Issue no 233
Top Story
Ghana - GISPA signs agreement with GT for new, low prices on SAT-3
After a testy and rather acrimonious set of negotiations, Ghana's ISP association GISPA last week signed an agreement with telecom incumbent Ghana Telecom for cheaper international fibre access on the SAT-3 cable. It sets a precedent for opening up access to this monopoly-controlled fibre for a wider range of companies besides its original investors. Although GISPA is pleased to sign the agreement, it remains unhappy as it maintains that Ghana Telecom's ISP is offering retail broadband prices that are so low that the SAT-3 price could afford to come down again. Although the agreement remains confidential, it is understood that…
Telecoms
ECONET KENYA LTD FINALLY GRANTED MOBILE LICENCE BUT KNFC MAY GO
Econet Wireless Kenya (EWK) was yesterday formally given a licence to operate a third mobile phone company. The consortium that is still struggling to forge an internal alliance hopes to…
Telecoms
GHANA'S SPACEFON LAUNCHES GPRS SERVICES
Ghanaian mobile operator Spacefon lat week launch a GPRS service that allows multimedia functioning of cellular phones, including browsing the Internet.The launch comes with two new data services, namely, the…
Telecoms
LIBERIAN GOVT LIMITS NUMBER OF MOBILE OPERATORS TO FOUR
The Government of Liberia last week declared that the maximum number of GSM Cellphone operators in the country shall not exceed four at any point in time. In a statement…
Telecoms
ZIMBABWE'S SNO TELEACCESS COULD LOSE ITS LICENCE AS IT FAILS TO MAKE PAYMENTS
According to a Reuters report, a private company that has Zimbabwe's second fixed-line network license could have the permit revoked after it failed to roll out its network, the telecommunications…
Telecoms
SA'S ICASA ISSUES FIRST UNDER-SEVICED AREAS LICENCES
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has issued four of the underserviced area licences (USALs).In June, the Minister awarded licences to Bokone Telecoms (Limpopo, Capricorn District); Thinta Thinta Telecoms…
Telecoms
REPORT OF THE FIFTH FORUM ON TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATION IN AFRICA
The fifth forum on telecommunication Regulation in Africa was held in Kampala Uganda from 3rd to 5th of November 2004 under the theme "Licensing in the Era of Convergence". Honourable…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- C3 Ltd of Cambridge is expanding into Africa and has set up a sales office, distribution channel and support to serve the African continent. At the same time, it…
Telecoms
TELECOM RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
* Glo Mobile, the GSM arm of Nigeria's SNO, Globacom, has launched a new promotion which commences today. Under the new promotion, Glo Classic lines will now sell for N805…
Internet
WORLDPAY PULLS OUT OF SA
In an e-mail sent to clients, the UK-based company announced that, due to economic uncertainty and new regulations, the service would no longer be available to SA, South Korea and…
Internet
UNITED NATIONS ESTABLISHES WORKING GROUP ON INTERNET GOVERNANCE
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced last week the establishment of the Working Group on Internet Governance. The Working Group will prepare the ground for a decision on this issue by…
Internet
AXERA SUPPLIES NIGERIA'S NETCOM AFRICA WITH WIRELESS BROADBAND SOLUTION
Axcera last week announced that it will supply Netcom Africa Limited, a leading IP infrastructure provider of satellite and wireless broadband solutions in Africa, with its IPWireless™-based Axity3G non-line-of-site (NLOS)…
Internet
LICENCING OF INTERNET OPERATORS IS OPPOSED BY KENYAN SNO CONSORTIUM MEMBER
Debt collector, Triple A Capital, has filed an objection to the planned liberalisation of the Internet backbone and Commercial VSAT market in Kenya. The objection follows the September 3…
Computing
SIMPUTER DISTRIBUTOR AFRICAN DIGITAL BRIDGES THROWS IN THE TOWEL
Simputer distributor African Digital Bridges who were appointed in 2002 to sell the Indian low-cost machine in 2002 have decided to quit because "it was not worth sustaining operations." According…
Computing
SA BANKS PASS TEN MILLION VISA CARDS
Visa International announced today that its member banks in SA have issued more than ten million Visa cards as the country's banking sector steps up initiatives to bring the 13…
Computing
NIGERIAN COMPANY LAUNCHES MOBILE SAVEMYCONTACTS SOFTWARE
The widespread loss of phone numbers, following loss or damage of a GSM handset looks set to be further reduced with the introduction of SaveMyContacts into the Nigerian market.…
Computing
BRIDGES.ORG PRODUCES GUIDE ON SETTING UP AND OPERATING A COMPUTER REFURBISHMENT CENTRE IN AFRICA
More Africans need to get their hands on computers in order for Africa to tap the potential of information and communications technology (ICT) to improve lives. But the price of…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- The World Bank has kicked off a Computer Donation Program that will see over 12,000 computers given to needy groups around the globe. The computers, from more than 100…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
V-MOBILE CLAIMS VICTORY IN SHARE BUT BATTLE BUT CONFUSION REIGNS
The long-running battle between South Africa-based Econet Wireless International (EWI) and Nigerian operation V-Mobile (formerly Econet Wireless Nigeria) took another strange turn last week when the latter released a press…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
SOUTH AFRICAN INVESTORS SEEK RULES AFTER TELKOM SALE
South African politicians and investors said a drive to boost black participation in the economy needs clearer rules after a former government official bought a stake in Telkom South Africa…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Internet Securities Incorporated, (trading as ISI Emerging Markets) the pioneering publisher of Internet-delivered emerging markets news and information, last week announced the acquisition of the assets of the Business…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
CORRECTION
ISSUE 226: SHANGHAI TELECOM LOOKS SET TO BECOME SNO EQUIVALENT IN CAPE VERDE BY DECEMBER Thank for your e-mails with the important news about our Telecom's sector. I want to…
Digital Content
DOWNLOADS ZONE LAUNCHED ON AFRIDIGITAL.NET
www.afridigital.net Download 1: Isabel Neto's excellent MIT thesis Wireless Networks for the Developing World: The Regulation and Use of License-Exempt Radio Bands in Africa. It contains a useful survey of…
Digital Content
Web News - In Brief
- There was an announcement from iEntry concerning the launch of a search presence targeted towards South Africa. The search engine, called SearchZA, is claimed to be "the most comprehensive…
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PEOPLE
* Businessman and former football administrator Leo Mugabe has been receiving monthly ZD10 million cheques from cellphone operator Telecel in an arrangement company insiders this week described as curious, according…
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EVENTS
- BusyInternet and Explainer DC are organizing a 3-part internet workshop for companies. During these three days a panel of Ghana’s leading website developers and experts will cover the advantages of having a…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
If one were to organize a series of small-scale events on Unicode/ISO-10646 in Africa (presentations, trainings/workshops) there would be a number of issues to determine the approach taken. I am…
