Dar es Salaam. You can now get the latest news from within and
outside Tanzania via your mobile phone, thanks to the “Breaking News”
initiative, a brainchild of Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) and
Vodacom Tanzania.
To join the service one should send the word HABARI or NEWS to 15569 only once.
MCL, publisher of Mwanachi, Mwananchi Jumamosi,
Mwananchi Jumapili, The Citizen, The Citizen on Saturday, The Citizen on
Sunday and Mwanaspoti newspapers, becomes the latest media firm to team
up with Vodacom Tanzania to offer customers with instant and timely
news reportage.
The initiative, according to MCL managing director
Tido Mhando, aims at ensuring that Tanzanians, regardless of their
whereabouts, receive the latest breaking news through SMS in their
phones connected to Vodacom network.
“Previously, people depended on newspapers to
obtain latest news, but due to technological changes newspapers no
longer break news, they only give in-depth analyses of what happened, so
as a leading media firm in Tanzania we are taking our leading role to
ensure that people are updated and confirmed on breaking news,” said Mr
Mhando.
The SMS alert is designed in such a way that the
customer will only subscribe once and get at least three short messages
24 hours a day, this will be credible as per communications ethics.
Nearly half of the 28 million mobile subscribers
in Tanzania are on the Vodacom network – a 47 per cent market share,
this is according to figures from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory
Authority (TCRA).
“For that reason, the company has invested heavily
in the operation starting with infrastructure and staff who will be
breaking the news,” said Mr Muhando.
For his part, Mr Rene Meza, the Vodacom Tanzania
managing director said that by registering with the breaking news
initiative they will enable Tanzanians to receive instant news.
“With this initiative our customers will have access to news instantly after they break,” said Mr Meza.
According to Rene Meza, the cost for the service will be Sh150 only per day.
Already, the monitoring room is designed and well
equipped with necessary infrastructure to make the innovation run
successfully.
By The citizen
By The citizen
