safaricom option magazine

June -August 2009gJune -August 2009

AMUSICAL ODYSSEY

CLASSICALFUSION

KENYAN

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The Option June-August 2009 1

Ed’s letter

InsideMANAGING EDITOR: Chris Muthama

ACTING EDITOR: Maryann Michuki

CONTRIBUTORS: Craig Bishop, Jane Barsby,

Patricia Hughes Scott, John Kamakiru,

Chebet Karago, Julie Masiga,

Candice Miranda, Wangui Thuo

PHOTOGRAPHY: Charlie Grieves-Cook,

Gina Din Corporate Communications, Alex

Kamweru, Duncan Willetts

PUBLISHERS: East African Magazines Ltd,

Nairobi

PRINTING: Colourprint, Nairobi

ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO:

The Option Magazine

Safaricom Limited

P.O. Box 46350- 00100

Nairobi, Kenya

[email protected]

www.safaricom.co.ke

The editorial content and individual opinions

expressed herein are solely those of the

authors and do not necessarily represent those

of Safaricom Ltd. Neither Safaricom nor the

Publishers accept any responsibility for the

content. All rights reserved. No part of this work

may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or

by any means, electronic or mechanical, without

prior permission in writing from Safaricom.

1 Editor’s letter

2 From the CEO

4 What’s news?

6 Kenyan Classical Fusion

11 Win!

12 The new Jambo Contact Centre

15 Tips on buying a mobile

16 Our Passions

18 Pay bills with M-PESA

20 Meet our Safaricom team

23 Making Kenya green

24 All about the Blackberry Bold

26 Dial 24/7

29 Cellphone funnies

30 The latest gadgets

32 Technology: Bluetooth uncovered

34 Stay connected in East Africa

35 Caroline Mutoko’s world

38 What’s hot!

40 Safaricom shops

In this edition, we cover some ground-breaking events that have taken place within Safaricom

in the last two months. In the true spirit of community involvement, Safaricom organised the

hugely popular Classical Fusion music event in April (page 6). For those of us who are not

musically minded, this was going to be a first, paying an affordable Ksh500 to listen to world-

class classical music on our own doorstep. The event was worth every single cent. The 4000

guests, talented artists, melodious choirs, gripping live performances and variety of instruments

really was piece of musical heaven down at the Impala Club. Read about this, and more, inside.

Safaricom is also proud to announce the launch of its brand new Jambo Contact Centre

(page 12), a state-of-the-art call centre (and more!) situated on Mombasa Road. This

piece of architectural genius has been designed to offer Safaricom customers world-

class customer service. The centre currently sits 1200 customer care representatives

and has drastically improved service levels. The centre has been custom built to

ensure customer care personnel are taken care of, and their needs are met as much as

possible. Facilities range from a fully equipped gymnasium, a crèche, giant fish tanks

where brightly coloured tropical fish swim around oblivious to what’s going on around

them, game rooms, a library, food courts and even a standby doctor!

Last but certainly not least, M-PESA has now launched its Pay Bill service (page 18),

allowing you to pay your bills from the comfort of your home, office or favourite restaurant.

Talk about the march of technology. Safaricom is walking the extra mile for you, our

customer. Read all about our landmark event and the latest services we’re offering, all of

which are underway as we speak. Enjoy!

Chris Muthama, Managing Editor

WIN a DellVostro Laptop!11

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Foreword

2 June-August 2009 The Option

As we enter the second quarter of this year,

our vision of being Africa’s best company

is on the inside track. In an increasingly

crowded market that has lately been assailed by

the aftershocks of a prolonged global recession,

Safaricom stays ahead through our leadership

in product innovation and our commitment to

customer service.

Nowhere is this more visible than our loyalty to

ethical business in our dealings with colleagues

and customers alike. We believe ethical business is

profitable business and this mantra transcends all

our brands and activities in the market.

The Code of Conduct, to which all of us have

signed allegiance and which we continuously

amplify through refresher clinics for all staff, requires

nothing less than the highest standards of business

integrity from us.

But we are also alive to the fact that we are

only as ethical as our inbuilt defenses against

corruption’s many manifestations in a fast-paced

business, whether we directly face customers or

offer support services in the back office. Each one

of us needs to be constantly vigilant to ensure we

maintain 100 per cent integrity at all times.

Our data product is flying off the shelf, a further

demonstration of our leadership in product

innovation and growth. What our data customers

get and expect from us is the same signature quality

that has become our hallmark over the years; a

speedy, bankable service that answers the needs

of both the home and business user anywhere

in Kenya. Currently, there are many claims about

providing mobile data services, but only Safaricom

with its 3G network can really provide broadband

highspeed data to its customers. We are providing

many individuals and firms with the best data

speeds by any provider in this market.

The international component of connection has

been the chink in Kenya’s quest for better Internet

services. This realisation is behind our considerable

investment in the country’s quest for a fibre optic

link with the rest of the world. Safaricom is providing

leadership and has already put money in this

venture, both in equity and as an advance buyer

of capacity. These initiatives will underpin better

services for all our customers.

The success of Safaricom is due to the

exceptional talent we have assembled in all

functions. Our corporate citizenship is built on the

fact that we are only as successful as the society

in which we do business and from which we draw

our loyal customers, our biggest asset. Safaricom

employees continue to give back through a number

of long-term and sustainable initiatives in sport,

education, health and culture.

From theCEO

Michael JosephChief Executive Officer

PHOTOGRAPH:DUNCANWILLETTS

4 June - August 2009 The Option

We’re here for youSafaricom is proud to be associated with endeavoursthat show the human spirit at its best, whether throughbusiness success, social action or excellence in sport

Okoa JahaziSafaricom has launched another first aimed

at adding greater value for subscribers.

The new credit advance service will enable

PrePay subscribers access to airtime

on credit, enabling them to make calls in

situations where they cannot immediately

purchase airtime, or in an emergency.

Okoa Jahazi will allow PrePay subscribers to

access a fixed Ksh50 credit advance and repay

within 72 hours with a subsequent top-up.

To be eligible, customers must have less than Ksh5 in balance,

and must have been a PrePay customer for at least 12 months. The

subscriber should also have no outstanding advance credit, and

usage should amount to more than Ksh50 in the previous seven days.

Beach volleyballFrom the shores of California to the

Indian Ocean beaches, volleyball

brings the world together. The first

leg of the Kenya Beach Volleyball

Council’s (KBVC) national circuit in

April was – thanks to Safaricom’s

sponsorship – a resounding success.

In all, 13 men’s teams, six women’s,

four mixed couples, and two novice

teams made up the four categories

which battled it out for the winners’

trophies, medals and cash prizes.

In attendance were the provincial

director of sports, Felix Indakwa,

Josh Collins of Safaricom,

Rosemary Muthoni, station

manager of DHL, and staff from

Pirates Restaurant, which hosted

the event. Edward Kisaka, vice

chairman of the Kenya Volleyball

Federation, represented the

parent body.

KBVC chairperson, Patricia

Hughes-Scott said that the sport

encouraged young people to keep

fit and was also a great source of

tourism revenue.

SAFARICOM SUPPORTS KENYAOPEN SECOND YEAR RUNNINGWith excellent golfing conditions, the

2009 Tusker Open Golf Tournament was

held between 15th and 19th April, on

the greens of Muthaiga. But it was not

the fairytale the Kenyan contingent were

hoping for, in golfing terms at least.

Safaricom CEO, Michael Joseph noted

the importance of the firm’s involvement,

saying that as a Professional Golfers

Association (PGA) event it not only

continues to enhance Kenya’s image on

the global map, but offers Kenyan golf

professionals the opportunity to play

against their peers from all over the world.

In addition to its Ksh10 million

sponsorship, Safaricom provided

reporters with an ultra-modern media

centre, facilitating fast and efficient, real-

time communication. The centre was

equipped with computers boasting high

internet speeds supported by Safaricom’s

3G network and a mobile base station

dubbed “Cell on Wheels”.

South Africa’s

David Hewan

tees off in the

2009 Tusker

Open Golf

Tournament

in Nairobi.

PHOTOGRAPH:ISTOCKPHOTO.COM,

GINADIN

CORPORATECOMMUNICATIO

NS

on the wire


Make a differenceWe all dream of being paid to do something we love while making a

difference. This has now become a reality for Safaricom staff. The World of

Difference initiative allows staff to take three months away from their daily

work to take part in a community project of their choice. The initiative was

launched during the five-year anniversary of the Safaricom Foundation and

will allow staff to contribute their knowledge, skills and expertise to needy

communities. Selection is carried out on a competitive basis, with each team

comprising four people from a multi-disciplinary background, working in

partnership with their project of choice. The successful team will receive an

opportunity to work with their selected project partner and local community

on a full time basis for a year.

Safaricom has applauded the

Kenyan national sevens team for

its exemplary performance at the

fifth Rugby World Cup Sevens

tournament in Dubai. The 12-man

squad, plus coach Benjamin Ayimba

received Ksh3250000, with each

player pocketing Ksh250000, after

having qualified for the semi-finals

in the tournament, in which they

eventually lost to Argentina.

Safaricom had earlier announced

a cash pledge to the team ahead of

the tournament where each member

of the playing squad was to receive

Ksh500000 if they got to the finals

of the main cup competition, and

Ksh250000 per player for making

it to the semis. This was when

the team paid a courtesy call to

Safaricom House to present CEO

Michael Joseph with a team shirt.

Joseph said that the team had,

in the past, beaten the best sides

in the world and that fans were

convinced that it would not be long

before they brought the overall

winners’ trophy on to Kenyan soil.

The national sevens team made

the semis after defeating Fiji in the

quarter-finals. In the group stages,

Kenya beat Tunisia and Hong Kong,

but lost to England in the last game.

NATIONAL TEAM LAUDED FOR SEVENS HEAVEN

Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph presented the Kenyan

rugby sevens team members with cheques worth

Ksh 250 000 each for their performance in Dubai.

Moody Awori, former VP of Kenya, at the launch of the World of Difference initiative, which coincided withthe five year anniversary of the Safaricom Foundation.


