News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 215 on 20 August 2004
Top Story
NALEDI3D FACTORY - INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL REALITY COMPANY SURVIVES AGAINST THE ODDS
In April 2001 News Update carried a story on South African Naledi3D Factory which was just setting out to pioneer interactive virtual reality applications. One of company's founder's Dave Lockwood describes how the the company has survived and the kinds of applications that it has developed over the last three years. In 2001, News Update carried a story about a new company that was striving to use virtual reality (VR) to help developing communities in Africa and to help educate and empower the people of Africa . What's happened since then? Firstly, the good news is that the company…
Telecoms
IVORIAN SNO AROBASE TELECOM SET TO LAUNCH SHORTLY
In a few days time, Côte d'Ivoire 's second national operator will be operational. Last week the company presented its work and the new services it intends to offer Ivorian…
Telecoms
KENYAN SNO MINIMUM LICENCE PRICE SET AT USD2.5M - ANNOUNCEMENT SEPT
Telkom Kenya 's rival in provision of the fixed telephone services will be known next week. This follows an announcement by the government of a Sh2 billion (USD2.5m) fixed reserve…
Telecoms
EUROPEAN COMMISSION FUNDS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK FOR S MOZAMBIQUE
The European Commission has signed a contract worth 500,000 Euros (about USD600,000) with the Mozambican government for the supervision of the supply and installation of equipment for the telecommunications networks…
Telecoms
ZAMBIAN REGULATOR CALLS ON ZAMTEL TO INSTALL VOIP TO REDUCE CALL COSTS
The Zambian regulator, the Communication Authority has suggested that the incumbent telco Zamtel install VoIP capacity to help it lower the cost of international calls. CA Acting Director-Frequency Management, Kephas…
Telecoms
NIGERIA 'S NCC WARNS OPERATORS TO PLAY BY THE RULES
Telecommunications operators who flout provisions of the Communications Act 2003 may face the wrath of the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned. By the provisions of an…
Telecoms
SA'S TELKOM WILL BE READY FOR E-RATE ROLL-OUT IN 2005
Telkom is partnering with the Department of Communications and the Department of Education to bring ICT to schools via the e-rate from February 2005. Public schools that are fully funded…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Telkom Kenya has approved Sh239.9 million tender to upgrade its telecommunication systems. A Chinese technology firm, Huawei Technical Investment Company, won the tender to supply the equipment, which will…
Telecoms
TELECOM RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
- Celtel Burkina has extended its network to the département of Ténado, 30 kilometres from Koudougou, the capital of Boulkiemdé. LIRE EN FRANCAIS: http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/french.html - Since the end of June,…
Internet
KENYA 'S SAFARICOM CHASES INTERNET USERS WITH GPRS
Kenya 's leading mobile company Safaricom says it is going to introduce GPRS With the intention of going after customers who want to use their mobile to access e-mail…
Internet
ALGERIAN REGULATOR ENDS TRIAL PERIOD FOR VoIP THROUGH ISPS
Algerian 24 ISPs have been waiting to see whether the country's regulator ARPT would extend the temporary permission they have had to offer VoIP. This was offered on the basis…
Internet
WI-FI HOTSPOTS BLOSSOM IN KENYAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN AIRPORTS
This week saw two announcements for wi-fi hotspots in airports in Kenya and South Africa . Internet Solutions, M-Web and the Airports Company SA (Acsa) last week announced a joint…
Internet
ZAMBIA 'S POWER COMPANY ZESCO TO SEND BILLS BY E-MAIL
The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) is to embark on a project that would allow electricity bills to be sent by e-mail, writes Balancing Act's Zambian correspondent Timothy Kasolo. Speaking…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- An appeal court has upheld what local and international observers say are "unjustified sentences" handed down to young web users, picked up in a raid on a web café…
Computing
SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANY SELLS MOBILE GAMES SOFTWARE TO CHINA
Clockspeed Mobile, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stellenbosch-based Swist Group Technologies, has concluded a deal with China Mobile for distribution of its mobile games in China . Clockspeed is an…
Computing
TWO SA TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES SELL FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE TO BRAZIL
Two South African technology companies have joined forces to introduce local technology to the South American market.The listed company Digicore Technologies and DexData Technologies are entering the fleet management…
Computing
WIRELESS USED TO SPEED UP POINT-OF-SALE TRANSACTIONS
Internet Solutions (IS) says that consumers are all too familiar with long queues at the cash registers, and with the shake of the head that accompanies those fateful words from…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Zebra Technologies says it has launched a new desktop Radio Frequency Identification (RFID or 'smart-ID') printer/encoder. Zebra, which deals with on-demand printing and speciality label printing solutions for business…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
NEWER OPERATORS WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM SHAREHOLDING IN EASSY FIBRE
Speaking at an EASSY project summit held in Kampala last week, Kenya Telkom's MD John Waweru said:"We want commitment from the Telecom companies that they are going to buy traffic.…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
KENYAN CO-OP MOVEMENT GIVING CONTINUING TROUBLES TO ECONET FUNDRAISING
Intense squabbles over the shareholding structure for Econet Wireless Kenya is again threatening the setting up of the company, according to a report in Kenya 's Sunday Standard. In the…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Telecom Egypt issued its FY03 audited results in which net income soared 37.5% to LE1,087 million versus LE791 million realized in FY02. Revenues increased 15% to LE7.2 billion, while…
Digital Content
DFID-FUNDED E-GOVERNMENT PROJECT COMPLETED
www.egov4dev.org Four selected topics have online case studies (including a number from South Africa ), practitioner guidance materials and training guides: Success and Failure of eGovernment Projects; ICTs and Government…
Digital Content
FOUNDER OF SA'S WEBNET SELLS HIS STAKE TO WOMEN, INCLUDING NIECE
Saths Moodley, a co-founder of Webnet, had decided to empower women in information and communications technology (ICT) by selling his 45 percent stake in the company for an undisclosed…
Digital Content
African Web News - In Brief
- Ugandan web site WOUGNET had a total of 4,041 unique visitors. The Top Ten Visitor Countries were: United States , Great Britain , Uganda , Canada , Belgium ,…
Digital Content
I4D DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS
BOTSWANA TELEMEDICINE - NEED TO BE "IDEALISTIC AND REALISTIC" If Telemedicine technology is properly implemented in Botswana medical services will be better accessible to the public, a Canadian expert…
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PEOPLE
* Three new councillors have been nominated to the board of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA). The councillors were announced at a dinner last week celebrating ICASA's fourth…
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EVENTS
iWEEK 2004 ONLINE REGISTRATION OPENS THIS WEEK http://iweek.ispa.org.za http://iweek.ispa.org.za/program.html
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
imcv@glotel.com If our correspondent is "off the mark" or you have factual amendments, mail them to us and we will include them in subsequent News Updates. If you'd like to…
