Title: Why we shouldn’t put mobile money on a pedestal…yet?
Author: Laura Fedoryk
Source: Peace Dividend Trust Blog
Date (published): 01/12/2011
Date (accessed): 04/12/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Mobile money initiatives have exploded throughout the developing world. We’ve been hearing a lot over the past few years about its ability to provide access to savings, cash transfers, bill payments and other money management tools to unbanked populations. Yet given the dearth of cautionary literature on the topic, it appears it’s been a bit harder for development enthusiasts to pause and consider the possible pitfalls. What happens when a population — the one that is most likely to benefit from its services — rapidly adopts a new technology, like mobile money?
…
I’m not saying that mobile money is inherently bad – far from it. But as we click away on our smart phones, iPads, and other tech devices, it’s easy to forgive their flaws and look past the potential dangers they create (speaking of which, if you’re reading this while, say crossing the street, save it for later – it won’t be useful to you when you’re in the path of a city bus…).

Mobile money is a tool and, much like we have seen activists and repressive governments alike use social media platforms to spread information or incite action, it can both positively and negatively affect large numbers of people with the tap of a single button..."

Title: Using Mobile Money, Mobile Banking to Enhance Agriculture in Africa
Author: Judy Payne, Krish Kumar
Pages: 4 pp.
Publisher: USAID
Date (published): 20/12/2010
Date (accessed): 18/03/2011
Type of information: briefing paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"This is one of a series of briefing papers to help USAID missions and their implementing partners in sub-Saharan Africa use information and communications technology (ICT) more successfully — via sustainable and scalable approaches—to improve the impact of their agriculture related development projects including Feed the Future projects.1
In this context, this paper provides a brief overview of mobile money and mobile banking services. As the resource list at the end of this paper illustrates, there are many other sources of information available to inform the reader regarding the many aspects of m-money and m-banking related to security, risks, legal and regulatory issues, and key challenges for implementers. In contrast, the paper explains the basics of such services; their current and potential use for agriculture related projects; a few lessons learned to date related to such usage; and a few issues to consider when looking ahead."
via http://www.ictworks.org/

Title: How Mobile Financial Services and Healthcare bolster each other
Source:GLG News
Publisher:Gerson Lehrman Group
Date (published):16/11/2010
Date (accessed):17/11/2010
Type of information:article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
„mHealth and Mobile Financial Services (MFS) sectors are inextricably linked to one another. Success of one sector will drive success of the other since MFS is vital to healthcare payments and healthcare is a critical use case to spur adoption and usage of new mobile payments systems. In other words, they drive demand for one other. Together, they also have the potential to extract efficiency gains around costs and improved overall service since they rely on common user bases, infrastructure “plumbing,” business operations and financial elements, and policy concerns. Recognizing these synergies and working cross-sector, stakeholders in both industries will be able to achieve greater impact, ultimately providing better access to healthcare and financial services for the unbanked. ”
via https://twitter.com/#!/auerswald

Title: Dispatch from Planet of the Apps: a brave new world for mobile money?
Author: Jim Rosenberg
Publisher: CGAP: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor
Date (published): 17/02/2010
Date (accessed): 18/02/2010
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
...This week at the Mobile World Congress has felt a bit like a live-action version of “Planet of the Apes,” with a few differences. Instead of apes, we have apps. The species rising to power goes by the ticker symbols of GOOG (Google), YHOO (Yahoo!), APPL (Apple)...It is true that the Planet of the Apps only is a reality for the markets where internet enabled phones are available - and for the people who can afford them. Though Vodafone’s just rolled out a new $15 handset. As we heard from Stephen Rasmussen earlier this week, such handsets are getting cheaper, more quickly, meaning internet phones will penetrate more deeply into the markets where the world’s unbanked need access to appropriate financial services.

Title: Opportunities In Mobile Financial Services
Author: Arsalan Mir
Source: State Of Telecom Industry in Pakista
Date (published): 15/12/2009
Date (accessed): 15/12/2009
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
Mobile banking has undoubtedly taken the lead with the collaborative mobile banking model, where collaboration takes place between the carriers and the banks who can distribute the roles of the value chain amongst themselves. An example of this is ‘easypaisa‘ from Telenor Pakistan and Tameer Bank.
The fast changing dynamics will soon take the Mobile banking to new levels.

See also: Second part

Title: Lessons for the Design of Mobile Money Services
Author: Jan Chipchase
Source: Future Perfect
Date (published): 09/11/2009
Date (accessed): 13/11/2009
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML and pdf)
Abstract:
Who benefits more from the introduction of mobile money services - a white-collar worker in New York City or a migrant manual labourer living out of a dormitory in Xi'an? For many access to mobile money services is a game-changer.

The slides from last week's Dubai presentation on Designing Services for Financial Inclusion can be viewed above or can be downloaded
For practitioners working in this space the most useful content is likely to be on mobile phone practices and behaviours: covering mediated use from the perspective of customers; agents and the service providers themselves; charging; and multiple-SIM card practices.

Title: Poor People Using Mobile Financial Services: Observations on Customer Usage and Impact from M-PESA
Authors: Olga Morawczynski and Mark Pickens
Pages: 4 pp.
Source: CGAP Brief
Publisher: CGAP: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor
Date (published): August 2009
Date (accessed): 06/09/2009
Type of information: research brief
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML, pdf)
Abstract:
Despite growing agreement on the potential of technology to expand access to finance, or branchless banking, there is surprisingly little data publicly available about low-income users. This Brief draws on some of the first ethnographic research on M-PESA, one of the earliest success stories in mobile phone-based delivery of financial services. The research offers insights into how poor people use M-PESA, its impact on their lives, and some unexpected consequences.

M-PESA is a mobile phone-based service for sending and storing money offered by Safaricom, Kenya’s largest mobile service provider. Safaricom customers can register for M-PESA by visiting one of more than 10,000 merchants who act as “agents” for account opening, handling of deposits and withdrawals into the customer’s virtual “wallet,” and customer support. Customers can then use an application on their mobile phone to check their balance, send money to other people, pay bills, and purchase mobile phone airtime. Customer funds are held in a special trust account at the Commercial Bank of Africa.

Since its commercial launch in March 2007, M-PESA has achieved substantial scale along several key metrics. Nearly 7 million customers have registered with the service. An average of 150 million Ksh (US$1.96 million) is transferred through M-PESA per day, mostly in small amounts averaging just over 1,500 Ksh (US$20) per transaction. So far, the system has handled over 130 billion Ksh (US$1.7 billion).

This Brief presents 10 observations on how poor people use M-PESA and how it has impacted their lives.