Each of the smartphones cost UGX 250,000 if no promotional offer is running. But, the Airtel 4G smartphone now follows a trajectory that has set its price at UGX 150,000 with attractive specifications.

In comparison, you are required to pay UGX 49,000 for the MTN Kabode Supa smartphone as an initial deposit, then, clear the balance in 6 months which sets your total pay at UGX 250,000, versus the Airtel 4G Smartphone that now trails at UGX 150,000.

As a fact, the MTN Kabode Supa has no official images versus the Airtel 4G Smartphone which has its real images with the Benco branding displayed on its marketing items. What’s used on the MTN Kabode Supa marketing items are images of the original MTN Kabode that was first shipped before an upgrade with the Supa tagline. The actual MTN Kabode Supa is an ITEL AC250 smartphone.

By specifications, the ITEL AC250 (MTN Kabode Supa) is comparable to the Airtel 4G Smartphone and both smartphones boast with 4G connectivity. However, the difference majorly reflects in the battery capacity with the Kabode Supa borrowing ITEL’s big battery prowess at 2050mAh, and the Airtel 4G smartphone bowing with a 1800mAh capacity.

Both devices come with Free MTN Data for the MTN Kabode Supa and free Airtel Data for the Airtel 4G Smartphone redeemable once you purchase the smartphone. Optionally, you can buy 1 year of internet access at UGX 86,500 for the Airtel 4G Smartphone.

Verdict: MTN Kabode Supa Vs Airtel 4G Smartphone, the device you should buy

Based on our findings about both the MTN Kabode Supa and the Airtel 4G Smartphone, both devices are only good for users switching from feature phones to a smartphone for the first time. However, if you have used serious mid-range or high-range devices, you will find both devices extremely disappointing and slow.

However, in our view, the Airtel 4G Smartphone is the best smartphone you can buy since it has no hidden costs that are often overcharged in the buy-on-loan schemes, and the real product images are used in its marketing item, unlike the MTN Kabode Supa that uses images of the old MTN Kabode.

More so, to buy the MTN Kabode Supa, you have to go through the full process of filling in the pay mpola mpola forms versus the Airtel 4G Smartphone which you can use as fast as you hand over the money at your nearest Airtel service center.

I am reversing the transaction because i sent it to the wrong person/number by mistake, please help me reverse it.

Probably the best reversal explanation there is.

Now, to reverse mobile money to a wrong number requires that your transactions meets at least 1 of the following requirements:

• The receiver has not withdrawn the money as yet.
• Transaction must have occurred within the past 6 days. Much as 24 hours is the best timeframe.
• The Money must have been sent to an MTN Mobile Money Number.
• Transaction should be higher than UGX 500. Any amount lower, consider it a loss.

Reverse money sent to a wrong number

To reverse money sent to a wrong number using MTN Mobile money on your own, you need to initiate the reversal on your own as below:

• Dial *185#
• Select option 8 (My Account). Or dial *185*8# directly.
• Select option 7 (initiate reversal) to view the last 3 transactions on your account.
• From the list of transactions, select your target transaction by number. For example, to reverse the latest transaction, enter 1 to proceed.
• Enter your MTN Mobile Money PIN to start the reversal process.

In simple terms, the code to reverse MTN mobile money is *185*8*7#. Upon initiating your MTN Mobile Money reversal, you need to follow the steps below to receive the money back to your account.

• To complete your reversal, call the MTN customer helpline, 100, and choose **Mobile money** as your call reason to speak to a customer care agent.
• Notify the customer care agent to approve your mobile money reversal. The agent will approve your reversal and send the money back to your MTN mobile money account.

Upon approving your mobile money reversal in conjunction with the customer care support agent, you will receive your money back immediately. However, if the recipient gets notified of your reversal, chances are high that they might withdraw the money which makes your reversal impossible.

Henceforth, always keep your mobile money reversal information only between you and the customer care agents, else, you may lose your hard-earned money that may have been sent to a gold digger or fraudster that may have tricked you into sending them money.

