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WEEKLY PUBLICATION DEADLINE: 12 pm GMT Sunday. FIRST AFRICAN TRIAL OF VILLAGEPDA - FISHING FOR CHEAP RURAL CONNECTIVITYThe first sub-$25 PDA is about to be "road-tested" by the fishing community of Kenya’s Lake Victoria. A partnership between Environmental Liaison Centre International (ELCI) and the PDA’s creators, MediaSolv, the trial is seeking to address issues such as over-fishing in the lake. Vasee Nesiah of MediaSolv describes what they are setting out to achieve. The vast majority of livelihoods in rural Kenya rely directly on natural resources and most involved engagein unsustainable practices, with potentially dire consequences. The natural resource base is constantly under siege, an issue that must be addressed in the interest of sustainability. This trial addresses the issue of unsustainable methods employed by the Luo community in the region of Lake Victoria, the second largest fresh water body in the world. The Luo’s traditional occupation is fishery. Unsustainable fishing methods together with changing demographic, economic and social trends have resulted in a myriad of environmental hazards to the lake and its inhabitants. Depletion of fish in the lake threatens the Luo community’s livelihood, placing them in danger of immenent poverty. The current situation can be directly attributed to ignorance that results from the lack of opportunity to learn better practices in natural resource management. Access to information is an effective means to empower the affected community and overcome these challenges; whether it is to enlighten the community on safeguards or to gather and record vital data. An affordable and sustainable communication means that can readily disseminate information where required, is clearly essential. The advent of telecommunications, information services and information technology has been slow in Kenya due to a variety of reasons. Most significant of which are high cost of communications devices and shortcomings in technology infrastructure. A primary setback at the onset of projects of this nature is the overbearing expense attached to "conventional" solutions. Up until now, developed world solution developers have been obsessed with feature advancement at correspondingly steep costs. Sadly the need for cost sensitive solutions in the developing world context that address core functionality has not figured in the equation. Furthermore the trend is to develop solutions that thrive on the very latest complimentary or supporting technologies such as broadband, DSL etc. In this case the solution has to be versatile enough to operate under less than "average" conditions; those encountered in rural Kenya. It has to circumvent the obvious infrastructure lapses, which are major obstacles to using "conventional" methods. This project seeks to combine low cost technology with connectivity that does not rely on existing telecom infrastructure. ELCI and MediaSolv intend to overcome these shortcomings by combining MediaSolv’s VillagePDA solution with packet switched satellite connectivity where costs are directly tied to the volume of traffic in an always connected environment. The VillagePDA is an "end-to-end" solution that is designed to help bridge the digital divide. This solution addresses the core communication needs of rural communities. The Internet-based VillagePDA solution is durable, easy to adopt and replicate. It is a comprehensive solution consisting of both hardware and software that can be applied modularly to suit each implementation. VillagePDA difference is in the use of low cost, purpose built devices as opposed to other high priced handheld devices or PCs. The VillagePDA solution is relatively easy to use; even by those uninitiated in current information technology. The VillagePDA operates in a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN) that uses the Bluetooth standard. A single Internet connection linked to the PAN can be used by several concurrent users, thereby maximizing the utility of a single connection. The limitations posed by a handheld wireless device dictate restrictions on content that are well suited for efficient use of bandwidth. In this scenario, the required Information will be repackaged to suit the VillagePDA environment and stored at remotely located central server(s) for access through the Internet. The Luo community, and the social workers of the area, will use the VillagePDA devices to wirelessly connect to the Luo database and the Internet. The VillagePDA will play an important role in gathering vital information; for instance a fisherman can use the device to record their observations with regards to the environment they work in and their livelihoods. This information will be made available to researchers who can then communicate with the fisherman for further investigation and follow up. In addition to information gathering and sharing, the devices will also be used as simple messaging devices to communicate within the community as well as with the outside world. The VillagePDA solution is also expected to directly contribute to the economic well being of fishermen and the community at large by helping them obtain the best possible price for their catch. The solution envisages the setting up of a simple web based auction for their catch to reduce dependence on middlemen. Besides the high cost of PCs and other traditional devices, the other mitigating factor is the absence of readily