Let me admit something from

the outset: I have never been

a classical music fan. I usually

go cross-eyed with boredom

at the first stroke of a violin. I was

your ultimate philistine – a complete

popular music junkie – until, that

is, I heard about Safaricom’s fusion

of classical music. The publicity

surrounding the event made it sound

sexy. Hip. Du jour. It seemed sinful

not to give it a chance.

So, one Friday night in April, we got

suited up and made our way up the

hill to the newly refurbished Nairobi

Museum for the first instalment of the

Safaricom Kenyan Classical Fusion

festival. I would not regret it.

It was an outdoor concert, under

an overcast sky. The imposing pillars

that distinguish the new museum

facade made for a very romantic

back drop. The show was scheduled

to start at 7.30pm, but guests began

to arrive at about 6pm, whereupon

they were welcomed with drinks in

the courtyard. Beaus and belles all

milled about, ball gowns sweeping

the floor, sharp suits cutting through

the evening air, mixing and mingling

over cocktails.

When the bell tolled, signalling

guests that the concert was about

to start, we were ushered into the

performance area. Seating was

organised in a semicircle facing

a stage illuminated by dozens of

sparkly lights.

The lovely soprano Elizabeth

Njoroge was the mistress of

Listen tothe musicA fabulous fusion oforchestra, opera, jazz,gospel and our very ownKenyan music wowedguests at the first KenyanClassical Fusion festival

WORDS: JULIE MASIGAPHOTOGRAPHS: CHARLIE GRIEVES-COOK

AK

Levi Wataka conducting

the Kenya Conservatoire

of Music Orchestra.

Singer Thelma Mbodze.

kenyan CLaSSICaL FUSIOn


ceremonies for the night and, in her

soothing operatic voice, she wasted

no time getting the ball rolling. First

up was Michael Joseph, Safaricom

CEO and classical music aficionado.

It was several months ago, while

in idle conversation with soprano

Elizabeth Njoroge – the proprietor

of the Art of Music company and

Classics magazine – that Joseph

had the idea of fusing local and

international cultures through

classical music.

The crowds that turned up were

a testament to the success of

his vision. It certainly turned this

philistine into a believer!

Mr Joseph thanked the full house

for their attendance, cracked a few

jokes to break the ice and then the

music began. The curtain-raiser

was the regionally famous Nairobi

Chamber Chorus conducted by

seasoned musician Ken Wakia.

They started off with a Luhya folk

song in a classical style, but still

distinctly African sounding. Divine.

The Chamber Chorus went on to

tickle our musical fancy with pieces

from South Africa, Canada and the

US, before ending on a light note with

a classical rendition of Swedish pop

group Abba’s Thank You for the Music.

After this rhythmic and melodic

introduction, proceedings moved

seamlessly on to the main act, a

performance by the world famous

English a capella group, Voces8,

performing in Kenya for the first

time. The award-winning group has

Popular Afro-pop

sensation Eric

Wainaina gave a

sterling performance.

Members of the

Conservatoire

strings prepare

during the concert.

established itself as the foremost

young British a cappella group, since

coming on to the classical music

scene in 2005. They have been

praised for “a sound that spans the

whole range of vocal colour”. And if

their jubilant, vibrant and technically

sound performance was anything to

go by, that is no empty accolade.

They moved gracefully, like a finely

cut gemstone on a pendulum, from

one side of the musical spectrum to

the other, sampling early polyphonic

pieces, unique jazz and even

popular arrangements that included

George Gershwin’s I got Rhythm and

Otis Blackwell’s Fever. Certainly a joy

to hear. So joyful, in fact, that even

the rain, which was threatening to fall,

held back to have a listen.

Fast forward to Sunday afternoon,

after the festival had made a pit stop

Grace Nangabo (soprano) and

Jonathan Opinya (bass).

Voces8, the award-winning British a cappella octet.

Conductor Ken Wakia in

action under the fairy lights.

The Kenya Conservatoire of Music gave one of the most powerful performances at the concert.

The Safaricom Choir performing

with their CEO, Michael Joseph.



at the coast. The rain came down

with a vengeance, but the guests sat

entranced through the concert.

Tourists and expatriates mixed

good-naturedly with locals in an ode

to all things musical. The Nairobi

Chamber Chorus sang again, as

did Voces8. By the end of the day,

more than 120 performers had taken

to the stage, including the Kenya

Conservatoire of Music Orchestra, the

Nairobi Orchestra, the Moipei Girls

Quartet, sopranos Elizabeth Njoroge

and Grace Nangabo, piano maestro

Paul Nduati, cultural fusionists

Kachumbari 7, the Safaricom Choir

and several other equally talented

musicians.

Aptly for a festival billed as a

classical fusion extravaganza,

the classically trained Eric Wainaina

showcased his unique blend of

benga under the cover of a gentle

African drizzle. As they say in Africa,

rain is a sign of God’s blessing.

In his closing remarks, Mr Joseph

promised the audience that the

festival will be back next year.

The Moipei Quartet during their performance. Children enjoying

the outdoor

concert.

Guests enjoy the ambience of the Friday concert

The Nairobi Chamber Chorus

performing at the Friday concert.

{ }TOURISTS AND

EXPATRIATES MIXEDGOOD-NATUREDLYWITH LOCALS INAN ODE TO ALLTHINGS MUSICAL



The Kenya Conservatoire

of Music in action during

the concert.

Dromadary

rides were one

of the activities

available.

Guests enjoy the

festivities at the outdoor

concert on Sunday.


WIN, WIN, WIN

WIN aDell Vostro Laptop!

How to winSend an SMS with your

name, age, occupation and

city/town to 311 in one SMS,

separating each with a comma.

You will then receive an SMS

prompting you to answer the

three questions in the boxes.

Send your answers (codes

only) to the three questions in

one SMS, separating each by

a comma (for example 6,4,13).

Send your answers to short

code 311.

Just Ksh3.50 per SMS!

Winners will be contacted

directly by the mobile:

0729 333333. Competition

closing date is 31 August 2009.

Subscribers who answer all

questions correctly and SMS

their answers to the correct

number stand a chance to win.

Brought to you by Safaricom, in association with Mobile Planet

SMS your answers and stand a chance to win one of three fabulous prizes

3 FABULOUS PRIZES1ST PRIZE – a Dell Vostro Laptop goes to the 2000th entry

2ND PRIZE – a Safaricom Internet Modem powered by 3G

goes to the 1000th entry

3RD PRIZE – a 700 MB Data Bundle goes to the 500th entry

First SMSName, age, occupation, city/town

Second SMSquestions1. Which statement below best

describes how you got hold of your

copy of The Option?

STATEMENT CODE

I was given it by a friend/familymember

1

I collected it from the Safaricomoffices

2

I got my copy from a Safaricomretail centre

3

I normally get it delivered to myphysical address

4

I got hold of it from a dealer shop 5

2. Which of the statements below

best applies to your situation?

STATEMENT CODE

This is the first The Optionmagazine I have ever read.

1

I have read several issues ofThe Option magazine, but onlybecause I always stumble on it.

2

I always go out of my wayto try and get myself a copyof The Option magazine.

3

3. Which story/stories in this The Option

magazine captivated you the most?

STORY CODE

On the Wire 1

Kenyan Classical Fusion 2

Making Contact 3

M-PESA 4

Our World 5

Dial 24/7 6

Techno Bytes 7

Meet the Team 8

Lifestyle 9

What’s Hot 10

Our Passions 11

Celeb Watch 12

And the winners areThe winners from the March - May

2009 issue competition are:

1000th entry - Blackberry 8300

winner, Nelly Rombo, admin

assistant, Nairobi.

500th entry - Nokia 5000 winner

Dennis, entrepreneur, Narok.

100th entry - Vodafone 125 winner

Sylvia Omboga, banker, Nairobi.


With the launch of its

Jambo Contact Centre,

Safaricom has proved

it is the leader among

mobile phone service providers when

it comes to innovation. This first

state-of-the-art call facility was set

up to address the growing Safaricom

customer base, and the escalation

in subscribers’ needs that have not

only become more sophisticated, but

require timely and informed solutions.

Safaricom broke out of the mobile

phone service providers’ fold in 2007

when the company introduced the

GSMA Global Mobile Awards winner,

M-PESA money transfer facility,

which enables customers to transfer

money to other mobile phone users,

withdraw cash, buy airtime, pay bills

or make loan repayments safely and

affordably using the mobile phone.

The new Jambo Contact Centre,

or JCC, as it is popularly known,

became operational in November

2008 and is situated in a large

building on Mombasa Road.

According to the chief customer

care officer in charge of the centre,

Pauline Warui, the JCC can handle

four times the number of calls that

were being handled at the previous

call centre in Westlands.

Warui, who has over 10 years

experience in customer care, says,

“This is not just a call centre. It is

a contact centre, an all important

‘interface’ that has been set upto create a touch point with our

13 million customers. It is a place

where we add value to customers’

enquiries and resolutions by offering

Happy to helpHighy trained staff at Safaricom’s new Jambo Contact Centre

handle thousands of calls each day

Pauline Warui, chief

customer care officer,

overlooks one of

the workstation at

the centre.

MAKING CONTACT


technical support at different levels.

We want to give all our customers a

delightful experience.”

Currently, the call centre, which

embraces the “Happy to Help”

theme, is manned by more than 1500

staff members and has a capacity

for over 1000. Staff work in shifts to

provide 24-hour customer support

and they handle around 100000 calls

a day.

The latest technology has been

employed in the telephony and

data system tools. Calls to the front

office and other external customer

correspondence, which can be as

basic as enquiries about credit limits,

and as complex as data set-ups and

activations, are directed to the call

centre where quality analysts monitor

calls to ensure that the customer is

receiving the best solution to their

inquiry. This also helps the analysts

identify areas that need improvement.

At any given time, 600 customer

care staff are on-hand, ready to

respond to subscribers’ calls. During

a recent visit to the JCC, I realised

that the tranquil façade of the huge

building – with a blue roof, cream

walls and fronted by huge white

columns – belied activities inside

the building. This was especially

true when I came across the 600

customer service staff: headphones

on, hard at work responding to

subscriber needs.

Surprisingly, the atmosphere is

also serene. Although there is lots of

buzz and quick movement of hands

as staff receive and solve customer

problems, the ringing tones are

Clockwise from top left: the Jambo Call Centre; two of the 600

customer care staff at work answering queries; the serene decor

inside the centre; customer care trainees undergo a session inside

the JCC building; staff enjoy a break in the cafeteria at the JCC.

