Diamond Network MVNO

I am Priya Singh, CEO of DN (Diamond Network) connect.  Im  also CTO of previously founded copany with Nisha Maharaj, Niche Integrated solutions. Ive been in Telecoms for +20 years. I deployed the largest Distr. centre in the Southern Hemisphere with ground-breaking technologies, won Cisco award at Networkers, 1st woman in SA. I held roles such as Head-Networks & Telco at Standard Bank. I most recently, consulted on President Ramaphosas Yes4Youth programme. I personally obtained Microsoft/Cisco sponsorship on the Training programme for youth, saving the Mayor R7,2m.  I drafted and rated a tender at Yes, to improve operational efficiency and save the program on the most expensive cost, smartphones. I have suffered a Functional impairment in 2016, but this has not stopped me from intro. new exciting Tech in 4IR such as Robotics process auto. and now, seek to be 1st Black woman MVNO in SA.  

1 a. Serving the Underserved communities by providing affordable smarphones, airtime and data packages.  

1b. Integrating a new shopping app that uses a unique model to deliver packages to people during social distancing that is convenient and less expensive.

2. Creation of an MVNO (Mobile virtual network operator) that will offer competitive packages to the blue collar market in South Africa

3. Affordable pricing for connectivity, which is significantly important  during the current pandemic climate. And inspiring people through our uplifiting, purposeful pop music, makes for a unique combination to take our brand to market.

In the current era, where the virus has brought great chaos into our lives with social distancing, the need to be connected could not be greater, especially since 55% of people are not connected in rural communities in South Africa.  We will provide disruptive rates on calls, especially for OffNet calls @ 0.55c / min and FREE for OnNet calls, allowing carry over of 'unused voice and data'. The current market rate for OffNet calls is R1.20 upwards.  This will greatly assist the underserved communities by providing alternatives from the current high costs being paid for connectivity.  We also have 2 locally manufactured African phone providers, MARA and Qwili partnering with us to offer their phones to our target market on a B2B2C model, i.e. the smaller retail and micro lending banks.  

Our business model is to be an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network operator) offering innovative data package as well as provide Layer 2 Ethernet Fibre connectivity at disruptive costs.  For the MVNO, we will provide a data solution, which leverage the Cell C and MTN networks. We do not need to own an ECNS license but will sell mobile services under its own brand name, network code and SIM cards. The solution is a VoIP softphone mobile app for android, apple etc. It has been tested internationally and now in South Africa.  The technology is similar to WhatsApp, however we will offer breakout to (Cell C, Vodacom, Liquid, Telkom, MTN) at 55c pm.  Standard rates for OffNet is R1.20pm upwards.  Our OnNet calls are ‘FREE, while standard rates are between 66c and R1.20pm.  We will also later create a shopping app that will be integrated to provide a unique method of delivery not yet in SA! 

The Blue collar target market, low income market, which is how we have come up with the idea of a Blue diamond sim card for our network. I have engaged with many people in one such area (Windsor) and they have expressed great interest to have a package with the price point as our offering. We are providing packages that include a Phone, Data and airtime at an affordable price. 

With the VoIP softphone, we are providing disruptive costs on airtime and data in SA. 

WIth Qwili, we are providing smartphones to low income South Africans at
a the same price as a feature phone. 

With our shopping app, we are providing delivery to end users in a more cost effective manner that all can afford.

I consulted on our Esteemed President, Mr Ramaphosa program  Yes4 Youth, I managed ICT operations which included selecting smartphones and delivering to all youth who were placed into jobs by the program. We delivered 10000s phones and when writing a tender for this, I investigated  different MNOs in the country and realised the gaps. I also realised there was a great Revenue per user (RPU) opportunity on voice and data and when dealing with youth from underserved areas, where some people did not have addresses we delivered phones under a tree.  There is still an underserved community in SA who dont have access to basic content on health and learning information. And so, through our partnership with Qwili, we will simulate a once off voice prompt based educational tutorial for people with little to no smartphone experience. We are providing this entire offering 'as a service' to smaller retail banks B2B2C who will offer this to their customers.  We will provide a fully managed service, where we pre-load banks software onto the phone, deliver the phone and SIM, activate the SIM, invoice user and provide the bank with this invoice.  We currently have 1 bank interested in our offering. 

