| dc.description.abstract | The spread of mobile phones across the world is one 01" the most remarkable technology stories or the past decade.
Buoyed by prepaid cards and inexpensive handsets, hundreds of millions of first-time telephone owners have made
voice calls and text messages part of their daily lives. In Kenya the first quarter of201012011 report from CCK, the
lour licensed operators had a combined subscriber base of 22 million mobile subscribers, a 9.5 per cent mobile
subscriptions growth from 20.1 million in the last quarter to 22 million subscribers. This is the highest growth that
has been recorded over the last three quarters (CCK 201 O).This growth is attributed to the continued reduction III
the cost of mobile handsets as well as the low value of prepaid calling cards,
Large chunk of mobile phone users are prepaid customer, according to CCK the prepaid subscribers whose
proportion or total subscribers reached 99%, (CCK 2010). Yet the available options of toping up air time token is
characterized with scratch card manufacturing costs, transportation costs, storage costs, control of distribution
channels, Service management, distribution links and stratification of customer according to networks. Therefore
the purpose of the study was to investigate the recharge options available for air time token with a view of
developing a self service, electronic top up prototype with an intuitive interface that is simple easy and fast way of
iopi ng up air time token.
The research adopted Structured Systems Analysis and Design Methodology (SSA DM) using Java Developrnen t
Platform An electronic top model for prepaid customers with a user friendly interface has been developed.
Air time tokens are credited to mobile devices upon payment through the interface of the electronic top up devices.
The user receives a confirmation message of toping up the mobile device. The Prototype was tested and time taken
was measured in relation to other top up options available, various graphs were plotted comparing time taken to load
air time. The study showed that electronic top method developed was faster than other available options; therefore
the technology can be adopted.
The main contribution of the study is the integration of the selfservice prototype in the provision of air time through
the use of electronic top up system as an approach towards solving problems inherent in the current available option
of toping mobile phone. | en |
