africell money – TECH POINT MAGAZINE

MTN Mobile Money Vs Airtel Money vs Africell Money Vs Msente: The Best Service to Consider

Staff Editor — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 04:30:54 +0000

Mobile Money is a wave of swift money transfer that has not only disrupted banks’ reliability but also opened doors for better Fintech solutions. In Uganda, Mobile Money services are operated by leading mobile network providers namely, MTN, Airtel, UTL, and Africell.

In a bid to serve subscribers with affordability in-sight, the 4 mobile money services differ by charges, then supported transaction tiers that continue to increase with UGX 7,000,000 as the current high.

Currently, UTL’s Msente and Africell Money have the lowest rates if compared to MTN Momo, Airtel Money. However, this comes at a catch of competitive rates that only differ by a small margin, and here is a breakdown of what’s offered by each service.

MTN Mobile Money Vs Airtel Money Vs Africell Money Vs Msente

By Sending fees, Africell charges UGX 250 for Africell and other network transfers. On the Other hand, MTN Momo has a UGX 50 charge for On-Net transfers, as Other networks route a minimum charge of UGX 300.

For Airtel-Airtel transfers, a UGX 100 charge shines as the minimum rate, then a minimum charge of UGX 980 when sending to other networks. And unlike the trio, UTL’s Msente has a static sending fee of UGX 200 with no support for transfer to other networks.

Sending Fees (Same network Transfers)

Transaction Range	Africell	MTN Momo	Airtel	Msente (UTL)
0 – 2,500	200	30	100	200
2,501 – 5,000	500	100	100	450
5,001 – 15,000	1,000	350	500	900
15,001 – 30,000	1,000	500	500	900
30,001 – 45,000	1,000	600	500	900
45,001 – 60,000	1,000	750	500	900
60,001 – 125,000	1,600	1,000	1,000	1,400
125,001 – 250,000	1,600	1,100	1,000	1,400
250,001 – 500,000	1,600	1,250	1,000	1,400
500,000 – 1,000,000	2,000	1,250	1,000	1,800
1,000,001 – 2,000,000	2,000	1,250	1,000	1,800
2,000,001 – 4,000,000	N/A	1,250	1,000	1,800
4,000,001 – 7,000,000	N/A	1,250	1,000	N/A
UGX	UGX	UGX	UGX	UGX

Rates for Sending to Other Networks

Transaction Range	Africell	MTN Momo	Airtel	Msente (UTL)
0 – 2,500	200	830	980	N/A
2,501 – 5,000	500	940	980	N/A
5,001 – 15,000	1,000	1,880	1,975	N/A
15,001 – 30,000	1,000	2,310	2,165	N/A
30,001 – 45,000	1,000	2,310	2,595	N/A
45,001 – 60,000	1,000	2,500	2,595	N/A
60,001 – 125,000	1,600	3,325	3,765	N/A
125,001 – 250,000	1,600	4,975	5,495	N/A
250,001 – 500,000	1,600	7,125	8,025	N/A
500,000 – 1,000,000	2,000	12,650	15,150	N/A
1,000,001 – 2,000,000	2,000	22,000	26,500	N/A
2,000,001 – 4,000,000	N/A	37,400	45,400	N/A
4,000,001 – 7,000,000	N/A	55,000	60,700	N/A
UGX	UGX	UGX	UGX	UGX

MTN Mobile Money, Airtel Money, Africell Money, Msente Sending Fees to Other Networks

With the quad set of services leveled to similar sending fees, withdraw charges on the other hand differ by a smaller margin. Comparatively, MTN Momo and Airtel Money tremble in the same league as Msente, Africell Money shine with lower fees.

Withdraw Charges

Transaction Range	Africell	MTN Momo	Airtel	Msente (UTL)
0 – 2,500	250	350	330	200
2,501 – 5,000	300	480	440	300
5,001 – 15,000	800	770	700	600
15,001 – 30,000	820	970	880	800
30,001 – 45,000	1,100	1,350	1,210	900
45,001 – 60,000	1,100	1,650	1,500	1,000
60,001 – 125,000	1,300	2,150	1,925	1,250
125,001 – 250,000	2,560	3,950	3,575	2,500
250,001 – 500,000	4,360	7,700	7,000	4,200
500,000 – 1,000,000	8,500	13,750	12,500	8,000
1,000,001 – 2,000,000	15,440	18,500	12,500	15,000
2,000,001 – 4,000,000	N/A	25,000	12,500	30,000
4,000,001 – 7,000,000	N/A	25,000	12,500	N/A
UGX	UGX	UGX	UGX	UGX

Utility Payment Rates

Commonly, Utility Payments, PayTV, and Tax clearances are the most used options on all 4 mobile money platforms in Uganda. And so, charges slightly differ per mobile money service, but with smaller margins as compared to competitor services.

For Instance, to buy UMEME Yaka Tokens worth UGX 10,000 you face a 1,000/= charge of MTN and Airtel, but a 500/= or 700/= charge on Msente or Africell Money respectively. Hence, base utility rates only differ by small margins, but matter to the transacting customer.

