Telma
Telma (Telecom Malagasy) is a national mobile phone and internet connection service provider in Madagascar, including fixed mobile internet access. In 2010 Telma launched MVola, a service to send and receive money transfers via the phone even for those who do not have bank accounts.
Telma
Siège Social Alarobia
101 Antananarivo
B.P. 13 Bis - RC Antananarivo N° 2006 B 00601
Telma Fixed: +261 (0)20 2542705
Customer service email: service.client@telma.mg
Website: www.telma.mg
MVola - Mobile Money:
- Tel (subscribers): 807
- Tel (merchants): 803
Email: mvola@telma.mg
Website: mvola.mg
Contents
Recharging Telma cards
Credit for pre-paid Telma accounts are recharded using scratch cards which are sold everywhere in the country. Using these codes on the scratch cards, yours or anyone's Telma number can also be reacharged via Telma's website at https://www.telma.net/recharge/web/recharge/
Using Telma's website, when a recharge action succeeded the website's response will be La ligne xxx a été rechargée de Ar. Telma vous remercie.
If failed, when entering the code of for example a previously used scratch card, a generic error message will be technical operation failed – UCIP Error.
Note that numbers for pre-paid Telma accounts expire unless used or recharged within a 100-day period. Once expired, and unless the number used has been taken over by a new subscriber, the original number may be restored by completing the relevant form at one of Telma's main sales offices.
History and key events
Telma's history dates back to 1896 when the first phone line was installed in Antananarivo.
In 1904, the first phone boxes were made available in the city.
It was however not until 1971 that the first international call was made.
With advent of the digital revolution in 1995 the internet arrived in Madagascar, initially limited to a slow satellite connection.
In 1996 Telma provided the infrastructure for the launch of Orange and in 1997 for Airtel.
In 2000 a VSAT system was installed improving connectivity.
In 2004 Telma was privatised.
In 2005 ADSL was launched and fixed wireless (CDMA) soon followed.
In 2006 fiber optic lines were installed in the capital, and 'Telma Mobile' was launched. In 2008 the National Backbone in Fiber Optics was etablished.
The same year, Telma reached one million subscribers!
Thereafter in 2008, mobile internet became available and in 2009 the country's first 3G+ network was introduced, paving the way for the oncoming mobile internet revolution.
In 2010, Telma connected with SASSy, the submarine Indian Ocean cable network, now providing the country with high-speed access via the African continent.
In the same year, Telma launched MVola, the country's first mobile banking service in Madagascar. Thereafter, Telma's highly popular low-cost package M'Ora was launched.
In 2011, the MADAREN network connected high schools and universities directly with the National Backbone.
In the same year, MVola and Western Union partnered to make international bank transfers possible via mobile phones.
Since 2012 Telma extended their mobile payment system to allow for water and electricity bills to be paid by the local population.
In 2013, the Northern Backbone was launched with Fiber Optic cables. The first low cost US$ 100 tablet and 'Telma Star' smartphone were introduced.
In 2015, Telma lanched the Southern Backbone as well as The Nosy Be Backbone with fiber optic lines. In the same year, 4G mobile internet was made available nationwide.
TELMA Foundation
The TELMA Foundation, created in 2008, was set up by the TELMA Group to help Madagascar with its social and environmental challenges. The organisation became recognised as a public service in 2011 and was awarded Best Humanitarian Actor in Madagascar in 2013 by the UN. For more information, visit http://www.telma.mg/fondation and https://www.facebook.com/FondationTelma
More information
- Telma Speeds Content Delivery for Madagascar With PeerApp broadcastnewsroom.com Novemver 2012
- MVola.mg Telma's mobile payment system
- Madagascar connected to EASSy fiber optic cable - news at Sydney Morning Herald (smh.com.au) March 21, 2010