Vodacom’s Xlink deploys technology to improve banking services in Africa
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XLink, a subsidiary of Vodacom, is providing enhanced technology services for users in Africa to transform Africa’s banking sector into a leading global industry by utilizing the best in platform technologies and design thinking.
The provider of secure payment networks and services in South Africa has established a new platform that unifies its different business capabilities, delivering them as and when they are needed through the deployment of new services within weeks, harnessing Amazon Web Services Inc. (AWS) to successfully deliver workloads for customers of all sizes.
XLink has complete control over the solution chain and can respond to customer needs without delay as it is able to leverage Vodacom’s managed services and connectivity. This provides XLink’s customers the opportunity to enjoy reliable uptime, robust service-level coverage consolidated through one service provider.
Speaking on the development, Hymie Marnewick, managing director at XLink noted, “We consolidated our capabilities at XLink into a platform to deploy and scale our solutions more readily and engage with more of the markets across Africa. Vodacom completes this great value. They have the networking skills and managed services to take us where our customers need us. They are also an AWS advanced consulting partner providing the expertise and support that blends our capabilities with the power of AWS.”
While XLink, alongside Vodacom are currently concluding a project with a large bank in West Africa, this will enable both platforms to reach across Africa which will ultimately consolidate the transactional traffic from ATMs spread across 18 countries and enable the bank to have a single clear view of its ATM operations and realize substantial savings for its operations.
Vodacom allows service delivery in addition to service level agreements (SLAs) through its efficient managed services, linking banking customers across Africa to XLink operations and support, utilizing AWS while its network and MVNO partners provide the backhaul to securely transfer transactional data, backed by XLink’s expertise and PCI-compliant secure-transaction network.
Vodacom business has established the Vodacom AWS Business Group whilst also investing in attaining 100+ AWS certifications in South Africa, since the launch of the AWS Region in Cape Town, South Africa.
Kabelo Makwane, managing executive for cloud, hosting and security at Vodacom said, “Within Vodacom Business, we have a specialist AWS business group with the requisite professional services that offer consulting, planning, migration, and optimization services. Vodacom Business is also an AWS Direct Connect Delivery Partner, and an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner.
“XLink’s market leading secure payment services and platform, give us the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities and together deliver an end-to-end offering,” said Makwane
While Vodacom Business provides the connectivity and AWS expertise to deliver those services across Africa, XLink leverages the power of AWS to create cutting-edge payment and transactional services. The relationship helps both companies to grow their innovation and service delivery.