MALAYSIA AIRLINES GOES MOBILE

By Delynn Ho, VP Sales

MALAYSIA is quickly becoming one of the most important mobile markets in southeast Asia . . . and some of its companies are on the cutting edge of the industry.

With a population of about 30 million people and mobile penetration of more than 100%, perhaps it's not surprising that there is strong growth in mobile traffic.

The BuzzCity Mobile Advertising Network registered more than 53 million page views in Malaysia during the month of May, making it one of our top fifteen markets. Quarterly traffic increased 14% from January to March as compared with the last quarter of 2009.

Mobile ad growth is occurring in tandem with the creation of interesting mobile applications, content and properties.

In this blog entry, I'd like to highlight an example from the country's national flag carrier, Malaysia Airlines. It's launched a customised mobile site where passengers can book tickets, make payments, check-in and even track the status of delayed baggage.

Commentary : The Pull Between Mobile Apps And Mobile Websites v2

More and more companies are investing in mobile, but less and less are planning the right mobile strategy.

The push to build Mobile Apps is strong.  But the ROI of mobile websites is definitely better.

So forget the massive media hype and think strategically about your company's advertising and branding strategies.

Commentary : Mobile Banking Hope for Haiti

It was not long ago that people around the world were using their mobile phones to distribute aid money via SMS to charities working with those affected by the Haiti earthquake. Now, we’re looking at a new kind of mobile aid for Haiti. Last week the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced that it is launching a $10 million fund for mobile banking services in the country.

The earthquake destroyed over one-third of the country’s banks, ATMs and money transfer stations leading to a severe cash shortage for the survivors. This meant that there were severe problems for those remaining in the country to access cash which might have been in their accounts or which was being transferred by relatives overseas. In fact, despite the recovery of many of the traditional banking institutions in Haiti, only 15% of Haitians had a bank account prior to the disaster so their requirements extend beyond the rebuilding of a physical bank branch.

As most Haitians have access to a mobile phone, the most obvious solution seems to be the establishment of a mobile banking system.