For now, MTN Uganda needs to revise its self-reverse service to get rid remove their customer agents as middle men, at the moment, this is the only method available, but in the near future, users could raise multiple complaints against the service, hence a change in the process may redact customer care importance.

A UGX 99,000 deposit is required to get the MTN Kabode Supa which comes with 2GB of free MTN Data every month for 7 months.

This means, alongside the favorable daily payment plan of UGX 833, as a customer, you get free data to maximize the smartphone’s browsing capabilities with common platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, among others available for Android.

Affordability aside, the MTN Kabode Supa specifications tease an average build quality, features, and functionality equipped to the smartphone.

A 5-inch screen size, Android Go, and a 1.4GHZ processor make it an entry-level smartphone, but support for 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE bands makes it a great beginner device as listed on the specifications sheet we received from MTN Uganda.

MTN Kabode Supa Specifications

As per the specifications sheet, the MTN Kabode Supa must be a slow-performance smartphone gifted with below-average entry-level features. By standard, it falls in the same class as the old 100,000/= priced MTN Fero Smartphone with the only difference being a pay-on-credit structure at a somewhat higher price tag.

The MTN Kabode Supa Price in Uganda

By the MTN Uganda standard, you must pay UGX 99,000 to get a brand new MTN Kabode Supa smartphone and pay the balance in 6 months with a daily, weekly, or monthly payment plan to choose from as listed below.

Ratings

In a nutshell, the MTN Kabode Supa has launched a smartphone designed to favor low-key users who would like to upgrade from a feature phone to a touch screen device, but given its specifications, the device ranks below the original MTN Kabode smartphone.

More so, with a deposit fee of UGX 99,000, the MTN Kabode Supa does not rank up to this flat fee status. Given the fact that you clear UGX 25,000 every month for 6 months, the total price of the smartphone accumulates to UGX 249,000 which is way too high if compared to better specification variants like the Itel A-series.

Hence, if you can get the original MTN Kabode, or MTN Kamunye, well and good, else, we can range the MTN Kabode Supa as a disappointment as per its specifications sheet. But if we manage to receive a review unit from MTN, we shall publish our overall performance grade report in the coming weeks.

Previously, a customer was able to buy 15MBs at UGX 250, and 300MBs at UGX 2,000. But with the new changes, a customer now gets 25MBs instead of 15, and 365MBs instead of 300, at the same pricing.

This means, MTN Uganda has laid out new 2021 daily data bundles that we don’t expect to change anytime in the year. Much more like a standard, annual promotions are expected on Mobile Money transfers, and maybe, the telco could revise its weekly and monthly bundles as tokens for a campaign.

While speaking to journalists the telco CEO, Mr. Wim Vanhelleputte inked the company’s goal to offer faster speeds, and affordable data packages for every customer in the country as he said:

MTN committed to doing all it takes in terms of providing affordable data, on the best data network. And speaking in the context of the times we’re in, we hope these bundles with bigger MBs will support our customers recover from the effects of the lockdown, whether in business, education, or otherwise.

Said Wim Vanhelleputte

New MTN Uganda Daily Data Bundles Vs the OLD

As per the comparison, MTN Uganda has revised its daily data bundles by a quarter higher in a fashion similar to: the less you pay, the more you get. In simple terms, the telco has simply made a very small change to the bundles that could be irrelevant to the everyday user since the increased volume is quite close to the old data depletion cap.

In a nutshell, if you own the MTN Kamunye, or MTN Kabode phones, these bundles are for you, otherwise, if you own a smartphone, stay in the weekly, and monthly bundles league since only a small change has been made to the bundle structure. For now, we can expect a similar deduction by Airtel Uganda since customers may feel cheated with their unchanged structure.

“We are now issuing new customers on the MTN network mobile numbers with the prefix range starting from 0760000000 to 0760999999.

The New number range of 0760 is at the moment available to prepaid customers to connect to all our services just like we currently have on all our other number ranges.”

MTN Chief Marketing Officer, Somdev Sen

Key to note is that this development will have no effect on already existing numbers that can continue operating as they have.

