YO UGANDA LIMITED
CORPORATE PROFILE
YO UGANDA LIMITED
5TH Floor Impala House,
Plot 13 – Kimathi Avenue,
Tel: +256 31 224 4641
Email: info@yo.co.ug
Web: http://www.yo.co.ug/
P. O. Box 27105, Kampala - Uganda
CORPORATE PROFILE
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 4
2 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES .......................................................................................... 5
2.1 SOFTWARE PRODUCTS .................................................................................................... 5
2.1.1 MobileSuv: Mobile-Enabled Surveys Platform....................................................... 5
2.1.2 YBS: An Enterprise Billing System ........................................................................ 6
2.1.3 INTELLIVR: Interactive Voice Response Services Application............................ 8
2.1.4 Socius: A Web-controllable Conference Call Service Platform.............................. 9
2.1.5 YVoiceAds: Voice Telephony Mobile Advertising System ................................... 10
2.1.6 YCPP: A Mobile Content Delivery Platform......................................................... 12
2.1.7 VX_CAST: Voice Messaging Platform................................................................... 13
2.1.8 ICS: Interactive Communications Suite ............................................................... 14
2.2 SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES .......................................................................... 15
2.2.1 Featured Contract: Mobile Applications for Grameen Foundation .................... 15
2.2.2 Featured Contract: Mobile Application for Packet Clearing House ................... 15
2.2.3 Featured Contract: Web Application for the Internet Society ............................ 15
2.3 INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SERVICES ................................................................... 16
2.3.1 Featured Service: Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School16
2.3.2 Featured Service: UNICEF Namibia .................................................................... 16
2.3.3 Featured Service: MTN Uganda Promotion ......................................................... 16
2.3.4 Featured Service: Hotline for AFFORD a Health Marketing Initiative............. 16
2.4 SMS GATEWAY SERVICES ............................................................................................ 17
2.4.1 Featured Service: International AIDS Vaccine Initiative ................................... 17
2.4.2 Featured Service: TextToChange .......................................................................... 17
2.5 PREMIUM RATE SERVICES ............................................................................................ 18
2.5.1 Telephony Partner Agreement with MTN............................................................ 18
2.5.2 Featured Service: BBC Mobile News Service ....................................................... 18
2.5.3 Featured Service: Predict-and-Win Premiership Promotion for Dembe FM...... 18
2.6 TOLL FREE SERVICES ................................................................................................... 18
2.7 TELECOM OPERATOR VALUE ADDED SERVICES ........................................................... 19
2.7.1 VoiceSMS: Simple Voice Messaging...................................................................... 19
2.8 TELEPHONIC PAYMENT SOLUTIONS ............................................................................. 19
2.9 CALL CENTRE SOLUTIONS ............................................................................................ 19
2.9.1 Customized Design................................................................................................. 19
2.9.2 Featured Customer: Tot Solutions ........................................................................ 20
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2.9.3 YoQueue: A Virtual Call Centre Solution............................................................. 20
2.10 SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................... 20
3 CLIENTS AND PARTNERS ........................................................................................... 22
4 PROFILES OF SENIOR MANAGEMENT ................................................................... 23
4.1 GERALD BEGUMISA, MANAGING DIRECTOR, CO-FOUNDER ......................................... 23
4.2 ARNOLD SENTUWA LUWUGGE, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, CO-
FOUNDER ................................................................................................................................... 23
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1 Introduction
Yo Uganda Limited (“Yo!”) is a … software for telecom services
software company. We develop and … billing systems… mobile
market software products with a focus applications … SMS gateway
on software for telecommunications services … hosted IVR services
services, billing systems, mobile
applications and web applications. We also provide services such as software
development services on contract, SMS gateway services, hosted IVR services
and ICT consultancy.
While Yo! has been in business for 4 … over 25 years … developing
years, we have over 25 years of and deploying SMS and IVR …
combined staff experience in content and application …
developing and deploying SMS and platforms
IVR based content and application
delivery platforms, as well as mobile applications. For example, we are
actively developing and marketing 4 products which are key to successfully
running a Wireless Application Services Provider business. These products
combine SMS, IVR, Mobile Internet and Billing Integration to provide a
comprehensive service delivery platform. We have deployed some of these
products for organizations such as UNICEF in Nambia and the Grameen
Foundation in Uganda and Ghana.
Yo! has extensive experience in
developing applications on mobile … experience in mobile platforms …
cross-platform technologies for
platforms. For compiled applications,
compiled applications…
we use cross-platform technologies
such as J2ME, J2ME Polish and QT1 to ensure minimal effort in porting the
applications to other non-UNIX operating systems such as Windows.
