MTN signs major deal with IMImobile

Content categories will include music (local and international), sports, games, entertainment, news etc.

It will also enable MTN to launch new voice and data services across its global footprint, with revenues from mobile content and services estimated at around US$150.2 billion in 2011, up from US$89,3 billion in 2006, worldwide.

One of MTN's new content streams will be the 2010 FIFA World Cup of which the mobile operator has exclusive global mobile content rights. Accordingly, MTN plans to use its IMImobile partnership to deliver 2010 FIFA World Cup content on subscribers' handsets, including soccer match news, fixtures, match results as well as team and group profiles.

MTN also wants to capitalise on the converging data content and voice market, with Africa, the Middle East and Latin America poised to witness the highest growth in revenue as additional mobile data services are being deployed in these regions.

Nozipho January-Bardill, MTN Group corporate affairs executive, says IMImobile was selected from a group of major global telecom software and service providers because of the scalability of its technology platforms and proven managed services business model.

“IMImobile's value proposition and technology solutions will enable MTN to reduce the time-to-market for new services, boost Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and keep MTN at the forefront of innovative services.

“We have found a partner in IMImobile that has the insight and expertise of the appropriate managed service business model and technology solution necessary to continue to deliver premium content and services to our customers,” said January-Bardill.

MTN has introduced other products and services on its portal and on www.mtnfootball.com during the FIFA Confederations Cup in June this year. This content is currently being archived.

IMI mobile will deploy its Service Delivery Platform (SDP), including its DaVinci Content Management System (CMS). The content strategy includes tailoring content for local consumer preferences, including French and Arabic as well as exploiting MTN's sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup through www.mtnfootball.com.

The 16 countries IMImobile will be deploying its full CMS across are: Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic Conakry, Liberia, Afghanistan, Syria, Cyprus and Yemen.

IMImobile will directly connect its central platform in London to the existing CMS platforms of the following five countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Iran and Sudan.

Vishwanath Alluri, founder and CEO of IMImobile said: “This is a major commercial milestone for IMImobile as we continue to build our offering to support leading operators worldwide. To be chosen by MTN as their strategic partner ahead of a strong list of competitors is testament to our unique service which is based on industry leading technology platforms, content management expertise, a managed services and SaaS business model combined with 24/7 technical support and strict SLA compliance. We are excited by the opportunity and are looking forward to helping MTN achieve its objectives of creating substantial additional revenue streams.”