BLANTYRE (BizCom)-Malawi’s mobile phone service provider, Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM) has partnered with Emitac Mobile Solutions (EMS) to provide BlackBerry services to subscribers in Malawi.
Although, Airtel became the first to bring BlackBerry to the Malawi mobile phone market, TNM has brought style to their introduction with the involvement of EMS, a Dubai-based solutions and services provider and a strategic channel partner of the maker of Blackberry, Research in Motion (RIM), that focuses on the delivery, implementation and support of BlackBerry solutions.
BlackBerry services now in Malawi
At the launch in Blantyre last week, TNM’s chief executive officer, Willem Swart said launching BlackBerry smartphones in Malawi for both personal and enterprise use allows TNM subscribers to stay at the forefront technology.
He said the BlackBerry solution brings together smartphones, software and services to allow easy wireless access to email, messaging, social networking, phone, calendar, web, multimedia and other business and lifestyle applications.
“TNM mobile subscribers will now be able to enjoy the freedom and productivity benefits of using BlackBerry smartphones to stay connected to people and information while on the go,” he said.
Swart said high-speed quality mobile Internet experience is a priority for TNM, and with the growing popularity of data-intensive services, they are enabling their customers to make the most of TNM’s 3.5G network with RIM’s latest smartphones.
TNM chief commercial officer, Charles Kamoto said the company wants to be at level with international markets. The services went live on 7 December 2011.
“Subscription for the service is initially on monthly basis for both prepaid and postpaid customers,” said Kamoto.
The partnership
Commenting on the partnership, manager of EMS, Imran Nazeer, said their company is very pleased to be part of the BlackBerry solution launch by TNM.
“The launch of BlackBerry smartphones in Malawi is an important step for EMS as it shows our commitment to the geographical expansion of the BlackBerry solution. EMS’s expertise of delivering, implementing and supporting the BlackBerry solution will help ensure that best of breed products and support services are delivered allowing TNM to achieve its ultimate business objectives as well as customer satisfaction,” he said.
TNM, a pioneer mobile services provider in Malawi, has provided a wide range of voice and data services since 1996, said at the launch, that it will offer the BlackBerry Bold 9780, BlackBerry Torch 9800, BlackBerry Curve 5 20 and BlackBerry Curve 9300 smartphones.
Kamoto said this is in line with their mission, which is to provide best in class telecommunications solutions to people everywhere with their nationwide network with a customer base that is growing tremendously.
TNM said it is confident with the new service, more so with their partnership to EMS since the Dubai firm boasts of an experience team of mobile professionals, that provides the mobile operator with sales, marketing, distribution, solution implementation and technical support services for the BlackBerry wireless platform from RIM.
EMS also provides the ability to rapidly create, deploy and manage robust client-server wireless applications that reduce an organisations total cost of ownership for organisations using the BlackBerry wireless platform which they say significantly increases the value of their mobile technology investment.
EMS is reportedly the first regional Mobile Virtual Solutions Provider (MVSP), whose services are delivered through partnerships the company have with mobile operators in the Gulf, North Africa and Eastern Europe, which has given enough confidence to TNM of better things to come.
TNM also touted RIM, the maker of Blackberry as a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market.
“Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiples wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solution for seamless to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications,” according to a press release.
The release says RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufactures to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data.
With RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organisations around the world and include the Blackberry wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld product line, software development tools they hope to improve their quality of service with the ‘Blackberry solutions.