MAKING CONTACT


subdued and there are no raised

voices: evidence of the intensive

in-house training staff undergo. In the

training rooms, I found 180 trainees

working hard to fulfill the eight-week

training required of them before they

are able to man the phones.

Around the gym, cafeteria

and other areas away from the

workstations, the atmosphere is

easy-going. Staff stopped to say

hello and happily showed me around

their new work areas.

There are six distinct work areas,

or zones, in the centre, each named

after a wild animal, among them Chui

and Nyati. Each zone has training

and interview rooms with television

screens. The centre also has eight

training rooms, each named after

prominent writers, including Wahome

Mutahi and Wole Soyinka, and

several management offices.

Warui says that with the increase

in Safaricom’s customer base, more

information has been up-loaded to

the Interactive Voice Response (IVR),

which can handle 60% of the daily

enquiries. This automated processing

of inbound phone calls will, among

other things, direct customers to the

nearest customer care centre.

“We provide customer support to

our Postpay and Prepay customers,

corporate clients who require data

products, M-PESA agents and

Safaricom dealers. A customer

can also call the directory service

(191) for a one-off fee of Ksh20 to

enquire about a telephone number,”

Warui says.

At the main reception, a huge

aquarium straddling two columns

forms a picturesque backdrop.

The inside of the building ispainted in warm earth colours and

huge aquariums and young palm

plants line the corridors separating

the different zones.

The work areas are spacious and

warm. “That is deliberate,” Warui

says. “Safaricom values its people

and believes in a comfortable

working environment for high

performance and delivery of results.

We want the ‘feel good’ factor to be

passed on to our customers.”

The location of the JCC, 17kms

from Nairobi’s central business

district, ensures that staff are able to

concentrate on their work. When staff

members need to take a break from

the headphones, they can choose

to go to a fully equipped gym with

steam and sauna, a game room

with tennis and pool tables, a prayer

room, cyber café, library, and, of

course, a rest room.

Other facilities include a doctor on

site 24-7, a feeding room and crèche

for infants, M-PESA, canteen and

rooms next to workstations where

water and tea are available all day.

“We want to provide a calm

working environment for our busy

team members, because we realise

that a busy call centre business

like ours can be very demanding,”

Warui says.

Staff at the centre receive intensive

training in-house to be able to

achieve and maintain high standards.

“Everything at this call centre has

been tailored to benefit the end user.

We want the customer to know that

we take their concerns and feedback

seriously and are dedicated to giving

solutions to all their problems by

providing a service that will add value

to their Safaricom experience,” Warui

points out.

The JCC will revolutionise

Safaricom subscribers’ customer

care experience, much in the same

way that M-PESA proved to be a

vital service for many Kenyans –proof

indeed that Safaricom really is the

better option among mobile phone

service providers.

CALL 24/7PREPAY: Call 100 (free), or +254 (0)722 002 100 (chargeable at Ksh8 per

minute from your safaricom line). Email: [email protected]/ADVANTAGE: 200 (free), or +254 (0)722 002 200

(chargeable at Ksh7 per minute from your Safaricom PostPay line).

Email: [email protected]

Far left: Millicent

Njue, the librarian at

the centre.

Left: Keeping fit at

the office - a staff

member preparing

for her workout

session at the gym

based inside the

JCC building.

WORDS:CHEBETKARAGO;PHOTOGRAPHS:ALEXKAMWERU

Spoilt for choiceThat might be how you feel when

you look at all the different makes of

cellphones on the market these days.

They all have different gimmicks,

so what exactly do you need your

hand-held to do for you. Is your

eyesight poor? Perhaps you need

a model with a big screen. Perhaps

internet access is important, or a

camera or the ability to download

your favourite ring tones. Whatever

your personal

preferences, there are

several factors you

should always take

into account when

getting connected.Example: Nokia N97

Organise yourselfEven basic handsets offer organiser

applications, from an alarm clock

to a currency converter and a

thermometer.

Mr PopularHow many people do you know?

If your business or your social

life revolves around always being

available to network, you need a

phone that can store all your contacts.

In addition, voice dialing, which allows

you to make a call without pressing

any buttons,

is perfect for

when you need

your hands to

do something

else.Example: Phones

that have memory

cards such as Nokia

E and N series

Surf’s upBeing able to access the internet

allows you to surf the latest news,

sports, business trading, weather

and gossip. This function also

allows you to download information,

including ring tones and games.

Although many internet sites are

not designed for cellphone users,

Wireless Access Protocol (Wap)

browsers are designed for viewing on

small cellphone screens. The latest

models come with a HTML browser.

An added benefit is the ability to use

your cellphone as a modem for your

PC, although you will need to buy the

correct cables for this.Example: Windows mobile devices e.g.

HTC Touch HD and HTC Touch 3G, Samsung Omnia,

Motorola Q9

Message meText and multimedia messages

are crucial for the modern human

being, especially the younger,

versions. Some handsets also

support instant messaging. You can

also receive work and personal

emails to your

cellphone. This can be

expensive, so enquire

about frequent use

packages from the

service provider. Some

models come with an

alphabetic keyboard for

faster typing.Example: Blackberry

DOs & DON’Ts

It’s your call

PHOTOGRAPH:GETTY/G

ALLOIM

AGES.COM

The Option June - August 2009 15

When you are buying a new cellphone,you need to decide exactly what it is youneed it to do for you, writes Craig Bishop

Lights, camera, actionWhether you fancy yourself as

another Ridley Scott, or you just want

snapshots of your firstborn taking his

or her first steps, many cellphones

offer decent photo resolution.

It’s all about the megapixels:

the more, the merrier,

as they say.Example : LG Viewty KE 990

BluetoothThis lets you connect your cellphone

to a computer or another cellphone

to exchange or download music,

images, text and games.

MultimediaLook out for models with a digital

music player, MP3 support,

FM radio, streaming video and

3G wireless broadband networks.

Downloading data takes up a

lot of memory space, so buy a

model with a detachable memory

card. Example: Nokia 5130 Xpress Music

AccessoriseIf you want the trendiest cellphone

in town, buy a model that allows

you to play around with colours

and faceplates. Most phones

offer a range of personal options,

such as display wallpaper, screen

savers, and ring tones.

Helping handsSafaricom’s involvement in social issues is an indication of the company’s

passionate determination to add value to our world

16 June -August 2009 The Option

The Safaricom Foundation is

inviting staff to sign up on a

competitive basis and to work

in community programmes of their

choice, contributing their professional

skills, knowledge and expertise to the

day to day activities in various charity

and aid organisations.

Staff members must form teams

of four from multi-disciplinary

backgrounds and come up with

a proposal on how they intend to

work together for the year, with the

organisation of their choice.

The criteria used to assess the

teams includes commitment, skills,

experience and the sustainability of

PARTNERS FOR LIFEThe Safaricom Foundation is offering staff the chance to takepart in a life-changing experience through its World of Differenceinitiative, which aims to help the neediest communities in Kenya

their proposed approach towards the

World of Difference initiative.

The successful team will work

with their selected project partner

on a full time basis for a year. Each

member will work for three months

before handing over to the next team

member, after which they will resume

their normal role at Safaricom. During

the three months, they will still

receive their regular pay and benefits

from Safaricom, and they will be

covered for any new expenses such

as transport and accommodation.

Project partners might include

mental health institutions,

environmental and conservation

groups, aid organisations, youth

projects, disabled groups and

underprivileged groups.

All the project partners are

organisations that the Safaricom

Foundation has worked with in the

past and the present.

Safaricom Foundation is taking

corporate social responsibility to

the next level. So far, a variety of

professional roles are available for

staff to choose from including IT,

counselling, legal, public relations

and communication, fundraising and

strategic planning.

The initiative was launched on 26

February this year, and the selection

of successful candidates will be

announced on 29 May, with the

project set to kick off in earnest from

July 2009 for the 12-month period.

The project areas are vast and cover

areas all over the country, including

Nairobi, Laikipia, Kitale, Timau, Kilifi,

Kisumu, Thika and Mount Kenya,

among others.

Remember to check future editions

of The Option to see which is the

winning group and how they are

faring in their new roles.

Staff plant a tree for the

Safaricom Foundation’s

Ngare Ndare tree

planting initiative.

Fred Waithaka of

Safaricom mentors a

student in the Junior

Achievement Kenya

programme.

OUR PASSIONS


Thousands of families face

starvation in Kenya today.

Children have to sit though

classes with empty stomachs, while

their mothers travel far from home

in search of food for the family.

Lack of adequate rains, escalation

of food prices, as well as last year’s

post-election violence, are all factors

that have led to the lack of food in

communities all over the country.

The areas hardest hit include

Yatta, Makueni and Turkana. The

government and other agencies,

led by Kenya Red Cross, have been

distributing food to these affected

areas, but they need help.

Safaricom Foundation, with their

donation of Ksh10 million, was

among the first to contribute towards

the kitty. Safaricom staff also made

personal contributions.

Donation boxes were put on each

floor of their office block, and within

a few weeks, not only was there

a commendable amount of cash

donations, but also a store full of

foodstuff.

The foundation collected

Ksh217 500 and food stuff worth

Ksh135 000 from staff, which

Safaricom Limited then matched as

an appreciation of their staff efforts

and goodwill.

On 20 March, a group of 25 staff

representing the various divisions, set

out for Kajiado for the handover, in

conjunction with Kenya Red Cross.

They went ahead and presented

Kenya Red Cross with a cheque

for Ksh435 000 and food valued

at Ksh270 000. They served the

community and distributed grains

and other dry foods.

Safaricom staff have a passion

for the world around them and they

refuse to miss an opportunity to help

their less privileged countrymen.

Safaricom staff visited Ilbisil Primary School in

Kajiado, where they donated food to the children and

community in conjunction with the Kenya Red Cross.

FAMINE RELIEFSafaricom Foundation recently donated Ksh10 milliontowards famine relief in Kenya. Staff also reached intotheir own pockets to bolster the initiative


Peace of mindSafaricom’s new Pay Bill facility enables you to pay bills quickly, and on time

You know the story all too well. A bill arrives in the

post and you put it to one side. You fully intend to

deal with it immediately, of course, but there are a

thousand and one other bits of paper demanding

your attention and, somehow, it gets forgotten. In all this

hurly-burly, you forget to pay the bill and the electricity is

cut off, or the water, or the satellite TV.

