In the ever-evolving world of mobile payments, leveraging industry experience can significantly influence the development and efficiency of financial solutions. Arvind Nundloll, IT Manager – FinTech Systems & Development at blink by Emtel, shares how his extensive background in telecom has shaped and enhanced the company’s mobile payment solutions.
Arvind’s 15-year tenure in the telecom industry has been instrumental in shaping blink’s approach to mobile payments. “My experience in the telecom industry, particularly managing Value Added Services and SMS applications, has been crucial in shaping blink’s mobile payment solutions,” he reveals. “The telecom sector demands robust, scalable, and secure systems—requirements that are parallel to those needed for mobile payments,”. He adds.
This background, according to Arvind, allowed him to enhance blink’s infrastructure significantly and bring a profound understanding of network and data security, which is essential for establishing trust and reliability in financial applications. Arvind provides an example of how his telecom expertise has directly improved transactional efficiency and user experience at blink. “A key project I led was the integration of our payment solutions with existing mobile networks, aimed at reducing latency in transaction processing,” he explains.
By applying principles from telecom network management, Arvind and his team optimised data flow and reduced processing times, significantly enhancing the user experience. “Quicker transaction confirmations and a smoother overall experience for merchants are crucial for maintaining high customer satisfaction and engagement,” he explains. In the rapidly advancing field of FinTech, balancing regulatory compliance with innovation remains a delicate but essential endeavour.
Arvind describes how blink navigates this challenge: “To balance regulatory compliance with innovation, we embed compliance into our innovation process.” He explains. This approach encourages the team to explore new technologies and solutions while staying within regulatory frameworks. “This ensures that Blink’s developments remain cutting-edge while adhering to regulatory requirements,” he adds. “This also ensures that our developments are not only cutting-edge but also regulatory sound, enabling us to swiftly adapt to new regulations without compromising the innovative aspects of our payment app,” Arvind adds. By fostering a culture of innovation within a compliant framework, blink maintains the agility and integrity of its FinTech solutions. Arvind’s insights illustrate how blink by Emtel leverages telecom expertise to drive innovation in mobile payment solutions. His focus on integrating telecom principles into payment infrastructure, enhancing transactional efficiency, and balancing compliance with innovation underscores a strategic approach to advancing FinTech capabilities in a dynamic market.
Arvind was recently part of the Mauritius Africa Fintech Hub (MAFH) webinar on digital transformation, where he spoke about data ethics. According to the Alan Turing Institute, data ethics is a branch of ethics that studies the moral issues related to data, algorithms, and practices. The Open Data Institute defines it as a branch of ethics that evaluates data practices that may negatively impact people and society. In essence, data ethics concerns itself with the moral code or principles used to evaluate data practices that can have an impact on individuals or society.
He highlighted several key ethical principles in data use. The first is transparency and consent. “Transparency is crucial to building trust. Customers must understand why we collect their data, how it will be used, and who it may be shared with,” he explained. In digital payments, where multiple stakeholders are involved, Arvind emphasised that transparency helps customers understand how their data is used beyond the transaction itself. He pointed to the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal as a prime example, stating, “The mishandling of data during the Cambridge Analytica scandal led to public backlash and a $5 billion fine, highlighting the need for clear, informed consent and transparency in data practices.”
Secondly, Arvind discussed the importance of data privacy and confidentiality, saying, “As a payment service provider, our ethical responsibility to protect customer data goes beyond technical requirements—it is a moral obligation to prevent unauthorised access.” At blink, for example, privacy is ensured through encryption, secure storage, and limited access to sensitive data. Arvind shared blink’s approach, “Our privacy notice, available on our public page, outlines our approach to data collection, processing, and storage in compliance with the Data Protection Act.”
By prioritising transparency, privacy, fairness, and security, businesses like Emtel and blink are not only adhering to regulatory standards but are also fostering trust and accountability with their customers. As the financial services sector continues to embrace digital transformation, maintaining ethical data practices will be essential in safeguarding customer rights and ensuring the long-term success of innovative solutions. With a robust data ethics framework in place, companies can continue to drive innovation while upholding the highest standards of privacy and security.