available communication media. Lack of land based telephone infrastructure in this region dictates the reliance on satellite technology for connection to the Internet. Satellite connectivity know-how and equipment will be provided by INMARSAT, a global satellite operator and by XANTIC, an INMARSAT service provider. INMARSAT has offered to sponsor the satellite based Internet connectivity for this project. INMARSAT’s new packet switched services will ensure that once the pilot program is over, users will only get billed for the volume of data consumed and not on time spent online. About ELCI (www.elci.org) The Environment Liaison Centre International (ELCI) is located in Nairobi, Kenya. It was established in 1974 with the aim of strengthening communication and cooperation between NGOs and local communities, providing liaison between NGOs and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), helping to strengthen NGO and local community capacities in developing countries and encouraging the advisory role of NGOs through the organs of the United Nations. ELCI is an international non-governmental organization. About MediaSolv (www.MediaSolv.com) San Jose-based MediaSolv is a privately held corporation dedicated to pioneering the development of Web, WAP and Bluetooth applications for the Windows and UNIX environments. MediaSolv’s Internet Everywhere product line includes Messaging, Groupware, Project Management and Collaboration server suites, and a Bluetooth enabled sub-$50 PDA platform for deployment of embedded thin client applications. MediaSolv’s IP rich portfolio is complimented by a seasoned professional services team that consults designs and deploys IP based solutions. The company employs over 108 staff with offices in San Jose and Colombo. *The VillagePDA (www.VillagePDA.com) The VillagePDA is a derivative of MediaSolv’s commercially distributed ETHERchip & ePDA technology. The ePDA is a hand held device based on the ETHERchip platform, MediaSolv’s Bluetooth enabled, ARM7 powered, embedded LINUX based Internet application environment.
COTE D’IVOIRE TELECOM SUSPENDS INTERCONNECTION WITH AFRIPACote D’Ivoire Telecom has cut its interconnections with continental operator, Afripa Telecom, writes Adediha Kokou. The cut-off happened in the early Summer and it is the second time this year that it has had its international interconnections shut off. Why has this happened? According to Louis Diakit, CEO of Afripa Telecom, it is simply an "abusive suspension" and he is waiting on the deliberations of a court case. The Conseil des Telecommunications Cote D’Ivoire (CTCI) whose role is to regulate such conflicts has decided in favour of Afripa Telecom. But Cote D’Ivoire Telecom is seeking to defend its monopoly which expires in 2004 which is not that far away. According to CTCI President Kon Bangali, according to the terms of the franchise, Cote D’Ivoire Telecom does not have exclusive rights to all services (for example, landline services) and is questioning its right to a monopoly on terminating international calls. In order to resolve the conflict, CTCI is pressing Cote D’Ivoire Telecom to re-establish Afripa Telecom’s interconnections but the incumbent telco is refusing to budge. What will happen? Watch this space? Meanwhile GSM operators in Nigeria have been given a two-week ultimatum by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to reach an agreement on mobile interconnectivity. The Chief Executive of NCC, Ernest Ndukwe reportedly gave officers of MTN, ECONET, and NITEL - the three GSM service providers - up till the end of August (a deadline now passed) to reach accord on the interconnectivity problem.The most contentious issue at the meeting was said to be how much NITEL would pay to ECONET and MTN when a call initiated on a NITEL line terminates on either of MTN or ECONET. While MTN and ECONET are insisting that NITEL pay N18 interconnectivity charges on calls originating from its network, NITEL claims that no mobile-to-mobile interconnectivity agreement exists among the parties. Before NITEL rolled out its GSM service recently, it paid N18 to MTN and ECONET for calls originating from its landlines while MTN and ECONET pay N12 to NITEL.NITEL which charges N16 per off peak calls on its GSM service believes that N18 is prohibitive. NIGERIA’S MOBILE OPERATORS FACE LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER HIGH GSM CHARGINGAccording to This Day (Lagos), human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa and two others have dragged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to court over the high call tariffs being charged subscribers by the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and the other operators of the Global System for Mobile (GSM) Telecommunications in Nigeria. Joined in the suit filed at the Federal High court as defendants are NITEL, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and Econet Wireless Nigeria Limited. In the statement of claim, the plaintiffs averred that the NCC is obliged by law to ensure that standard GSM services are provided effectively and economically and at such performance standards that reasonably meet the social, industrial and commercial needs of the Nigerian community. They stated that it takes an average of about N3,000 to maintain a GSM line even as the average minimum wage in Nigeria is N5,000. Describing the call tariffs as "economically unrealistic, arbitrary, oppressive and exorbitant," the plaintiffs said, the