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qt_(framework)
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2 Products and Services
2.1 Software Products
Yo! has developed and actively markets a number of software products.
Considering we are 4 years old, we are easily the fastest growing software-
products company in Sub-Saharan Africa. We leverage the latest
technologies to deliver targeted products which suite even the most specific
requirements, while maintaining a level of genericity that ensures mass
adoption.
We pride ourselves in our unique ability to analyse a need and then
transform that analysis into a tangible software product which not only
solves the initial need but is adaptable to a wider range of uses.
2.1.1 MobileSuv: Mobile-Enabled Surveys Platform
MobileSuv is a mobile-enabled … mobile-enabled information
information gathering and dissemination gathering and dissemination
platform. By supporting multiple mobile platform… combines … mobile
transport technologies including SMS, application … and … web
Voice and GPRS/EDGE, MobileSuv allow application …
efficient and convenient information gathering.
MobileSuv combines the benefits of a web-based interface and a mobile
application to maximize usability in a wide range of conditions.
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2.1.2 YBS: An Enterprise Billing System
YBS is a multipurpose billing, mobile commerce and telephony services
provision platform. YBS has capabilities to handle prepaid and post-paid
billing, calling cards, SMS, mobile commerce and almost any configuration of
telephony services provision. YBS is
currently in production use in a number of …currently in production use …
installations in the United States by by service providers in the United
States
providers of Internet Telephony services.
YBS has, in addition, been used to bill telecom value-add services such as
SMS and IVR content.
YBS is controlled by administrators from a user friendly, feature-rich web
based interface. The web based interface enables administrators to do the
following activities, among others:
• Manage Media Servers, including multi-tenant PBX systems,
• Manage prepaid and postpaid user accounts;
• Create and manage calling;
• Setup web based subscription for users;
• Setup web based payment options for prepaid and postpaid users;
• Manage inbound and outbound calling rates;
• Setup speed dial numbers;
• Manage DID (Direct Inward Dialing) numbers;
• Many more…
The screenshot below shows the administrator interface, specifically a listing
of calling cards generated from the system:
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The screenshot below shows the management of speed dial numbers by a
prepaid user:
The diagram below shows the complete architecture of YBS.
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2.1.3 INTELLIVR: Interactive Voice Response Services Application
INTELLIVR is our advanced Interactive Voice Response (IVR) product. With
years of development behind it, INTELLIVR has been refined to satisfy the
most sophisticated IVR use-cases. While INTELLIVR provides the most
common functions out of the box, it provides a plug-in interface to allow
custom applications to be developed – meaning you are not tied down to any
specific application.
INTELLIVR provides a unique Application Programming Interface (API)
which allows third party applications to leverage INTELLIVR’s powerful IVR
features.
INTELLIVR’s drag-and-drop capable web-based graphical user interface
(GUI) makes it immensely easy for non-technical staff to set up and manage
even highly complex IVR services.
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2.1.4 Socius: A Web-controllable Conference Call Service Platform
Yo! was contracted to develop a comprehensive conference call services
platform for a service provider based in the United States (US) –
www.sociusbridge.com. The platform was named “Socius”. Apart from the
ability to receive and manage conference calls, the service provider required
these conference calls to be controllable from a web interface (or website).
A few of the functions which the US based service provider required of the
web interface were as follows:
• Scheduling of conferences
• Real-time Moderation of conferences
• Online subscription
• E-commerce integration with PayPal™ (www.paypal.com),
Authorize.Net™ (www.authorize.net), Chase Paymentech
(www.chasepaymentech.com)
• SMS Integration
• Contacts management
• Many more…
Yo! took full charge of this project and has since delivered the platform.
Through a unique Intellectual Property and Technology Sharing
arrangement, Yo! has added Socius to our list of products.
The screenshot below demonstrates the web-based control panel for live
conferences.
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2.1.5 YVoiceAds: Voice Telephony Mobile Advertising System
YVoiceAds is a voice telephony mobile advertising system. The way
YVoiceAds works is that a toll-free number is provided for the general public
to call.
When the public calls this toll-free number, a recorded advertisement for a
participating company will be selected and played back to the caller. If the
caller listens to the full advertisement, then they will be credited with an
amount of prepaid airtime.
