SEGMENTAL REVIEWS

The technology platforms segment houses all group companies which focus on the development, integration and management of the group’s IT systems, infrastructure and technology solutions. The group’s technology includes “business-to-business” and “direct-to-consumer” solutions.

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Activi Technology Services (Activi)

Activi develops, operates and maintains all core transactional and service platforms for the group. As such, focus is on providing:

• Secure financial transactions
• Secure e-tokens
• Support and field support
• Hosting/management of IT infrastructure
• Manufacturing and maintenance.

During the past year, significant progress has been made in the following key areas:

• Consolidation, management and enhancement of the technology platforms throughout the group
• Integration of Lottery dispensers, on behalf of Gidani, into till points, allowing consumers to purchase “Quick Picks” when paying for other goods
• Development and implementation of a mobile application facilitating the purchase of lottery numbers via cell phones
• Integration of live bill payments into point-of-sale devices
• Development of mobile services technologies, in association with Microsoft.

DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Blue Label One, trading as the Mobile Services Company (MSC)

MSC consists of divisions that offer business-to-business and direct-to-consumer products and services:

• The direct-to-consumer division consolidates all products and services associated with mibli^TM; powered by Microsoft OneApp^TM;
• An m-Commerce division provides a mobile wallet, which is a feature of mibli^TM; powered by Microsoft OneApp^TM;
• MSC Media is the mobile advertising division. The group’s physical and virtual prepaid airtime inventory and distribution channels constitute valuable marketing space for certain brands and provide an innovative revenue stream for the group.

*When compared to core pro forma earnings

mibli^TM; powered by Microsoft OneApp^TM; which was launched post year end, is the group’s most advanced on-phone service, aimed at the “mobile generation”. The group is uniquely positioned to leverage its global transactional experience and footprint to enable mibli^TM; powered by Microsoft OneApp™ to become a revenue-based, transaction-centric mobile services “eco-system”, in which many different products/ services are combined in one mobile interface, supported by a single, integrated back-end.

MSC’s systems and technology platforms have the capacity and capability to support the mobile service requirements of Blue Label Telecoms, as well as any third-party client.

The MSC eco-system and Activi’s transaction system are integrated and supply the group’s products and transactional services through the mobile channel.

PROSPECTS

Activi remains focused on the development and support of commercially viable and functionally rich transaction engines that provide robust and stable platforms. It strives to optimise the group’s technology investments, while standardising deployment processes, templates and methodologies.

The aim is to provide one central hosting facility for the South African business and a blueprint for international hosting, with a local, decentralised field support team. This model drives the group objective of increasing points-of-presence and footprint globally.

Once the mibli^TM; powered by Microsoft OneApp^TM; App store is operational, significant interest from developers and advertisers is anticipated.

South Africa is the first emerging market to launch mibli^TM; powered by Microsoft OneApp^TM;. The group anticipates partnering with Microsoft in launching the application in other emerging markets in due course.