For Safaricom subscribers, however, all this is a thing of

the past, thanks to the company’s new Pay Bill service.

Pay Bill allows you to rest assured that all your

important bills can easily be paid on time. Linked to the

already popular M-PESA service, Pay Bill cuts out the

middleman. Instead of writing out a cheque and sending

it to your service provider, who must then clear it and

credit the payment to your account, now all you have to

do is confirm that the company you wish to pay accepts

payments via M-PESA, then go ahead and credit the

money to your Safaricom M-PESA e-account, key in

the relevant business number, key in the account and

payment details, and press the CONFIRM button.

The M-PESA system then channels the payment to the

relevant service provider and sends you a reassuring SMS

to confirm that the payment has been received. Phew,

we hear you say. No more spending the evening hunched

over a candle, eating supper out of a can.

HOW DO I ACCESSTHIS SERVICE?

1First of all, you must register for the M-PESA service.

To do this, go to your nearest M-PESA agent (there are

over 8 650 nationwide), upgrade your SIM card if required

(at the minimal cost of Ksh20), register yourself as an

M-PESA user (it’s free) and activate the M-PESA menu on

your cellphone.

2 Welcome. You’re on Pay Bill.

Once registered, you’re only one button away

from joining the happy ranks of Pay Bill users. Now all

you have to do is check that your cellphone is Pay Bill-

enabled: select ‘My Account’ from your M-PESA menu,

select ‘Update Menu’ and then follow the instructions

on screen.

Now no-one will ever push your buttons again. So far,

some 65 service-provider partners have joined the

Pay Bill service, offering services as diverse as insurance,

micro-finance, motor

vehicle servicing,

water pumps,

health services and

pharmaceuticals.

M-PESA


PHOTOGRAPH:GINADIN


NS

FREQUENTLYASKED QUESTIONSWHAT IF THE SERVICE PROVIDER IWISH TO SEND MY PAYMENT TO ISNOT REGISTERED WITH THE PAY BILLSERVICE?This is a relatively new service. It has been running

for one year now, which means that not all service

providers have completed the formalities involved.

However, now that Pay Bill has proved just how

useful it is, service providers are signing up daily.

So, in order to check if your chosen provider has

registered yet, just check the website above or ask

the service provider.

HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY PAYMENTHAS BEEN RECEIVED?You will receive an SMS message on your

cell phone, which confirms the fact that your

payment has been received. It contains a

transaction number and we suggest you keep

this as reference until you receive payment

acknowledgement from the service provider,

incase you need to query it. Alternatively, you can

call the dedicated customer-support number of

your chosen supplier: these numbers are provided

on the list below, are available from the website,

or can be obtained by calling Safaricom Customer

Care: call 234 (for free) on your Safaricom line.

HOW LONG MUST I WAIT FOR THISMESSAGE?You will get the M-PESA acknowledgment in

seconds. The service provider will process

the payment detail to your account with them

in varying periods. For example, if you pay

Safaricom, they update it every 30 minutes during

working hours. For KPLC, please pay 2 days in

advance as they update every 24 hours.

HOW MUCH DOES THE PAY BILLSERVICE COST ME?Many of our providers have elected to pay for the

cost of your Pay Bill transaction, in which case

the service is free to you. Alternatively you will be

charged up to Ksh30 per transaction, depending

on the service provider selected.

IS THE AMOUNT I CAN TRANSFERUSING PAY BILL LIMITED?Existing M-PESA limits apply: the maximum

transaction amount per day: Ksh70 000. Maximum

amount transferable per transaction: Ksh35 000.

REMEMBER• Make sure that you have sufficient money in your M-PESA

account to cover the sums involved.

• Make sure you have all the relevant service provider

account payment details before you start pushing buttons.

• Make sure you have the correct business number of

the service provider you wish to pay. These numbers are

available on www.safaricom.co.ke, or call M-PESA customer

support on 234 from your Safaricom line.

M-PESA AT A GLANCENumber of M-PESA customers to-date 6 175 056

Number of M-PESA agents countrywide 8 650

Monthly value of person-to-person

transfers

Ksh17.29

billion

Cumulative value of person-to-person

transfers made since the launch of the

M-PESA service in March 2007

Ksh135.38

billion

(FIGURES AS AT MARCH 2009)

RECOGNITION FORTHE M-PESA SERVICEM-PESA, which is operated by Safaricom in Kenya in

partnership with Vodafone, won the GSMA ‘Best Mobile

Money Service Award’ in February 2009.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAIDThe GSMA judges described the M-PESA service as,

“an accessible and intuitive solution, reflected by an

unprecedented take-up rate for a service of this kind.

M-PESA will serve as a blueprint for other operators around

the world. This provides a simple means for people to safely

transfer and carry money.”

Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph and KPLC engineer Joseph Njoroge try out the

new M-PESA system that enables KPLC customers to pay their monthly bills via

M-PESA, assisted by M-PESA senior sales manager Adnan Adnan.

The professional, versatile and industrious staff at Safaricom are “happy to help”.This team is living up to its promise of delivering on Safaricom’s passions

Behind the scenes


Phyllis WaicungoRetail Support Analyst, Rex House Retail Centre

PASSION: PeopleAT WORK: Phyllis provides second-line support

to the retail centre support at the front line, including

escalations, activations and follow-ups.

THE CHALLENGE: With the transition from customer

management to retail, the systems are also constantly

changing to accommodate the new products coming up.

Phyllis took it upon herself to get the staff to internalise

and understand the changes between the old and the

new system.

HER SOLUTION: Able to handle pressure at all times,

Phyllis developed a positive attitude and took the initiative

to master the systems. She then gave training and

coaching to the staff to embrace this new system.

HER MOTIVATION: A smile from an appreciative

customer gives Phyllis the drive to be at her best.

HAPPIEST: With a good movie, dancing or reading an

inspirational book.

MEET THE TEAM


Kenneth KipropRetail Centre Support Analyst, Nakuru Retail Centre

PASSION: Innovation and creativity

AT WORK: Kenneth resolves issues in the back office

that cannot be resolved by the retail agents, including

escalations and activations.

THE CHALLENGE: Safaricom is constantly expanding

and releasing new products into the market. These new

product launches are communicated to all staff at the

same time via email. Known for his love of all things to do

with technology, colleagues will line up at Kenneth’s desk

asking for explanations on the new product.

HIS SOLUTION: Kenneth is already on the ball,

researching all he can on the product, understanding it

and looking for ways to break it down in a simple manner

to colleagues. He then passes on this information to his

colleagues by guiding them on how the products work

rather than doing it for them. This ensures versatility.

HIS MOTIVATION: Learning new products and

services, sharing this information with colleagues who in

turn give the Safaricom customer a highly informed and

professional service.

HAPPIEST: Exploring technology and catching up

with Jack Bauer on the action series 24.

Muthoni MbaeSenior Retail Agent, Sarit Retail Centre

PASSION: Customers

AT WORK: Muthoni deals with customer issues and

processes their requests – anything from SIM card

replacement and the activation of roaming services to

solving handset problems.

THE CHALLENGE: Difficult situations often crop up.

In one instance, a customer had a billing issue for which

he demanded a print-out showing a thorough breakdown

of his expenses, to ascertain whether the charges were

accurate. He took a seat at the shop and said that he

would wait for as long as it took.

HER SOLUTION: Patience is Muthoni’s key trait,

which comes in handy in calming down upset clients. In

this instance, Muthoni asked a colleague from the post-

paid department to help her with the print-out. She then

went through it with the irate customer who left the shop

delighted with the customer service he had received and

continued his service with Safaricom.

HER MOTIVATION: The great teamwork amongst

Safaricom’s employees ensures Muthoni is always ready

to take on whatever challenge may come her way.

HAPPIEST: When reading. She also enjoys swimming.

MEET THE TEAM


Rita MwadimeRetail Centre Analyst, Buruburu Retail Centre

PASSION: ResultsAT WORK: Rita is tasked with attending to all

customer-related issues.

THE CHALLENGE: Being newly appointed at the

Buruburu Retail Centre just late last year, and with no

prior exposure to Safaricom’s products and services,

Rita had to ensure that both the shop and her personal

revenue targets were achieved. She also needed to

establish, maintain and grow her own client base.

HER SOLUTION: Focus. With every free

opportunity she got, Rita researched and read up on

all of Safaricom’s products and services. This enabled

her to always be one step ahead of the client. As a

result of her diligence, Rita has managed to establish

an impressive client base, and she managed to

successfully attain and surpass the revenue targets set

for her.

HER MOTIVATION: Finding ways to be constantly

new and different in her approach towards client and

customer relations in an ever changing industry.

HAPPIEST: When outdoors on a road trip or tackling

mountain climbing.

PHOTOGRAPHS:ALEXKAMWERU

Jackie MadowoRetail Agent, I & M Retail Centre

PASSION: The world around us

AT WORK: Besides handling customers and ensuring

the ship is generating revenue, Jackie is in charge of

merchandising and she ensures there is order in the

shop by making it presentable and attractive to the

customer.

THE CHALLENGE: With a new shop as her canvas,

Jackie was tasked with making the environment

a customer-friendly experience that would ensure

customers returned time and again.

HER SOLUTION: Jackie set about designing displays

and brochures, making the shop accessible to the

customer. She decided to use live phones instead of

dummies on the display, so that customers could enjoy

a ‘real’ experience. She also trained staff in

merchandising, and they are now capable of running

the shop in her absence.

HER MOTIVATION: Jackie has a genuine passion for

helping customers. When an upset customer leaves her

shop smiling, she is energised for the next challenge.

HAPPIEST: While watching cartoons and animation

movies, The Princess and the Pea being her favourite.

Let’s take a snapshot of

Mother Nature. Climate

change, reduced forest cover,

depletion of fresh water

basins, pollution, drought and famine

– all point to one common theme: the

urgent need for humanity to restore

balance to threatened eco-systems.

Countries are beginning to recognise

the problem, and the publication of

regional Millennium Development

Goals has called for greater forest

cover and the protection of valuable

water catchment areas.

How does this global

dilemma impact on a mobile

telecommunications company like

Safaricom? Firstly, Safaricom has

the willingness and ability to do

something to alleviate the problem.

Safaricom seeks to support

initiatives that are geared towards

environmental conservation. The

protection of Kenya’s forests,

tree-planting, protecting and

conserving wildlife, mitigating

against human-wildlife conflict and

community clean-up campaigns all

form a large portion of Safaricom’s

environmental strategy.

To this end, the Total Eco Challenge

– primarily a tree-planting exercise –

was launched in 2003, the goal being

to plant 100 million trees a year.

This number, believe it or not, is the

minimum amount required in order

for Kenya to meet its fundamental

need of 10% forest cover. Safaricom

is one of more than 5 000 entrants

in 11 different categories which

include individuals, schools, industry,

non-governmental organisations and

associations. Safaricom has won

gold in the business category for

four consecutive years, thanks to

its tree-planting regime

– more than 1

million trees have

been planted by the

company each year.

An example of Safaricom’s

success in tree planting is

evident along the Thika Road

heading out of Nairobi. These trees

were planted in 2004 together

with Nairobi City Council and

the participation of Kibera

and Mathare primary schools

for World Environment Day.

In 2008, the company

launched ‘Trees for

Knowledge’ in schools

The Option June -August 2009 23

OUR WORLD

Trees for lifeAs part of its environmentally responsible businessplan, Safaricom has partnered with Total EcoChallenge to plant 100 million trees a year

PHOTOGRAPH:ISTOCKPHOTO,GINADIN


NS

countrywide. The Total Eco Challenge

came up with a list of schools

and self-help groups who had the

potential and passion to grow trees.

Schools that were in the process of

tree planting were given endangered

and/or rare seedlings. Schools in

Kwale District were provided with

planting bags and African Moringa

and baobab seeds, both of which

have important medicinal properties.

All in all Safaricom has facilitated

the planting of over 100 000

seedlings with the participation of

more than 130 schools and children’s

homes countrywide. The Agape

Children’s Home in Dagoreti, which

looks after of HIV-infected children,

for example, has planted more

than 500 nutritional and

medicinal plants in

just a quarter of

an acre. Other

beneficiaries

include Maseno University, the

Trees is Life, Nyahururu

project, the Soysambu

and Sweetwaters

conservancies, the

Ruiru Environmental

Conservation and

Education Trust, and the

Tree Nursery Operators

self-help group. Each

of these participants

has planted 3 000

indigenous trees.

Left: Students planting seedlings for the Total Eco

Challenge tree planting initiative.

Below: Nelly Githaka, Safaricom’s sponsorship

manager receives the gold medal in the business

category at the Total Eco Challenge awards held

in November 2008.


Berry niceAll the reviewers are saying the same thing– if you are a BlackBerry fan, you are going tolove the Blackberry Bold

In a world without borders where

business spans cities, countries

and even continents, staying in

touch has now, more than ever,

become more than just a 9-5 thing

– it’s a way of life. Work is no longer

bound to an office or a notebook,

and those valuable minutes between

destinations in a taxi to and from the

airport need not pass idly by.

You can close deals while standing

waiting to check-in, or email your

final financial presentation to your

secretary when you step off the

plane. It’s all about being in touch.

And being in touch is all about your

Blackberry Bold.

If you’re already one of the

approximately 21 million fans around

the world who’ve made the switch to

the Blackberry way, then you know

exactly how it’s changed your life.

But for those of you still clinging

to your old handset, here’s the

drill: The Blackberry is a handheld,

wireless personal digital

assistant (PDA) best

known for its email

and mobile phone

capabilities, which

comes in a variety of

models suited to your

individual needs.

Are you a group

CEO who needs

to be reached for

decisions wherever

you are in the

world? Blackberry’s

got you covered.

A PR executive who

needs to network with

clients after hours? There’s a

Blackberry for you. A freelancer who

doesn’t want to miss out on a job

offer just because you’re not at a

computer? How about a busy mom

scheduling play dates and charity

meetings, or a student who doesn’t

want to miss out on the latest

Facebook postings? Yup, all of you

are covered, too.

And in case you needed any

more of a picture, consider this:

the elected president of the United

States in November last year,

Barack Obama had one condition

(well, apart from all that economy

and foreign policy business) – his

Blackberry was going nowhere! The

device, he says, lets people around

him get hold of him immediately,

his way of connecting anyone who

helped get him to the top.

While the rest of us aren’t running

countries, we still want a taste of the

presidential lifestyle – something the

Blackberry Bold is bringing that little

bit closer to our fingertips.

SWITCHING TOSMARTThe last two quarters of 2008

saw an increase in the purchases

of smartphones, according to

Chris Henschel, the general

manager of Cellucity, and this is

expected to increase even further

with each new model release,

such as the Blackberry Bold.

And, while smartphone users

have traditionally been more

older professionals, Henschel

says the age group between 24

and 35 are making the switch,

specifically because of the

unfettered access it gives them

to email and social networking

sites such as Facebook.

According to Henschel it’s

about more than just browsing

the net – Blackberrys push your

mails through to you, which

means no more waiting for them

to download. And, he says, as

our employers and places of

study place restrictions on what

sites we can access during

office hours, we’ve switched to

smartphones as a way of being

online and connected during our

personal time.

WORDS:CRAIG

BISHOP;IM

AGES:GSMARENA.COM,BLACKBERRY


lifestyle

SCREENWhen the guys at

theboygeniusreport.com, a site that

reviews mail and phone technologies,

say, “We can safely say that this is

the best screen we’ve ever seen on

a mobile device. Hands down,” you

know you’re on to a winner.

The screen is 480x320mm of

pure dazzle – rich colours with no

pixilation in sight, it ticks both the

function and form boxes (you won’t

be squinting to read an email on

the Bold).

In fact, the images are so inviting

(even when it’s just another memo

reminding you of a meeting that you

have to attend) that you’ll have to

hold yourself back from thinking it’s a

touch-screen!

KEYBOARDFact is, there’s no point in having a

smartphone with email capabilities

if your fingers are tripping over the

miniscule keys half the time. And it’s

here that Blackberry has won many

fans, who say that it far outreaches

other smartphones in this respect.

And the Bold is no different!

There is a slight angle shift

compared to other Blackberry keys,

but once you’re used to this, they’re

just perfect. Gizmodo.com, another

tech-review site, says this about the

Bold’s keys: “They’re fantastic, like

a delicately balanced wine, with a

perfect blend of springy, punchy and

spongy [and] … the backlighting is

beautiful.”

BODYYou’ve got the stylish leather

briefcase, the perfectly tailored suit

and the swish shoes – so why ruin it

with a phone that just doesn’t look

the part?

This is not a problem with the

Blackberry bold, though – it’s sleek

and stylish, with a modern design

that really does scream, “I’m powerful

and I make the decisions.” Although

it’s a little wider than other Blackberry

models, it still fits comfortable into

one’s hands, and it also has a solid

and sturdy feel.

CONNECTIONSThis all depends on where you’re

connecting from, but all the ways of

staying online are there:

3G, GPS and Wi-Fi.

BATTERYThe draw of the Blackberry Bold is

that you can stay in touch wherever,

whenever, without being confined

to an office or your study at home.

Which is why a good battery life,

which the Bold has in buckets, is an

absolute must!

With plenty of browsing, emailing

and use of the other applications, it

still lasts throughout a heavy day or

two on the road – and that is exactly

what you need until you can get to a

power source and charge it up again.

EMAIL“What’s a BlackBerry without email?”

ask the reviewers at Gizmodo.com,

and they’re exactly right! The email

isn’t much different from previous

Blackberry models – their thinking,

perhaps, was, “Why fix something

that’s not broken,” – although there

are a few little tweaks here and there.

The screen makes the email text

stand out more clearly, and you can

now see pictures in messages, full

HTML and attachments.

BROWSERHow easy is the Bold to navigate?

One user said that by the end of

his first day with the Bold he was

skipping easily through different

applications, sending emails and

browsing the web – it was that easy

to get used to!

VIDEOSWith the bigger, brighter screen,

watching videos and browsing

through photos is a great experience,

and the speaker

backs this up with

good-quality audio.

A BOLD NEW WAYIf there’s one thing that reviewers of the Blackberry Bold all agree on, it’s this

– the Bold is the most complete, all-round Blackberry yet and, as one reviewer

said, “the answer to every Blackberry users dreams”. It has all the hardware

that Blackberry fans expect to be there – 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi, QWERTY keyboard,

camera – packaged in a smooth, sleek design that fits as neatly as a smooth

pebble into your palm. Here’s the breakdown:

WHAT THE FANS HAVE TO SAYAll in all, this is the best Blackberry

ever – and one which almost makes

it a pleasure to be stuck doing work

once you’ve left the office. And don’t

just take our word for it – here’s

what some users had to say:

Gizmodo.com: “This is the phone Blackberry fanatics

have been waiting for.”

Gizmodo.com: “It definitely sets the standard for what

mobile browsers should do.”

Gsmarena.com: “To Berry buffs it may be about as good

as a mobile phone gets.”


WORDS:KIM

ANIKAMAKIRU•PHOTOGRAPHS:ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

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CUSTOMER CAREPREPAY24-hour customer care line for all your

Safaricom-related queries

Call 100 from your Safaricom line or

+254 722000100 from any

other network

Email: customercare@

safaricom.co.ke

POSTPAY24-hour customer

care line for all Safaricom

customers on PostPay

Call 200 from your Safaricom

line or +254 722000200 from

any other network


SAFARICOM DEALERS24-hour support for all Safaricom

dealers

Call 300 from your Safaricom line

or +254 722000300 from any other

network

Email: dealerhelpdesk@safaricom.

co.ke

SAFARICOM BUSINESSSERVICES24-hour support for all Safaricom

corporate subscribers


and +254 722000400 from any other

network

Email: businesssupport@safaricom.

co.ke

M-PESA24-hour M-PESA helpline for all

M-PESA customers


and +254 722000234 from any other

network


Pesapoint withdrawal service support

Call +254 726853000


SIMU YA JAMIISimu ya Jamii dealers’ support



Manage youraccount

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balance.