Aside from contributing to Economic dev. in South Africa, we are also partnering to use our own African phones making this a uniquely 'African' solution. The VoIP Tech is disruptive as is the shopping app idea, given the need to social distance. However, Im also a music composer and love to uplift people, especially in the current crisis, fight or flight mentality. We currently working with a SA Music award winning producer on a new song that is beautiful, ideal for the current time. This is how I would like to grow my brand into the market. SA is not only hit with this pandemic, but also Gender based violence(GBV) and as a 'survivor' of GBV, after being burnt into a deadly coma for a month, I desired to use music as my voice to help others in similar situations. That song is called, 'strength'.  However, the song, 'Turn it up', which can be heard in the URL video above is a song I created, not yet released. The song is copyright. I wrote this song when I underwent a hectic medical treatment, it inspired even me to 'Turn it up' as I have everything to live for ! 

I have been in the Network and Telco domain for +20 years and have the experience both strategically and operationally to manage a project like this.  I was part of the Gauteng provincial govt. team to define the BSS and OSS solution for GPG and a BSS billing system is what is needed now. I managed Standard banks network and Woolworths network (> 600 branches) therefore I know how users can become abusers if there are poor comms signals. I know how to manage an operational team to success as I was accountable to define ITIL processes at Std bank and Woolworths and also on both Govt. projects. I am therefore well versed in Networks and Telecoms and was selected by a Leading Telco Carrier of carrier services, represented in 3000 cities around the world, to be their 1st  Black woman partner in SA. I also understand the NGN user, who wants a quality smarphone at a cost effective price, with sufficient memory and it must simply work with all the bells and whistles. I am meticulous and have managed many projects in the largest bank in SA etc.  Furthermore, on the future outlook, I am partnering with the TV white space project to offer even more affordable data packages once their network is rolled out in SA.  

The current pandemic has devasted many businesses, however I have interest from a bank wanting to offer my service to their clients. We still have a process to get through, however I am confident there will be progress so I am relentlessly pursuing this, not sure if there will be obstacles but as and when they arrive, I am confident we will get past them. 

I always think to myself that I literally survived near death where doctors told family to pull the plug after day 21 of my coma :) so I am living in 'borrowed time' and with this mindset, I truly believe that nothing is insurmountable. 

I won the Woolworths difference award and the standard bank excellence award for working well in teams and being a strong Leader and Manager.  We had to deliver into 16 African countries, each with their own language barriers and regulatory etc.  However, we ensured that each person understood the value they had to contribute to the projects and in that way, succeeded in all our project deliveries. 

Our business model is a B2B2C.  We offer a Min. Order quantity of smartphones and data, airtime packages to the Banks and they then offer this to their customers. Below is our model.

Sales 

Reseller

Y

Branding

Sales (Bank)

Marketing (Both)

Y

X

Y

End User contract (Bank)

TBC

Collections

Bank

N

Serving

Customer 

Support  

Y

Billing platform

 (Cloud) -

 Invoicing

Y

SIM Card & RICA

Y

Distribution

Smartphone

Y

We will sell smartphone, data and airtime packages to smaller retail or micro lending banks like Ubank or Atlas bank etc.  They will pay us up front as we have come up with a finance model for them where they pay off the packages on a min. order quantity basis.  We targeting on a worst case scenario 5000 customers in Y1 and in order to sell this across 200 branches, the banks only need to sign up 2 customers per branch per month. 

NA

We would be open to grants, debt or equity options. 

$195 000 - Phase 1 is based on 2700 users - this will include UI development, working capital, operational expenses i.e. employee salaries, marketing, billing engine in the cloud, call centre support seats and MVNO startup costs.

$195 000 - Phase 2 is based on 2100 users - this will include some development on shopping app, operational expenses i.e. employee salaries, marketing, billng engine in the cloud, call centre support seats and revenue sharing with the Bank

$195 000

• Elevating opportunities for all people, especially those who are traditionally left behind.  We are providing connectivity and communications to the underserved community in South Africa. 
• Elevating understanding of and between people through changing people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.  And we are merging soulfil stirring sounds in the form of our purposeful pop music to inspire and motivate people to their Highest Purpose and Love. 

We dont only wish to be funded but also supported in terms of managing our Finances as we are experts in Technology, however not experts in the Financial world.  We would also love to leverage the networks of these C-Level Execs within the industry to further market our solution.  A new MVNO is operationally intensive, therefore all the assistance we can obtain would be greatly valued.

TV White space project, they offer wireless solutions and we believe we will become highly disruptive if we partner with this team. We have already engaged, however they are being delayed by ICASA.  Microsoft is also part of this consortium in SA I believe, so it would be great to also partner with MS. 

If not then also toomuchwifi would be a great company to partner with.

Finally, also with Pic n Pay and Shoprite Checkers for our shopping application.