“The existing prefixes and number ranges are not being phased out in any way and customers can continue to use their numbers normally,” Somdev emphasized.

However, MTN has stopped selling 077 and 078 ranges as those are no longer available on the network which speaks to the telecom’s growing subscriber base.

Somdev however explained that customers can still get the old number ranges subject to their availability due to recycling.

Phone number recycling is the reintroduction of a deactivated/disconnected number into the pool of available numbers eligible for assignment to a new customer. This happens when the previous owner of the numbers has not used their line for any activity for more than six months and has not formally notified MTN of their intention and interest to keep that number.

To acquire a new number within in the new 0760 range, customers can visit the nearest MTN Shop or Duuka with their national ID and buy a new SIM card at the usual cost of Shs2000. MTN commits to continue providing seamless communication services to its customers across the country.

Well, both MTN Freedom and Airtel Chillax bundles follow the same legacy of ensuring cheap internet access for customers. Though normal data prices are still high as compared to market newbies like Lyca Mobile Uganda, the new no-expiry bundles present a levelled field that gives customers more power over what data they can buy, and when they choose to exhaust it.

As opposed to normal data bundles that range between daily, weekly and monthly tiers, no-expiry packages only require a single activation, and thereafter use your loaded data bundle for as long as you want. To our experience, both MTN Freedom and Airtel Chillax Bundles offer similar packages, but with a few differences in speed and pricing.

Packages and Pricing

Much as MTN Freedom bundles were launched first in Uganda, Airtel Chillax Bundles follow the red telco’s trend of copy and perfect it. Similar to the Freedom packages and pricing, Chillax bundles are few in number, but host more data priced fairly as opposed to normal bundles. In simple terms, MTN Freedom has more offers from as low as 6MB, but Airtel’s Chillax bundles host more data from a high of 1.5GB.

Airtel Chillax Bundles

MTN Freedom Bundles

MTN Freedom vs Airtel Chillax Bundle Internet Speeds

Currently, Airtel Uganda is ranked as the fastest mobile internet provider in the country as per a recent study by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). By this status, you can rank Airtel as a good internet provider in terms of speed, but in terms of offers, then, MTN maintains a lion’s share with generally attractive bundles.

Well, we tested both MTN Freedom and Airtel Chillax Internet Bundles to prove how fast a 100MB file can be downloaded off the Internet, and as per our findings, MTN Freedom ranks as a tortoise package in comparison to an Airtel’s Chillax bundle. In fact, other MTN Daily, Weekly and Monthly bundles perform at higher speeds, but a loaded Freedom package then attracts slow network speeds.

This means MTN Uganda offers throttled internet speeds for its Freedom bundles as compared to Airtel’s Chillax Bundles that seem to be open without have any sort of speed limitations. By this standard, enjoying full 4G network performance becomes a necessity making Airtel Chillax bundles quite the better offer.

Validity and How to buy

Both MTN Freedom and Airtel Chillax bundles are no-expiry bundles meaning they’re not limited to daily, weekly or monthly validity timeframes. However, the two bundles differ in activation as the former can only be loaded through the MY MTN App and the latter through the MY Airtel App or through the *175# shortcode.

So, if you own a smartphone you can buy both MTN Freedom and Airtel Chillax bundles, but if you own a feature phone or MiFi router, then the latter is designed for you to utilize through the Airtel data USSD shortcode. With pricing, buying channels, and internet speeds factored in one equation, Airtel Chillax bundles are the best to load for a good internet browsing experience.

The new MTN GoGames platform can run on popular mobile web browsers like Firefox, Google Chrome, Edge Mobile, among others. On the platform, most games are free, but others have a premium fee tagged to them which requires customers to subscribe to a daily, weekly or monthly package for advanced playtime.

Unlike regular mobile games that require a user to install the whole application before playing any stages, MTN GoGames instead runs an HTML interface that requires no installation for a user to access any games category on the platform. At launch, available game categories include sports, action, education, adventure, and kid games.

