telecoms

- Following the rejection of its initial bid by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (MinCom), Tunisiana has been awarded licences for fixed line and 3G mobile operations. The Qatar Telecom (Qtel) subsidiary will pay TND205 million (USD131.52 million) for the concessions, TND44 million higher than its earlier bid. Tunisiana has enlisted Chinese vendor Huawei for the rollout of its 3G network infrastructure.

The company behind the planned 40Tbit/s Wasace cable says the African leg of the submarine system will be ready for service in early 2014. And it's coming to SA.
The African leg of a new submarine telecommunications system that will serve markets in the North and South Atlantic will be ready for service in the first quarter of 2014. The cable will offer high-speed global connectivity to SA, Angola and Nigeria.

Tanzanian fixed line operator Six Telecoms Company (6Telecom) has launched a new Metro Network in the country, targeting the corporate user segment. 6Telecom is looking to offer business users improved internet connectivity in the region with CEO Nick Odero noting: ‘As companies grow and expand in Tanzania it is important that they have a dedicated network that will allow for them to connect all of their branches in a redundant and secure manner that is robust and cost effective.

Telecom Namibia has over the past seven years lost more than N$100 million (US$12.4 m) through their investment in Mundo Startel (MST) in Angola, of which it holds 44 per cent shares.

The company has now decided to exit the joint venture, which has been described by those close to the deal as a “difficult” partnership. An urgent meeting between the two companies is expected to take place to finalise Telecom’s exit in this joint venture which is no longer viable.

Leading mobile network operator Safaricom has moved to court seeking to recover close to half a billion shillings from its rivals for non-payment of termination fees since October together with penalties.

Safaricom is demanding close to half a billion shillings from Airtel and about Sh150 million from Essar for non-payment of termination fees — the amount of money an operator pays rivals if its subscribers call another network — since October.

Liberia’s Cellcom will be launching an HSPA+ network in the country in an effort to improve the internet browsing experience for mobile internet users. The implementation will be the fastest and only HSPA+ network in the country.

- Niger’s parliament has voted to nationalise incumbent telecoms operator Sonitel, abandoning a renewed attempt to privatise the company launched last year, Reuters reports. ‘By this vote, the Niger Telecommunications Company [Sonitel] has been nationalised and the capital is wholly owned by the state,’ said Hama Amadou, president of the country’s National Assembly after the vote, adding that the move would allow the government to carry out investments in the company over the next five years

An agreement on the financing of the regional broadband telecommunications network in Central Africa was signed by the representative of the World Bank in Chad, Jean-Claude Brou, and the Chadian Minister of Planning, the Economy and international Cooperation, BedoumraKordjé.

The agreement covers the implementation of a regional project between Chad and the Central African Republic, to improve access and service utilization of fiber optic network and reduce costs.

The Namibia Competition Commission (NaCC) has issued a decision approving Telecom Namibia’s proposed takeover of cellular operator Powercom (trading as Leo) provided the buyer meets certain conditions aimed at ensuring fair competition in the market. The NaCC stipulated that the shareholding structure of Telecom Namibia and the country’s mobile market leader Mobile Telecommunications (MTC) must be ‘separate and independent’ within two years (by 24 April 2014).

Glo Mobile Ghana has extended the period for which people could activate their specially-reserved numbers indefinitely.This was to allow the claimed 1.5 million Ghanaians who reserved special Glo numbers to activate their lines at their own convenience.

Glo originally gave Ghanaians up to seven days to activate their reserved lines, but Chief Operating Officer for Glo Ghana, George Andah told Adom News the crowds at their Glo World Shops had compelled them to extend the period indefinitely.