deal to provision Areeba customers with GPRS service settings directly from the Sicap Device Management Center.

By choosing to deploy Sicap Device Management Center (DMC) in ASP mode, Areeba Guinea s.a MTN Group was able to launch a GPRS settings update campaign within a week. The rapidity of the launch was the obvious first consideration for the operator, eager to reach its target of active GPRS usage among twenty five percent of its customers. Another important consideration was the user-friendliness of the Sicap Web interface used by call centre staff to send the settings. Finally, the convenience factor of using a hosted platform with proven reliability afforded the reassurance for Areeba that this first multimedia provisioning campaign would be successful.

The results speak for themselves. The lightning speed launch backed by effective communication of the offer early December 2007 generated a rush of GPRS settings requests. Over one thousand configuration files were seamlessly delivered per day during the first fortnight in December. After the overwhelming response to this first configuration campaign in ASP mode, Areeba Guinea s.a MTN Group has food for thought in planning for future automatic services on the Sicap platform.

According to Hassan JABER, CEO of Areeba Guinea s.a MTN Group, “The rise in multimedia usage as a result of our settings campaign guarantees not only a fast return on investment in Sicap hosted services, but also a confirmation of our brand image as provider of the best possible customer service. Sicap offers flexible solutions which evolve in line with our multimedia ambitions”.

With Sicap Africa headquarters in Johannesburg and offices in Dakar since 2005, Sicap has both the expertise and local knowledge required to follow through projects with valued partners such as Areeba.

Philippe Vial Grelier, CEO of Sicap France confirmed,  “Areeba Guinea s.a MTN Group has taken a wise first step in automating customer care by choosing a Sicap hosted configuration service. We are committed to providing the best adapted formula for MTN to deploy Sicap technology and will provide close support as their multimedia traffic evolves.”