YVoiceAds is expected to meet considerable appeal amongst the key involved
parties (general public, companies, telecommunications network providers)
for a variety of reasons, a few of which have been noted below:
• Participating companies will only pay for advertisements which have
been listened to;
• The telecommunications network will enjoy increased voice traffic;
• The telecommunications network will enjoy increased sales of their
prepaid airtime;
• There are no consent or privacy issues as YVoiceAds does not make
outgoing calls;
• Flexibility in terms of budget management – customers may specify
maximum number of advertisements to be played back per minute, per
hour, per day, per month or per year;
The screenshot below shows the interface which is used to upload MP3
format advertisements:
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The screenshot below shows customer budget settings:
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2.1.6 YCPP: A Mobile Content Delivery Platform
YCPP is a comprehensive Mobile Content Delivery Platform. YCPP allows
you to run a sophisticated Wireless Application Service Provision company
("WASP"). YCPP has been in production since 2008 and has served hundreds
of thousands of content requests from GSM subscribers.
The screenshot below shows the form to create a keyword:
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2.1.7 VX_CAST: Voice Messaging Platform
VX_CAST is a high-performance information dissemination platform.
VX_CAST doubles both as a telecom operator VAS as well as an enterprise
solution for information dissemination. VX_CAST simply takes an input of a
voice recording and a list of telephone numbers and then blasts that message
to all the telephone numbers provided simultaneously. VX_CAST is the only
choice in instances where quick, intrusive dissemination of information is
required – such as in emergency situations.
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2.1.8 ICS: Interactive Communications Suite
ICS is a web based content management application which leverages web and
telephony technologies to give multiple ways in which users may interact.
Particularly ICS integrates web systems, IVR and SMS. ICS contains
features for opinion polls, discussion forums, conferencing capabilities et
cetera.
The screenshot below shows the SMS management portion of the system:
The screenshot below shows the public section, particularly the discussion
forums. In this case, ICS was customized to be a central portal for political
parties and organizations in Uganda:
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2.2 Software Development Services
Yo! has successfully delivered results on-time on multiple Software
Development projects for both local and International customers. Our
software engineers have skills in all major programming languages and
extensive experience in development on Unix, Windows and Mobile
platforms.
2.2.1 Featured Contract: Mobile Applications for Grameen Foundation
In 2009, Yo! rapidly developed and deployed a
comprehensive technology platform consisting a range of
mobile and web applications for the pilot version of
AppLab's Community Knowledge Worker (CKW) initiative. The pilot was
successful.
Grameen Foundation since received a $4.7 million follow-on grant 2 to expand
the CKW initiative. Following successful and deployment of the pilot
platform, in 2010, Yo! was, again, contracted to play a significant role in
designing and deploying a scaled up version of the technology platform.
2.2.2 Featured Contract: Mobile Application for Packet Clearing House
In 2009, Yo! was contracted by Packet Clearing House -
www.pch.net - a California based non-profit research institute
that supports operations and analysis in the areas of Internet
traffic exchange, routing economics, global network development. Yo!
developed for PCH a GPS-enabled mobile application - specifically for the
BlackBerry platform.
2.2.3 Featured Contract: Web Application for the Internet Society
In 2009, The Internet Society - www.isoc.org - contracted Yo!
to design, develop and deploy web based applications to
streamline the organization of some of its annual events. The developed
applications served to automate and ease many processes.
2
http://www.grameenfoundation.applab.org/section/community-knowledge-worker-project
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2.3 Interactive Voice Response Services
Our IVR service has been used by local and international organizations to
carry out promotions, conduct surveys and disseminate information. Our
Hosted IVR service provides all the benefits of our INTELLIVR platform,
minus any up-front capital expenditure.
2.3.1 Featured Service: Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School
Yo! deployed an advanced, IVR based solution for a
pilot project in Mbarara district - Uganda. This
project was being conducted by the Massachusetts
General Hospital and Harvard Medical school. The
IVR system was successfully deployed and activated in Runyankore – a local
Ugandan dialect.
The pilot deployment mid 2009 was successful and Massachusetts General
Hospital extended their IVR-based study, to run through 2010.
2.3.2 Featured Service: UNICEF Namibia
After a competitive bidding process, UNICEF
Namibia selected our product, INTELLIVR, to
meet the IVR needs of their “Born Free
Generation” program in Namibia. Yo! delivered a comprehensive package
comprising the INTELLIVR software and hardware, as well as full support to
ensure that their service remained accessible whenever needed.
2.3.3 Featured Service: MTN Uganda Promotion
Yo! provided to MTN Uganda - www.mtn.co.ug - an
invaluable IVR service that enhanced a promotion MTN
carried out for Uganda’s national football team – the Uganda
Cranes – during the historical Africa Nations Cup qualifiers. With close to 5
million mobile and fixed line subscribers, MTN is the largest
telecommunications company in Uganda.
