Banjul, Gambia - Over 300 scholars and Imams from across the country Friday gathered at the conference room of Qcell to launch its newest product called "The Qcell Muslim phone".
The new product is dedicated to the late Imam Mass Jah. This product, said to be the first of its kind in Africa, is poised to set a new challenge in the GSM market in the country. It comes with a colour screen, FM radio, long life battery and alerts Muslims on their five daily prayers.
Unveiling the product before a cross-section of scholars and journalists, the Chief Executive Officer of QCell, Muhammed Jah, described the Muslim phone product as a classic one and the cheapest in the country. He disclosed that the phone has been discounted by 50%, and sold at a retail cost of D750.
Jah explained that whichever country someone travels to with the Muslim phone, all that the person needs to do is to select the country and the phone will automatically reveal the prayers times of that particular country, and alert the person whenever it is time for prayers. He added that when the Muslim features are activated, even when the phone is off, it will automatically switch itself on and alert the person.
The QCell top executive declared that the idea of bringing to the country the highest and the best in telecommunications technology is their primary objective. "We are aiming to place ourselves as industry standards in The Gambia and as such, our goal and challenges are very high. The president's vision 2020, the Silicon Valley project, and many other initiatives, are all timely responses to the technological challenges of our age," He said.
Qcell, according to Jah, is the only 3G network in The Gambia, with facilities and services that no other GSM operator can offer. With Qcell sim card, he went on, "you can have the access services such as fast internet access throughout the length and breath of the country; Qcell MMS, the service that allows you to send and receive video, music and photos from one mobile to another, this product is particularly interesting among young people; and Qchat service which is a social networking application which allows the customers to have fun chats in groups or in private among other things".
For her part, Anam Jah, sales and marketing manager of Qcell thanked all the stakeholders in the GSM industry and the government for creating the enabling environment and giving the young people the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of The Gambia.
According to her, Qcell was the first to give free weekend calls, which is still ongoing and also the first and only GSM operator with a 3G network, enabling a guaranteed clear network, video call or other 3G features. Other speakers at the launching ceremony included Yankuba Colley, mayor of KMC, Imam Abdoulie Fatty of State House Mosque and Imam Ratib Cherno Alieu Mass Kah, among others.