In March 2018, UCC directed Telecom companies to phase out Airtime scratch cards on the Ugandan market. The commission set a 30th June, 2018 deadline for the directive to take effect. Before that, the commission splashed out bans on SIM card sell and promised to switch off 9 million counterfeit phones.
The ban on SIM cards and counterfeit phones were to a patch the loop holes in the communications sector. One on airtime scratch cards? Maybe not. Individuals that fed off airtime scratch cards sale had just three months to transition to electronic means.
The deadline is just days away. Consequently, telecoms have come up with campaigns to help people transition to electronic means of purchasing airtime. MTN Uganda has the MoMo Nyabo campaign to reward MTN MoMo users. Also, Airtel offers 50% bonus on all airtime and data bundle purchases made using Airtel Money. These are all helping the mobile user. So what about the distributors?
Airtime scratch cards dealers seeing a new dawn
More POS terminals and Payment aggregator have cropped up to suppliment the existing ones like PayWay, Pebbu, NewPay and others. Therefore, airtime scratch card dealers now have a sea of electronic methods to continue in the Airtime selling business.
Welcome Electronic platform Cellulant
One such electronic method is Cellulant. Cellulant has built a platform through which airtime distributors can continue conducting business as the ban fast approaches. “We are putting out a product which allows distributors to sell airtime to all networks using one line at a handsome commission”, said Ms. Shamirah Kimbugwe, Cellulant country manager.
Cellulant has its DNA deeply rooted behind the operations of many digital payment systems such as mobile banking. It currently deals with more than fifty banks around the world which makes it an efficient and reliable choice.
Did you know?
According to a research by Strand Consult, many operators can significantly increase their earnings if they choose to discontinue the traditional airtime scratch cards.
