22nd March, 2012
At the mention of Telecommunication 10 years ago, what came to mind was majorly GSM. Now everyone can have a mobile phone in contrast with fixed line phones that was available then but beyond the reach of many. The trend has changed so much over the years. Since then, the focus of the telecoms industry has shifted from just having a mobile phone to make calls and send texts or even access internet services to more endearing things like browsing on the go. It is officially known that mobile browsing has taken over desktop browsing, according to statistics with a projected growth of 30% by 2013.
Beyond calls and internet browsing, mobile apps and services are now rendered in the Nigerian telecoms industry.
Developers and programmers are liaising with companies doing all they can to come up with mobile apps and services that will be of great help and make life easier for the average Nigerian. These services are targeted at growing the telecoms sector and bringing in what is applicable and working in the developed world and doing all they can to make it work in our environment.
There are innovative Apps and Services such as Social networking mobile Apps like Facebook and Twitter; Messaging Mobile Apps like Whatsapp, 2go etc.
Digital Philbox – a medicinal app that reminds mobile device patients to take their medication at the right time.
Aero SMS: App for booking flight via Sms.
NAFDAC Mobile Authentification Service.
MyCash: a personal expenses application for logging Cash expense available on all mobile platforms
Mobile money: which enables easy and steady transactions on the go from anywhere in the country
GroupSMS: an app to send one SMS to a group of contacts, create a group by selecting contacts from the phone.
Wakanow: a travel booking App for the Nigerian market.
AfriNolly for latest news on developments in Nollywood.
Mobile Constitution App: Nigerian Constitution available on the mobile phone.
These are just to mention a few, as there are a whole lot of them out there already being used and waiting to be used by all for all to benefit from.
All these are mountains that one wouldn’t imagine we would have been able to climb by now. This is not to say we are where we ought to be or everything is finally working perfectly but we are happy at the growth so far and hoping that we will move at a faster pace.
•Sent in by Telecomscompare, a comparison website for telecommunication services in Nigeria. Visit www.telecomscompare.com and drop your comments and reactions.