Movirtu in the Running to Win Prestigious Award

LONDON, UK October 9, 2009 – Movirtu, the supplier of innovative network infrastructure solutions for mobile operators servicing rural poor communities, today announced it has been shortlisted for the “Changing Lives Award” at the AfricaCom Awards 2009 ceremony , which is to be held at Cape Town on 11th November 2009. The award recognises an initiative that significantly impacts telecommunications in the community and contributes to economic and social development. Movirtu has been selected as one of five finalists in the category.

The official shortlist was finalised by an independent panel of Judges, who have dealt with even more entries than last year, and ever more inspiring examples of telecoms innovation and progress on the continent.

Movirtu was selected for its product MXShare, which enables subscribers who cannot afford to buy a handset to own a virtual phone account with their own telephone number and access their phone services using other people’s mobile phone handsets.

“We are privileged to be recognised by judging panel of the AfricaCom Awards,” said Nigel Waller, CEO of Movirtu. “Movirtu is dedicated to providing technology and social innovation that can enable basic phone services for over one billion people at the Base of the Pyramid and this further demonstrates the innovation of the company in this space.”


About Movirtu
Movirtu is a for-profit social enterprise that provides innovative mobile technology and business models for wireless telecommunication service providers servicing rural poor communities in Sub-Sahara Africa and South Asia to help them realise shared access to basic mobile phone services for people earning less than $2 a day. The company's MXShare product enables subscribers, who cannot afford to buy a handset, to own a virtual phone account with their own telephone number which they can access from other people’s mobile phones. By enabling basic phone services Movirtu is helping people access jobs, raise incomes, access displaced family members and, increasingly, is acting as an enabler to send remittances over the mobile phone network. Movirtu is a private company, headquartered in London, UK with offices in Johannesburg, South Africa. www.movirtu.com.

For additional information, please contact:
Brian Dolby or Natalie Saville
BCS Public Relations
brian@bcspr.co.uk or Natalie@bcspr.co.uk
+44 (0)115 9486901

Contact: Brian Dolby

Phone: +44 (0)115 9486901