services provided by NITEL, MTN and Econet are largely unreliable and inefficient when compared to other GSM services worldwide, as subscribers suffered from occasional breakdown of the network of the GSM operators. The plaintiffs alleged that NITEL and the two GSM operators are in the habit of always transferring calls to their voice mail facility even when the plaintiffs’ lines are functional and available, to exploit the subscribers, who pay as much as N50 per minute for such valueless calls. They also accused the defendants of engaging in all manner of sharp practices to extort money from their subscribers, adding that they are in the habit of terminating calls midstream and prematurely, for which subscribers are charged N50 even when no form of communication had taken place. Pointing out further that calls made within the internal network of each of the telecom operators as in MTN to MTN calls, Econet to Econet calls and NITEL to NITEL calls, which do not require any form of interconnectivity, still attract the same call charges as calls made across their networks, the plaintiffs described the scenario as definitely exploitative. They noted that the NCC has statutory responsibility to ensure that telecom operators allow the subscribers greater concession. The plaintiffs also sought an order directing the NCC to forthwith regulate the call tariff payable on the GSM at such a rate as N10 per call as well as canceling and invalidating the N12 per call per minute interconnectivity charge of NITEL and the N2.50 per call per minute rate of the NCC, which combine to inflate the call tariff payable on the GSM network provided by MTN and Econet. AFRICAN INTERNET EXCHANGE POINTS GAINING MOMENTUMThe Board of Directors of AfrISPA will be convening in Johannesburg during Internet Week (10th -14th September) during which they will among other things sketch an action plan designed to support and assist ISPs in these countries with their IXP initiatives, writes Brian Longwe. This will be part of a 3 year DFID-funded programme of work aimed at catalysing access to ICTs in Africa. At the recently concluded East African Internet Forum which toook place in Nairobi, Kenya, the African Internet Service Providers Association (AfrISPA) finalised a series of ongoing discussion with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from a number of countries that have expressed interest in establishing Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) over the next 12-18 months. Significantly Cisco Systems has been closely involved in these discussions, taking part in the validation of "A RoadMap for African IXPs". A total of 20 countries indicated the current status with regard to IXes in their respective countries with 16 coming out as clear candidates for live IxPs over the next 18 months. NITEL, GLOBALCOM MAY CLASH OVER $50M INVESTMENTBarely a month after the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) monopoly as national carrier was broken with the emergence of Globalcom as the Second National Operator (SNO), there are indications that the two are headed for a collision course over a $50 million SAT-3 telecommunications project.The SAT-3 project is a cooperation initiative of Fibre Optic Cable links among national carriers of some countries in the African continent. NITEL joined the partnership in 1995 by investing $50 million to boost its transmission network. Globalcom is said to be lobbying the presidency to share the SAT-3 project with NITEL after emerging as the SNO. However, the move has elicited opposition from NITEL with its top management vowing to use all means to stop this encroachment on the companys resources. The company, according to report, would prefer to see Globalcom buy capacity on the SAT-3 project from NITEL. The SAT-3 fibre optic network, which kicks off from Malaysia-Mauritius-South Africa-through the coastline of western part of South Africa, links the cable in Europe through South America to United States. SA’S RURAL TELECOMS REGULATIONS COULD FACE FIREAccording to ItWeb, the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has issued draft conditions for rural telecommunications licences that run contrary to the market structure business analysts say would serve the country best. As part of the ongoing liberalisation of the telecommunications market, small operators are to be established to serve certain areas with a very low penetration of telephones. Government has already identified 29 such areas although Telkom has questioned the statistics in some. Ten are expected to have newly licensed operators by the middle of next year. Draft regulations by the regulator will bar current players Telkom, Vodacom, MTN and Cell C from holding such licences, as expected. ICASA is also proposing that no entity be allowed to hold a controlling stake in more than one such licence, although cross-ownership will be allowed for minority interests. Telkom has expressed concern that the rural licences may create another de facto competitor to it should the various areas be combined under the control of one company. However, consultancy Bain & Company says a market with a multitude of small players has been shown to be unworkable elsewhere in the world and will probably lead to the failure of many of the rural operators. Local Bain partner Dean Donovan says the ideal structure would be two or three organisations controlling all the underserviced area licences. "That way they gain experience from doing