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WEEKLY PUBLICATION DEADLINE: 12 pm GMT Sunday. ISSUE NO 478 30th October 2009 Phase3 Telecoms to open Lagos-Accra terrestrial route in Q2, 2010 and set to go inland to landlocked countriesAnother West African fibre route along the seaboard from Lagos to Accra will open up in Q2 of next year. Nigerian carriers’ carrier Phase3 Telecoms has signed an agreement with power utility Communauté Electrique du Bénin to lay and operate aerial fibre along its network. Russell Southwood spoke to Stanley Jegede, CEO of Phase3 Telecoms about how it will work. Q: What’s your agreement with Communauté Electrique du Bénin (CEB)? A: It’s a concession agreement where we will design, build and operate infrastructure for 15 years. Their power line network covers both Benin and Togo and we are laying aerial fibre overt 161 kV high voltage lines. On the basis of this infrastructure, we will create a route that goes from Lagos through Benin and Togo to Accra. A: We have started the work of laying the fibre and the total extent of the network will be somewhere between 3,000-4,000 kilometres. Q: Where does the CEB power network extend to in the north? A: It goes right up to Karimama in Benin which is on the border of Niger and across the middle of the two countries in an upturned U-shape: from Parakou in Benin to Atakpama in Togo via Oujougou and Sokode. Q: When will the Lagos-Accra route be ready? A: It will be operational in Q2, 2010 and we have allowed ourselves between now and the end of Q1 to build the route and install the transmission equipment. Q: What’s the extent of your domestic network in Nigeria? A: It goes over 132 kV and 330 kV high voltage lines in several large rings. From the north at Sokoto it goes down the western side of the country to Lagos and then travels across the southern part of the country from Lagos to Benin ,with an extension to Port Harcourt opening soon. It then goes up the middle of the country to Jos and Kano, with an extension being built to Katsina. We also have an extension from the main ring at Lagos to Sakete in Benin. Q: How will you connect from Togo into Accra? Phase3 will work closely with Vodafone to carry traffic into Accra and on to the SAT3 landing station. Q: What kind of customers are you serving in Nigeria? A: It includes the major mobile companies like Globacom and Zain and the CDMA operators like Intercellular and Visafone. On top of that, we’re carrying traffic for ISPs, banks and government. We’re offering anything from an E1 to an STM1 and connecting to Nitel’s SAT3 landing station. When the new route opens, we’ll be connecting to Benin Telecom’s SAT3 landing station in Cotonou and Vodafone’s landing station in Accra. This will give our clients a number of redundancy options and choice in terms of prices from different landing stations. Q: Will the customer base for your new route be the same as for your domestic network in Nigeria? A: To a large extent, it will be as these categories of customers exist in all West African countries. The telcos particularly need to interconnect with operators in other countries. Currently there is no redundant link and we’ll be well positioned to provide a self-healing ring between Lagos and Accra, with the redundant route using the new submarine cables between Accra and Lagos. Q: Do you think there will be much voice traffic between these countries? A: I think that between Lagos and Accra there is and if we extend to Cote d’Ivoire there will also be relatively high volumes but there’s probably not much between Benin and Togo, although this will grow over time. Q: How will be affected by the introduction of the four new international cables (Glo One, Main One, WACS and ACE)? A: It will affect us positively because once the bandwidth gets to the coast, it’s got to be distributed inland and our aerial fibre infrastructure can be used to do that. We’ve got rights of way that extend right up to the borders of Burkina Faso and Niger and we’re potentially better placed than anyone else to deliver international bandwidth to those two countries. It’s in our best interest to collaborate with the international fibre operators because complement one another. Q: What will prices be on the Lagos-Accra route? A: We’re currently working on the numbers but we’ll certainly be a cheaper value proposition than other operators. Correction: Issue 475: African universities will buy 60 Gb of bandwidth and set up a continental network. UbuntuNet Alliance’s CEO Tusu Tusubira would like to make clear that with what African universities currently spend on international connectivity, they would be able to buy 60 gbps if it was sold at prices similar to Europe:”The biggest challenge many universities face is that of any poor person anywhere in the world: they have to buy everything they need in little quantities on a daily basis. They end up spending much more than a rich person who buys in bulk and maybe once or twice a month. Therefore, while African universities are paying this money, they are unable to marshal it in one go to take advantage of some very attractive offers currently on the table. I also said trust has been a major challenge, but that is being gradually overcome: we are not yet there.”
