This post is of two parts:

1.) m-commerce musings from an interview I gave to a Singapore consultant

2.) Telco musings about new markets, preparing for a meeting this afternoon.

So much in my mind, it’s good to download into a blog
(more…)

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It’s good to see that the GSM Association is guiding the telecoms industry towards providing better services through initiatives like the Mobile Money Transfer. GSMA is a global trade association representing over 700 GSM mobile phone operators across 218 countries of the world.

The GSMA’s Mobile Money Transfer (MMT) programme was launched with the aim of tapping the ubiquity and ease-of-use of mobile communications to enable the world’s 200 million international migrant workers to easily and securely send remittances to their dependents, many of whom don’t have bank accounts.

By exploiting the extensive reach of the mobile networks, the programme will complement existing local remittances channels and make transferring money internationally significantly more affordable.

When a governing body like the GSMA takes a role as actively as this, they can bring big players like Western Union, Smart and Globe to the same fold to create a service where everybody wins … especially the subscribers!
ka edong

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The Magician’s Guide to m-Commerce for Microfinance

Edwin S. Soriano
Living the Information Society
24 April 2007

Objective: Learn the magical powers m-Commerce for Microfinance

Agenda

• The MFI secret potion
• The magic of m-Commerce
• Results of the study: Common arcane issues
• Four secret ingredients for a successful m-commerce for microfinance solution

Download the presentation here: The Magician’s Guide to m-Commerce for Microfinance

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Information and Communication Technology for Development
(ICT4D)

M-Commerce for Microfinance:
The CARD-NGO and RBAP-MABS
Pilot Study Experiences

Written by
Edwin S. Soriano and Eloisa A. Barbin
March 24, 2006

ABSTRACT
      This paper encapsulates the lessons learned from a pilot study conducted with a leading microfinance institution, the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development – NGO (CARD-NGO).
      It gathers insights from client-beneficiaries as to their experiences with m-Commerce in microfinance. It seeks to gain first-hand feedback on the impact of m-commerce on client-beneficiaries.
      The paper also draws lessons from another pilot study with a microfinance bank, the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines - Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) pilot project based in Mindanao.
      The paper takes the form of a case that will put in writing the impact of m-Commerce on microfinance client-beneficiaries which will be useful in the fields of study of m-commerce as well as microfinance. All these initiatives are geared towards better addressing the needs of client-beneficiaries of microfinance institutions.

Download complete paper here: M-Commerce for Microfinance: The CARD-NGO and RBAP-MABS Pilot Study Experiences

Edwin
24 April 2007

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John Owens of RBAP-MABS dropped by Mobile Tulay and referred me to a link on YouTube.

Here’s a presentation about how MABS has used Mobile Phones to transform microfinance transactions through technology: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz2rIN9ADCc 

Thanks to John for the referral.

Here’s another video where the speaker discusses technology developments in microfinance as exemplified by the Philippine experience: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz2rIN9ADCc

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In April 2006, I got an email from Anna Bantug-Herrera of Chemonics inviting me for an interview about m-Commerce in the Philippines. She was here representing her company, Chemonics (chemonics.com) and was investigating a payment system setup in Mindanao that makes use of G-Cash for microfinance.
Anna’s visit to the Philippines resulted in a paper entitled “Catching the Technology Wave: Mobile Phone Banking and Text-a-Payment in the Philippines”.

Anna gives a quick review of Text-A-Payment, a microfinance payment scheme by the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines. Excerpts …

Potential Impact of Mobile Phone Banking
The potential impact of mobile phone banking is impressive. There are numerous applications available which are both valuable for the client as well the bank, including remittances – both domestic and international, deposits, withdrawals, bill payment, cash in/out, and TAP. Remittances, both domestic and international, offer a large market given the large volume in the Philippines and relative low cost of using SMS-based mobile phone banking applications as compared to the high cost of current banking and remittance company alternatives.

It proposes further the question of whether the Text-A-Payment system can be replicated in other countries.

There are certain success factors in this Philippine example– a large number of cell phone users including low income households who are familiar with text messaging, a strong relationship between “champions” at Globe and RBAP-MABS, the willingness of Globe and the rural banks to try something new and innovate, the existence of the “ecosystem” of merchants, clients and outlets, and most importantly, the willingness of the Central Bank to support innovation in the banking industry.

There are many untold stories, some good, some not so good. But papers like this help make sense of what’s out there, of what can be done.

Read the paper here: Catching the Technology Wave: Mobile Phone Banking and Text-a-Payment in the Philippines (PDF, 250kb)
ka edong
m-konomist

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Thanks to all the participants in our first Webinar on m-Commerce for Microfinance especially to Elysian, Alfred and Micah. Thanks also to Lakan.net for hosting our Webinar.