the same thing in 10 different places," he says. Many have questioned the viability of businesses restricted to low-income areas, despite the special privileges the small operators are expected to be granted. Yet potential bidders for the licences are queuing up and already trying to source funds. It is estimated that each licence will require anything from R15 million to R500 million. Bain, in a recent independent report on telecommunications liberalisation in SA and elsewhere, found that countries that licensed dozens of operators soon found their businesses to be unsustainable. A lack of capital or skills, both in short supply locally, usually saw many of the small players flounder or absorbed by big, established operators. Donovan and others praise the concept of rural operators. However, he sees other problems with the implementation, even if the ownership rules are adjusted. The boundaries where the licensees will be able to operate are not clear enough, he says, which could see the operators gravitate to more urban areas on the fringes of their territory. Focusing on stealing customers in such areas away from the incumbents instead of bringing new customers into the loop elsewhere would be a natural, "just a law of economics". He is also concerned about expectations that competition from the upcoming second national operator and the rural licences will both increase access to telephones and decrease prices. In the real world, he argues, the two can be mutually exclusive. If prices are not kept artificially low, profits can lead to higher teledensity as operators have motivation to expand the market rapidly and the ability to do so with the cash made elsewhere. "People in business would understand that but consumer advocates often do not," he says. The ICASA regulations are still open to change but a number of potential bidders for underserviced area licences have urged the regulator to fast-track the process. It has to date firmly refused to do so. IN BRIEF- The local subsidiary of international storage software manufacturer, Veritas Software, has extended its southern African distribution network by appointing Storgate Zimbabwe to supply its products into countries north of South Africa. - Telkom has dropped the cost of calls from its payphones to cellular numbers in a bid to make public telephony a more affordable option for millions of South Africans. The new rate kicked in on 1 September 2002. At R1.00 for every 30 seconds. - The South African state-owned technology company arivia.kom has clinched a R100m contract to integrate and upgrade 16 separate networks being run by government departments. - The Cape Lab is to be launched by CITI on September 25, 2002. Willem van Biljon, Group CEO of Mosaic Software, Greg Brophy, CEO of iTouch and Derek Wilcocks, Executive: Strategy and Technology at Dimension Data Western Cape- each represent South African IT companies with a well-established overseas presence - will share their "lessons learned" with the broader Western Cape ICT community at the inaugural event. The Cape Lab is a forum for Cape-based IT companies to learn how to expand their business into European markets and to prepare these companies with the necessary tools for international expansion. ADVANCE WARNING: If you would like to obtain details of the soon-to-be-released Entrepreneurship and ICTs: The Art of Making Things Happen CD-ROM, please send a message saying "Entrepreneurship CD-ROM" to info@balancingact-africa.com
MTN SEEKS TO QUELL DOUBTS ABOUT ITS INVESTMENT IN MTN NIGERIAAccording to SA’s Business Day, cellular operator M-Cell is anxious to dispel doubt about the wisdom of its investment in Nigeria by promising that all is well with its MTN Nigeria network.While the business is far from ringing up a fat profit, it "will yield positive results in time", says M-Cell CEO Phuthuma Nhleko. "We remain very optimistic about the investments we have made and to date our operations in Nigeria have performed very well," he said. The company issued the comments because its shares had tumbled on fears that Nigeria was reneging on its foreign debt. That could devalue its currency, give Nigerians less spending power, discourage financiers from backing MTN’s future expansion and make imported equipment more costly. M-Cell is eager to quash rumours that it may bale out of Nigeria by showing that it is not ignoring those risks, and by emphasising its confidence in the network’s long-term viability. "The Nigerian operation has required substantial investment, which has resulted in our current unhedged debt of around 240m," said Nhleko. "We are constantly looking at ways to reduce our currency risk in this regard. "We will continue to monitor and stay abreast of developments in the country, and to assess the risk profile of our investment."Far from pulling out, MTN Nigeria planned to install another 120 base stations and extra switching centres to increase capacity, he said. M-Cell’s rival in Nigeria, SA-based Econet Wireless, is also facing a punishing level of investment. CEO Strive Masiyiwa said spending on its Nigerian operation had exceeded $140m. Additional investment was now needed to meet demand, and Econet was about to spend another $98m on Motorola equipment to boost capacity. Like M-Cell, Econet is having to look far ahead to get through the current cash-intensive period. In time, the Nigerian network would become the largest operation of the Econet group, said Masiyiwa. Investors eased the pressure on M-Cell last week, pushing its shares up 11c to 920c. M-Cell is planning to change its name to MTN Group in October to strengthen recognition of the brand. IN BRIEF- Software developer FrontRange has fleshed out its warning of an expected loss in the first quarter of its next financial year by clarifying the size of its investment in new software releases. - MGX and Paracon have been unable to agree on the terms of the sale of MGX subsidiary Software Futures to Paracon, so the deal’s been called off. This leaves MGX with a division that doesn’t fit strategically, and Paracon, with a cash pile that means it will consider paying dividends instead.
