Upstream to showcase its suite of mobile products at africacom, stand b30

Upstream [1] will demonstrate at this year's AfricaCom how mobile operators in Africa can achieve a head start in addressing the industry's upcoming challenges. The company will be showcasing its full platform stack that enables MNOs to generate digital revenue, offering mobile users on the continent
uninterrupted, free and safe connectivity while efficiently helping operators monetize digital opportunities such as mobile advertising.

Guy Krief, CEO, Upstream, commented: "In developed markets, figures show an industry fast approaching a crisis point. While developed markets seem to have lost the battle to over-the-top players, African operators can harness the potential of the growing global trend of digital content on mobile devices early on. Upstream enables operators to monetize consumers' thirst for mobile internet and the development potential of digital in Africa."

"At the same time, although mobile advertising revenues are set to rise to $186bn next year - fraud is predicted to hit $44bn within three years. Left unchecked, advertising fraud will stall the market, reduce operator value-added revenues and inevitably lead to higher tariffs for everyday services. Herein lies the opportunity for Africa's mobile industry to grow. Our full suite of products is designed to help operators safeguard their revenues and customers," Krief explained.

Upstream is showcasing its product suite that responds to the challenges facing African markets. Connectivity gateway Zero-D and security platform Secure-D allow mobile operators to provide subscribers in emerging markets with uninterrupted and secure access to mobile internet. Upstream will also use the AfricaCom forum to unveil its new product, One-D, a unique all-in-one mobile marketing platform designed to drive digital acquisitions safely.

One-D is a trusted mobile advertising ecosystem, offering end-to-end partner and digital channel management, working with 300 ad networks and local publishers. The platform is set to help operators increase revenues from digital advertising by up to 60 per cent while decreasing customer complaints due to fraud by up to 70 per cent.

Zero-D [2] helps operators provide free internet access to pre-paid mobile users who run out of data.  Globally, more than 200 million consumers benefit from the Zero-D solution, with over 80 million of those in Africa.

Secure-D [3] supports operators in detecting and blocking suspicious-looking behavior by mobile apps eliminating fraud. In recent months it has highlighted weather and video apps which in the background have been secretly harvesting consumer data, clicking on advertising, and subscribing to websites and premium services without the knowledge of the consumer.  In 2018 alone, Secure-D processed more than 1.8 billion mobile transactions, identified more than 30 million infected devices, and blocked more than 63,000 malicious apps.

Guy Krief, CEO, Upstream, commented: "Malware directly impacts mobile users' trust in both the MNOs and the technology itself. We block suspicious or fraudulent activity within apps and in ads to rebuild that trust and enable the growth of digital direct carrier billing. We also use advertising revenue to fund free internet services for consumers who have run out of data and help operators create new revenue streams from digital. This is a win-win scenario as we believe that safe and uninterrupted mobile internet connectivity is a human right, a democracy staple, a prerequisite for growth and a major industry bet for Africa going forward, one that mobile operators are uniquely positioned to make happen."

Upstream's success in Africa has also been recognized in the 2019 AfricaCom Awards with the company's Zero-D and Secure-D solutions both shortlisted in Connecting the Continent and Security Product or Service of the Year categories.

Upstream is supporting the event as AfricaCom Gold Sponsor.