Executive Insights: Carrier Billing Global Outlook and Opportunities – Guillermo Escofet, Ovum
In the first of an exclusive new video series supported by Bango, we examine the state of the carrier billing market. Here, Guillermo Escofet, principal analyst at Ovum, gives an overview of the space and explains its rapid growth since 2014…
Carrier billing is on a tear. After a period of stagnation, it is now growing faster than operator data income (by total transactional revenue). And by 2022, it will transact more than global SMS revenue.
Reflections on Africa.com: how mobile-first Africa is putting itself in the picture
Last week MEF and its African membership arrived in Cape Town for the 20th Africa.com conference. Here, MEF CEO Rimma Perelmuter, reflects on a week of uniquely African energy and optimism.
On the Cape Town waterfront is the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. This spectacular building – a converted grain silo overlooking the Atlantic – has been open just a few weeks. Inside, the gallery offers a showcase of the very best of contemporary African art. The project is a clear testament to the growing confidence of the African continent and its uniquely diverse and powerful voices.
10 facts and stats on mobile content and services in Sub-Saharan Africa
MEF Board Director, James McNab, Chief Liaison Officer, Basebone Group and Managing Director for Basebone Connects, here outlines 10 market stats and facts that explore the growth of the mobile ecosystem in the African continent.
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for nearly a tenth of the global mobile subscriber base and is expected to grow faster than every other region over the next five years. There will be 942 million SIM connections by 2020 (up from 742 million in 2016) representing an 85% penetration rate according to the GSMA.
MEF SESSION @ MWC: Data access models – 8 big talking points on sponsored data
Rewarding someone who watches a video ad with free data? Sounds like an interesting new ad format. This was one of the ideas to emerge from MEF’s session at MWC on new business models for monetising mobile access in emerging and developed markets. Here are the highlights…
Sponsored data is back. Years after what was the premium content business trialled what was then called ‘sender pays’ data, brands and operators are once again experimenting with the concept.
Executive Insights Series: Manny Teixeira, MTN
In the latest instalment of MEF’s video series supported by Mahindra Comviva, we look at how operators in developing markets are managing the transition to new value added services. Manny Teixeira, group head of digital media and services at MTN, talks to us about the next phase…
Africa has begun its transition away from the feature phone to the smartphone.
According Analysys Mason’s Middle East and Africa regional research programme, the region’s smartphone sales will grow at a CAGR of 10.8 per cent between 2015 and 2020, from 63 million units to 105 million units. Smartphones will account for 62.4 per cent of all handset sales in the SSA region in 2020.
Mobile loves nostalgia, but hates bezels: takeaways from MWC 2017
Everyone is welcome at Mobile World Congress: drones, cars, smart meters, connected dresses, watches. Even some phones. Tim Green was there too. And here is what he saw…
Liberals should love MWC.
All over the world, people are swinging to the right. They want to preserve their indigenous identities and seal borders. They don’t want any more outsiders coming in.
UMG’s Ty Roberts: get ready for revolutionary new digital music products
Ty Roberts is a Silicon Valley and record industry insider with a genuine love for both technology and music. Universal Music Group’s first-ever CTO shared his thoughts about the technological future of music with MEF Minute…
Ten years ago, when Sony Ericsson’s Walkman branded phones ruled the mobile music space, the handset maker launched a feature called SensMe. The aim was to generate track choices made on mood and emotion, rather than pitch and tempo.
Why the time has come for sponsored mobile data
The world’s smartphone users don’t want bits and bytes, says Syntonic CEO Gary Greenbaum. They want music, video and games. He talked to MEF Minute about this changing consumer mindset and Syntonic’s sponsored content models.
We live in an era of exploding demand for streaming video, on-demand music and connected gaming on mobile. But one factor limits the potential of this content market: the cost of data. Consumers are either concerned at the cost or they don’t understand data at all. After all, how many megabytes are there in 10 minutes of YouTube?
Listen up: your essential guide to smart speakers
The battle for your kitchen is hotting up. CES was packed with smart speakers – without doubt the tech industry’s most dynamic sector. Here’s a round-up of the big new launches…
Africa’s mobile-first music scene: Antos Stella, Content Connect Africa
There’s huge potential in Africa’s mobile-first music scene. But you need strong local knowledge to unlock it. So says Antos Stella, managing director of Content Connect Africa. In this exclusive interview for MEF Minute, she explains why she is so excited about the market…
In the ‘mature markets’ of Europe and North America, the music industry is undergoing profound change. There’s excitement, but also trepidation. The traditional analogue model of CDs and high street shops was extraordinarily lucrative. Now, it’s gone. Re-adjusting is painful.