2.3.4 Featured Service: Hotline for AFFORD a Health Marketing Initiative
Yo! studied the operations and objectives of AFFORD, a
non-governmental organization operating in Uganda and
formulated a method that would work to support their broad goals. We
proposed to them a telephonic method of gathering feedback from people
about their various programmes.
…studied needs;
We successfully designed and implemented this …designed solution;
solution which runs over our existing …implemented solution;
infrastructure (E1 lines and toll-free numbers).
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2.4 SMS Gateway Services
Yo! provides bulk SMS gateway services for both premium-rate services as
well as toll-free services.
2.4.1 Featured Service: International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
Yo! was contracted by the International AIDS Vaccine
Initiative, IAVI, www.iavi.org, to provide a two-way
SMS gateway service in Uganda. This was to be used to
facilitate IAVI’s research related to HIV prevention,
and the development of a preventative HIV vaccine.
Yo! successfully activated this service on our local installation of YBS.
2.4.2 Featured Service: TextToChange
In addition to deploying a mobile-enabled SMS-survey platform,
Yo! also set up a toll-free SMS short code for TextToChange –
www.texttochange.com – to facilitate their social change
programs in Uganda.
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2.5 Premium Rate Services
2.5.1 Telephony Partner Agreement with MTN
Early 2006 Yo! successfully negotiated and signed a
telephony partner agreement with the largest telephone
network operator, MTN Uganda, to provide premium rate content over their
network. This agreement saw the allocation of three premium rate number
ranges to Yo!. To date, we are managing
over forty (40) premium rate numbers …telephony partner agreement
with varying end-user prices. with largest network operator...
managing over 40 premium rate
We are therefore able to rapidly numbers…
provision premium rate numbers for any
service, having agreed on the retail price. Our numbers are all live and no
additional liaison with network operators is needed when launching any
service over our numbers.
2.5.2 Featured Service: BBC Mobile News Service
Yo! and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
executed an agreement making Yo! the only content provider in Uganda to
distribute BBC content (News, Sports, Entertainment, Business News)
through the mobile networks, starting with MTN in the initial period.
2.5.3 Featured Service: Predict-and-Win Premiership Promotion for Dembe FM
Through a partnership Yo! established with Dembe FM, we successfully
launched and jointly ran a predict-and-win promotion with Dembe FM, a
local radio station. This promotion was run over our infrastructure and we
allocated the premium rate number 0902600001 solely for this service.
2.6 Toll Free Services
Having looked closely at the market, we …whole range of toll-free
numbers…ready for
understood the need for an avenue through immediate deployment!
which information could be disseminated to
as many as possible - such information including business product
information and public health information. We therefore obtained a whole
range toll-free numbers which are, like the premium rate numbers, live and
available for immediate use.
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2.7 Telecom Operator Value Added Services
Yo! has conceptualized, prototyped and proposed numerous value added
services (VAS) to local telephone operators in Uganda. Some of these services
include:
2.7.1 VoiceSMS: Simple Voice Messaging
VoiceSMS is a Yo! VAS which allows …VoiceSMS…send nice, short
subscribers to send to each other short voice messages!
voice messages. This provides an
alternative to the traditional textual Short Messaging Service (simply
referred to as “SMS”). VoiceSMS does not require subscribers to upgrade
their handsets or buy expensive phones. VoiceSMS is truly all embracing
and enables anyone to send short voice messages.
2.8 Telephonic Payment Solutions
In Uganda, it is quite apparent that Uganda has…many more
there are many more mobile phone and telephones than computers…
landline users than there are computer
users. Yo! saw this as a unique opportunity to provide a wide range of
services over the telephone network, which were commonly provided as
Internet-based in countries with advanced backbone Internet infrastructure
and computer literacy. We therefore developed a payment platform,
VX_PAY, which enables anyone with a mobile phone to make payments and
money transfers by making a call.
2.9 Call Centre Solutions
2.9.1 Customized Design
We have experience in the design and …extensive experience in design
set up of call and contact centres. Yo! and set up of call and contact
proposes the most current IP-based centres… IP based
technologies that assure seamless technologies… rich store of CTI
convergence of voice and data to meet software… enjoy FREE value add
the demands of today. Yo! has a rich options!
store of Computer Telephony
Integration (CTI) software which work to enhance the productivity of call
centre agents and enable them to do their work with added ease. With our
call centre solutions come a number of free value-add options such as remote
call monitoring, central call monitoring, pop-up and database lookups.
Yo! has also established working relationships with the three telephone
operators in Uganda – MTN, UTL and Celtel – and we are able to rapidly
procure infrastructure and set it up in record time.