We’ll be having more Webinars in the future. If you are interested in attending, just leave a note. We’ll tell you what is available, what can be arranged for you or your organization. Cheers! — Edwin, 30 June 2005

I will be conducting an Online Web Seminar (Webinar) on m-Commerce for Microfinance on Thursday, 30 June, 2pm-4pm (Philippines).

Webinar Outline

There will be two main parts of the Webinar
Part I: m-Commerce in the Philippines
Part II: m-Commerce for Microfinance

The Webinar will include slide presentations and a chat session to entertain questions from participants. Webinar materials may also include audio and video files.

Audience

This Webinar is appropriate for individuals who wish to be better informed about m-Commerce services in the Philippines.

Furthermore, the Webinar will be especially useful for people who are looking for ways to leverage m-Commerce for their organization or enterprise.

Requirements

Webinar participants need to have an Internet connection to access webinar materials and to participate in the chat session.

Registration

The m-Commerce for Microfinance Webinar can accommodate a limited number of participants. Kindly leave your name and contact info below to signify your interest.

Registrants may expect Webinar materials on Wednesday, 29 June 2005.

Registration Fee

The Webinar registration fee is Php500.

• Please send your registration fee via G-Cash to 09279144708 (do not text/call this number, no one will answer).
• Keep the G-Cash transaction acknowledgement message and transaction number for verification.
• Need help using G-Cash? Visit Globe’s G-Cash FAQs and keywords.

There are a few sponsored slots available.
If you wish to avail of sponsorship Register first and then E-mail me at edwin[dot]soriano[at]gmail[dot]com .

Partnership

This Webinar is brought to you in partnership with Lakan Leadership Institute

Visit Mobile Tulay (http://mobiletulay.edongskey.com/) for further announcements.

Edwin
Technobiography

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m-Commerce study on Inq7.net

AIM grad finds micro-financing future in mobile commerce By Erwin Lemuel Oliva (June 26, 2005) Excerpts from Inq7.net:

FROM a sophisticated and convenient communications device to a tool for broadcasting jokes and protest against government, the ubiquitous mobile phone is slowly turning into an electronic means to dispense cash, an e-wallet in short. A Filipino graduate of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) business school recently found, however, not just one but 27 more ingenious applications for mobile commerce when he conducted a pilot study with a local non-government organization. Think micro-financing. Currently as a development consultant on information and communications technology for AIM, 30-year old Edwin Soriano has drawn up several business models to ride on existing mobile commerce innovations like Globe Telecom’s G-cash and Smart Communications’s Smart Money. For the pilot study he conducted with the non-government organization Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (Card-NGO), Soriano experimented with his business concepts using G-cash. Card-NGO is currently one of the biggest non-government organizations involved in micro-financing in the Philippines.

Click the links on the left to read full story

My m-Commerce Study was featured on Inq7.net. Thanks to Erwin Oliva for writing the story and Heinz Bulos for telling Erwin about the study.

You’ll find copies of the story at the following links:

• AIM grad finds micro-financing future in mobile commerce (Available while Inq7.net keeps the online copy)
• Saved copy of article on Geocities.com
• PDF file for easy printing
• Screen shot - Nasa front page ako

Edwin
Technobiography

4 Comments »

Action Consultancy:

Pilot Testing of m-Commerce Applications in Microfinance Institutions
Loan Collection and Disbursement in CARD-NGO

Abstract

This management research report creates actual experience of mobile commerce applications in microfinance through a pilot.

From the lessons of the pilot, the paper explores ways be which m-commerce interventions may benefit microfinance towards achieving MFI Objectives.

The paper recommends a strategy for m-commerce intervention in CARD-NGO and for MFIs at large. Lastly, the paper summarizes the findings of the pilot and proposes ways by which m-commerce service providers could better enable clients in the microfinance sector.

Edwin S. Soriano
May 2005

I conducted a pilot study on m-Commerce for Microfinance from February until April 2005 with CARD-NGO.

I did the study as a thesis at the Asian Institute of Management under the Master in Development Management program.

You can download my full thesis. I hope you find it useful. If you derive anything from my work, make sure to provide appropriate citations. I would appreciate it if you inform me too.

Download the full thesis here:

• PDF files (100++ pages, 1.12Mb, Zipped PDF files)
  (PDF version added on 23 June 2005)

Zip file contains:
Abstract
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Management Research Report (main paper)
Exhibits Appendices
GCR revenue computations (MS Excel)
CARD Presentation (21 May 2005) (Powerpoint Slideshow)
Reade (Txt file)

Mabuhay!

Edwin

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I presented the results of my pilot study on m-Commerce for Microfinance at a CARD-NGO board meeting (21 May 2005).

Compared to my presentation at the June 15 forum where I chose to discuss the details in a question & answer format, the presentation below has more written detail and animation which might be more useful first-time readers.

Download CARD Presentation (21 May 2005).ppt
(31 slides, 353 Kb, MSPowerpoint Slideshow)

Edwin
Technobiography

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