Swedish Technology Empowers Street Vendors in RSA

2006-10-30 -- Seamless Distribution AB has agreed with South African corporation Asikhulume Investment Ltd. for the deployment of a Prepaid airtime recharge solution for street vendors. Asikhulume is a partner of the South African Government owned agency Chakatsa Co-op, which services small businesses, primarily based in townships. An important objective for the venture is to provide employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to low-income segments of the South African population.

Swedish software company Seamless Distribution AB will provide its ERS 360° platform for electronic distribution of Prepaid airtime recharge via wireless Mobile Point-of-Sales (MPOS) terminals. These palm-sized terminals will be carried by resellers in the streets in order to offer airtime recharge to prepaid customers of various Mobile operators in South Africa.

“The offering also includes a business mentoring program, where we’ll train, monitor and advise resellers on how to run successful small businesses” says Ravi Moopen, Chairman of the Board at Asikhulume Investment Consortium Pty. Ltd.

The national launch of the vending solution received phenomenal response at the Johannesburg Business Week and at the Eskom Small Business Exhibition in Midrand in September. During this launch Asikhulume was approached by a large number of potential distributors – each with the capacity to cater to thousands of resellers.

“Our goal is to create a sustainable living income for job seekers by moving a bulk of the airtime recharge distribution channel to the streets”, comments Sindy Dastile, Marketing Director at Chakatsa Co-op.

The government agency Chakatsa Co-op counts more than 3.000 micro and small businesses amongst its’ members, and it is estimated that more than 50% of members will sign up. As well as providing township entrepreneurs with an attractive business opportunity, the MPOS-solution offers convenience to the end consumer by making airtime recharge readily available on the street.

“We are confident of Asikhulume’s success in this commendable venture, which combines business and social benefits. The uniqueness of the business concept lies in moving Resellers closer to consumers”, concludes Rohit Bhatia, CEO of Seamless Distribution. “Also, we’re pleased to have positioned ourselves with them in South Africa as our preferred partner for the Sub-Saharan region.”

Seamless Distribution has already experienced the success of a similar project in Nigeria, launched in March 2005.

For more information, please contact:
Rohit Bhatia, CEO Seamless Distribution
Direct +46 8 564 878 00
Mobile +46 706 22 92 01
E-mail rohit.bhatia@seamless.se
www.seamless.se

Ravi Moopen, Asikhulume Investment Consortium Pty. Ltd
Tel: +27 - 11 - 3155384, Fax: +27 - 11 - 3156149
Direkt: +27 - 82 - 8525500
Email: ravim@icon.co.za

Seamless Distribution AB provides a comprehensive software platform for electronic recharge of prepaid mobile subscriptions. The product, ERS 360°, supports versatile Prepaid E-Recharge options ranging from e-voucher to voucherless, and extending to all possible Point-of-Sale Terminals, Mobile Handsets, PC’s, ATM’s, Credit-Card Readers, Cash-Registers etc.

Besides electronic prepaid recharge, ERS 360° is the foundation of an M-Commerce Platform. Further applications for micro-payment of utility bills, content etc. can be added as per consumer demand and market drivers.

Seamless’ customers include Mobile Telecom Operators and Mobile Airtime Distributors. The company has deployed Prepaid E-recharge and M-Commerce solutions for more than 40 Operators in fifteen countries, across four continents.

Seamless has a global partnership agreement with Sagem-Orga, and regional teaming agreements with Ericsson. Seamless Distribution AB was founded in 2001 and is listed at OMX First North since May 30th, 2006. The company is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.
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Publisher Contact Information:

Seamless Distribution AB
+46 8 564 878 00
rohit.bhatia@seamless.se

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