Safaricom washes its hands over new SIM card use

What you need to know:

  • “Customers are exposed to major risks when using the technology; We will review our legal commitments with them to absolve us of eventualities of fraud,” explained Mr Collymore.
  • Safaricom partnership with Seven Seas Technology will enable the telecom giant to target major county and national government tenders on health, agriculture and education sector.
  • “Our main concern is that the thin SIM takes information from the parent SIM and decides who uses it,” he said.

Safaricom will leave the decision on whether to use the new thin SIM card to be launched by Equity Bank to consumers.

Speaking to the Nation Tuesday during a partnership signing ceremony with Seven Seas Technology, Safaricom Chief Executive Bob Collymore said the mobile phone services company would respect the regulator’s decision but warned users of inherent danger of using the new technology.

“Customers are exposed to major risks when using the technology; We will review our legal commitments with them to absolve us of eventualities of fraud,” explained Mr Collymore.

Safaricom is also questioning why the Competition Authority of Kenya allowed the roll out before conducting an independent assessment of the technology.

OUR MAIN CONCERN
“Our main concern is that the thin SIM takes information from the parent SIM and decides who uses it,” he said.

Equity was on Monday allowed to roll out mobile and money transfer service using the thin SIM card technology, but on a one-year pilot basis.

Safaricom partnership with Seven Seas Technology will enable the telecom giant to target major county and national government tenders on health, agriculture and education sector.

Seven Seas Technology Chief Executive Mike Macharia said Safaricom would provide infrastructure and capital commitment while his firm would provide skills to operate county projects.

“Our first major project will be rolled out before December; It will provide an array of solutions targeting different counties,” said Mr Collymore.