[kictanet] House team halts Equity Bank's thin-SIM rollout

Wed Sep 24 16:47:34 EAT 2014

@ Victor, 
The heading  of this article says the 'house team halts..." while  the body of the story has "has asked CA to halt..." It might be semantics but my interpretation of this is that this is a request to CA, and not a directive. Yes?
Tell me, does the house team have oversight over regulatory matters? I am looking at KICA 2013 Article 5 on CA's independence:
5A. (1) The Authority shall be independentand free of control by government, political orcommercial interests in the exercise of itspowers and in the performance of its functions.
(2) In fulfilling its mandate, the Authorityshall be guided by the national values andprinciples of governance in Article 10 and thevalues and principles of public service in Article232 (1) of the Constitution.
What would happen say if CA disregards the House team's demand?
RgdsGG
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 11:54:17 +0100
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Equity Given Go Ahead by CAK
From: kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
To: ggithaiga at hotmail.com

The tables have turned again: 
House team halts Equity Bank's thin-SIM rollout
The National Assembly’s Energy and ICT Committee has asked the Communications Authority (CA) to halt Equity Bank thin-SIM card rollout until it is satisfied of the security of the technology.

http://www.nation.co.ke/news/politics/House-team-halts-Equity-Bank-thin-SIM-rollout/-/1064/2463762/-/2srp37/-/index.html
Victor Kapiyo, LL.B
====================================================
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude” Zig Ziglar

On 22 September 2014 18:49, Martin Gicheru via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Safaricom does not necessarily agree to the move but will cooperate while it still needs to.

”We are particularly encouraged that CA has commenced the process of hiring an independent and reputable international firm to conduct a security audit on all SIM cards, and in particular the use of the SIM overlay technology in mobile money transfer services. We therefore implore the CA to fast track the security review and to publish the guidelines in the interests of protecting consumers and financial institutions who will remain vulnerable to the potential risks created by the ‘man-in-the-middle attack’. ” 

http://techmoran.com/safaricom-remains-adamant-thin-sim-vulnerabilities/

On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 6:36 PM, Bernard Kioko via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Change is the only permanent thing!

-----Original Message-----

From: kictanet

[mailto:kictanet-bounces+bkioko=bernsoft.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf

Of Walubengo J via kictanet

Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:30 PM

To: bkioko at bernsoft.com

Subject: Re: [kictanet] Equity Given Go Ahead by CAK

@Charles,

Interesting views.  I dont speak for Equity - and am not even a MEMBER

(their customer).  However, they have the following going for them.

1) they do have their OWN SIM card targetting their 8m banking customers.

They can actually make money out their core group of customers using their

mobile virtual network (riding on Airtel telco infrastructure i believe).

2) the thin-SIM technology is just a nice option for their 8m customers AND

the 20+million Safaricom customers.

3) indeed Safcom can play dirty but I am sure they wont because (a) they can

take on Equity challenge and (b) the regulator seems more ready than ever to

pounce on them (recall regulator has been "looking" for them over quality

issues  :-).

Remember, this looks like a mobile money battle, but the real deal is the

collateral damage it is likely to cause in the voice market because once a

Safaricom customer mounts the thin SIM Card and discovers that they can make

cheaper calls/sms with it without losing their MPESA functionality...they

will actually be having their cake (MPESA) while eating it (making Cheaper

calls on the Equity Mobile virtual network).

Essentially, Equity is breaking a small gap into the Safaricom defensive

wall(MPESA) and once in, even the data-market may eventually be free for all

i.e. #checkmate.

walu.

--------------------------------------------

On Mon, 9/22/14, Charles Kimani via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>

wrote:

 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Equity Given Go Ahead by CAK

 To: jwalu at yahoo.com

 Date: Monday, September 22, 2014, 4:44 PM

 I

 think the thin sim strategy is brilliant...in  theory.

 However, I am also

 wondering just how wise it is to place the success of your  business model

at the mercy of a hostile, powerful and  uncooperative business rival.  What

if - 6 months after launch, for  example - Safaricom decide to upgrade all

their sim cards  (genuinely or otherwise) just when Equity is in the middle

of a critical (probably expensive) product  rollout?  What if  Safaricom

customer service and dealer/retail channels start  advising subscribers who

are having issues with their lines  that the thin sim is the cause of their

problems and show  them how to remove it?

 How will Equity map their processes

 and logistics with the Safaricom SIM replacement processes?

 Will Equity subscribers need to remember to make an extra  stop at an

Equity outlet to have their thin sim re-attached  once they do a sim swap?

How easy is it to attach these thin  sims?

 We have

 previously seen smart sabotage tactics bring down SAB Miller  ambitions in

the Kenyan market. Equity - in my opinion - is  giving too much firepower to

a determined competitor. It  might be cheaper in the long run to just invest

in own SIM  and take Safaricom head-on.

 Regards,Charles

 On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at

 4:18 PM, Dennis Kioko via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>

 wrote:

 Meanwhile, I did get the Equitel SIM Card  (haven't seen the infamous Thin

SIM). So far, here's  my experience with the

same. http://www.infotake.co.ke/2014/09/how-does-equity-banks-equitel-work.h

tml

 On 22 September 2014 16:11, Barrack

 Otieno via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>

 wrote:

 Sometimes

 diversification leads to loss of focus. Interesting  discussions but let us

see if this scenario will change some  of this Principles that have evolved

over time.

 Best Regards

 On Mon, Sep 22,

 2014 at 3:56 PM, Bernard Kioko via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>

 wrote:

 I have noted media reports

 indicating Equity has been granted go-ahead by CAK to  operate with

Thin-Sim cards. Game changing I  suppose.  

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