ONLINE DATING WAVE HITS SALocal Internet businesses are fast catching on to a global phenomenon that is expected to generate over $300 million this year - online dating. Described as "one of the few Internet businesses actually making money", online dating is estimated to have doubled its turnover year-on-year for the past three years. About 60 million people are expected to sign up for such services globally this year. In line with this trend, local Web sites Ananzi.co.za and IOL.co.za are among several local businesses to launch online dating services recently. Ananzi MD Mark Buwalda is enthusiastic about the role online dating can play. "It’s like using the Internet for old-fashioned courtship," he says. "Online dating is relatively safe because you take time to get to know a person before meeting. It’s a perfect service for single, busy professionals - a mature, effective marketing of yourself without it being sleazy." Ananzi teamed up with online dating service Matchmaker.co.za last month and expects to sign up about 6 000 members in the next three to four months. The site, at www.ananzi.matchmaker.co.za, already boasts a number of "success stories" on its message board. Independent Online (IOL.co.za) recently launched its online dating service in conjunction with uDate.com - a US-based online dating service boasting a database of about 2 million people. Over 2 000 South Africans have signed up for free trial membership on www.dating.iol.co.za so far, without any advertising campaigns. "Online dating is one of the few online industries that actually makes money," says IOL sales and marketing director Leon Lategan. The IOL/uDate online dating service charges $29 a month for membership, with special rates on long-term membership. On uDate.com, members fill in an extensive profile questionnaire, after which they automatically see a list of the 180 members that most closely match their preferred profiles and regions. All photographs are vetted by the service before being published, and under-18s are catered for in a separate category. Lategan says: "South Africans are a little more conservative than Internet users in the US or Europe, but they are catching on to the fact that this is an effective and relatively safe way to meet people." Unlike singles bars, chat rooms and personal ads, online dating offers singles the opportunity to "size up the market" and meet the kind of people they are interested in. Other online dating services offer free membership to people posting their profiles and charge visitors to the site when they seek contact with the members. The sites keep contact details of their members private, and most have rules governing obscenity. MSN dating also offers a system whereby members can pay a fee to make their profiles available for free to browsers. What sort of people use online dating services? ITWeb browsed the local sites and discovered all ages, professions and types posted online, although US analyst Taglich Brothers reports that most paying members are typically over 25 and earn more than $60 000 per year. Local industry analyst Vinny Lingham says he has been meeting people online since the early chat sites of the mid-1990s and met his girlfriend of two-and-a-half years online. "I think the Internet is a really good way to get to know people," says Lingham. "It’s pretty safe - as long as people take care about how and when they meet." He points out that online dating figures have a tendency to snowball - the bigger a service’s database, the more members are likely to sign up. "It’s a strong business model based on performance and critical mass. While other online industries are slowing down, online dating is definitely booming." (source: http://www.itweb.co.za) IN BRIEF- Nigerian web designer Olasupo Oyedepo has updated his website. Check it out: http://www.olasupooyedepo.co.uk - Ed Gibbon and Hank Dugan describe their website, The Congo Cookbook, http://www.congocookbook.com/ as "the world’s leading African recipes website" on the basis of a ranking for google searches for "African recipes". They are looking for contributions from the continent. Have a look at the site to whet your palette. - The World Economic Forum (WEF) has published an audit of information and communication technology (ICT) projects for education which in South Africa. The report was prepared by Schoolnet SA. The report can be downloaded from the WEF at http://www.weforum.com/digitaldivide _ Summary of WSIS working group on information society now available http://www.mcart.org/wcsfonlinenews/en/16-jul-02/summ_16.10.cfm The summary of the Working Group on Information Society that met during the PrepCom1 in July for next year’s World Summit on the Information Society is now available at the World Civil Society Forum Website. The summary includes synthesis, proposals and recommendations of the working group. Summaries of other working groups are also available now and more are being posted. - Find new artists at the yellow pages Miguel Petchkovsky (Angola/Netherlands) Artweldanny (Zimbabwe) Albert Moyo (Zimbabwe) Paul Dogboe (Ghana) Lagunju Olawole (Nigeria) Raouf Karray (Tunesia) Kasozi Dorah (Uganda) Martin Bulinya (Kenya) http://www.africancolours.com/?content/yellowpages.html - A local content study prepared by the Fantsuam Foundation is examining how communities in Nigeria are using information and communications technologies (ICTs) to document traditional healthcare knowledge. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=6652
FROM FREE TO FEE...Mike Wright of South Africa’s First Tuesday looks at the shift from a free internet to a pay-for model. In the US, over 12.5 million people (or just under 10% of the active online population) paid for content in the first three months of 2002. But the encouraging element is that they generated $300 million in digital content spend as opposed to $675 million for the whole of 2001. This information is courtesy of a report by the Online Publishers Association (OPA) titled "Online Paid Content U.S. Market Spending Report." Absa Freemail proved that you can give a valuable service away for free, but that the chickens come home to roost sooner or later. However, Absa’s growth in brand association and perception was worth the effort ­ even without the increase in their internet banking base. I believe that people will start paying for value regardless of the delivery channel. That the internet or e-mail is the most cost-effective dissemination tool should not impinge on the value delivered.The move by FT.com to a subscription model has been covered elsewhere and this strategy is borne out by the stats from the OPA report. - The top three categories ­ Business Content, Entertainment and Personals/Dating - account for 59% of spending for online content - Annual subscriptions was the predominant pricing model, accounting for 49% of paid content sales in 2001; monthly subs accounted for 31%; Single purchases accounted for 15% of content sales - Renewal rates for annual subscriptions averaged 72%; monthly subs had an annualised retention rate (i.e. still subscribing 12 months out) of 74% - The average annual spending per paying consumer was $79.47 in 2001 - There are an estimated 1,700 sites charging for content, though 85% of money consumers goes to only 50 sites. All in all this is good news for the content guys. I’m not too sure if our newsletter Tuesday Revolution will move to a subscription modelŠwell, not yetŠ IN BRIEF- Japan’s KDDI is out to get its share of the burgeoning market for cellphone handsets offering video. It unveiled four handsets on Monday, one of which offers movie mail services. The A5301T handset from Toshiba can record video at about eight frames per second and can show video with sound for 15 seconds. The model goes on sale on September 20. >From Reuters http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml;jsessionid= LXWLMY5TV011GCRBAEZSFFA?type=technologynews&StoryID=1370826 - New data on worldwide usage of Web browser software shows Netscape is once again being clobbered by rival browser Internet Explorer and now has an estimated market share of 3.4 percent. http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=734484
* John Sarpong gave a keynote speech at the UN Conference on "Building A Digital Bridge to Africa—The Role of Diaspora Networks in Supporting ICT for Development." John Sarpong is a well-known entrepreneur and he is currently Chairman of Digital Partners for Africa, which promotes development in Africa by mobilizing the technological, entrepreneurial and professional resources of the African Diaspora. He came to the U.S. 20 years ago, earned an electrical engineering degree at Yale, worked at Boeing Aircraft, founded Southline Industries in 1996 (a company specializing in aerospace design), is a consultant to Sikorsky Helicopters, and founded Africast in 1999. Africast is a telecommunications and financial services companyfocused on the consumers and businesses of Global Africa—a term that he created to describe the worldwide community of Africans, African-Americans, African Expatriates and people interested in Africa. "My story is pretty typical of the Diaspora experience‹and typical of the problem we are facing today, which is: every time someone leaves Africa, their knowledge and experience leave with them—most likely never to return‹that is UNTIL TODAY.I say until today, because with today’s information and Internet technology there has never been a better time or a better way to build a bridge to carry the resources and knowledge gained from the Diaspora Šback to Africa. Friends, we no longer need our physical presence in Africa to make a meaningful impact". With this flourish, he introducted his "AfriShare" project—a concept to bring knowledge, technology, investments and other resources back to Africa through the Diaspora Network. For moreinformation, go to www.ddn-africa.org. * According to Clive Handley, security specialist at NamITech, his company recently unveiled Bio-Cert, a locally-developed non-repudiation server solution - believed to be one of the first of its kind in the world. What on earth is that, you might say? Bio-Cert uses both voice and fingerprint biometrics to ensure that any transaction entered into over the Internet -or from mobile gadgets such as cellular phones and PDAs - can be verified and vouched for. "One of the biggest worries when it comes to e-business and mobile communications is clearly the repudiation of transactions in the e-business world. Our solution prevents this as it ensures that the user who confirms a transaction cannot claim that he did not conduct the transaction. Our system is based on the X509 Digital Certificate Standard and, with its special in-built security features, ensures that every transaction is tracked from A to Z, and is ultimately verified as bona fida - something that can be empirically proven if need be due to the fact that the system can provide a full audit trail of the transaction in question." * Fashion designer Oumou Sy, ambassador of "Made in Africa" and Michel Mavros, both founders of Metissacana, pionneer of internet and Technologies of Information and Communication in Africa, will participate to"Ars Electronica", international annual Festival of research in the fields of art, technologies and science, which take place in Linz, Austria, since 1979, Michel Mavros will talk on thema Plug-In III: Wiring Africa "Africa between emancipation and cyber-colonialism on its way into Information Society".For more informations about Ars Electronica, web site is http://www.aec.at or contact Ingrid Fischer-Schreiber - Tel : 00 43-732-7272-71 - email : Ingrid.Fischer@aec.at JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES- JOKO SA ("JOKO") was created by the famous singer Youssou N’Dour to help develop access to communication technologies, local content and computer training in poor and isolated areas of Africa. The organization currently operates several Internet communications and training centers in Senegal and plans to expand throughout Africa. JOKO is a very high profile Internet initiative in Africa that will combine non-profit and for-profit activities. It has obtained funding from Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) in the US and has cooperation agreements with a number of local and international entities. The CEO of JOKO will be responsible for driving strategy and for the overall operation and success of JOKO in delivering its mission. The immediate focus will be to work with the Board of Directors to refine and lead a new strategic direction as well as to develop a plan to bring the existing network of communication centers to sustainability. Strong emphasis will be placed on the development of organizational, financial and HR strategies to ensure JOKO success. The goal and challenge of this position will be to lead a very high-profile social initiative through a transition into a viable and lasting pan-African business over the next 18-24 months. The CEO will report directly to the JOKO Board of Directors and will have a role in selecting additional board members. Key Duties - Manage all aspects of building the organization and growing relationships for the benefit of the JOKO network; strong focus on internal organizational structures, quality standards and external fund raising. - Work with Board to develop strategic direction for JOKO’s expansion, diversification, and partnerships that leverages existing non-profit and for-profit legal entities. - Discover and manage new business initiatives that will result in increased positioning, growth, and the overall financial goals of JOKO. - Act as the key spokesperson for JOKO to the ICT business and development communities in Africa. - Ensure that JOKO is operated in a fiscally responsible manner, consistent with the financial and reporting policies of YND Holdings. - Provide an overall leadership role to motivate, mentor and manage other JOKO professionals. Requirements - 5+ years experience in business and/or program management. - ICT, grant writing, fundraising skills and excellent organizational and communication skills required. - International development background and experience in implementing public sector/private sector partnerships a strong plus. - Proficiency in French required. - African nationals strongly preferred. Salary Competitive. Send CVs and cover letters to Rod Norman - thenormangroup@yahoo.com - no later than 15 September 2002. EVENTS* AITEC EUROPE: THE AFRICAN IT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE & SERVICES SHOWCASE & BUSINESS PARTNER FORUM (18-19 NOVEMBER 2002) This event will take place at Chelsea Village, Chelsea Football Stadium, London on 18-19 November 2002 (With Training Workshops over 20-23 November). African IT enterprises and entrepreneurs are increasingly seeking to market the continent’s skills and services internationally. The growing skills base throughout the region needs new outlets and can take advantage of significant exchange rate and labour cost differentials. AITEC Europe will provide a high-profile platform for Africa’s IT innovators and enterprises to market their products and services to potential partners and customers in Europe. In addition, it is an opportunity to meet new suppliers, as well as potential investors. The event will consist of a Showcase with booths for participants to promote their products and hold face-to-face meetings. In addition, a two-day conference will provide an educational programme covering the following: - Developing an international marketing strategy. - Learning from the experience of other developing markets (with speakers covering Indian and other success stories). - Market trends and growth areas offering new opportunities. The conference will also