To put a Ugandan spice to the platform, MTN Go Games hosts popular child games like Mweso (local draft), Ludo, Kwepena, Hide and Seek, among others that have been phasing with the emergence of urbanization in most parts of the country. Somdev Sen, the telco’s Chief Marketing Officer inked that the platform is a tool to help customers take a break by playing games on their smartphones.

“At MTN, we know that gaming is fun, so we created a platform that delivers simple fun to any of our customers at any point in time. The past year has without a doubt been intense, and even as we take on this year, several serious situations lie ahead of us. We however believe that MTN GoGames will enable us to take a break from all the seriousness and have some fun as we unwind”,

Said Somdev Sen, the MTN Uganda Chief Marketing Officer

In Uganda, it’s not the first time for MTN to launch a gaming platform. In late 2016, the telco launched MTN Games which was aimed at serving customers with amazing games at a cost of daily, weekly, or monthly subscriptions. However, the platform was not well welcomed with a boost by customers paving way for MTN GoGames as the 2^nd attempt by the telco in mobile gaming.

This time around, no app installations are required for customers, nor are daily, weekly, and monthly subscription packages compulsory. Instead, a line has been drawn between Freemium and Premium customers with free games available for each and every registered customer, for premium games, then a subscription package becomes the pass, and here is how you can actually get started.

How to Play Games on MTN GoGames

• Visit www.mtn.gogames.run
• Register for an account by entering a preferred username and your MTN mobile number
• You will automatically be redirected to the main games dashboard
• Choose your best game poison and play for as long as you want
• DONE: Enjoy free gaming with MTN GoGames

For Premium Games, Packages, and how you subscribe

• On your main Go Games account dashboard
• Click Profile to access a drop-down list
• On the list, locate and tap “Activate Subscription”
• Then, tap Subscribe on a preferred premium package
• Packages include:

• Now, on your registered MTN Mobile Money account, Enter your Mobile Money PIN to pay your subscription package.
• DONE: Wait for a confirmation message, and start playing premium MTN GoGames.

Just like the old transaction ranges, the minimum amount a customer can withdraw is UGX 500 which attracts a UGX 330 withdraw charge. On the other hand, UGX 7,000,000 is the maximum amount a customer can withdraw with UGX 20,000 as the payable withdraw charge at an agent stall.

However, with the new withdraw charges, MTN Uganda has maxed its charges with free Senkyu Points each time a customer withdraws money. The General Manager Mobile Financial Services Stephen Mutana inked the slight reduction of withdraw charges coupled with bonus Senkyu points as one aimed at bolstering mobile money usage in Uganda as he said.

“We appreciate that many people rely on MTN MoMo to facilitate various aspects of their lives and therefore believe that this reduction in withdrawal fees increases the benefits that have made mobile money such a transformative service over the years,”

Mutana said.

Over the years, mobile money usage in Uganda has increased with the emergence of mobile credit services like MTN’s Mokash and Airtel’s Wewole. These have forced customers to ditch regular banking services, and instead rely on mobile money to save, send and receive money across the country. However, when mobile money tax was introduced in Uganda, mobile money usage dropped from its all time high with a majority of users opting for physical methods of money transfer.

Now, as per MTN’s new move to lower Withdraw fees, customers may find it attractive to transfer money with free loyalty Senkyu points that can be converted into freebies. For instance, each time a customer deposits UGX 5,000 they receive 1 point, and each time UGX 100 is spent on sending or withdraw, the customer gets 2 points in return.

So, unlike before, each time you transact using MTN Mobile Money, you are rewarded free MTN Senkyu Points which can be redeemed for free data, free voice minutes, free SMS, and free mobile money cash backs per transaction as listed on the new reduced MTN Withdraw rates.

The New Reduced MTN Mobile Money Withdraw Charges

The new charges took effect on 1st May 2021 and will stay active throughout the year as per the telco’s official communication. But if compared to the old withdraw rates, the new charges only differ by a small percentage with 5% reduced per transaction tier. Previously, UGX 350 was the set charge to withdraw UGX 500, but with a 5% reduction, the new charge is UGX 330 as the trend follows with other transaction ranges.