Telecoms Giants Bid for ZamtelTwo of India's biggest telecommunications firms and one of Africa's largest communication service providers, are among eight foreign companies and consortia that have been shortlisted to buy a stake of between 51 and 75 per cent in Zamtel. South Africa's Telkom, one of Africa's largest telecommunications firms in terms of operating revenue and assets is on the list of the shortlisted firms. Telkom has been pursuing opportunities in Africa over the last five years. India's State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), which are both part of a consortium and also looking to buy a 46 per cent stake in Kuwait mobile firm Zain, also prequalified to bid. BSNL has cash reserves of more than $7 billion and is the second-largest telecommunications company in India with 57.3 million mobile subscribers and 28.5 million fixed line customers, trailing only Bharti Airtel. The New York-listed MTNL operates in two of India's largest cities, New Delhi and Mumbai as well as Nepal through a joint venture called United Telecom Limited. MTNL also operates in Mauritius through a unit called Mahanagar Telephone Mauritius Limited (MTML) and submitted interest in a stake being sold in Nigerian telecommunications firm, Nitel. The rest are Altimo Holdings or Vimpelcom of Russia, LAP Green Limited or LAP Green Networks of Libya, Portugal Telecom, Orascom Telecom Holdings or Telecel Globe Limited of Egypt as well as the UNITEL consortium of Angola. ZDA director general Andrew Chipwende announced the names of successful prequalified companies and consortia at a media briefing in Lusaka last week. Chipwende said all the prequalified participants had met the criteria set out for prequalification and were internationally recognised telecommunications operators with a strong track record in emerging markets investments. During the course of the prequalification process, the ZDA received 30 expressions of interest in the Zamtel privatisation. He said prequalified companies and consortia would be invited to participate in the due diligence process scheduled for November 2, 2009 and was expected to end on December 23, 2009. To maximise transparency and ensure total confidentiality, the ZDA had established a secure virtual data room, allowing prequalified participants to examine all key Zamtel documents remotely. The virtual data room would ensure candidates gained access to exactly the same information and for the same amount of time. Chipwende also said participants would be asked to submit a bid for between 51 per cent and 75 per cent of the equity in Zamtel based on their own evaluation of the company and the market opportunity. Around January 11 next year, the ZDA would announce shortlisted bids and successful companies or consortia would be invited to take part in the next phase of the process. All the eight prospective bidders had paid a non-refundable administration fee of US$20,000 prior to their submission of the prequalification application form. Chipwende said the door was not closed to Zambians because they would still acquire stakes in Zamtel in future when Government offloads its shares to the public on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LuSE). Preferred bidders were asked to meet a minimum of US$250 million shareholders' equity for private entities or a minimum market capitalisation of US$500 million for publicly listed entities. (Source: The Times of Zambia) Kenya’s Telecoms Firms Oppose One Percent Universal FundTelecommunications operators in Kenya have opposed plans by the industry regulator to levy a one per cent fee on their gross annual income to set up a universal fund. The bone of contention is that the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) plans to collect the levy under the proposed Universal Service Fund, and thereafter lend the money to the same entities as commercial loans. The fee will be charged on all telecommunications licensees "with an annual gross turnover of over Ksh10 million ($128,205) at an amount not exceeding one per cent of their revenue with an exemption to the postal services, currently operated by state-run Postal Corporation of Kenya. If adopted, the pool could potentially rival the Constituency Development Fund in three years, given an estimated Ksh700 million ($9.3 million) the telecom operators would pay to a proposed advisory board managed by the CCK. Under the UN universal communications requirements, governments are mandated to provide the requisite infrastructure for communications services to all citizens under the Universal Service Charter. The proposals as published in the Kenya Communications (Tariff) Regulations 2009, have brought about wide ranging measures including giving CCK the power to establish the Universal Service Advisory Council, which shall be mandated to manage the funds, advise on policy guidelines and identify geographical areas, and population groups that may benefit from the fund. Most of the operators who spoke to The EastAfrican are opposed to the creation of the fund. "We are concerned about the management of the money, particularly the fact that the regulator will then be lending the same funds at an interest to operators to launch telecommunications services," said Safaricom chief executive officer, Michael Joseph. This, Joseph, says would be tantamount to giving commercial loans to operators without recognising the fact that they have been investing heavily in network roll-out, product diversification and retail infrastructure. Industry experts question the viability of the fund, which they say, according to the proposed regulation has fundamental loopholes in its setting, including factors like the expertise of its administration and the auditing of the fund's accounts. "The question is who shall be making these decisions and to whose interest? The operators on the other hand say the coverage and service expansion are driven by the demand and supply and the population. "For example, it does not make business sense to roll out 3G services to the remotest part of Kenya where the population does not have the basic tools of accessing the Internet for commercial reasons, like electricity and laptops, it beats logic," said Rene Meza, Zain Kenya managing director in an interview. Mr Meza says the issues of universal service should be best left to the operators who will roll out services based on business potential and a return on the investment, unlike where the fund will be used to roll out services that are premature in the selected regions. (Source: The East African) Court Stops Nigeria’s Federal Government From Selling 2.3 GHZ Band LicenceA Federal high court sitting in Abuja yesterday issued a preservative order stopping the Federal Government from taking any step towards selling the National Frequencies in the 2.3 GHZ Band, pending determination of an action brought by a telecommunications company, Mobitel. The trial high court judge, Justice Garba Umar agreed with Dr Alex Izinyon who is the lead counsel for Mobitel that the order was necessary. The Judge specifically ordered that parties should maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion for mandatory injunction dated the 20 th of October, 2009 and ajourned the case till the 17th of November 2009 for hearing of the motion for mandatory injunction. The Federal Government had awarded the licence in question to Mobitel after it had fulfilled the conditions precedent including payment of about N1.4 Billion as prescribed by NCC. But the Minister of Information and Communication, Professor Dora Akunyili on May 25, 2009 issued a letter cancelling the entire process leading to the issuance of the said license to Mobitel and other successful firms. Following government's decision to reverse its agreement to sell the said license to Mobitel, the telecommunication firm through its legal team comprising Dr. Alex Aigbe Izinyon [SAN] and Damien Dodo [SAN] among others, commenced a lawsuit before the Abuja division of the Federal high court challenging the alleged contractual breach and prayed the court to compel government to abide by the terms of the contract. In the action, Mobitel named the Information Minister, the Ministry of Information , the Attorney General of Federation and Nigerian Communications Commission [NCC] as respondents to the suit. According to Mobitel, the respondents lacked the power, competence, authority and vires to issue the letter dated May 25, 2009 purporting to cancel or nullify the transparent licensing process carried out by the NCC" But even after the processes were lodged at the registry of the court, Mobitel was still afraid that the government could ignore the principle of lis pendens and go ahead to re-sell the licence. The telecommunication firm therefore directed its lawyers to file an application for mandatory injunction restraining the government from selling the licence. Unfortunately, when the matter came up last week, the application for mandatory injunction was not yet ripe for hearing. Since the said application was not ripe for hearing, Izinyon orally applied for a preservative order on the premise that it was necessary to preserve the subject matter of the Plaintiff's action, which he submitted would be rendered nugatory if government was not restrained from re-awarding the said license for the National Frequencies in the 2.3 GHz Band. Goddy Uche, Counsel to the government and Edwin Inegedu for NCC opposed the oral application, saying there was no need why the Plaintiff would not wait for its formal application to be ripe for argument. In his ruling, Justice Mohammed Garba Umar granted Izinyon's prayer, thereby ordering that no step should be taken by the government with regards to the said license until the suit had been determined. (Source: Vanguard) War Against Call Box Owners Intensified in CameroonThe agents of the Yaounde City Council last Tuesday carried out an operation to chase call box owners within the precincts of the Yaounde central town. Marie Therèse M., a teacher in Yaounde is desperate. She was seen yesterday searching for a place where she can make an urgent call in town. Fortunately for her, she found a young man carrying a bag with a placard hanging on the neck. On the placard was written in bold letters "Call Box" as way of informing clients that he is in the business. She went up to the boy and was able to make her call. The agents of the Yaounde City Council last Tuesday carried out an operation to chase call box owners out of the precincts of the Yaounde city centre. As a result most of the call box owners have become mobile dealers. They are seen carrying telephones in their hands with placards and umbrellas. A few of them sit along the roadside on strategic places with their umbrellas where they can make some money. Even though business seems to be moving, the traders are living in state of fear. Anastasia N., a call box owner, told Cameroon Tribune that the agents of the Yaoundé City Council do not only chase them from the town but they seize their belongings. “When they seize our goods they destroy them and they even sell them. If you are lucky you can pay the sum of FCFA 2000 for your umbrella and your table. They want us to go back to our villages,” she said. Another call box dealer, Patrice B., said the agent of the Yaounde chase them even to their hideouts where they store their goods and seize them for their own gains. “We used to pay taxes to the city council before but now they just want us to go to the neighbourhoods. It is in town that we get customers,” he said. The technical director of the Yaounde City Council, Philippe Arnauld Ndzana, said the move concerns not only call box dealers but all hawkers who are illegally installed in the town. He explained that the process is part of activities of the Yaounde City Council to clean the town. According to him the process will be a continuous one so long as the hawkers continue to disobey the order by the government delegate of the Yaounde City Council. (Source: Cameroon Tribune) In brief:- Telecoms market regulator, the Communications Commission of Kenya, has began the search for experts to manage the roll out of mobile phone number portability, in a move that could rekindle the battle for subscribers and change the fortunes of some service providers. - Vodafone has pledged to fight any allegations of irregularities surrounding its £450m purchase of a majority stake in Ghana Telecom. The British mobile phones giant said it had been co-operating with an inquiry commissioned by the Ghanaian government into the deal with Ghana Telecom that took place in July last year. - Egypt’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has said that sixteen firms have purchased bid documents for its upcoming ‘triple-play’ licence auction, according to Reuters. Those companies that have confirmed their interest in the concession include existing players in the Egyptian telecoms markets such as mobile network operator MobiNil and full-service telecoms group Orascom Telecom. UAE-based Etisalat meanwhile, which has been widely rumoured to be mulling a bid, has yet to confirm its interest. - Ghana has launched an emergency telephone number scheme to fight crime. The initiative is supported by MTN Ghana, the Police Service (GPS), the British High Commission and the German Embassy. The 24-hour, seven-day service (24/7), would enable the public to use the number to report any criminal offence and lodge complaints from anywhere in the country for prompt response. Meanwhile, The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that it will soon release a national emergency phone number to facilitate rescue operations during disasters. - Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Ernest Ndukwe, has said there are no plans to license more telecommunications operators in the country. - Phone communications in the southern part of Namibia were disrupted yesterday morning due to a fibre-optic cable break 40 kilometres outside Keetmanshoop. A Telecom worker said the breakdown had caused cut communications at Lüderitz, Bethanie and Rosh Pinah. - Ghana now holds the chairmanship of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) council for 2009-2010. This was announced at the council's annual session which began last week in Geneva. With this appointment, Ghana will take over from Bulgaria the steering of the council comprising of 56 members states across the world.
Brymedia West Africa bids to build overland fibre cable from Nigeria to TunisiaOne of the firms bidding to take-over NITEL and MTel is planning to build an overland cable from Katsina to Tunisia, Daily Trust learnt last week. A source said that Brymedia West Africa Limited intends to construct the overland cable with a 30 fibre pairs instead of the 2 pairs of SAT-3. The cable will pass through Niger. The source said the overland cable would pass through two countries instead 13 countries. This will be achieved with the aid of tails to be laid into all the land-locked countries like Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. Sources close to the project said that Telecom Italia, one of the biggest operators in Europe, has already indicated interest to land the overland cable into mainland Europe. The sources further disclosed that the proposed cable would outperform existing services like SAT-3 and the upcoming Glo One cable many times over. The source also said that the World Bank recently agreed to sponsor OFC cable in Chad, Central African Republic and that Brymedia Consortium is planning to connect to it. The overland cable is estimated to be half as expensive as SAT-3 or Glo 1, allowing savings to be passed on via lower tariffs to customers. The World Bank recently endorsed the $215 million Central African Backbone programme to bring reliable, high-speed, low-cost internet access to the region. Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic will take part in the initial $26.2 million phase. Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, and Sudan can also participate in the programme. The 10-year programme is being supported through a partnership between the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB). The program also aims to leverage an additional $98 million from the private sector. In conjunction with the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, the African Union Commission will play an important role in facilitating inter-governmental cooperation and policy harmonization. Brymedia is the project coordinator, bid manager and consortium leader for bidding in the current privatization process for NITEL. Formed in mid-2008 to address the emerging national operator opportunity, the company has assembled a top flight executive team including six of the nine most senior MTN Nigeria leaders from 2001 to 2006. (Source: Daily Trust) Telkom Kenya raises stakes in data market with Sh1 per MB planTelkom Kenya on Wednesday revised its Internet charges downwards, raising the stakes in the battle for control of the data market which is expected to be the next frontier of revenue growth for telecoms firms. Subscribers will pay Sh1 per megabyte (MB), one of the lowest Internet tariffs currently on offer from a telecom firm. Previously, the company charged from Sh2 or more per MB depending on the Internet bundle a customer opted for. The Sh1 per MB rate will will apply for buyers of the 4 gigabyte (GB) bundle which will be priced at Sh3,900. Other providers of low-cost Internet are Access Kenya, which charges Sh1 per MB for its home Internet services. Mickael Ghossein, CEO Telkom Kenya, said the price cut is meant to reposition the company in the data market in which it was a key player before the liberalisation of the ICT sector ushered in competition that has since eaten into the firm’s market share. Rival mobile operators have reacted to Telkom’s move by acknowledging the increase in competition in the sector. “Of course we expect a lot of competition and tariffs will have to fall to reflect this. In the long run, however, you have to consider the issue of customer experience and you also need a critical subscriber base to create a sustainable business model,” said Chris Tiffin, Safaricom’s Chief Financial Officer. Telkom is targeting both corporate and individual clients with the reduced prices. The regulatory stance taken by the government recently may also lead to a reduction in revenues gleaned for the voice market. Last month, prime minister Raila Odinga ordered a review of mobile call charges saying they were too high and not a true reflection of international trends. As Telkom was announcing its new charges, Safaricom and Equity bank were also unveiling a partnership in which the bank will offer loans to the public for the purchase of laptops while the mobile phone operator will supply Internet modems to the laptop owners. (Source: Business Daily) Nigeria: EFCC Shuts 800 Scam Web SitesThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shut down over 800 scam websites and busted 18 syndicates of email fraudsters in a drive to check cyber-crime that Nigeria is notorious for. "Over 800 fraudulent email addresses have been identified and shut down," EFCC chairman Farida Waziri said in Las Vegas, United States, last week. "There have been 18 arrests of high profile syndicates operating cyber-crime organisations," she told a gathering of US mayors at the 35th Annual Convention of Black Mayors on Global Vision for Local Action: A paradigm of Connectivity in the African Diaspora. On a daily basis, Internet users in Nigeria and around the world receive scam emails from fraudsters who impersonate businesses like banks and mobile phone companies. These web forgeries are designed to trick people into revealing personal or financial information by imitating different sources. Some of the fraudsters hack into private email accounts of prominent personalities and send emails to their contacts claiming to be stranded and asking for emergency cash. Farida said a latest anti-cyber crime technology called Project Eagle Claw has the capacity to shut down up to 5,000 fraudulent emails monthly when it is fully deployed. "We expect that 'Eagle Claw' as conceived will be 100 per cent operational within six months. It will take Nigeria out of the top 10 list of countries with the highest incidence of fraudulent emails," Farida said. "The EFCC is fine tuning security modalities with Microsoft and upon full deployment, the capacity to take down fraudulent emails will increase to 5,000 monthly. Further it is projected that advisory mails to be sent to victims and potential victims will be about 230,000 monthly," she added. The schemes of Nigerian scammers range from advance fee fraud, lottery scams, phishing, identify theft, and employment and auction scams. Some of the notorious scam emails Internet users receive from fraudsters include messages posing as if they were coming from online payment company Interswitch, Guaranty Trust Bank, Central Bank of Nigeria and mobile phone company MTN. Most of these emails have links to fake websites and ask for personal details like account number, pin code and residential address. The companies being impersonated have alerted customers via the media of such scams and have adopted additional security measures to protect their users, but the scammers kept on at it. (Source: Daily Trust) In brief:- Uganda’s local governments have received funding from the World Bank for projects connecting the districts to the global network via the Internet. The bank has previously given the Rural Communications Development Fund $7m (about sh13b) that was used to run the 2003/2008 Internet connectivity projects. "Under the new funding, the bank has committed $8m (about sh14.8b) for Internet connectivity of schools and health institutions. "The funding is meant to start connectivity projects and to run sustainability of information and communication technology ICT projects in local governments," the head of the Uganda Communications Commission, Patrick Masambu, said. - Algeria will reach the figure of 1,200,000 ADSL (broadband Internet) connections by the end of 2009, Post and Technology Minister Hamid Bessalah said on Sunday. Algeria is still "far" from its goals and ambitions in terms of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), he told the Algerian radio, stressing that one of its major targets is the development of the broadband infrastructure. "We currently have about 500,000 ADSL connections, and as our goal is to reach 6 million connections, it is important to upgrade the infrastructure," he pointed out. "This year we must have at least 700,000 new ADSL connections, and wrap up the year with at least 1,200,000 connections," he added. - South Africa’s Internet service provider, RSAWEB, has announced that, effective immediately, consumers of its broadband offerings will be privy to price cuts of up to 60 percent on select packages. These include the company’s Super, Premium and Ultra DSL packages. While offers of this sort seem to be getting lost in a barrage of similar announcements by competitive providers, Rob Gilmour, MD of RSAWEB says “Our message differs in that going forward, we will only offer price cuts that are sustainable. This means that we continue to provide consistent, reliable access to our customers.” - GhanaBlogging allows a Glimpse into the Ghana blogosphere. It is not an aggregrator in the form of Afrigator, whereby each blog is given a space to represent itself, what Ghana blogging does is just pull in what it feels are great posts from Ghana onto its front-page each day. (http://ghanablogging.com/) - Bonuses ranging from 20 to 35% will be paid to internet service access providers (ISP), as part of the partnership convention signed by Algerie Telecom and the Association of Internet Service Providers (AFSI), CEO of Algerie Telecom Moussa Benhamadi said Sunday in Algiers. Running a joint news conference with Chairman of AFSI after the signing of partnership convention between AT and ISP, Benhamadi underlined that this "convention helps ISP to benefit from bonuses ranging from 20 to 35%, with the possibility of revision of the convention terms according to the performances of every provider." - The Africa Rural Connect (ARC), a new online community hosted by the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), announced the third-round winners of its online contest to select the best ideas submitted on how to help solve rural Africa’s greatest challenges in agricultural development. The first- and second-prize winners were from Kenya, while the third prize went to a resident of the United States.