Transaction Range	Africell	MTN Momo	Airtel	Msente (UTL)
0 – 2,500	150	190	190	150
2,501 – 5,000	300	600	330	200
5,001 – 15,000	700	1,000	1,000	500
15,001 – 30,000	1,200	1,600	1,600	1,000
30,001 – 45,000	1,500	2,100	2,000	1,250
45,001 – 60,000	1,800	2,800	2,650	1,800
60,001 – 125,000	3,000	3,700	3,500	2,500
125,001 – 250,000	3,500	4,150	3,950	2,800
250,001 – 500,000	4,000	5,300	5,050	4,000
500,000 – 1,000,000	7,000	6,300	6,300	8,000
1,000,001 – 2,000,000	12,000	6,300	6,300	10,000
2,000,001 – 4,000,000	N/A	6,300	6,300	12,000
4,000,001 – 7,000,000	N/A	6,300	6,300	N/A
UGX	UGX	UGX	UGX	UGX

The Best Mobile Money Service you can Consider in Uganda

To choose the best mobile money service to consider, you must put into consideration several factors aligned to your money transfer behavior.

Among the key factors to consider, ease of access to mobile money agents shines as a top priority. Then, the number of your contacts (you intend to send and receive money from) use specific service. Supported transfer amounts, then, the general charges structure as listed above.

What to consider before using a specific mobile money service in Uganda

Agents Network (How reachable are the service’s Mobile Money Agents)
Number of Contacts (friends & family) using the service
Supported Transfer amounts
Transaction Rates and Charges
Service Popularity

Once factored in, you can then choose your Ideal Mobile money service to consider. By charges, a service may have lower rates, but with a low agents network in Uganda.

Hence, if you don’t have a vast network of reachable direct deposit and withdraw points, you can then consider the most accessible service for swift transactions.

By Agents Network, most usability and high transfer amounts, MTN’s Mobile Money service rocks as the best variant to consider against Airtel Money, Africell Money, and UTL Msente. This is due to the fact that you can access the telco’s agents in almost every trading center in Uganda.

Henceforth, amidst the fact that you’d get lower charges on a platform like Msente, getting access to deposits could be hard as compared to MTN Momo or Airtel money which could be your most accessible option. So, depending on your taste and location, you can juggle through available offers for your best choice.

Here is a complete list of useful Africell shortcodes you need to know

Joe Jinja — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 15:57:16 +0000

Africell Uganda shortcodes are a scarce blend of the best services hidden in usual codes. While we managed to find a list of the Africell money transaction rates. Our next focus was dimmed straight to the telecom’s shortcodes we think you can utilize with ease.

Before heading over to the next swipe, Africell Uganda has two main USSD codes — *133# and *134#. However, all services are embedded in these two codes making it easy to access each and every option. Nonetheless, let’s dive into what these codes offer beneath the main menu since *133# is mainly for data purchases as *134# serves the best Voice bundles in one root menu as Africell money racks at *144#.

*133#

*133# Option	Service
Option 1	mobile internet packages
Option 2	pay go services to activate roaming settings
Option 3	unlimited internet packages
Option 4	Happy Hour; buy a bundle at 500/- and use it for 1 hour from the time it is subscribed
Option 5	Happy night bundles from 12am to 6am
Option 6	paying OTT tax
Option 7	Reserved for the Special Wednesday bundle each week
Option 8	Triple data bundle package
Option 9	checking data balance
Option 10	purchasing the StarTimes bundle

*134#

*133# Option	Service
Option 1	Tokota Nnyoo for unlimited voice calls: Tokota Nyoo @500/- for 20 Minutes, 20MBs and 20SMSs valid for 24 hrs and Unlimited Tokata valid for 24 hrs.
Option 2	Paka Boom, special offer for every region in Uganda
Option 3	International Calls to most destinations
Option 4	Super Combo: calls, SMS and data at weekly, daily and monthly packages
Option 5	Ofwono Tooti; 30 minutes of calls at Shs500
Option 6	SMS bundles
Option 7	Supermix; data, voice and SMS bundles at different prices
Option 8	checking all the voice bundle balances

More Africell codes

*100# Main menu
*144# Africell Money
*131# Check Airtime credit
100 Customer Care
*133*6# OTT Tax

A breakdown of all Africell codes

SHORTCODE	FUNCTION
*100#	Main menu
*144#	Africell money
*133#	Internet bundles
*134#	Voice bundles
*131#	Check airtime balance
1336#	Pay OTT tax
100	Customer care line

Here are the current Africell Money Rates, Payment charges (June 2021)

Joe Jinja — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 11:57:29 +0000

Africell Money is a proactive mobile money service that has grown popular for its low charges in Fintech zones. In fact, Africell Money rates are the most customer-focused charges available for Africell customers if compared to MTN Momo and Airtel Money in the same caliber.

Among the top Africell Money features, the ability to send and receive money is a top function with an added scribe of sending money to non-registered customers. Once sent, the receiving customer suffers no charges and tax on withdrawing.