Now that MTN Uganda’s 2021 Withdraw charges have been reduced, we may see a similar reduction in Airtel Money charges in the coming months since the two telcos compete for the same customer base. In a like manner, other services like Africell Money, UTL’s Msente and Lyca Mobile Money may follow the same path to make mobile money the best money transfer choice for customers in Uganda.

The young graduate of Information Technology was forced to invent Uganda’s first online butchery to fill the gap that was standing between him and fresh meat in the markets. His idea started from his personal need to access meat, but he could not access it due to logistics and the distance to the nearest butcher.

“Back in 2018, I wanted to eat meat but I could not easily get it because I was staying far from the butchery,” reminisces Ayebare.

For almost every shopping need today, from food to groceries to medical supplies and electronics, there is an app. But unfortunately for him and other fresh meat lovers, there is no app focusing on the delivery of fresh meat in Uganda. With this challenge in sight, Ayebare decided to invest his Information technology problem-solving techniques to develop a fresh meat delivery app.

In November 2018, Tony Ayebare’s fresh meat delivery app left the launch pad with the name “The Online Butchery” and to date, the app is connecting meat buyers to butcheries from where they can order fresh meats products and have them delivered to their doorstep.

“We have a variety of meat such as Goat, beef, lamb, rabbit and fish so you can order any meat of your choice and have it delivered to your doorstep. We particularly ensure that the meat is organic with no chemicals and we offer reliability,”

Says Ayebare

Despite the initial discouragement he got from many sceptical people and potential customers, Ayebare dared to chase his dream without any room for giving up.

“In the beginning many people didn’t believe in the idea but I sank all my effort into my dream and for close to three years now, the business has taken off and it is slowly paying off,”

Says Ayebare

Currently, Ayebare has a broad vision for his company and he intends to make the online butchery a household name in Uganda. With Ugandan based startups like SafeBoda, Eazy Agric, and many others spreading wings, Ayebare dreams of his startup crossing borders to become a big meat exporter in the East African region and beyond.

As a winner from the MTN For Good campaign, Ayebare just like his colleagues will receive support from the Yello telco including MTN Mobile money to seed into his business, 60GB data per month for six months, and Kigale fixed lines among other prizes. Addotopmaly, the telco will also offer him a mentorship program that will help him manage his startup.

Well, among the beneficiaries of the YEP program is Julius Tusingiwre– a medical practitioner with strong passion for computing. Julius’s bond with computers was kickstarted by a Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) visit to his primary school where eligible students received a free thorough computer training session.

Since then, Julius discovered a new passion for computers and when MTN Uganda’s call for YEP submissions in 2020 arose, he submitted a 1-minute video of his dreams and received a mass appeal from the public.

“Computers are my passion and I love using them to solve problems.”

– Said Tusingwire

Heeding a friend’s advice, Tusingwire recalls that he decided to enroll for a nursing course as a sure way of securing employment. However, he held onto his passion for computers that eventually uncovered programming as his key field of interest – something he simultaneously does with his health work profession.

For a while, computer programming supplemented his nursing salary before he lost his job in the health sector. This compelled him to concentrate on his passion-driven programming career. He enrolled in several computer programming courses, and eventually became a certified web programmer.

Now, he has merged his medical career with a computer programming career by starting an online pharmacy dubbed “Your Dawa Online Pharmacy” which he is sure will be a big business in future as online businesses continue to grow popular.

More so, as a winner from the YEP campaign, Tusingwire will receive support from MTN Uganda in form of Mobile Money to boost his business and free monthly data for 6months. Additionally, the telco will offer him a comprehensive business mentorship program that covers a wide area of business essentials needed to manage his company in a professional way.

According to Tusingwire, he has been able to achieve this new milestone by working for what he wants since nothing is ever free. He also advises youth to diversify their sources of income by acquiring more than one skill.

“I thought my future was secure because I was a medical practitioner but when that caved in, my passion for computers kept me on board,”

Said Tusingwire