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2.9.2 Featured Customer: Tot Solutions
Yo! was contracted by Tot Solutions -
www.4totso.com - a US based
company, to develop and deploy a
call centre for US Visa applications
and appointment scheduling in South Africa. Yo! provided the full technical
solution of which a key software component was a module that allowed
purchase of the service over the phone using a credit card.
2.9.3 YoQueue: A Virtual Call Centre Solution
We have designed a virtual call centre YoQueue… your call centre… but
solution, YoQueue, which eliminates all without the cost of call centre
capital expenditure and enables equipment!
businesses to focus on the goal of the
call centre. With YoQueue, all you need to focus on is taking calls. YoQueue
can turn a two-phone office into a full-scale call centre without necessitating
you to install any specialized equipment.
Using advanced call routing …advanced call routing
technologies, YoQueue is able to deliver technologies… simply pay a rental
calls to your premises using a wide fee… and that’s it!
variety of ring strategies.
2.10 Software Development
Yo! has in the past been contracted to provide software development services
for a wide range of services. Our software developers have skills in all major
programming languages and extensive knowledge of UNIX operating
systems. Our technical staff all have over five (5) years experience in the
setup, operation and maintenance on a wide range of server software.
Our areas of expertise include:
• UNIX platform development (Linux, FreeBSD, any POSIX compliant
operating system);
• Windows platform development;
• Customized telephony solutions development (fully familiar with various
standards such as SIP, H.225.0, H.245, ISDN PRI and BRI as well as
open-source standards such as IAX2);
• Computer Telephony Integration
• Web application development, deployment and hosting
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• Languages: C/C++, PHP, PERL, Python, Java, Shell Scripting, Web
Technologies (Javascript, HTML, XML, etc…)
• Database Systems: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle
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3 Clients and Partners
Despite our relatively new status in the market, Yo! has a portfolio of clients,
both local and international. The key products which we have delivered to
these clients include YBS (Telephony Services Provision and Billing System),
ICS, Quiz software, IVR Service gateway et cetera.
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4 Profiles of Senior Management
4.1 Gerald Begumisa, Managing Director, Co-Founder
Gerald Begumisa is the Managing Director and Co-
Founder of Yo! Gerald also doubles as the Chief
Technical Officer of the company.
Since its founding in 2006, Yo! has successfully
developed and deployed many software products and
services under Gerald’s leadership. As Managing
Director, Gerald is responsible for setting the strategic
direction of the company, identifying new
opportunities for Yo!’s software products and exploring new markets.
As CTO Gerald leads Yo!’s engineering team during the design of new
software products. In addition to developing the software specifications for
implementation and testing, Gerald is responsible for ensuring that the
quality of the software meets the expectations of demanding clients.
Prior to founding Yo! in 2006, Gerald worked at OrecX – www.orecx.com –
and Computer Frontiers International – www.cfi.co.ug – as a Software
Consultant and Senior Software Engineer respectively.
4.2 Arnold Sentuwa Luwugge, Director of Finance and Administration, Co-Founder
With over eight years of accounting, Auditing and Financial Management
Experience, Arnold has what it takes to manage, provide accountability and
control finances for large projects. Having worked with East African Basic
Foods Ltd, Business Synergies, AH Thakkar & Sons (Certified Public
Accountants), Innscor Africa (U) Ltd and Computer Frontiers International.
Arnold has extensive finance management experience in diverse fields
While working at Computer Frontiers International, Arnold has been
involved in many projects, a few of which have been below.
USAID/REDSO/BOA/ Conflict (ICT needs assessment) 2002-2003
Arnold was the Finance and Administrative Project Manager, responsible for
Project Budget management, Coordination, Personnel, Resource allocation
and Reallocations, Procurements and reimbursements, billing and financial
reports. Arnold was also charged with Contract Interpretation and
Administration.
USAID/REDSO/BOA/ PHN (Wide Area Network and Online Library) 2002-2004
Arnold was the Finance and Administrative Project Manager, responsible for
Project Budget management, Coordination, Personnel, Resource allocation
and Reallocations, Procurements and reimbursements, billing and financial
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reports. Arnold was also charged with Contract Interpretation and
Administration.
USAID Digital Repository Project (Makerere University, University of Dar es Salaam)
2004
Arnold was the Finance and Administrative Project Manager, responsible for
bid-evaluation and selection, Project Budget management, Coordination,
Personnel, Resource allocation and reallocations, Procurements and
reimbursements billing and Financial reports. Arnold was also charged with
Contract Interpretation and Administration.
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