4 ways to cut your mobile data costs

Mobile data is expensive, but there are many ways to reduce the amount of data you use

without compromising on your Android smartphone experience. Alcatel suggests a few tweaks and tips that will help you stretch your bundle further:

1. Use less data with Chrome’s Data Saver

With Chrome’s Data Saver, less data is downloaded to your device because Google’s servers compress websites for you. Not only can this cut down on data usage, it can also allow you to load web pages faster when you have a slow connection.

On your Android phone, open the Chrome app, tap ‘more settings’ and then tap ‘data saver’ under

‘advanced’. Switch the setting on; you can look at ‘data usage breakdown’ under ‘data saver’ to see a list of the sites you've visited and how much data you've saved.

2. Check that you don’t have apps draining your data in the background

Some apps may be running data services in the background, even when you are not using them. For

example, they could be downloading updated information, syncing data or tracking your location. Look at ‘data usage’ in the Android settings menu, and you may be shocked by how much data some apps are quietly consuming. In particular, look at background data usage, and tap on ‘restrict app background data’ if it’s not an app you use all the time.

3. Go ‘lite’ with some of your favourite apps

The developers of many of your favourite apps and services have created lightweight versions of their apps, designed to consume less data as well as to require less storage space and run better on older and slower devices.

Sometimes you might need to sacrifice a few features when you use the ‘lite’ version of an app, but for many people, it’s a worthwhile trade‐off for more efficient data usage. Some examples include YouTube Go, Google Go, Skype Lite, Facebook Messenger Lite and Twitter Lite.

4. Navigate offline with Google Maps and download media

Navigation with Google Maps can chew up a significant amount of data. You can save an area from

Google Maps to your phone or tablet when you have access to a Wi‐Fi network and use it when you're offline. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app and click download.

Where apps like Netflix, Google Play or Spotify allow it, why not download your media when you have Wi‐Fi access rather than streaming it using mobile data? This can enable you to have your entertainment at your fingertips, without blowing your bundle.

This edition by Fred Felton | Twitter @fredfelton 

Now you can pay staff via mobile phone with Vodacom m-pesa

Pay staff via mobile phone with Vodacom’s m-pesa

The latest generation of the Vodacom m-pesa electronic platform provides an ideal mechanism for employers to pay staff salaries and ad-hoc expenses via mobile phone.

With m-pesa, companies have a low-cost and easy solution for making payments to all staff, even those who don’t have a bank account. Employees can use their m-pesa account as a wallet to hold their salary, and with the m-pesa Visa card they can then withdraw cash from any ATM as well as pay for goods and services using any point of sale machine.

Tracy Lipworth, general manager of Future Force Fields Solutions which is part of the TCC Group, has seen significant benefits from introducing the m-pesa platform to pay salaries and expenses to around 800 staff members around the country.

“Previously, we had a lot of problems transferring to bank accounts and also took a bit of a risk when making cash payments. By moving to Vodacom m-pesa, our staff get paid via their mobile phones. They also have debit cards so they can access their funds at various retail outlets and automatic teller machines throughout South Africa,” she said.

“Not everyone has a bank account, and this certainly isn’t a unique challenge facing Future Force Fields Solutions. We’ve found that m-pesa is a simple and extremely user friendly way for us to pay all staff regardless of their circumstances, and I’ve got to believe that it would work well for other companies facing similar issues.”

According to Lipworth, her company loads m-pesa as a payment beneficiary and makes a large electronic funds transfer upload and then an easy bulk payment to its staff via their mobile phone numbers. Staff can transfer money via their phones to family and friends wherever they are in South Africa. 

“Not only is this easy for us, it means that our staff are paid quickly and have very low transaction costs. The security aspects are also very solid as FICA identification legislation is applied. If someone loses their phone, they simply replace the SIM card as their electronic wallet is still intact. Debit cards can provide an important back-up facility,” she added.

m-pesa was started in Kenya and has also built up a strong user base in countries such as Tanzania and Mozambique. Lipworth is hoping that Vodacom m-pesa will soon be able to be used for cross border transactions as her company is keen to expand its operations into some neighbouring countries.

“The m-pesa platform provides a seamless, low cost and real time disbursement system for salaries, loans and grants that is low risk and easy to audit. It’s as close to cash that you can get, without being exposed to the risks associated with its handling in South Africa,” said Herman Singh, Managing Executive for m-commerce at Vodacom.

News on the Smart Kicka & #FutureBanking & USSD Push

Vodacom has recently launched the Smart Kicka.

What is it?  Well it is a more affordable smartphone.  The aim is to get more South Africans onto the internet.
''At the moment only 27% of people living in South Africa's emerging markets have access to a smart device, we aim to double that number in the next year'' said Phil Patel, Vodacom's Chief Commercial Officer.

The Vodacom Smart Kicka is priced at R549, runs on Android 4.4 KitKat operating system, has 4GB memory, a 3,5''screen and two MP camera. The device also comes with five free 50 MB Power Bundles to get people connected straight away.

For more info visit: http://www.vodacom.co.za/

(Source - Vodacom)


FNB #FutureBanking

For those of you that missed the highlights of #FutureBanking Trends with FNB
check out the hangout here - https://blog.fnb.co.za/2014/07/insights-from-the-2014-efma-retail-banking-summit/

(Source - FNB)

A Secure Banking Channel For Any Mobile Phone

Something new on the horizon is NI (Network Initiated) USSD or USSD Push. This is a faster and more secure way to perform financial transaction authentication than SMS.
Cell Phone users who receive USSD Push notifications are not charged and all responses are free.
It also works with all mobile phones.

USSD Push can also be used to prevent SIM-Swopping fraud.

For more info visit: http://www.aat.co.za/always-active-mobile/ussd-push

(Source - AAT)


This edition by +Fred Felton