Stakeholders Review Rwanda's ICT GrowthStakeholders in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector held last week an in-depth analysis of the sector's challenges and progress in the last two years. The expected outcome - policy recommendations for 2009/2010, will be submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (Minecofin). The ministry will then add these into the country's Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy's (EDPRS) annual report, which will later be discussed between government and donors. Speaking to The New Times during the one-day event, Patrick Nyirishema, deputy CEO in charge RDB/IT, said one of the key constraints faced in the sector is the huge skills gap. "We are moving very fast and yet it takes time to build skills - that is definitely a key challenge," said Nyirishema. He noted that although the private sector is growing, most of the growth is in the telecoms sector while other ICT segments lag behind. Lack of energy, especially in rural areas, also poses another challenge especially when it comes to the roll out of ICT infrastructure in the countryside. (Source: The New Times) ICT Works for South African ActivistsMore than half of the 800 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in South Africa say information technology has had a major effect on their ability to advance human rights and they are starting to realise the potential of mobile technology and social networking , a study has found. The results highlighted the increasing value of the cellphone. A quarter of NGOs used custom applications on cellphones, such as medication maintenance systems for patients with HIV/AIDS or TB, which remind patients to take their medicine. Cellphones were also being used as fundraising tools by a quarter of NGOs, and 48% of decision makers were using internet browsers on their phones to access information for organisations. But the research also found that only 39% of NGOs had a technology plan in place . The report, entitled State of ICT (information communication technology), was carried out by market research organisation World Wide Worx and NGO technology facilitator SangoNeT. It was sponsored by Microsoft and the National Development Agency (NDA) and involved NGOs across the country, and organisations of all sizes from all sectors. It found that compared to research in 2007, NGO decision makers were becoming adept with cutting-edge tools such as mobile applications and social networking services. These were seen as having a major effect on the ability to advance human rights by 56% of those interviewed. While this figure was only 2% higher than the 2007 survey's, this year's study found that NGOs demonstrated a greater interest in using new media to further their cause and some respondents were using it in their personal capacity. Half of all respondents were using local social networking services, but only 6% of them were using them in pursuit of the goals of their organisations. "It means NGOs are leveraging technology, but not nearly achieving its potential," said David Barnard, executive director of SangoNeT. Steven Ambrose, managing director of WWW Strategy and lead consultant on the project, was more positive, saying that because respondents were adept at using social networks they faced far less of a learning curve in using them to pursu e organisational causes. "In the past, people have tended to learn how to use the internet from exposure at work, and then taken that into their personal lives. We are seeing the reverse process at work here," he said. The survey also revealed that NGOs were rapidly embracing the advanced functions of cellphones, with exactly half of them using the calendar and organiser functions of phones for organisational use, and only 24% for personal use. Instant messaging on the phone had been embraced by 51% for personal use, while only 16% use it for their organisations. A slightly larger proportion, 20%, use instant messaging on computers, with a further 43% indicating that they intended to embrace this option. "The data shows that NGOs still see the new forms of communication offered by social networks and instant messaging as personal tools rather than organisational, but are aware of their capabilities," said Ambrose. "This highlights the potential of these tools once their role can be more clearly defined and promoted." Barnard said devising a technology plan was essential. "This is the first step in making technology work for an organisation, and it's a step that most NGOs must urgently take. The findings of the study will hopefully encourage more action in this regard," he said. (Source: Business Day) Computerize Nigeria Project Launches Phase 2 of 750,000 PC OwnershipComputerize Nigeria Project (CNP), has launched the second phase of its 750,000 Computer Ownership promo. According to the Head, Computerize Nigeria Project, Mrs. Loretta Agbakoba, this step is to further the ideals of the digital knowledge democracy. She explained that the promo is another milestone in the roadmap of the CNP to give Nigerians the opportunity to bridge the digital divide personally, at family and corporate levels. "It is primarily targeted at governments at all levels, educational institutions, and all stakeholders in the Nigerian nation," she said, stressing that based on the success of the first phase, CNP has been in direct negotiations with major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the country like Zinox, Hewlett Packard (HP), Toshiba, Dell, and Acer to secure discounted prices especially for Nigerians in a bid to accelerate access to the IT tools that would catalyze a knowledge driven nation. The Phase 2 of 750,000 Computer Ownership promo, she said, has been embedded with the benefits of a Zinox e learning suite worth N62,000 free for one year and a free Zinox digi lamp to enhance reading in a country where blackouts have become a norm. The e-learning suite, which Zinox developed in partnership with World e-library, she noted, is currently number 1 in Africa and contains 750,000 e-books downloadable in any PC; 59,000 medical e- documents and e-books; 11,000 classic literature e-books; 1,000 Chemistry e-books, 500 Mathematics e-books; 250 Physics e-books; and 680,000 e-books more. "The suite also contains Physics simulation tools, Creative, Observation, and Skills Development Tools, Teacher Lessons Plans, Worksheets, and Classroom Articles. The e learning suite holds a lot of promise for educational institutions who want to be rated among the world's best and Governments who wish to accelerate the pace towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the vision 20/ 2020," Mrs. Agbakoba said. The Head CNP, said that participation is open to all Nigerians and employers may take advantage of the promo to computerize their staff simply by issuing an employer's guaranty. "No bank guarantees are required. All the frustrating documentation that hitherto made computer ownership schemes tedious and unpleasant have been clipped off," she said. Emphasizing that all a prospect needs do is to decide whether to pay the very low cash prices or subscribe to the 12 months installment option. Mrs. Agbakoba explained that the e-learning suites would be automatic to the 1st 100,000 laptops purchased. "All products would enjoy immediate delivery and the respective manufacturer warranty of the OEMs. She said that the CNP and her OEM Partners would deliver on all their promises. She reiterated that the total package pricing is not available to any other company in Africa and that the CNP would make a refund if better prices were found elsewhere," she said. (Source: Daily Champion) In Brief:- Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has launched the e-NHIS aimed at increasing the coverage of the scheme as well as serve as a mechanism to checkmate fraudulent activities. -Nigerian manufacturer of computers, Omatek Computer Plc has expanded its franchise outlet in the South West and South South with show rooms in Uyo, Port Harcourt, Osogbo, Asaba, Abeokuta, Calabar, Lagos and some parts of the West Coast like Cotonou.