Instead, the sending customer (registered) gets to clear withdraw charges when sending to a non-registered Africell customer. However, when sending to other networks (MTN, Airtel, UTL), charges are valid, and instant transfer is enabled as a default.

On top of sending and receiving, customers are also able to make Payments inclusive of Utility payments (DSTV, NSWC), PayTV, Taxes, then Goods and Services completing the Africell Money lineup.

How to use Africell Money

Unlike other Mobile money services that can be accessed using a single shortcode *185# or *165# for MTN, Airtel, and UTL customers. Africell Money can only be accessed using the telco’s *144# shortcode to access the main service menu.

So, to get started with sending and receiving money, you should dial *144# for the root menu which costs of sending, payments, my account among other options to get started.

Current Africell Money Rates

Africell Money Sending Rates

Transaction Tiers	Africell & Others	Non-Registered Customers
500 – 2,500	250	880
2,501 – 5,000	500	N/A
5,001 – 15,000	1,000	N/A
15,001 – 30,000	1,000	1,900
30,001 – 45,000	1,000	2,800
45,001 – 60,000	1,000	N/A
60,001 – 125,000	1,600	4,200
125,001 – 250,000	1,600	7,700
250,001 – 500,000	1,600	11,000
500,001 – 1,000,000	2,000	21,000
1,000,001 ––2,000,000	2,000	38,000
UGX	UGX	UGX

Africell Money Sending Charges

Africell Money Withdraw Rates

Transaction Tiers	Africell Agents	Non-Registered Customers
500 – 2,500	250	FREE
2,501 – 5,000	300	FREE
5,001 – 15,000	800	FREE
15,001 – 30,000	820	FREE
30,001 – 45,000	1,100	FREE
45,001 – 60,000	1,100	N/A
60,001 – 125,000	1,300	FREE
125,001 – 250,000	2,560	FREE
250,001 – 500,000	4,360	FREE
500,001 – 1,000,000	8,500	FREE
1,000,001 ––2,000,000	15,440	FREE
UGX	UGX	UGX

Africell Money Withdraw Charges

Africell Money Payment Charges

Transaction Tiers	Utility Payments	Goods & Services
500 – 2,500	150	110
2,501 – 5,000	300	150
5,001 – 15,000	700	300
15,001 – 30,000	1,200	450
30,001 – 45,000	1,500	500
45,001 – 60,000	1,800	500
60,001 – 125,000	3,000	600
125,001 – 250,000	3,500	900
250,001 – 500,000	4,000	1,250
500,001 – 1,000,000	7,000	2,500
1,000,001 –– 2,000,000	12,000	3,500
UGX	UGX	UGX

Africell Money Payment Charges

How about Mobile Money Tax?

Mobile Money tax of 0.5% of the total amount is applied on all withdraws as payable tax to URA. In case you wonder how much tax is charged on your cash withdraws, then, here is how it’s calculated.

Received Amount: 50,000/=
To Withdraw: Africell Money charges UGX 1,100 + 0.5% tax
0.5% of UGX 50,000 = UGX 250
Total Withdraw Charges: Africell Money Charge UGX 1,100 + UGX 250 = 1,350/=
So, your total withdraw Charge becomes UGX 1,350 to get UGX 50,000.

By Standard, the tax was first mounted as 1%, but with 0.5% now applicable on withdraws alone, the tax is affordable and in most cases, you may not realise the increase in charges.

Henceforth, with a low withdraw tax of 0.5%, you can choose to swiftly transfer money using Africell Money and face lower charges compared to other providers.

Nonetheless, Africell Money doesn’t have a wide chain of agents countrywide, but by the ecosystem standard, the telco is aiming at spreading its presence from not just towns, but also to remote rural areas.

Official: Social media taxes to take immediate effect on 1st July as Telecom companies join hands

Staff Editor — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 12:13:04 +0000

Social media taxes in Uganda are one of a kind and very unavoidable according to a statement by MTN in its FAQs. As Parliament previously approved the said social media taxes, Telecom companies have today backed the idea by releasing the official payment methods to be used when paying social media tax.

The public notice issued by telecom companies about social media taxes

OTT Services explained as Over the top services are platforms that allow you to interact remotely without using the official Telecom sim cards for example with VOIP (Voice over IP) or Video chatting and conferencing. The following methods are some of those you can use to pay OTT tax a.k.a Social media taxes quickly.

MTN Mobile money (*165*2*8#)
Airtel Money (*185*2*5#)
Africell Money (*144*2*5#)

Africell customers can also pay social media taxes using MTN mobile.oney and Airtel money at no extra charge as the statement appeared in a public notice. However, you can also use Africell EVC via *133*6# to pay the taxes as other Telecom companies also draft new payment methods which can be paid for the following periodic stated packages.

Daily (Ushs 200)
Weekly (Ushs 1,400)
Monthly (Ushs 6,000)

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“Social media taxes in Uganda are one of a kind and very unavoidable” according to a statement by MTN in its FAQs. As everyone will now opt to run to VPNs telecom companies have claimed that the new social media tax can’t be dodged but instead be paid in time as it will expire daily at 11.59PM.