Mobile Money Materials

[Maybelle Santos]

Attaching resource materials from SMART on Mobile Banking and Mobile Money

1. Speech of Napoleon Nazareno in May 2008 during the GSMA Mobile Money Transfer (MMT) Summit in Cairo. GSMA is global standard for mobile, the global trade association of all mobile operators.
2. SMART's Social Business Enterprise - MFI Program Solutions - program offerings for MFIs.

If you have other questions and concerns, please don't hesitate to send me a note directly. Contact details.

Maybelle Santos
[e-mail]
511 2171

[Sumit]

The write-up on the MFI program addresses a lot of the borrower-side issues. However, once the mobile message with the transaction details reaches the MFI, is there a software that automatically records these transactions to the back-end loan tracking system of the MFI? Or these transactions need to be manually encoded by the branch staff?

It would be interesting to examine the back-end integration issue, specially since MFIs have different backend systems in use, working on a wide range of technology..

[Maybelle Santos]

There is no existing software for report generation that will enable MFIs to automatically record mobile transactions to MFI's loan transaction systems. You are correct, we have noticed that MFIs do not have uniform transaction tracking systems and customizing reports for each MFI is not an option.

The best option is to have a standard mobile transaction report on a web server that provides the transaction details in a way that the MFI can easily access, breakdown, and distribute to its branches. Typically the data is in a standard file format (e.g., txt, csv). The information is on a web server, owned by the MFI, housed by the mobile operator over a defined time frame. Its up to the MFI partner to process the data on their respective backend systems whether they are running on a spreadsheet or more defined application systems.

The issue for us is not just the back end integration but in some cases internet access availability, secure internet access or the ability to comply with SFTPs.

[Ben Izra Dacudao]

Hello.

I have developed and deployed an SMS system for another business model(Cable TV) which has a concept called electronic wallet. Although its not exactly the same as what we want done, i know what we want is possible. I am using all open source development tools. the main GSM module is in Java and the SMS transactions are stored on a Mysql database. the front end is shown using PHP. Since its web base then the reports and transactions can be accessed anywhere. I have also reports that are 'texted' back with a certain command. Of course, all of these features have appropriate security features such as white list of mobile numbers and PIN for sensitive SMS transactions such as payments and monetary transfers from one mobile to another.

I have met couple of people in Davao City who have tried to talk to me to develop this system. But I have not fired it up because of my prior commitments. I have joined this forum so I can keep myself updated on developments.

This model is really interesting.


Ben Izra Dacudao
mobile: [phone]

[Maybelle Santos]

On a related note, i joined a meeting yesterday in BSP with DG Espenilla regarding the implications of different business models of mobile money to the financial systems, settlement processes, compliance, etc. etc. This brings to mind a critical component that those of us working in technology or technology enabled processes tend to be blind-sided about. There are existing regulatory and compliance issues that the systems we are building should be bashed against. In our case, we often say developing the system is a 3rd of the battle, change management is the next 3rd, but the most important 3rd is making sure it fits the regulatory frameworks and can be showcased above ground .... The SUNSHINE test!!! .... interesting times ahead