MTN Uganda secures a US$100 Million Syndicated Corporate Credit LineMTN Uganda has secured a $100 million syndicated corporate financing facility from 11 local and regional banks in a major credit deal. The transaction is seen as the largest syndicated corporate credit line in Uganda's banking sector that has largely focused on short term lending in previous years, leaving big borrowers starved of sufficient funds for long term lending. The financing is denominated in the equivalent of Uganda shillings, a move that is meant to reduce exposure to foreign exchange losses arising from money market fluctuations. The credit line was arranged by Absa Capital, the investment banking arm of Absa Bank Ltd in collaboration Barclays Bank Uganda Ltd, Standard Chartered Bank Uganda Ltd, KCB Uganda Ltd, and Stanbic Bank Uganda Ltd among others. It was backed by Bank of Africa Uganda Ld, Citibank Uganda Ltd, United Bank of Africa, DFCU Bank Ltd, Ecobank Uganda Ltd and Orient Bank Ltd. Funding from the credit line will be devoted towards MTN's ongoing expansion activities that include erection of masts and base stations in its bid to consolidate market leadership in the telecommunications sector. MTN Uganda is the country's leading mobile phone services provider with an estimated 65 percent of market share equivalent to 5 million subscribers. The credit facility is based on an innovative structure, similar to that used in the issuance of medium term notes for corporate bonds. "The innovative structure addresses the need for strong local corporate credits in the sub Saharan Africa syndicated loan market to manage their funding needs and avoid frequent refinancing and associated costs as additional debt funding becomes available allowing corporate issuers to maintain an optimal and efficient capital structure," explained Charles Mbire, MTN Uganda chairman. The acquisition of the syndicated loan facility comes at a time when MTN Uganda is re-investing in its operations in the wake of increased competition in the telecommunications sector that is reflected in the entry of three new players since January 2008 -- Warid Telecom, Orange Uganda and I-Telecom. Through the financing, MTN Uganda expects to expand its network capacity, instal new infrastructure and offer new services. Currently, competition in Uganda's mobile phone market is tilted towards low calling charges and high network quality based on few dropped calls and a consistently strong reception in all areas of coverage. Though details of the credit transaction are still scanty, MTN Uganda is entitled to an additional $150 million in senior secured facilities on an ongoing basis, according to Marouan Selmi of Absa Capital. The new credit line also brings MTN Uganda's total capital investment to $678million after 11 years of operation. (Source: The East African) Ghana makes $45m annually from BPO sectorGhana earns about $45 million annually from the Business Process Outsourcing industry, the GNA has reported. Alhassan Umar, Executive Secretary of the Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) Secretariat of the Ministry of Communications told the GNA that in the short term Ghana was targeting to earn between $60 and $70 million a year and one billion dollars in the long term. “We hope to attract at least 10 major BPO companies from Europe and US to Ghana and we also want to get more local entities like banks and insurance companies, as well as companies from within the sub-region to transfer their back office jobs to BPOs in Ghana,” he was quoted as saying. To achieve these targets, Ghana has hired US company, Avasant, the leading BPO advisory company in the world to help reorganize the country’s BPO sector. Avasant is expected to gather data on the BPO market in Ghana and redesign promotional tools to market Ghana’s BPO potential internationally. On October 19, 2009, ghanabusinessnews.com published an exclusive interview the site had with the President and Managing Partner of Avasant, Dr. Pradeep Mukherji. In the interview, he said Ghana has potential to lead in BPO in Africa. A recent study by AT Kearney ranked Ghana as the top BPO destination in sub-Sahara Africa, even though, in terms of actual BPO revenue, South Africa is still the continent’s leader. Ghana’s rank was boosted by financial issues. The Ghana government intends to create 40,000 jobs in the BPO sector in five years, but Dr. Mukherji says Avasant hopes to “double or even triple that figure.” (Source: GNA) Rwanda’s Central Bank agrees to MTN's 'Mobile Money' serviceThe National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) will regulate the new mobile money transfer system that will soon be introduced by MTN Rwanda, the central bank Governor said. François Kanimba said MTN has approached the Central Bank and that the bank has issued the company a license of operation after satisfying the criteria. "It is important that this system be regulated because it is for the public interest and there is need to safeguard public interest," explained Kanimba. The new system will be regulated through the laws governing the payment service providers and the payment system laws. However, the timeframe in which this will start operations is not yet known as the company is still working on the project which is expected to commence in the near future. The new service will help MTN subscribers transfer money from one person to another. The service comes as a relief to millions of Rwandans who have either had to endure high money transfer charges imposed by either banks, or money transfer institutions like Western Union, Money gram. It is meant to extend affordable, accessible and user friendly money transfer services to millions of the un-banked population in the county. The same service is being offered by MTN Uganda and other regional telecom companies including Kenya's Safaricom and Zain. The system can help transfer money locally and internationally provided it's from an MTN to MTN network. Official at MTN say that the system is convenient, secure and affordable way for MTN subscribers to send money, buy airtime and pay bills using their cell phones. Whether users have an existing bank account or not, they can register for MTN Mobile Money as long as they are MTN subscribers. Those who do not have MTN SIM cards or even a phone can still receive money from MTN Mobile Money users and send money through a network of agents in their country. (Source: The New Times) South African Enterprises cutting back on softwareAn increasing number of South African enterprises are cutting back on information technology spend as a proportion of their overall turnover, according to a new study released today. The Enterprise Software in South Africa 2009 report, compiled by software consultancy nFold and technology market research organisation World Wide Worx, showed that 39% of medium and large organisations in South Africa were budgeting to spend more than 1% of their turnover on information technology. In 2005, 63% of these organisations planned to spend more than 1% of their turnover on IT. “There has been a dramatic shift in corporate IT spending patterns,” says nFold managing director Sandy Pullinger. “When we conducted the survey in 2005, only 19% of companies budgeted for IT spend on an ad hoc basis or ‘as needed’. This year, that proportion has leaped to 32%.” The biggest gap has appeared in software spend, where only 16% of companies had budgeted “as needed” in 2005. This number has climbed to 38% this year. “It is clear that software forms less of an upfront purchasing priority today than four years ago, but that doesn’t mean software has declined in importance,” says Pullinger. “We find that senior decision-makers in the organisations are more involved in large software purchasing decisions than ever before, with a quarter of companies reporting that financial decision-makers now play a role in the decisions. Previously, financial executives played almost no key role here.” The pressure of recession has meant that companies are paying closer attention to where operational spend is going, but also that they are taking longer to upgrade software. The number of companies evaluating their software needs on an ad hoc basis has also increased dramatically, leaping from less than 20% to more than 35%. This finding is in line with budgets becoming more unpredictable. The most typical time period for reviewing software needs is annually, with roughly a third of companies doing so. However, this is from a situation where, four