News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 204 on 14 May 2004
Top Story
KENYA AIRWAYS E-COMMERCE SITE SHOWS IT CAN BE DONE BUT CAN AFRICA’S BANKS KEEP UP?
Until recently e-commerce in Africa was something that happened in North Africa and South Africa but hardly anywhere else. A major breakthrough has recently been achieved by Kenya Airways whose e-commerce site is achieving impressive business. However the continent’s rather conservative banking sector is struggling to keep up. Russell Southwood interviews Kenya Airway’s Joseph Nduva whose responsible for its e-commerce web site. Where did the idea for the web site come from? E-commerce is an absolute must for airlines. The travel market is moving into cyberspace and we need to move with our competitors into that environment. For airlines e-commerce…
Telecoms
ZAMTEL 20% PRIVATISATION STAKE LIKELY TO BE BOUGHT BY CHINESE ZTE
The Chinese Company ZTE is reported to be the favorite to take up the 20 per cent share stake in Zambia Telecommunications (Zamtel) that is to be privatised, writes Timothy…
Telecoms
KENYA’S CCK DELAYS BIDDING FOR SNO BY A MONTH
The submission of offers for Kenya’s SNO licence has been pushed back by a month to allow bidders to factor in the newly announced reserve price in their proposals. Industry…
Telecoms
MOBILE SPAZA PHONE OPERATORS CLASH WITH MBABANE CITY COUNCIL
Mobile spaza phone operators selling on the street have found themselves in conflict with Swaziland’s Mbanane City Council. They were selling atr a bus rank but have been prohibited from…
Telecoms
NIGERIAN GOVT OPENS TELECOMS UNIVERSITY IN ABUJA
This week sees the opening of what will become the degree-awarding Digital Bridge Institute in the Nigerian capital Abuja.According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Ernest Ndukwe, the…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- According to Cellular News, Stratex Networks has been selected by an unnamed African mobile telephony company to provide US$12.8 million of wireless transmission equipment, for the expansion of its…
Telecoms
TELECOM RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
- Kenya’s Safaricom is extending its coverage to the neglected North Eastern province, offering phone service in its four major towns: Wajir, Mandera, Dadaab and Moyale. It will also be…
Internet
KENSAT TO DROP VSAT CHARGES BY "AS MUCH AS 85%" AHEAD OF MONOPOLY ENDING
Kensat last week announced that it would slash its VSAT charges "by as much as 85 per cent". Levy Maitamei, the Kensat Brand Manager said that it will now cost…
Internet
‘E-GOVERNANCE CAN CUT GOVT COSTS BY 10%’, SAYS UIA’S KIGOZI
Expenditure on local government affairs can be reduced by 10 percent if e- governance is promoted in all the 56 districts of Uganda, according to Dr Maggie Kigozi, the executive…
Internet
EIGHT TUNISIAN INTERNET USERS CONVICTED OF TERRORISM
On 6 April 2004, a Tunis court sentenced eight Internet users from the southern city of Zarzis to up to 26 years in prison. The convicted Internet users were accused…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Datatec-owned Westcon has won a two-year contract making it the primary global distributor of Motorola’s Canopy wireless broadband products and accessories. - Another Nigerian ISP has joined the fray,…
Computing
SA’S COMPETITION COMMISSION SAYS NO TO 4 BANKS BUYING COMPCORP
SA’s Competition Commission last week said no to the four major commercial banks acquiring real estate-software company Comcorp Online and its BondTrak software that is used by mortgage originators (real…
Computing
ABSA IMPLEMENTS ORACLE BALANCED SCORECARD
The information management division of Absa Bank says it has begun the roll-out of an Oracle balanced scorecard implementation on Oracle’s database platform. The new balanced scorecard structure, says Absa,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
POOR RESULTS MAY PUSH TISCALI TO SELL ITS SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS
One of South Africa’s larger ISPs Tiscali South Africa might be sold by its Italian parent after the European business released a poor set of financiual results this week and…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- SA’s Spescom says the revised offer from black-owned fund management company Vantage Capital has received shareholder approval.
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
CORRECTION
ISSUE 203: VODACOM RENAMES ECONET NIGERIA AND SNAPS UP 51% OF DISTRIBUTOR SMARTCALL While it is true that Vodacom Group (Pty) Ltd has acquired a 51% equity stake in Smartphone…
Digital Content
SURVEY SHOWS HOW MUCH BENINESE DIASPORA MAKES USE OF ONLINE MEDIA
According to a survey carried out on the diaspora between August and October last year by the Research Group on the African Media (GREMA), 37% of Beninese living abroad read…
Digital Content
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PEOPLE
* Transtel’s young CEO Karl Socikwa, 35, newly appointed chairman of the interim board of the South African SNO admitted that chairing is lot is like riding a tiger. It’s…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
NEW TELECOMS AND ICT DIPLOMA PROGRAMME LAUNCHED The University of the Western Cape (UWC) welcomed the first students to enrol in its NetTel@Africa Masters Programme at a gala dinner held…
