of telecoms’ progression in Zambia, the new platform will bring better functions and create much more demand, and hopefully transactions, for MTN’s sake too.