News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 199 on 26 March 2004
Top Story
KENYA’S NEW THIRD MOBILE OPERATOR WILL FACE A TOUGH ROAD TO SUCCESS
Last week’s Kenyan High Court decision cleared the way for Econet Wireless International to take up its licence as the country’s third mobile licence operator. The Kenyan mobile market is an interesting one as it faces a number of issues of wider relevance. The market is relatively large but there must be a question as to whether it can sustain a third operator. The new entrant will need a clear commercial strategy to compete with two well-established rivals: what might that strategy be? Within a year both of the existing operators may have changed ownership and these changes are part…
Telecoms
SAT3 FIBRE CABLE VANDALISED 35KMS FROM LAGOS
Nigeria’s SAT3 connection was vandalised 35kms from its Lagos landing point providing a waking nightmare for all those who see fibre as the solution for cheaper African connectivity. According to…
Telecoms
USD18 MILLION ECOWAS TELECOMS FUND LIES IDLE PENDING RESTRUCTURING
In a barely believable development this week, ECOWAS confirmed that USD18 million set aside for a Specialised Telecoms Fund has remained unused for five years because of an incomplete restructuring…
Telecoms
DATETEL AWARDED GSM LICENCE IN SIERRE LEONE
Datatel GSM Limited announced last week that it has been awarded a GSM wireless licence by the Sierre Leonean Ministry of Transport and Communications. The license will allow Datatel GSM…
Telecoms
MASTERCARD AND SIMPLUS DEVELOP M-COMMERCE SOLUTION WITH R1.6BN TURNOVER
In what is considered just the beginning, MasterCard Southern Africa and Simplus’s jointly developed m-commerce solution has generated over R1.6 billion turnover in 2003. The mobile commerce solution, recently re-branded…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Shiron Satellite Communications, a provider of broadband IP over satellite systems, and MAP Infotel, a Nigerian service provider, last week announced the opening of the official Shiron maintenance center…
Telecoms
TELECOM RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
- Nigerian SNO Globacom has rolled out its network to Aba, the capital of Abia State. - South African corporate customers that have been overcharged by Telkom for several years…
Internet
E-MAIL TO MOBILE PHONE SMS DEBUTS IN NIGERIA
GlobalEch launched what it claims is the first e-mail to mobile message service in Nigeria. Cityecho, which is a service from GlobalEcho allows e-mail access from any location using common…
Internet
MAURITIAN REGULATOR PROPOSES FUND TO SPEED INTERNET UPTAKE
Mauritian regulator ICTA has proposed the setting up of a public-private fund to overcome the slow take-up of the internet on the island among other things. It is suggesting that…
Internet
GHANA TELECOM INTRODUCES NATIONAL NUMBER AND BROADBAND OFFER
Ghana Telecom outlined a strategic programme to promote the growth of Internet usage in the country. These include the introduction of the 15-number code for dial-up Internet Service Providers (ISPs)…
Internet
TUNISIA’S VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY GENERATES FIRST RESULTS
Tunisia’s Virtual University is generating its first results. Started last year, the first phase has involved putting in place the technology platform needed to deliver courses from four universities (Iset…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- South Africa’s First National Bank (FNB) customers were unable to carry out transactions this morning, due to bank mainframe problems. Customers unable to access ATM services became aware of…
Computing
COMPUTER DEDUCTIONS USED IN TOGOLESE WAGES SCAM
The Togolese Anti-Corruption Commission has uncovered a very costly scam at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Officials at the Ministry had put in place a scheme that allowed them…
Computing
INFINITY BPO OPENS 40-SEAT CALL CENTRE
Mauritian Infinity BPO baptised its new call centre operation last week. The building will be completed at the end of April. The 40 seat call-centre is on the sixth floor…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- UK-based National Computing Centre (NCC) has started a partnership with Clone Consultants Uganda to offer its first PC Competency Automated testing system in the country.
digtool
E-MAIL ACCESS THROUGH PASSING BUSES
The Karnataka state government in India has computerised land records. The only problem is that the servers storing these records are in district headquarters and are not easily accessible to…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
TELECOM NAMIBIA’S MUNDO STARTEL STAKE CONFIRMS ITS ENTRY INTO ANGOLA
Telecom Namibia announced its entry into the Angolan telecommunications market with the acquisition of a 44% stake in Mundo Startel, reports The Namibian. The deal, which was sealed in Luanda,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- SA’s AST has reported positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the six months to December, compared with a loss for the previous interim period. A headline…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
RESPONSES
Issue 193: Telecentres special: Reaching those parts the market cannot yet reach I am Italian consultant, and I want to point out that the market, and the organization I work…
Digital Content
CAMEROON’S AES-SONEL OPENS ITS SHOP-WINDOW TO WEB USERS
Caemeroon’s newest energy utility company Aes-Sonel has launched its new web site. Founded in 1981 and based in Arlington, Virginia (USA) the company is one of the biggest independent energy…
Digital Content
WORLD BANK’S DAKAR OFFICE PUTS UP A WEB SITE
http://www.banquemondiale-senegal.org LIRE EN FRANCAIS APRES 15.00 GMT, 15 MARCH:http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/french.html
Digital Content
African Web News - In Brief
- Opening an Internet channel has paid off for account payment service SA’s EasyPay, which is experiencing payment volume growth every month. The Web site was launched in 1998 as…
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PEOPLE
* MTN CEO Phuthuma Nhleko was rated the most powerful director managing a JSE-listed company, followed by Telkom CEO Sizwe Nxasana, in an Empowerdex report released earlier this week. Empowerdex…
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EVENTS
IMPLEMENTING THE WSIS ACTION PLAN (25- 26 MARCH) Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya DAY ONE 8am Registration and Coffee Opening Ceremony 9am Chair: Sammy K. Kirui, Director-General and Chief Executive…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
http://www.aec.at/de/prix/communities/communities.asp - Seeing the need to grow skills in the ICT industry, SA’s Enterprise Connection has launched an internship programme jointly with a certified technical training centre (CTEC), Torque IT.…
