Tshwane Metro adopts locally developed novel electricity vending system

Members of the Expertron team in their offices at The Innovation Hub.

The Hub environment has seen yet another example of the successful implementation of a locally-developed product for the South African market with the unveiling of the novel Cell Power prepaid electricity vending system. Cell Power was developed by Expertron, a tenant at The Innovation Hub and the first company to joint the Hub's incubation programme in 2000.

Cell Power is a prepaid electronic voucher distribution system that uses standard GSM cellphones as affordable POS (point of sale) devices. Cell Power differs from other mobile phone-based vending systems as a vendor can use a mobile phone to vend electricity to consumers who do not have access to bank accounts or credit cards. In contrast, other similar prepaid electricity vending systems are designed for consumers with cellphones and bank accounts to pay for their own electricity.

The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality made history on 11 August this year when it commissioned the Cell Power system - the first of its kind in the country - to vend prepaid electricity to the community. Traditionally, the vending of prepaid electricity presented municipalities with a significant challenge in providing communities with convenient access to vending points.

Cell Power makes it possible to roll-out an extensive vending footprint by appointing vendors from among the community. These vendors use standard cellphones to vend prepaid electricity, and also make a commission from their sales. Not only does this provide a benefit to the community in terms of access to a widely-distributed vendor network, but also creates a business opportunity to members of the community - the appointed vendors - by tapping into the revenue of prepaid electricity sales.

Expertron's primary focus is on developing ICT products for the local market by exploiting opportunities at the convergence between conventional data networks and the GSM cellular networks.

For more information on the Cell Power system, contact Dr Walter Smuts at Expertron on +27 12 844 0335.

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