Dial *200#

Online: https://youradvantage.

safaricom.co.ke

TO SAMBAZASambaza is an airtime sharing

service that allows PrePay

subscribers to share airtime

with friends and family. Create a

new SMS message and enter #

immediately after the airtime value,

followed by the number you want

to top up and send to 140.

TOP UP ANOTHER NUMBERDIRECTLYSafaricom subscribers can also top

up another number directly.

Create a new SMS and enter #

immediately after the PIN, followed

by the number you want to top up

and send to 141.

POSTPAY BILL PAYMENTSafaricom PostPay subscribers can

now pay their bill with ease at any

of the following centres:

• Any Safaricom Retail Centre

countrywide;

• M-PESA: Paybill, Business

Number 200200;

• Any Commercial Bank of Africa

branch countrywide;

• Any Co-operative Bank branch

countrywide;

• Any Standard Chartered Bank

branch countrywide;

• Any Nakumatt branch

countrywide.

SIM REPLACEMENTReplace your lost or damaged

SIM card at any Safaricom Retail

Centre or authorised dealer

countrywide. Dial *180*1*MOBILE

NUMBER*PIN*NEW IMSI#

Much morefor yourmoney

afaricom line or

from any

are@

aricom

Pay

Safaricom

200 from

afaricom.co.ke

ALERS


Find it fastDIRECTORY SERVICESWhen you need a number, don’t

reach for a pen and paper, reach

for your cellphone. Each call will

cost a flat rate of Ksh20 and you

can request up to two numbers

per call.Call 191 for any number,

anywhere from your Safaricom

line and +254 722000191 from

any other network.

{ }{{{ }}

DIAL 24/7

Voice services

PLEASE CALL MENot only can you send a message

to any other Safaricom subscriber

asking them to call you but

Safaricom subscribers get FIVE

FREE SMSs per day. Dial *130*other

number#

PERSONALISED VOICEMAILSERVICESLike an answering machine, it takes

your calls when the network is busy,

or off, remains unanswered, or there

is no network coverage. A message

is stored and you can then retrieve

it at the next available moment.

Activate all diverts: Dial *222#

Retrieve voicemail: Dial 111

VOICE SMSYou can now make a voice SMS

for just Ksh5. Dial 1 followed by the

number, eg 1 0722004000.

CALL WAITINGCall waiting provides you with

notification of an incoming call while

on another call, and allows you to

handle another call or take a call

that is waiting.

Activate: Dial *43#

Deactivate: Dial #43#

Check status: Dial *#43#

CALL HUNTINGThe Call Hunting service is a

PostPay solution that allows you

to have 30 calls to one number,

routed to your chosen numbers, eg

small call centre or switchboard.

Corporate PostPay tariffs apply.

Call 400/ +254 722000400 for sales

enquiries.

TOLLFREE SERVICESThe TollFree service is an enterprise

PostPay solution that allows your

customers to reach your TollFree

number at no charge to them. Call

400/ +254 722000400 for enquiries.

Data & messagingservices

TEXT 4 TEN (GROUP TEXT)Send the same message to several

members of a group from a single

SMS. Ksh10 per message sent. SMS

to 184 and set up your group.

INTERNET AND MULTIMEDIASETTINGSYou can now surf the net from your

phone and receive multimedia

messages.

Activate: Dial *445# from data

enabled handset and save all

settings. Manual settings: Access

point name (APN) “safaricom”.

INSTANT INTERNET ANDEDGE/GPRS DATA SERVICESUsername: “saf”

Password: “data”

PURCHASE DATA BUNDLESThere are various data bundles

that are available to Safaricom

subscribers:

• 300MB costs Ksh999 and to

activate SMS “activate” to 446

• 700MB costs Ksh1,999 and to


• 1GB costs Ksh2,499 and to


BLACKBERRYBlackBerry keeps you connected to

people and information while on the

go with push-based technology that

automatically delivers email and data

and voice services.

Activate: Dial *211#

SAFARICOM EMAILGet your own personal email address

from Safaricom FREE OF CHARGE!

This service gives you 6GB of

storage space, a calendar facility and

more.

Go to www.safaricom.com to set up

your free email address today.

GET IT 411Get It 411 is an innovative

information service that allows you

to request information by sending an

SMS message.

The information that you request is

instantly sent back to you by return

SMS.

All Safaricom subscribers have

access to this service.

You can access Get It 411 services

through the SIM tool kit on your

mobile phone.

Bonga loyaltyschemeBonga is Safaricom’s reward

programme that is available

to all Safaricom subscribers,

both on Prepay and PostPay

services. The more you

use your Safaricom line, the MORE

POINTS you get and the BIGGER

THE REWARDS!

ENROL, CHECK ANDREDEEM YOUR BONGAPOINTSTo enrol, check or redeem your

Bonga points, simply dial *126# and

follow the voice prompts. Handsets

available at all Safaricom retail

centres countrywide.

International travelThe Safaricom Roaming Service

allows you to stay connected in

more locations outside Kenya than

ever before. Safaricom has bilateral

roaming agreements with GSM

operators in popular international

destinations.

EAST AFRICAN CALL RATESSafaricom, MTN Uganda, UTL

Uganda Vodacom Tanzania and

MTN Rwanda – the three biggest

networks in eastern Africa – have

partnered to offer you the most

affordable, seamless and reliable

way to communicate when travelling

within the region on business or for

pleasure. IT’S SIMPLE = your phone

automatically connects with one of

these networks.

PREPAY ROAMINGSafari Tariff allows you to roam with

your Prepay line in +40 networks in

25 countries. Activate by dialling 213

from your Safaricom line and listen to

the voice prompts.

POSTPAY ROAMINGAllows you to roam in +160 countries

with +260 partner networks. Dial 200

from your Safaricom line to activate.

TRAVELLERS TO KENYAAs a traveller to Kenya you can

roam with Safaricom, the Vodafone

network in Kenya. You can continue

to use your existing cellphone and

number to make and receive calls or

SMSs.

Visitors to Kenya simply select

Safaricom or 63902 networks to

access voice, messaging and data

services while on the move. For

help, dial +254 722000200 or email

[email protected].


PEACE OF MINDSECURITY 911In times of need, dial 911 to access Safaricom’s emergency response

system. This uses Safaricom’s network in conjunction with a rapid

emergency response unit from Cartrack and other companies in Kenya’s

Tracker Group. There are over 50 vehicles located at strategic sites

around Nairobi ready to respond to any emergency situation, be it at your

residence, roadside location or place of work, so you have total peace of

mind 24/7. 911 affords you the help you need anywhere in Nairobi.

DIAL 24/7

Show me the funny

Crossed linesILLUSTRATIO

N:ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

It’s a wacky world out there

A GIRL’S BEST FRIENDForget diamonds. Cellphones are a girl’s best friend, according to a

survey of single American women by Samsung Telecommunications

America. “The cellphone is an integral part of the single female’s life,

serving as a pocket-size detective, matchmaker, wing-woman and

beyond,” says Samsung marketing VP, Randy Smith.

Among the survey findings:32% said a man’s cellphone is a good indication of what he is like in bed.

12% said that they would be less likely to date a man who had a big and

bulky cellphone.

74% look at their cellphone, rather than their watch, to tell the time.

70% said they have snooped on their significant other’s cellphone,

for example, by looking through text messages or picking up their phone

to see who is calling.

73% have ditched traditional paper address books for their cellphones, to

keep track of contacts. The average number of cellphone contacts is 63.

34% have asked a friend to call them to interrupt a date.

48% prefer to flirt with someone they are interested in via text message

when they are away from them.(SOURCE: WWW.MARKETINGCHARTS.COM)OOPS!

I used to work with this guy who

was a real player. He got all the

chicks. Anyway, he used to work at

an electronics store in Nairobi, and

one day a man came in enquiring

about cellphones that had video

functions. My mate was busy with

another customer so he handed

over his brand new Sanyo VM 4500,

the one with a built-in video camera.

“Here,” he said to the second

customer. “I’m busy right now.

But have a look at this and I’ll be

right with you.” He had completely

forgotten that he had stored several

photos and videos of girlfriends on

his phone.

All of a sudden, he saw the

customer blush furiously and smile.

He had inadvertently opened a video

of my friend’s girlfriend posing naked

for the camera. Expecting to be

soundly reprimanded, if not fired, my

mate started to apologise, only to be

told by the satisfied customer, “That

looks perfect. I’ll take one, please!”

Genderfender benderOyunga rushes in to work one day

and announces loudly, “I tell you,

women drivers are dangerous!

Driving to work this morning on

the freeway, I looked over to my

left and a woman in a Jaguar was

clocking over 120km/h with her

face up close to the rear-view mirror

putting on her mascara.

“I looked away for a couple of

seconds and then the next thing

I knew, she was careering all over

my lane. It scared me so badly

I dropped my electric shaver into

my coffee, and it spilled all over

my cellphone.”

From cellphone bling to digital accesories, these hot gadgets grab the imagination

Technologyto tantalise

Bluetooth accessoriesThere are plenty of Bluetooth accessories on the market. The

ever popular Retro Handset has been updated to connect to

your cellphone using Bluetooth technology. No more tangled

cords, just pure retro-cool.

Keep the sun out your eyes while making a phone call

with these funky new sunglasses which are actually

a Blutooth headset in disguise. Volume and call

answer controls are located on the arm, and

the unit has a talk time of 3.5 hours.

Turn to page 32 for more on Bluetooth

technology.PHOTOGRAPHS:SUPPLIEDBYMANUFACTURERS


Protective skinsGelaSkins Inc is a provider of protective covers for the

iPhone, iPod, laptops and the Motorola RAZR. At close to

2mm thickness, the covers are scratch resistant and use 3M’s

adhesive technology, which is currently being used in other

industries, including the aviation,

transport and medical sectors.

techno bytes


High tech lighterCome on baby, light my flash drive. Electronics and fire may never have

been bosom buddies, but when it comes to this USB flash drive, they

have decided to call it a truce. Taking the form of the ever-popular Zippo

brand of lighters, this flash drive comes with an ample 8GB capacity, and

the lighter is, of course, refillable. The USB connector slides

out of the bottom of the metal casing, using a small lever

located on the side of the lighter. The lighter itself has a

polished chrome finish and an adjustable flame. It

also comes with a USB cable.

iPod TVNew from Apple, this is an easy and fun way to play your favourite tunes, movies, TV

shows, photos and podcasts, in fact any digital content you have downloaded from the

internet, on your home TV set. Just connect the interface to your TV and away you go.