years ago, half of companies reviewed their software needs at least every six months. One area in which emphasis has increased is on mobile applications – a major trend reported earlier when preliminary findings of the study were released. This backs up separate research by World Wide Worx that confirms the growing business importance of mobility in both the enterprise and among small and medium enterprises. (Source: IT News Africa) In brief:- The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) is betting on its award of the best infrastructure regulator in Africa to attract more foreign investors. According to Pyramid Research, the size of the Kenya's telecoms market is set to grow by 42 per cent from $1.3 billion (Sh104 billion) recorded in revenues last year to $1.9 billion (Sh152 billion) by 2013, with 78 per cent of the total coming from the mobile phone sector. - The Egyptian Company for Mobile Services (Mobinil) said it is considering the issuance of local bonds in order to further finance its network expansion plans, the company said in a statement on the stock exchange website. The matter of issuing bonds will be presented to the company's board of directors. If the board approves such an initiative, it will be announced immediately by Mobinil to the stock exchange. - According to a report by Reuters, Algerian state-owned telecoms operator Algerie Telecom has revealed that it plans to invest USD6 billion in upgrading its fixed line and mobile operations over the next five years. Cherif Yaici, deputy chief executive of Algerie Telecom, said: ‘We will invest the money in overhauling our technology and buying new equipment for our entire networks.’ Yalci added that the spending was part of a wider USD150 billion government plan to upgrade the country’s infrastructure. - Egyptian operator, Orascom Telecom Holding said it will reduce the company's paid-up capital, according to a statement on the stock exchange website. After an extraordinary general assembly meeting on Oct. 22, Orascom Telecom Holding said that the total number of fully paid-up shares reached 889.100 million, after writing off 10.303 million treasury shares. - London- and Johannesburg-listed Dimension Data has added to its African presence by purchasing a 51% stake in Moroccan-based Telcom for an undisclosed amount. Telcom, officially known as Télédistribution et Communication, operates in the telecommunications infrastructure service space. It will be rebranded as Dimension Data Maroc, and plans are already under way to grow the business in the IT space. Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)- Kenya’s mobile operator, Safaricom, has integrated its M-Pesa money transfer service and data platform to enable users to book and pay for their domestic air, road and rail travel through their data-enabled mobile phones. - Zain Kenya intends to roll out 3G by the first half of next year to enhance it data business and make it more competitive in this market segment. - Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, the country's largest mobile phone operator, will soon introduce roaming services for its prepaid service subscribers. - Africa's largest cellular operator, MTN, has lost almost 5% of its South African subscribers in the last three months, as group subscriber growth slowed to 5% in the third quarter. It says the decline is a result of the SIM card registration Act – the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act (RICA). As a result, it does not anticipate any subscriber growth from the local operation for the year, expecting previous gains to be offset by losses. - Almost R800 million was wiped off Telkom's market capitalisation last week, within minutes of the Competition Commission announcing that it was recommending the fixed line operator be fined 10% of is annual turnover. Earlier, the Competition Commission had issued a statement saying that it was recommending to the Competition Tribunal that Telkom be fined 10% of its annual revenue for its financial year, ended 31 March 2008. In its investigation, the commission found that Telkom abused its near-monopoly position in the market for the provision of telecommunication network facilities.
Kampala Leads in Internet UseUganda's capital city Kampala leads in use of the Internet which stands at 53 per cent. Nairobi and Arusha in Tanzania tie at 49 per cent followed by Dar-es-Salaam also in Tanzania with 31 per cent. In Nairobi, 31 per cent of the population use the internet daily, 49 per cent weekly while 20 per cent use it often. According to TNS Research International, the use of the internet has been increasing steadily and on average, 45 per cent of the residents in major urban areas in the region have used the internet. "We want to serve the interests of our clients. The internet usage is high and we expect this to increase rapidly in a couple of years as people access low-priced internet enabled phones," said the firm's director of research Melissa Baker. It is with this in mind that, a study to establish internet consumer behaviour in Kenya was launched yesterday with its findings expected to greatly influence advertising and online transactions in the country. Ms Baker said findings of the survey, to be conducted from November 9, 2009 will be useful to companies, non-governmental organisations and the government when completed. The results will be announced in the first week of January 2010. The study will seek to establish how Kenyans use the internet in social life and engagement, purchasing and selling, advertising, government services and information and education. The undertaking will also establish areas that need improvement as noted by consumers. There has been increased usage of internet in social interactions, advertising and transactions in the country, and the companies which have been shifting their advertising to online modes are expected to be major consumers of the findings as they seek to leverage on its usage to reach a wider audience. The study will be online. Questions will be send to 20,000 users from which 1,000 responses are to be weighted to match user profiles. This will then be followed by 20 in-depth interviews depending on their profiles, with the objective of understanding the information gathered earlier. Kenya ICT Board will jointly conduct the study with TNS Research International. Board chief executive Paul Kukubo said the findings will guide on the setting up of business in the ICT industry. "They will be profiling the internet users in terms of what they like, what they expect and what they want to achieve. We have been active in telling people to start on-line business and we want to use the output of this study to tell the business community that people are using internet and this is what they are doing and ask them to start businesses to meet their needs," said Mr Kukubo. Players in the ICT have often said that most internet consumers are interested in social sites adding that its use as a tool for economic activities is still lagging behind. (Source: Daily Nation) Minister's SMS Call to Target Cape Town DeliverySouth Africa’s Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs is circulating an SMS calling on people to report "water cut-offs and other poor municipal services in Cape Town". Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka is expected to give evidence to Parliament on Monday to prove claims that the City of Cape Town was cutting water supply to certain areas. Premier Helen Zille said on Tuesday morning that: "By sending out an SMS in this way, the ANC is continuing its campaign against Cape Town. Cape Town has the most generous free water policy in the country." In September, Shiceka threatened to strip the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape provincial government of their powers if they failed to deliver basic services to poor residents soon. This came after residents of Mitchells Plain complained that their water had been cut off without warning. They said attempts to seek help from the city or the provincial government had failed. Zille said at the time that the residents' water had never been cut off without warning. In an open letter to Shiceka she said the local ANC committee had been behind a strategy to falsely claim water cut-offs in Freedom Park, Mitchells Plain, in a bid to make the DA-led city look bad. She said residents had told her that, before Shiceka's visit, the local ANC committee had instructed residents to turn off the stopcocks on their water meters so that it would look as if the water had been cut off when they turned on the taps inside their houses. Zille's allegation led to a probe by the provincial ANC, which rejected her claims saying they there unproven. Shiceka's parliamentary spokesperson, Jazze Mokoena, said on Monday that Shiceka would respond on Tuesday in Parliament to a National Council of Provinces question on the water-cut offs in the city. Mokoena said Shiceka had formed a ministerial task team about two weeks ago to investigate claims that the city was cutting the supply of water to some areas. He said the task team was formed after the city "disputed the fact that there were water cuts in areas like Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha and Lwandle". He refused to reveal the number of complaints that had been received and their origin, saying that this would be done by the minister in Parliament on Monday. Mokoena said the SMS calling on people to report water cut-offs and other service delivery problems had come from the task team. Zille said on Tuesday that Shiceka was still trying to cover up the fact that the ANC had lied about water cut-offs in Mitchells Plain. "We also have meters that prevent the wastage of water and make sure that people don't have to pay for water that leaks. Why are the minister and the ANC picking on Cape Town, which was recently assessed to be the best metro council in the country? "The bottom line is that the ANC hates Cape Town. The minister must be impartial and treat everyone fairly, not pick on Cape Town in this unfair, dishonest and prejudicial way." The city was not available for comment. (Source: Cape Argus)
People- Nigerian, Adekunle Awobodu, is now flying the nation's flag high in far away Iran, where he has just been appointed the Chief Financial Officer for MTN IranCell. EventsComBIT AFRICA 2-4 November 2009, Lagoon Conference Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos AITEC has been commissioned to organise this leading annual ICT expo hosted by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON). This year’s theme is “Setting the Pace for Africa’s ICT Transformation” ComBIT Africa has it roots in Nigeria’s burgeoning telecommunications sector, having been the showcase for the industry since it was launched by ATCON 14 years ago (previously called NICOMM and changed to ComBIT Africa in 2008). The event has grown to be the country’s premier ICT event. In light of Nigeria’s leading regional role and to the era of rapid convergence, the event has been expanded to be Africa-wide in perspective, as well as covering the full spectrum of ICT technologies and strategies. It is ATCON’s mission to develop the event as the continent’s premier ICT industry event. For the full programme visit Aitec Africa’s website (www.aitecafrica.com) 3RD IT EDGE WEST AFRCIA CONVERGENCE FORUM 4 November 2009, International Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria FORUM 2009 is free, sponsored by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and Ericsson. This year, the event holds in Abuja for the first time since 2007 and drawing greater participation from the public and private sectors with the theme: Content & Policy Dynamics in the Converged Market. For further information visit IT Edge News website www.itedgenews.com BarCampAfrica UK 2009 7 November 2009, Vodafone HQ, London, UK This event will bring together a group of talented entrepreneurs, technologist, charities, engineers, designers, bloggers, artists, with a passion for African development. This is a Free Event and Tickets will be given on a first come first served basis. For further information visit their website http://barcampafrica.com/uk OUTSOURCING & CONTACT CENTRES EAST AFRICA 11-12 November 2009, Laico Regency Hotel, Nairobi Now in its fourth year, this is East Africa’s leading BPO conference, gathering international outsourcing companies and buyers of outsourced services with local service providers to explore partnerships and business opportunities. For the full programme visit Aitec Africa’s website (www.aitecafrica.com) CUSTOMER SERVICE & CONTACT CENTRE WEST AFRICA 24-25 November 2009, Oriental Hotel, Lagos This year’s theme is “Achieving excellence in Customer Service & Increasing Market Share during an Economic Downturn”, it is aimed at organisations in the region with established contact centres – and those planning to set up centres – to learn about world trends and latest developments in contact centre technologies and management strategies. Telecom operators, banks and other financial service companies, outsourcing operators, oil companies, public utilities and government departments will be the key target sectors. For the full programme visit Aitec Africa’s website (www.aitecafrica.com) ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2009 2-4 December 2009, Berlin, Germany Innovate, Share, Succeed – is the theme of OEB 2009. This year’s agenda will be about your learning innovations, your expertise and the great ideas that will lead your organisation, company or school to success. For the full programme visit the organiser’s website TANCon AFRICA 2009 4-6 December 2009, Taia Resort, Freetown, Sierra Leone This years conference will explore the theme "Virgin Territories: A New Market for Innovative Investment" through the use of case studies on Sierra Leone and other liberalizing African markets. TANCon Africa is hosted by TAN a global non-profit organization that fosters entrepreneurship and technology among people of African descent. TAN was founded in Silicon Valley, California in 2004 to provide a support structure and network for entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, and community leaders worldwide. This year, the TAN Africa conference is held in collaboration with the Internet Society of Sierra Leone and supported by the Ministry of Trade & Industry and Sierra Leone Import Export Promotion Agency (SLIEPA). TANCon Africa 2009 will attract over 250 local and international attendees from the United States of America, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Ghana and the rest of the world. Conference participants will range from industry leaders and key decision makers of global financial institutions, fortune 500 companies in ICT, Finance, Agriculture, Tourism, Infrastructure, Social Entrepreneurship and Renewable Energy. For more information on the conference, see the conference Web page at: Jobs and OpportunitiesBUSINESS CONTINUITY MANAGER – NIGERIA Core Purpose of the role - To develop, implement, maintain and manage the governance of the enterprise wide business disruption and recovery program and to safeguard against and/or ensure recovery from all types of business disruption risks (technical, geopolitical, industry and regulatory). For further information on education, experience and how to apply for the job, click on the following link http://www.cellular-news.com/recruitment/list_job.php?uid=10243 MASTER OF MANAGEMENT IN ICT POLICY & REGULATION – SOUTH AFRICA The Graduate School of Public & Development and the LINK Centre at the University of the Witwatersrand invites applications for the January 2010 intake into its CHE-accredited Master of Management in ICT Policy and Regulation degree programme. What is the MM(ICTPR)? The MM(ICTPR) aims to provide a formal post-graduate academic qualification for senior staff engaged in policy formulation, policy analysis and regulation of information communications technologies (ICTs), a sector which is currently undergoing rapid change and experiencing continued expansion. Who should attend? This Master’s degree is designed for middle to senior level managers and practitioners working in the broad ICT sector across Africa - telecommunications industry; IT industry; broadcasting; trade unions; regulatory associations; government policy departments including communications, trade and industry, science and technology; science councils; university teaching departments; public sector ICT organisations, consumer advocates and the development sector. How do I find out more? The degree comprises 10 week-long course-work modules and a substantial (50%) applied research report. It can be completed over 3 years part-time or 1 year full-time. Information on courses, scheduling, fees and more can be found at http://link.wits.ac.za/training/training4.html For a copy of the course brochure, go to http://link.wits.ac.za/training/MM-ICTPR-brochure.pdf
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