The Guardian, Tigo launch news SMS service

BY DEVOTA MWACHANG`A

21st June 2013

The Guardian Limited marketing manager Simon Marwa (L) addresses press conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday during launch of News SMS service, which will run as a partnership between tiGO and The Guardian Limited. With him are tiGO executive Pamela Shelukindo (2nd-L), Premier Mobile Solutions assistant operations manager Lulu Ramole and Marwa�s deputy, Emmanuel Matondo (R). (Photo: Tryphone Mweji)

The Guardian Limited in collaboration with Tigo Tanzania Limited has launched a ‘News SMS service’, which aims at providing Tigo’s valuable customers with reliable news.
The new service known as ‘GUARDIAN SMS’ and ‘NIPASHE SMS’ is technically supported by Premier Mobile Solutions (PMS) and has been described by the telecom company as the simplest and efficient way to unlock the world to its customers just a fingertip away. 

Speaking to journalists yesterday in Dar es Salaam, The Guardian Limited Marketing Manager, Simon Marwa, said through the service, customers will be able to know what is happening in the country and the world on time. 

 

“We encourage our readers to subscribe to this service through Tigo so that they may access and enjoy a wide variety of local, international and sports news through our leading newspapers, The Guardian and Nipashe.

 

We decided to provide the service through both papers so as to meet the diversification of subscribers who may be comfortable in either English or Kiswahili,” he said.Marwa said the innovation will undoubtedly enable both The Guardian and Nipashe newsreaders who are also Tigo subscribers to get hooked on latest news from the media house via their mobile phones.

 

Tigo’s Quality Specialist Pamela Shelukindo said her company has realised the increasing importance of providing information to its customers hence the launch of the service. 

 

“Our target is to provide our valuable customers with not only easier, but timely and reliable information from credible sources such as The Guardian and Nipashe newspapers,” Shelukindo said.

 

Lulu Ramole, Assistant Operations Manager from Premier Mobile Solutions said the product was designed to provide customers with instant access to information adding that the service comes in Combo/Bundle pack whereby subscribers will be charged only once per day and receive a minimum of four news headlines and updates daily.

 

She said the service will also allow the subscriber to unsubscribe to the service anytime they wish and provide a help keyword for help on various frequent asked questions for customers to send queries while enjoying and experiencing the service.

 

To subscribe to this service, one needs to send the keyword which is GUARDIAN or NIPASHE (in capital letters) to 15501. 

Once subscribed the subscriber will receive news headlines from the keyword they have subscribed daily and will be charged 99/- per day. To unsubscribe the customer will simply have to send Ondoa or Stop to 15501.

 

Tigo started operations in 1994 as the first cellular network in Tanzania. It now covers 26 regions in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.  

 

The firm strives to be Tanzania’s most innovative mobile phone operator, offering services ranging from affordable mobile voice communications to high speed internet access and mobile financial services through Tigo-Pesa.

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN