- Title
- A bitcoin framework : an alternative payment system for marginalized areas of South Africa using low-end mobile phones
- Creator
- Dlamini, Nelisiwe Peaceness
- Subject
- Electronic funds transfers -- South Africa Bitcoin -- South Africa Mobile commerce -- South Africa
- Date
- 2016
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MSc
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11884
- Identifier
- vital:39115
- Description
- The emergence of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, has invoked the need for developing financial systems that can be used to transfer digital value. This would serve as a solution to developing countries especially the challenged ones, when it comes to accommodating the financial needs of the disadvantaged people. Moreover, it facilitates access to financial services to allow them to transact with ease. Numerous companies have taken advantage of the prevalence of mobile phones and introduced financial platforms to provide financial inclusion to disadvantaged people. Financial institutions and Mobile Network Operators (MNO) have developed platforms such as cell phone banking services, mobile money, mobile wallets, and electronic wallets that can be used to provide affordable financial services. Although this is the case, alternative platforms that are affordable and accessible through mobile phones are still required. Therefore, this study proposes a Bitcoin framework that can be used as an alternative platform through low-end mobile phones to provide access to financial services to the disadvantaged people in marginalized areas. To prove the concept of the proposed Bitcoin framework, a Mobile Bitcoin Wallet System (MBWS) prototype was developed, which allows a person using a low-end mobile phone with no intervening technology such as Internet or Bluetooth, to access a Bitcoin wallet by sending a Short Message Service (SMS). This enables Bitcoin to be accessed more easily and affordably by the people. Thus the developed prototype conceptualizes an alternative payment system or a payment method that can augment the existing payment methods. The MBWS is evaluated to assess if it can offer the services that other platforms offer by being compared to a cell-phone banking service. It was deployed on a computer connected to the Internet to enable a connection to the Bitcoin network and access to the blockchain which records all the transactions that take place in Bitcoin. Although this system provides access to the Bitcoin wallet, for it to be applied to areas where people require an alternative payment system, it still needs to be enhanced for such use. This includes scaling the system and adding more functions to it.
- Format
- 130 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Science and Agriculture
- Language
- English
- Rights
- University of Fort Hare
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UFH Department of Computer Science
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details | SOURCE1 | Dlamini NP - A4 Thesis Final - 2017.pdf | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details |