News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 205 on 21 May 2004
Top Story
Dash me - An anatomy of corruption in the ICT business - an off-the-record Briefing
Corruption is an ever present reality for most business sectors in Africa and is one factor cited as a barrier to doing business with the continent. In this week’s off-the-record briefing Russell Southwood looks at how corruption works in the ICT business in Africa. From large-scale contract transactions to simply getting a phone installed, we look at how it affects the ability of companies to get things done and the additional costs it places on doing business. There are many kinds of corruption and they affect the way countries do business differently. In the ICT sector there appear to be…
Telecoms
NITEL PROMISING TO ROLL OUT N13BN OPTICAL FIBRE TRANSMISSION THIS YEAR
NITEL is to roll out its USD100ml(N13billion) National Optic Fibre transmission system later this year, according to its Managing Director, Rein Zwolsman. He said that the underground cable will link…
Telecoms
KENYAN GOVT CONFIRMS LAY-OFFS AT KENYA TELKOM
The Kenyan Government last week confirmed that a section of Telkom Kenya employees will be retrenched when the parastatal is privatised. Those targeted are all the non-core and semi-skilled employees.…
Telecoms
NEW RURAL TELEPHONE FIRM FORMED IN ZIMBABWE
A new telephone company, Afritell, has been formed to bring telephone services to rural and urban areas in Zimbabwe. The new company is a joint venture between a private company,…
Telecoms
BOTSWANA’s MASCOM LOSES COURT CASE OVER AIR-TIME SUPPLY TO FONES 4 U
THE High Court directed Mascom Wireless last week not to terminate its contract with Fones 4 U. The order followed an urgent application launched by Fones 4 U through its…
Telecoms
GATEWAY GOES OVER TO MPLS IN SOUTH AFRICA USING MTN NETWORK
Gateway Communication has gained a multi-service edge by upgrading its national and international network to multi-protocol label switching (MPLS), the technology of choice for next-generation converged networks. The adoption of…
Telecoms
FIERCE SCRAMBLE FOR EXTRA CELLPHONE LICENCE IN NAMIBIA
More than 20 companies have applied for the one extra cellphone license that the Namibian Communication Commission (NCC) plans to issue later this year. The scramble for the extra provider…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- International telecommunications company, interWAVE Communications has secured a USUSD4.8 million order for Commercial Facilitators Limited (CFL), a value-added telecom service provider in Nigeria, to expand their fleet of interWAVE’s…
Telecoms
TELECOM RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
- Mascom Wireless-Botswana has launched PayM8 for pre-paid subscribers that allows them to purchase airtime directly from their handsets. The Mascom Direct Top-up service that uses "Verified by Visa" technology…
Internet
ETHIOPIA’S ETC TO BUILD NATIONWIDE BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE
A nationwide broadband infrastructure aimed at reaching over 600 woredas is under construction throughout the country, officials of the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) disclosed at the Addis Ababa Hilton last…
Internet
SA’S RUMBA OFFERS ISDN AT R49 A MONTH AND SETS AMBITIOUS SALES TARGETS
Rumba, a soon to be launched Internet service provider (ISP) in South Africa, says it will undercut the other ISPs in the market by offering Internet dial-up and ISDN connections…
Internet
UUNET SAYS ITS FUTURE ASSURED BY PARENT MCI
Network service provider UUNet SA says it has been given assurances that it will remain a small but essential offshoot of its parent company, MCI, which finally emerged from chapter…
Computing
NIGERIA NEEDS INCUBATION CENTRE FOR SOFTWARE DEV, SAYS NCS BOSS
The President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Dr. Chris Nwannenna has said that for Nigerian software developers to produce standard and quality softwares, the country needs a software incubation…
Computing
IBM GROUP RE-LAUNCHES EAST AFRICA OPERATIONS
IBM, one of the worlds leading software and hardware makers has re-launched its operations in Kenya after eight years absence. The corporation’s Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa…
Computing
POLYTECHNIC OF NAMIBIA IT CENTRE POISED FOR LAUNCH IN 2005
THE multi-million dollar Library and Information Technology Resource Centre for the Polytechnic of Namibia, set up to meet the challenges of the age of information and technology at the institution,…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- South African software republishing company, Phoenix Software, has launched its first PC game in the UK and South Africa. Castle Strike from publisher Data Becker and developer Related Designs,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
AMLAK FINANCE CONTRIBUTES USD3 MILLION TO SUDATEL SYNDICATION
Amlak Finance is amongst a select group of financial institutions to help finance investment projects for Sudan Telecommunications Company (Sudatel). The company’s participation in the syndicated finance facility worth $40…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
MILLICOM RESULTS SHOW STRONG CONTRIBUTION FROM GHANA AND SENEGAL
Millicom International Cellular S.A. announced results for the quarter ended March 31 2004. According to Marc Beuls, MIC’s President and Chief Executive Officer:""MIC has had a buoyant start in 2004,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Shareholders of FrontRange, the JSE-listed developer of integrated business relationship solutions, last week voted in favour of resolutions that will see a significant share option grant being made to…
Digital Content
Digital Content
African Web News - In Brief
- In a bid to correct the negative image ascribed to Nigeria’s Kaduna state as a religiously volatile and intolerant state, the state government has now acquired a web site…
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PEOPLE
* A sign of the times. Swaziland’s King Mswati reportedly sacked his now former Prime Minister, Sibusiso Dlamini last year via an SMS, according to recent revelations by members of…
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EVENTS
INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: ICT STAKEHOLDERS’ FORUM: SPECIAL FOCUS ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, MAURITIUS, 7-9 JULY 2004 The Commonwealth Business Council in conjunction with the International Telecommunications Union, the Government of Mauritius…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
The USD5 million to provide communication infrastructure in rural areas is now open to competitive biding through the Uganda Communication Commissions (UCC). The World Bank offered the money two years…