The device has a 40GB hard drive which can store 50 hours of video, 9 000 songs, 25 000

photos, or combinations of each. It connects to most modern, widescreen TV sets and

delivers high definition 720-pixel output.

Mobile jewelleryYou wouldn’t step out the door improperly dressed,

so why do the same to your mobile? Cellphone bling

makes a statement about who you are and what you

think about life. From attachable, dangling pendants to

arty beadwork, there is something for everyone.

technology


After cellphone cameras,

Bluetooth is probably

the next biggest thing

in the world of cellular

communications. It is estimated that

more than one billion people around

the world regularly use Bluetooth

since its inception a decade ago. But

what actually is it?

Put simply, Bluetooth refers to

a short-range (10-metre), wireless

communications technology that

allows two or more devices to

communicate securely and quickly

with one another. So if I have a

photograph, a tune, a document or

other data on my cellphone, I can

Bluetooth it to you, so long as we

both have the relevant software on

our phones. Bluetooth can also be

used to access a network or the

internet. This is done with a notebook

computer by connecting wirelessly to

a cellular phone.

A BLUE WORLDThis opens up a world of possibilities,

allowing a multitude of devices

(including person-to-person, in-car,

in-office and in-home equipment

and appliances) to share data and

commands with one another.

When I try to send you data via

Bluetooth, my phone first locates

your phone and then sends a

message asking whether you want

to accept the incoming data. Many

modern electronic appliances

are Bluetooth-aware. Bluetooth

wirelessly connects office computer

components such as your mouse,

keyboards and cursors (used for

presentations). Modern home

entertainment systems, including

stereos, DVD units, satellite receivers

and televisions, can be wirelessly

commanded using Bluetooth.

Offices can use Bluetooth

technology to connect equipment

to complement other local wireless

network access within close

proximity. Printers, faxes and

cordless phones can be run locally

over a Bluetooth network. File-

sharing between computers and

mobile terminals in close proximity

is another common Bluetooth

Named after anancient Viking

king, Bluetooth isrevolutionising the waypeople and machines

communicate witheach other

All aboutBluetooth


application. This saves on local

area bandwidth utilisation, which

is a shared resource within the

organisation.

More specialised uses for

Bluetooth technology exist within the

fields of medicine, engineering and

manufacturing.

WHY BLUE TEETH?You are probably wondering why it

is called Bluetooth. The name refers

to the 10th-century Danish king

Harald “Bluetooth” Blaatand who

unified Denmark and Norway. In

the beginning of the Bluetooth era,

Bluetooth was aimed at unifying the

telecom and computing industries.

Today’s mobile phones are

highly sophisticated, miniaturised,

multimedia, digital devices

whose capabilities are strongly

complemented by Bluetooth’s

robustness, versatility, low power

demands and low cost.

So what can Bluetooth do for you?

Many of us will relate to Bluetooth’s

function as a support for hands-free

kits. Did you know that a UK-based

insurance company commissioned

a study that concluded that it’s safer

driving when drunk than driving while

on the phone. Interesting?

SPEAK THE LINGOBluetooth technology has created a

host of user-related terms. Here are

the most commonly used:

Blue-sniffing: The act of turning

on your Bluetooth function on your

phone to search for other devices

that also have Bluetooth technology

installed. It works over a 10-metre

circumference.

Blue-jacking: The unauthorised

sending of your business card to

another Bluetooth device within its

range. The saved address can in

future send messages over the GSM

network to the recipient’s number.

Blue-bugging: This is where a

hijacker remotely accesses your

phone and uses it as their own. You

then incur all the costs for the other

person’s illegal usage, including call

and SMS costs.

All of the above are seen as

Bluetooth-specific security threats.

Unauthorised Bluetooth access to

your phone can allow an attacker to

transmit computer viruses to your

phone. These viruses can destroy

your phone’s operating systems,

as well as run up unwanted costs.

Should this happen, you would

then need to reinstall your phone’s

operating system.

HOW DO I PROTECT AGAINSTBLUE-JACKING?Make sure that you keep your

Bluetooth function turned off when

you are not using it. Only accept

connection requests and data from

trusted devices and known senders.

Although it is almost impossible to

intercept Bluetooth communications,

or to eavesdrop on transmissions

between devices, most security

threats are influenced by the user

more than the technology itself.

Where users allow for open or

unauthorised wireless access to

their Bluetooth devices, attacks

are inevitable.

With everything going wireless,

maybe one day we will be able to

invent wireless power.

Here’s to the future.BYKIM

ANIKAMAKIRU;PHOTOGRAPH:GETTYIM

AGES.COM

stay connected

On the roadSafaricom, MTN Uganda, UTL Uganda, Vodacom Tanzania and

MTN Rwanda have partnered up to offer their subscribers the mostaffordable, seamless and reliable way to communicate in East Africa

On-net calls VODACOM TZ MTN UGANDA UTL MTN RWANDA

Calls to roaming network 24.00 17.50 22.00 17.50

Calls to other network in visited country 30.00 25.00 22.00 25.00

Calls to any network back home

(Safaricom, Zain, Orange, Yu)27.50 18.50 18.50 18.50

Calls to East Africa (Kenya, TZ, Uganda,

Rwanda, & Burundi)24.00 24.00 32.00 24.00

SMS

Local network & Safaricom 4.00 5.00 5.50 4.00

Other network 8.00 9.00 5.50 8.00

International 8.00 9.00 7.00 12.00

What costsare involved?Subscribers can purchase

airtime from authorised dealers

within the visiting countries

and pay with local currency.

For example, a PrePay subscriber

travelling to Tanzania can top up

with Vodacom Tanzania airtime

through the PrePay Roaming

Top-Up (PPRTU) service.

How do I connectwhen I travel?Your phone will automatically

pick up MTN Rwanda, MTN Uganda,

UTL Uganda or Vodacom Tanzania when

travelling in East Africa. Subscribers

do not need to migrate to Safari Tariff

to use this service. When calling home,

dial the country code and the area

code (dropping the ‘0’), followed by the

number, eg. +254 720 123456.

How is this servicedifferent from roaming?Because of the following:

• Subscribers can receive incoming

calls for free.

• No roaming access required.

• No deposits required.

• No migration to special

roaming tariffs.

• Available to all Safaricom subscribers

(prepaid and postpaid).

Giving backCELEB WATCH

WHAT CSR PROJECTSARE YOU WORKING ON ATTHE MOMENT?I have two projects on the go at the

moment. The first is called, ‘Just A

Girl’. This is part of my ‘Millennium

Development Goals’ for which

I am a torch bearer.

This time next year, I want to have

upgraded three schools. I’m looking

for girls’ schools that are doing well

and I want to know if anything is

holding them back – do they need

dorms, text books, latrines, water

tanks, a roof? I want to fix that.

My second project is a tiny one and

it is for the kids in Mathare. I have

30 kids in school – I pay their school

fees. Just Ksh950 a term!

The kids write to me twice a term,

with their grades and marks. They

start the letter, “Dear sponsor,” – they

don’t even know it is me! I’m hoping

to extend the number of kids I help to

100 by the end of this year.

WHEN DID YOU STARTGETTING INVOLVED WITHCSR PROJECTS?About five years ago, when the

first famine hit Kenya. That was

the first time we went out to the

communities to distribute food –

you see the poverty and you

understand the need.

You don’t know what that bag of

unga means to someone. You stop

being fickle – you stop thinking of

that pizza you might normally treat

yourself to. I don’t throw any food

away now. I save everything. I even

put the cork back in a wine bottle!

WHERE DO YOU FIND THETIME FOR THESE PROJECTS?Well, how long does it take to write a

cheque? When you have a profile like

mine, people come to you. A lot of

Kenyans would like to give, but they

don’t know how. So when you have

a public profile, what’s stopping you

from making a difference? People

write to me and ask me what

I need: mabati, water tanks, do you

need a lorry for transport? It’s not

impossible. It’s unfair if you do not

use your public profile positively.

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OFTHESE PROJECTS?It centres me. I might complain about

a lot of things, but when I remember

those kids, it makes me see things

in perspective. Since I started

supporting these kids, I feel better

about myself.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OFSAFARICOM’S WORLD OFDIFFERENCE PROJECT?A lot of us would like to do something

and give our time, but then who

would meet our bills? The Safaricom

Foundation understands this.

They say go! I hope enough

people at Safaricom will

take advantage of this. If

I had my way, I would

love to take three

months off work

and finish my

‘Just A Girl’

project. World

of Difference

– do it!

Radio personality Caroline Mutoko chats abouther passion for corporate social responsibilityprojects and how her efforts have changed herlife as well as those of the less fortunate

WORDS:CANDICEMIRANDA;PHOTOGRAPH:JOANPERERUAN

WHAT MESSAGE WOULDYOU LIKE TO SPREAD TOOTHERS?I want people to know they can make

a difference. Give yourself a chance,

because you don’t know the amazing

feeling you will get. You’ll realise that

your problems are small compared to

some people’s problems. Nobody’s

asking you to change the world.

Just allow yourself a chance to give

back. You’ll be shocked how you can

change someone’s life for the better.

Kenyans are amazing people.

When ladies of Koinange Street

give you water, milk, sugar and bales

of unga at 2am for the ‘24 hours for

Kenya campaign’, when parking boys

on Aga Khan Walk tell you they will

not sniff glue for the day so that they

can feed somebody else, you know

that doing good is not impossible.

Turn to page 5 to read more about

Safaricom’s World of Difference project.

Motorola W160

FM radio

Polyphonic ringtones

Long battery life

2,499/-

LG KP105

FM radio

300 phonebook entries

Long battery life

2,699/-

Samsung M3510

Supports expandablememory

FM radio

Edge

2 megapixel camera

14,499/-

Nokia 1208

Colour screen

Torch

Animated screensaver

2,549/-

Nokia 1661

Colour screen

Stereo FM radio

Voice and audiorecording

250 SMS storage

3,699/-

Motorola EM30

2 megapixel camera

FM radio

Sleek and stylish

17,499/-

GreatdealsAvailable at all Safaricom retailcentres. Find an outlet close toyou by consulting our convenientshop location guide on page 40

HOT OFFERS


Experience the new sleek and stylishNokia N97 with both touch and Qwertykeyboard. Add a little colour in yourlife with the new user friendly anddependable Nokia 1208. See below formore details on both phones.

