News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 202 on 3 May 2004
Top Story
PEOPLE SPECIAL: AN INTERVIEW WITH SYLVESTRE OUEDRAOGO, YAM PUKRI
Sylvestre Ouedraogo is a man of many parts. He’s written a book about how ICT might be used to further development in Africa. He’s an academic who carries out interesting research projects, particularly looking at how ICT might be used by people. And he also set up and runs Yam Pukri, an NGO that has four centres that offer internet access, training and work experience for young people. His book -L’ordinateur et le Djembé - Entre rêves et réalités (The computer and the Djembé - Between dreams and realities) is not one of those loft tomes fill of well-meaning phrases…
Telecoms
SA’S ORION HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH TELKOM OVER UNFAIR COMPETION
The complex legal drama that is currently taking place, where Orion Telecom has accused Telkom of abusing its monopoly position to unfairly target Orion’s clients and lure them away, has…
Telecoms
COTE D’IVOIRE’S ORANGE BUYS INTEC BILLING SYSTEM
Ivorian mobile operator Orange has gone live with Intec’s InterconnecT solution. The successful implementation of Intec’s intercarrier billing system was made possible by an extended global partnership agreement with France…
Telecoms
NAMIBIA’S MTC ATTRIBUTES POOR CELLULAR SERVICE TO GROWTH
Namibian Mobile Telecommunications Company has attributed its poor quality of cellphone reception to the rapid growth in the number of subscribers. MTC Managing Director, Bengt Strenge, said last week that…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- State-owned Angola Telecom is installing a fibre optic system in the southern region of Lubango. The work is being carried out by 15 Chinese technicians who also involved in…
Telecoms
TELECOM RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
- Mobile telephone network operator Econet Wireless Zimbabwe (Econet) has deferred a tariff increase that had been slated for this month, the company’s brand manager, Christian Mhlanga, has announced. Econet,…
Internet
SKYBAND BRINGS WIRELESS INTERNET TO MALAWI
Skyband Wireless, an offshoot of internet service provider Africa Online, announced on Monday last week the launch of what it described as a fast and efficient wireless communication set to…
Internet
NIGERIA’S FIRST BANK’S ONLINE REAL TIME LOCATIONS HIT 130
Nigeria’s First Bank has added another 20 real-time locations. This brings to 130 the number of the bank’s branches and locations linked together online, in real time. The bank claims…
Internet
SA’S ABSA TO DEPLOY BANDWIDTH ENHANCER ACROSS SOUTHERN AFRICA
The Absa Group is deploying a new-generation bandwidth, enhancing technology in more than 45 locations in southern Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania as part of a programme to expand its legacy…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
The ‘mock election’ fun poll carried on SA provider M-Web’s site has attracted nearly 20,000 votes in under two weeks. Most of the votes were for minority parties, with the…
Computing
ITAN’S AYODELE WANTS 20% QUOTA FOR NIGERIAN SOFTWARE
Chief Olaide Ayodele, Chief Executive Officer of the Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria called on the Federal Government to create a 20% quota for software deployed in Government organisations.…
Computing
ZAMBIA’S COMPUTER MISUSE AND CYBER CRIME BILL NOT MAKING IMPACT
Computer Society of Zambia (CSZ) President and IT Lecturer Milner Makuni last week told a meeting of E-Brain that far too few people were aware of the implications of the…
Computing
GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT BECOMES LATEST TO SIGN WITH MICROSOFT
Earlier this month the government of Ghana signed a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft, aimed at creating a workforce that is literate in information and communications technology. Last month, Angola…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
http://www.catia.ws - The Nigerian Federal Government is to introduce information technology into schools curriculum and make it compulsory. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette told the…
digtool
MECER LAUNCHES MECER NET
Mecer has joined with local ISP Branded Internet to launch Mecer Net, a Branded ISP (BISP) that targets Mecer dealers and end-users.Lance Terner, CEO of Branded Internet, says the BISP…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
GHANA WILL PAY USD50 MILLION TO BUY OUT TELEKOM MALAYSIA
According to a Reuters report, Telekom Malaysia announced that the Ghanaian government agreed to pay the Telekom USD50 million for its shareholding. "The government of Ghana has admitted it will…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
TELECEL ZIMBABWE FINED Z374 MILLION FOR ILLEGAL CURRENCY DEALING
Telecel Zimbabwe was yesterday fined USD374.2 million, the Zimbabwe equivalent of the hard currency involved, by a Harare regional court for illegally dealing in foreign currency. Telecel, represented by Anthony…
Digital Content
HACKERS BREAK INTO THE ANGOP WEBSITE
Angola’s Press Agency has a serious technical failure last week which it believes was caused by hackers, disturbing the posting and flow of information. According to ANGOP:" Judging from the…
Digital Content
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PEOPLE
* Ericsson’s Vice President will visit Econet Wireless Nigeria to have talks about how to improve the operators services. The visit iss a follow-up to the signing of a USD110…
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EVENTS
FUTUREX 2004: THE CONFERENCE 18 to 20 May 2004, Sandton Convention Centre, Gauteng Conference themes The overall theme of the three-day conference is: Where ICTE and Business Connect Each of…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
www.afrinic.net AfriNIC is now planning to choose a logo for its identification and will welcome any contribution from graphic designers willing to help. The Logo should be simple and easy…