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STUDY ABROAD OPTIONS
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ERICSSON PLANS AFRICA PUSH Swedish telecommunications
equipment maker Ericsson says it plans to spend millions
of rands to develop new technologies for African clients after setting
up a regional service hub in South Africa. If you want to know
more, Seymour Howe, Ericsson’s Relationship Manager
is visiting South Africa. For details see Paid-For Ads at
the end of this News Update. Ericsson South Africa has also
rolled out a modern mobile transmission network in Cameroon,
including a full GSM wireless infrastructure and value-added
services, for South African-owned mobile operator MTN Cameroon in
a R220m deal. FIVE COMPANIES SHORTLISTED FOR NIGERIAN MOBILE TELECOMS BID The Nigerian Communications
Commission has shortlisted five companies (including MTN
Nigeria) to bid for the country’s three GSM (Global System
of Mobile Communications) auction process. Meanwhile Nigeria’s state-run
mobile phone firm M-Tel has been brought back under the
control of the main state-run operator NITEL ahead of an auction of
mobile licences. SOUTH AFRICA’S PRIVATISATION PROCESS: EVERYTHING ON SCHEDULE The South African government
has committed itself to having its much-awaited policy on
telecommunications out by the middle of March, says Andile Ngcaba, the
director general of the department of communications. Will there
be one or two landline competitors for Telkom? Doubtless
all will become clear shortly. The Government has been advertising its consultation process, including a national colloquium on telecommunications policy to be held from 9-11 February 2001 at the Eskom Conference Centre in Midrand. Submissions and enquiries: telecoms.policy@doc.pwv.gov.za The South African Government has also confirmed that its plans for an initial public offering (IPO) and listing of Telkom was on track for the fourth quarter of 2001. (source: Barney http://www.barney.co.za/reuters/jan01/telkom9.htm ) DIGITAL DIVIDE - NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T Only one-quarter of the global
Internet population will reside in the USA by 2005, but
only one-third of American online businesses are targeting global markets,
according to Jupiter Research. Jupiter’s Globalization Report predicts
that the Asia-Pacific region will outpace the US in less than
five years and expect the region to contain as much as one-third
of all Internet consumers worldwide in 2005. Other global
high-growth regions include Latin America, which is expected
to double in size from 5 percent of the world’s online
population in 2000, to 8 percent in 2005. Jupiter attributes
the growth in online populations outside the USA to increased
PC penetration and telco infrastructure improvements and
reform in those regions. According to the Employment
Policy Foundation, the digital divide between countries
will disappear of its own accord by 2009. ICANN UNDER SCRUTINY AGAIN Billy Tauzin, the Chair of US Congressional Committee on Energy and Commerce has written to the Chief Executive of ICANN announcing its intention (as part of its oversight role) to look at the issue of domain names and competitiveness. He writes: "In connection with our
continuing review, we have been monitoring the process by
which ICANN arrived at its decision in November to approve seven suffixes:
.aero, .coop, .info, .museum, .name, .pro, and .biz. There have been
a number of reports that ICANN’s process to create a new
generation of Internet domain name suffixes may be thwarting
competition in the registration and assignment of Internet
domain names. As the Committee of jurisdiction over this
issue, the Committee wants to ensure that this process is
open and fair, and most important, successfully sparks competition.
To that end, we are gathering facts in preparation for a Subcommittee
on Telecommunications hearing in February to examine the process
by which ICANN selects Internet domain name suffixes. Accordingly, we
request that you contact Chairman Tauzin’s telecommunications
counsel, Jessica Wallace, to arrange a time to jointly brief
committee staff at your earliest convenience." Watch
this space." JAPAN STARTS FINANCING DIGITAL DIVIDE POLICY IN PHILIPPINES The Philippines Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced that Japan has formally committed to approve US$11.6 million for the purchase and distribution of 20,000 computers and related equipment to 1,000 public high schools throughout the Philippines under the "PCs for Public High Schools Project." The grant seeks to raise the computer literacy of high school teachers and seniors, according to acting DTI Secretary Thomas G. Aquino. Japan’s ambassador to
the Philippines wrote that Japan attached great importance
to address the issue of narrowing the "international digital divide,"
referring to enabling the population of developing countries
to be literate in information technology and, thus, qualified
for opportunities in the global marketplace to improve their
quality of life". Will Japan’s largesse extend
beyond its traditional sphere of influence to Africa?
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This page last updated on January 28 2004.
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