Nokia 5130Xpress music

2 megapixel camera

Stereo FM radio

MP3 player

Edge

10,499/-

Motorola W230

MP3 music player

FM radio

Easy internet browsing

4,999/-

Nokia 2680

Slide phone

FM radio & recording

Bluetooth


7,999/-

Motorola W377

MP3 music player

FM radio


8,999/-

Motorola EM325

1.3 megapixel camera

MP3 player

Bluetooth

Built-in hands-free

Voice dial

9,999/-

Samsung E250

VGA camera

FM radio

Bluetooth

7,499/-

g

S

7

Motorola V8

External touch sensormusic buttons

512MB internal memory

2 megapixel camera

22,999/-

SLEEK OFFERS

LG Viewty KE 990

Auto rotate cameraand sensor

5 megapixel camera

Stereo bluetooth support

Fully touch screen andexternal touch sensor button

20,999/-

HTC Touch 3G

Wi-Fi

Touch screen

Windows Mobile 6.1Professional

3G


39,999/-

Nokia 5800

Fully touch screen

3G HSDPA

Xpress music

Auto rotate


31,999/-

Nokia N97

3G HSDPA

Full QWERTYkeyboard

5 megapixelcamera

Wi-Fi

69,999/-

Samsung Omnia

Sensor auto rotate

Windows Mobile 6.1

5 megapixel camera

Full touch screen

39,999/-

SUPER DEALS


BUSINESS PHONES

CAMERA PHONES

Motorola Q9H

3G HSPDA phone

Free docking station

Windows mobile 6.0

2 megapixel camera

32,999/-

HTC Touch HD3G HSPDA

FM radio

Windows mobile6.1 professional

Wi-Fi

Touch screen

5 megapixel camera

69,999/-

Nokia 7610Supermova

Edge

TV OUT

Memory card slotup to 2GB

FM radio


19,999/-

LG KF-510External touch sensorbuttons

Touch screen

Stereo Bluetoothsupport

Music player


16,999/-

Motorola ZN5

Wi-Fi

FM radio

5.0 megapixel camerawith Kodak lens

27,499/-

Samsung i450

3G HSPDA

FM radio

Slide phone

2 megapixel camera

23,999/-

Samsung G400

Music flip phone

Stereo Bluetooth support

External touch screendisplay

5 megapixel camera

31,999/-

Nokia N96

3G HSPDA

WLAN, Wi-Fi

16 GB internal memory

Built-in GPS

5 megapixel camera

65,000/-

Nokia E75

3G HSDPA

Wi-fi

Full qwerty keyboard

Designed for business


45,999/-

Samsung i780

3G HSPDA phone

Wi-Fi

Windows mobile 6.1

2 megapixel camera

32,999/-

Nokia E71

3G HSPDA

Designed for business



38,999/-

Nokia E63


3G

Wi-Fi

110 MB internal memory

Expandable memoryup to 8GB

23,500/-


S9Stereo BT headset, never miss a call while listening to

music. Streams music from phone via BT, talk time up

to 14 hours, music playing up to 17 hours, mini USB

charger pin, control your music (FW/rewind, volume)

and receive/end calls from HT820, external jack for

connecting other music players like iPOD.

7,999/-

T505Iconic portable hands-free speaker designed to

unlock the power of your car system by streamlining

voice calls and music from your Bluetooth stereo

device into your car’s FM radio channel. Clear voice,

surround-sound audio experience without the hassles of

pro-installation. Easy pairing and guided FM operation.

Up to 20 hours talk time.

6,499/-

P790Portable charger, charge your phone without wires

and move around, ideal for frequent travellers or area

where electricity is a problem. Once P790 charged, it

can charge 2 full phones or 10 Bluetooth headsets.

It charges full phone in 2 hours compared with 3.3 hours

with standard travel charger.

2,500/-

D200Motorola Bluetooth laptop / PC adaptor

1,999/-

D650BT iPOD connector

3,200/-

H350Low-cost mono headset, bestselling in the world.

Crystal talk, rapid connect, talk time up to 7 hours.

Weighs less than 17gm.

2,699/-

EQ5Bluetooth-enabled pocket portability speakers. High

definition stereo sound. Play time up to 8 hours. Can

do conference calls and stream music wirelessly.

6,500/-

ACCESSORIESDATA OFFERS

su

pro

Up

Subject to availability of stockswww.safaricom.co.keTerms and conditions apply

BlackBerry 8100

Slim design

Designed for email

Multimedia capabilities

T9 dictionary recognition


26,650/-

BlackBerry 8300


Supports expandable memory

Designed for email

2 megapixel camera

48,995/-

Safaricom 3GModemSafaricom mobile internet

solution for PrePay subscribers.

Plug & Play USB modem can be

used on any PC or laptop.

3,999/-

SafaricomBroadband RouterExperience the wireless gateway and USB modem

functions at any time and any place. Specifically

designed for more than one user, the router can

allow simultaneous connections to the Safaricom

internet service for up to 10 computers. Available

on both PostPay and PrePay plans.

25,000/-

Get connected to a great deal

Laptop + Safaricom

Broadband modem @

49,999/-

Description• Dell Vostro

• Intel Core Duo

• HDD 120GB

• 1GB RAM

• OS Windows Vista Basic

1

B

d


HOTNEWOFFE

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Your most convenient Safaricom retail outlet at a glance!

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CENTRE NAME LOCATION CONTACT DETAILS OPENING HOURS

BURUBURU RETAILCENTRE

Kenya National Library Building,Nairobi

Tel: 0722 002 552Email: [email protected]

Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 8:30am–6pmSaturdays: 9am–6pmSundays: 10am–3pmPublic holidays: Closed

DIGO RETAIL CENTRE Digo Road, Opposite GPOTel: 0722 003 730, 0722 003 840,0722 003 731Email: [email protected]

Weekdays & Saturdays: 8am–6pmSundays: 9am–2pmPublic holidays: Closed

ELDORET RETAILCENTRE

Metro Towers, Oginga Odinga Street,Eldoret


Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 8am–6pmSaturdays: 9am–3pmSundays & public holidays: Closed

I & M RETAIL CENTREI & M Building, Ground Floor,Kenyatta Avenue, Nairobi

Tel: 0722 002 051, 0722 002 078Email: I&[email protected]

Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 7:30am–6pmSaturdays: 8am–4pmSundays & public holidays: 10am–4pm

JKIA RETAIL CENTREJomo Kenyatta International Airport(JKIA), lounges at gates 6 & 11

Tel: 0722 003 590/1Email: [email protected]

Seven days a week (including public holidays):6am–12 midnight

JUBILEE RETAIL CENTRE(KISUMU)

Oginga Odinga Street, KisumuTel: 0722 002 502Email: [email protected]

Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 8am–5:30pmSaturdays: 9am–1pmSundays & public holidays: Closed

KIMATHI RETAIL CENTREBalfour Building, Ground Floor,Kimathi Street, Nairobi

Tel: 0722 002 714, 0722 002 700Email: [email protected]

Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 7:30am–5:30pmSaturdays: 9am–4pmSundays & public holidays: Closed

KISII RETAIL CENTREHospital Road, Kisii(former Shabana Hardware,opposite Falcon petrol station)



KISUMU MEGA PLAZARETAIL CENTRE

Oginga Odinga Street,Kisumu



KITALE RETAIL CENTREKenyatta Street, Kitale(opposite Suam Supermarket)



MERU RETAIL CENTRE Njuri Ncheke Street, MeruTel: 0722 002460Email: [email protected]


MIA RETAIL CENTRE Moi International Airport, MombasaTel: 0722 002 249Email: [email protected]

Seven days a week (including public holidays):6am–8:30pm

MOI AVENUERETAIL CENTRE

Shankardass Building, Ground Floor,Moi Avenue (next to Kenya Cinema),Nairobi


Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 7:30am–5:30pmSaturdays: 9am–4pmSundays: 10am–2pmPublic holidays: Closed

NAKUMATT NYALI RETAILCENTRE (MOMBASA)

Malindi Road, MombasaTel: 0722 003 226Email: [email protected]

Weekdays & Saturdays: 9am–7pmSundays & public holidays: 10am–4pm

NAKURURETAIL CENTRE

Ereto Plaza, Ground Floor,Mburu Gichua Road, Nakuru


Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 8:30am–5:30pmSaturdays: 9am–3pmSundays: 10am–2pmPublic holidays: Closed

NYERI MOBILE UNITWhispers Park, Old Municipal CouncilGrounds, Gakere Road (behind SamratSupermarket)

Tel. 0723 681 274Email: [email protected]

Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 8:30am–5:30pmSaturday: 9am–1pmSundays & public holidays: Closed

REX HOUSE RETAILCENTRE (MOMBASA)

Ground Floor, Moi Avenue, MombasaTel: 0722 002 028Email: [email protected]

Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 8am–5:30pmSaturdays: 8:30am–2pmSundays & public holidays: Closed

SARIT RETAIL CENTRE Ground Floor, Karuna Road, NairobiTel: 0722 002 236, 0722 002 137Email: [email protected]

Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 8am–6:30pmSaturdays: 9am–5pmSunday & public holidays: 10am–4pm

THIKA RETAIL CENTRE Haria House, Nkurunah Road, ThikaTel: 0722 002 193Email: [email protected]


VILLAGE MARKETRETAIL CENTRE

Limuru Road, Nairobi(opposite Nairobi Sports House)


Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 9am–7pmSaturdays: 9am–5pmSundays & public holidays: 10am–4pm

WESTGATE RETAILCENTRE

Nakumatt, First Floor, Mwanza Road(off Peponi Road), Nairobi

Tel: 0722 002 490, 0722 002 123/4Email: [email protected]

Weekdays, Mon–Fri: 8:30am–8pmSaturdays: 9am–5pmSundays & public holidays: 10am–4pm

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