include a Product and Service Forum, a series of half-hour presentations by participants, providing them a platform to outline their products and services to potential customers, partners and investors. Follow-up meetings will take place in the showcase area. The main two-day programme will be followed by a number of specialist workshops, courses and forums, to enable participants to benefit from a wide range of business and educational opportunities. These will include: - African Telecommunications Privatisation & Competition &SHY; An Executive Training Course - A VSAT Workshop, in association with the Global VSAT Forum - An ISP Upskills Workshop - Training Workshops: - Effective e-Commerce Strategies - Wireless Internet Architecture - SMS &SHY; The Business Opportunity - Supply Chain Management &SHY; Leveraging the Internet - Performance management of Internet Portals & Applications - Value-added Services for Telecommunications Operators The workshops will be co-ordinated by Dr Anil Sahai of the USA Dr Anil Sahai received his PhD in computer science with specialization in performance evaluation and architecture of packet switching networks from University of California, and an MBA from Sloan at MIT with specialization in international corporate strategies and new product development. Anil has worked in the areas of storage architecture, packet-switching architecture and wireless Internet architecture for the last 12 years at Amdahl, Intel, Compaq and the World Bank. He also managed the worldwide marketing for storage products at NetFrame Systems with P&L responsibility of more than $30 million. He co-founded Uniant (later renamed as BrightLink), which is developing a tera-bit packet switch based on his PhD thesis and patented routing protocols. He has published papers in many research journals, and presented seminars at various conferences and universities all over the world. More recently, he was responsible for the performance architecture of wireless portal for Vodafone for deployment in over 128 countries. For full details see the AITEC web site: www.aitecafrica.com ABC-e CONFERENCE: BEYOND ADOLESCENCE - THE INTERNET GROWS UP Recent ABC-e figures show that while there has been a shake-out in the number and variety of Web sites reporting their traffic figures in South Africa, those that remain are showing good signs of growth (1st Quarter 2002). + How did these Internet companies survive the dot-bomb, and what lessons have they learned? + How is a more mature approach to the Internet helping businesses grow, and what new business opportunities are being created? + How can sellers survive as customers organise themselves into buying consortiums? + How do real-world case studies to show the effectiveness of online advertising? + What tools do we need to plan, measure and report on Internet business transactions, including advertising? ABC-e has assembled an elite group of speakers to address these and other issues related to using the Internet as a business and communications tool: Jenny McKinnell (Infobeagle); Joanne Scholtz (FCB); Sandra Boer (Webchek); Mark Buwalda (Ananzi); Rudy Nadler-Nir (Eclectic); Robin Parker (Africaonline.com);Arthur Goldstuck (World Wide Works); Angus Brown (eBucks.com) and Taryn Hood (Fuse Media). Who should attend? Media planners, advertisers and advertising agencies, marketers, market researchers, IT and business strategists, communications and media specialists, IT/computer auditors and anybody with an interest in making the Internet work for their business. More details: www.abc-e.org.za ITWEB’S E-MARKETPLACES 2002 (15 OCTOBER 2002, PARK HYATT, ROSEBANK The objective of this event is to uncover the reality of the electronic B2B trading environment in South Africa. It will look at the practical lessons learnt from leaders of B2B initiatives such as Anglo Coal, Bidvest, FNB, Naspers, RCI, Sasol and SA Eagle. ITWeb will also release its e-marketplaces research report, which surveyed e-marketplace operators, technology vendors and early B2B adopters among corporate buyers and suppliers. Delegates will get a free copy. To register, contact:denise@itweb.co.za Phone: Denise on (011) 807-3294 Web: www.itweb.co.za/emarketplaces.asp IN BRIEF- Internet Week is happening in Johannesburg next week, from Wednesday the 11th through to Friday the 13th. The event is co-hosted by the Internet Service Providers’ Association, UniForum SA (the CO.ZA administrators) and the South African chapter of the Internet Society, ISOC-ZA. Event information: http://www.ispa.org.za/iweek/ Registration form: http://iweek.ispa.org.za - The Internet as Magic in Ghana: the challenge of the Information to the wealth dynamic is the first presentation of a new series of TAP workshops in Accra. It is part of a set which would centre on the TAP Ph.D. research proposal development process for Mr Herman Chinery-Hesse, Director, Technical,SOFT. Herman’s TAP facilitated Ph.D. research is taking place at the University of Ghana, Legon. For more details contact: Amos Anyimadu <Amos Anyimadu <amos@mail.h-net.msu.edu> - There is a Linux and Opensource event held by the Linux Users Association in South Africa from the 6th to 8th November 2002.It is a three day event featuring comprehensive lectures and demonstrations on most aspects of Linux and Opensource. Details on the website. Bookings can be done via e-mail to Carmen Barnes (carmen@lua.org.za) or at http://www.lua.org.za/event
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