NetOne Deploys Gemalto’s End-to-End Mobile Money Solution in Zimbabwe

AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, announces that NetOne, a leading network operator in Zimbabwe, is deploying Gemalto’s LinqUs solution for Mobile Money Transfer, which comprises of the server, user application, as well as system integration services. The offer, being marketed as the OneWallet service, works on 100% of the handsets and will enable all NetOne subscribers to perform secure and convenient money transfer using their mobile phone. In particular, it provides the unbanked with access to secure banking services.

“We look forward to supporting NetOne in their efforts to revolutionize Zimbabweans’ everyday lives in this and other future innovative projects.”

The LinqUs solution’s user-friendly interface enables NetOne subscribers to make secure and easy peer-to-peer money transfers, pay every-day bills and top up their prepaid phone cards. Expanding the possibilities of Mobile Money Transfer, it also enables NetOne’s customers to have their salaries paid directly onto their phones – an innovative feature that greatly empowers the unbanked with a secure and convenient digital wallet solution.

This new success reinforces Gemalto leadership in Mobile Financial Services with already over 50 customers worldwide. The sector is growing rapidly, with the number of active users of mobile money services predicted to double in the next two years, exceeding 200 million by 2013¹. Nearly 40% of active users in 2015 will be in the Africa & Middle East region².

“Gemalto's ability to offer an end-to-end solution, coupled with their extensive software expertise, made it an easy choice for NetOne,” commented Reward Kangai, Managing Director, NetOne “Mobile Money Transfer rollouts are long projects so we need a well established, trusted and future-proof technology partner to accompany us - Gemalto is exactly that.”

"NetOne, with its excellent network coverage and evenly spread agent distribution structure, will bring banking services to even the most remote areas in Zimbabwe,” added Philippe Vallée, Executive Vice President, Gemalto. “We look forward to supporting NetOne in their efforts to revolutionize Zimbabweans’ everyday lives in this and other future innovative projects.”

NetOne also intends to work with the Government of Zimbabwe and Pension Fund schemes to allow the OneWallet to be used for pension payments and thus remove the need for traveling long distances for purposes of collecting pension payments.

NetOne’s OneWallet is being presented during the Gemalto Mobile Money event held in Accra (Ghana) on March 15-17, where customers of Gemalto’s in Africa are invited to debate topics related to Mobile Financial Services.

¹ Source: Juniper Research - Mobile Money Transfers & Remittances: Markets, Forecasts & Vendor Strategies 2011-2015

² Ibid

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital security with revenues of €1.9 billion in 2010, and over 10 thousand employees operating out of 87 offices and 13 Research & Development centers in 45 countries.

Gemalto is at the heart of our evolving digital society. The freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain, and work—anytime, anywhere—has become an integral part of what people want and expect, in ways that are convenient, enjoyable and secure.

Gemalto delivers on the growing demands of billions of people worldwide for mobile connectivity, identity and data protection, credit card safety, health and transportation services, eGovernment services and national security. We do this by providing solutions that leverage Gemalto’s secure software and services for governments, wireless operators, banks and enterprises to help them achieve their goals, enabled by a wide range of secure personal devices. Gemalto is the world leader for electronic passports and identify cards, smart banking cards, two-factor authentication smart tokens for online protection, Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) and Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (UICC) in mobile phones. Moreover Gemalto delivers on emerging applications related to the ‘Internet of things’ by supplying wireless modules and Machine Identification Modules (MIM) for Machine-to-Machine communication.

As the use of Gemalto’s software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the Company is poised to thrive over the coming years.

For more information please visit www.gemalto.com.