MultiChoice Phases Out 100,000 Non-Secure Decoders

By Bankole Orimisan

IN a joint effort to combat piracy in Nigeria, MultiChoice, in conjunction with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), has embarked on a phase out scheme of legacy non-secure decoders, and has introduced more secure decoders for the transmission of DStv signals.

About 100, 000 of the non-secure decoders were actually phased out.

Addressing the media and other stakeholders on Tuesday, in Lagos, Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, said "the decision to introduce a more secure decoder is in strategic alignment with the NCC's regulatory and enforcement mandate to curb anti-piracy operations across Nigeria.

   "Like the NCC, we believe that allowing piracy to thrive impacts negatively on the economic situation in the country, as it deprives many people in the value chain of their appropriate income. Accordingly, we will destroy all legacy non-secure decoders, to symbolically show that they will no longer be used, and have become obsolete."

He explained that the non-secure decoders that are being phased out are the legacy decoders with model numbers; DSD 910's, DSD 920's, DSD 933, DSD 990's, MC DSD (Single view, 660, 720 and 720i), Dual View 820, and SDPVR 3001.

  Ugbe pointed out that these decoders would be replaced with the DSD 1110, DSD 1131 and DSD 1132, 2 & 4 Tuner HDPVR's and Explora models.

  "By replacing the existing decoders with secure decoders, we are executing the NCC's mandate to reduce piracy to a minimum" he said.

   MultiChoice began a free decoder swop exercise in the last quarter of 2014, and although it was supposed to end on February 28, the free swop was extended by an additional week and eventually ended on 8 March. On the same day all signals on the non-secure decoders will be switched off. Before this date, subscribers who are still using the legacy non-secure decoders would have noticed a gradual switch off or channel disappearance from their decoders. DStv subscribers who are not able to swop their legacy decoders for free by the stated date will have to buy new decoders at their expense.

   Elaborating further on how subscribers can prevent being cut off from their favourite programs, Ugbe explained that "you can confirm your decoder model number by checking behind your decoder or calling our customer care line and providing your smartcard number to verify whether or not you will be affected by the switch off."

Efritin.com to Define Nigeria Online Classified Ad Market-Space

By Bankole Orimisan

A new entrant into the market, Efritin.com, has concluded plans to redefine the Nigeria online marketplace, especially the virtual marketplace where used goods are traded between sellers and buyers on daily basis.

   Explaining the choice of Nigeria market, the Chief Operating Officer of Saltside Technologies of Sweden, Babak Tighnavard, said Nigeria was carefully chosen after considering a number of business factors like the size of economy, the large population and fast growing mobile internet usage.Efritin.com is a classified ads platform owned by Investment AB Kinnevik of Sweden and managed by Saltside Technologies.

  According to him, "Our investors are already here with Konga and we see a big opportunity. What we are providing is a safer online platform where buyers and sellers can transact. Simply stated, we are providing a marketplace for used items of good quality in Nigeria," Tighnavard emphasized.

  The company, he said, started operations in August 2011 in Sweden and has spread its market network across other continent. "Saltside Technologies has the largest classified market sites in Bangladesh, Ghana and Sri Lanka. Everything we do is localized.

Ison Inaugurates MTN Call Centre in Ibadan, Targets 20,000 Jobs

By Bankole Orimisan

GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has commissioned the ultra-modern customer care and skills development centre by iSON BPO, a global player in customer experience management operations, in Ibadan last week.

  The elated governor assured the organisation of the government's support while calling on other investors to avail themselves of the peaceful atmosphere and the level of infrastructural development that dot the landscape of the state to do business in the Pace Setters state.

Speaking at the event, the Group Chief Executive Officer iSON BPO, Pravin Kumar, said the company has employed about 4,000 Nigerian youths, and that 2,000 of these are in Ibadan, stressing that by March 2017, a 20,000 workforce was being targeted to reduce the unemployment rate in the state and the country in general.

  Kumar said the company is committed to investing in Nigerian infrastructure as well as human capacity development with the long-term benefits of creating large-scale employment and engendering indirect local employment opportunities as well.

  Kumar pointed out that due to its effective management of Airtel's Call Centre, which is based in Ibadan that MTN Nigeria also decided to outsource its Call Centre operation to iSON. He said the commissioned facility has the latest technology and is comparable to any of its contemporary worldwide and is one of the four new call centres that iSON is setting up in Nigeria, namely Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ilorin and Kano.

"With these centres, iSON is assisting in alleviating the current spate of unemployment in Nigeria, as well as contributing towards valuable resource and capacity development in the country.

   "As part of our core strategy, we have invested in developing state of art infrastructure and empowering local talent to foster a better future for the African continent.

   "We already have a call centre here in Ibadan which started with 1,000 employees in February, 2013 and now has around 1,200 employees. We made commitment with the governor when he inaugurated our first facility that if it does well, we will double our capacity in Ibadan.