Africa first-ever video conferencing tool developed by a Kenyan tech start-up, Usiku Games has been launched.
The conferencing system now known as “Gumzo” which loosely translates to “talking/chatting” in English is offering a uniques user experience at just Ksh100 per week for those who wish to organize personal meetings. Users get to join meetings free of charge.
The tech start-up has also ensured that the system is highly secure with encryption of all its calls.
Jay Shapiro, the CEO of Usiku Games said that client privacy was one of the things that they focused on greatly while developing the system to avoid instances of hacking akin to what has been happening to Google’s Zoom.
’This is a turning point in Africa’s innovation since our users will be able to enjoy lower rates, longer talk time and host many people at the same time without worrying about their security,” he said as quoted by a local daily.
One of the key features of Gumzo is that it has employed the use of local phone numbers for verification and the use of real names for the same.
In addition, the host of the meeting can preview through the live video with name and phone number of everyone in attendance just before the meeting commences. The quality of call and video is also top-notch and in sync with broadband specs in Africa.
All this, Shapiro adds, has been made possible by ensuring that the Kenyan developers confined themselves to high standards of coding while developing the system.
“This is supported by the fact that our servers are right here in Africa, which allows for quick and seamless connections. The competition all host their servers in China USA, so their video signals must go halfway around the planet via undersea cables, which takes time and degrades the call quality,” he stated.
Gumzo comes at a time when demand for video conferencing tools has surged due to coronavirus pandemic. Many people are working remotely.
Soon, the firm said that Gumzo will be availed to teachers across all public schools in the country where they can conduct virtual lessons for free all through to December 2020.