Vodafone Ghana to Provide Free Access to e-Learning Platforms, Carmakers to Help Make Ventilators, and Smartphone Sales Drop Drastically

Africa

GhIPSS waves fees on interbank transfers

The Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems is waiving away fees on electronic payment services used by its clients, a report has said. The waiver comes in a bid to encourage more electronic transactions in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 through cash exchanges. As a result, partners and financial clients will enjoy free transactions using services on the Mobile Money Interoperability and accessing the GhiPSS Instant Pay platform. Banks using the ACH Direct Lending to cater for salaries on behalf of their corporate clients will also enjoy the waiver.

Vodafone clients to use e-learning platforms for free

Vodafone Ghana is offering its customers free access a number of educational websites and e-learning platforms as schools shutdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Citi News Room has reported. The telco giant is working with e-learning platforms to zero-rate their modules for its customers, ensuring continuity in the academic calendar during the break in classroom activities. As a result, Vodafone has invited educational institutions t.o apply in order to make their platforms accessible to their students until schools reopen. Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO of Vodafone Ghana said, “We are determined to contribute to enhancing the learning experience for students with our technology. This is a commitment we hold dear and we are happy to be at the forefront of educational transformation during this difficult period.” In addition, Vodafone is providing unique solutions to help businesses cope effectively during this time.

Europe

Carmakers to help build ventilators

Automakers and other manufacturers have taken steps to fit parts of their factories with necessary tools to help them make ventilators, it has been reported by the BBC. Ventilators are critical in the fight against the deadly coronavirus. With many hospitals running out of stock, however, patients face an uphill task in recovery. As a result, the UK government, especially, put out a plea to the tech firms to help bridge the gap between supply and demand in order to save lives. Dyson, a firm that produces vacuum cleaners, is working with the Technology Partnership to build new ventilators in a timely manner, it has been reported. “We are conducting a fully regulated medical device development, including testing in the laboratory and in humans, and we are scaling up for volume,” they said. Also, Fiat started converted its China plant to start producing one million ventilators a month. Other firms like Tesla, Ford, General Motors, Nissan, and Formula 1 teams in the UK have pledged resources to be used in the production of more ventilators.

Battle against coronavirus raises privacy concerns

Tech companies developing apps to monitor the movements of persons in quarantine are facing privacy concerns in Europe, Reuters has said. Throughout the continent, apps are helping people share symptoms with their doctors which will then be used to model the spread of the virus. With little coordination between governments fearing breach of the EU’s General Data Protection Rules, progress has been slow. For example, Poland’s Personal Data Protection Office claims it was not consulted in the development of the Home Quarantine App that requires users to send regular selfies to confirm their locations and symptoms. The app uses facial recognition software to confirm the identities of the user. Slovakia introduced a law that would allow individual movements to be tracked during the pandemic. Similar moves have been rejected in Germany as well. Under the GDPR, data should be given freely and cannot be stored indefinitely.

The Americas

Micron enjoys revenue boost as demand rises for remote-work devices

Chipmaker, Micron Technology Inc., is forecasting an above-average revenue growth as demand for the remote-work devices has increased over the course of the pandemic, Reuters has reported. Offices and workers need powerful laptops and other devices to function effectively during lockdown. Increase in e-commerce, gaming, and other remote activities is positively affecting demand for data centres too. While its factories in Asia are working at limited capacities due to local laws, the Idaho-based company is expecting third quarter revenues of at least $4.6 billion. This could reach as high as $5.2 billion, way above the estimated $4.87 billion. Shares rose by 5% in extended trade with the news coming in.

Cybersecurity experts band to fight coronavirus-related hacking

A group of almost 400 cybersecurity experts have come together to fight against hacking related to the spread of the coronavirus, Reuters has confirmed. The COVID-19 CTI, as it is named, spans some 40 countries around the world and includes senior professionals from Amazon and Microsoft. The spread of the pandemic has led to many waves of disinformation and hacking attempts. “I’ve never seen this volume of phishing,” Marc Rogers, one of the managers of the group said. “I am literally seeing phishing messages in every language known to man.” The group’s initial task is to defend medical facilities and facilities at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic. In addition, the group will help defend services and infrastructure like the communications network which are critical during these times.

Asia

Chatroom sex abuse suspect named in South Korea

The man accused of blackmailing girls into sharing their nude videos has been named after public outcry, it has been reported by the BBC. 24-year-old Cho Ju-bin forced girls to share their videos with him, which he then shared in a pay-to-view chatroom where viewers paid $1,200 for access. The chatroom first contacted girls for modelling and escort jobs, after which they were directed to a Telegram account. Their personal details were then extracted after which they were blackmailed to perform before an audience. Cho was named by a police committee after some five million people signed a petition to name and shame the perpetrator. He exploited up to 74 women, 16 of whom were underage so he could share their images and videos with an audience of around 10,000.

Smartphone sales fell 14% in February

Smartphone sales fell some 14% in February as the coronavirus ravaged Chinese factories and production units in Asia, it has been reported. Apple had to shut down its manufacturing plant in China, as did other firms in a bid to limit the spread of the virus. As a result, Apple is believed to have sold less than 500,000 in mainland China during that period. Analysts at Counterpoint Research fear the fall could continue as the virus spreads to other areas in Europe and America, affecting demand. The lockdown in these areas will affect the supply chain as suppliers are forced to shut shop and curb human-to-human contact. This is despite the fact that parts of Asia are seeing remarkable recoveries since the pandemic broke.