News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 236 on 19 November 2004
Top Story
South Africa - niche VOIP telecom player promising average 37% cuts on all calls
The introduction of South Africa's competition framework in February next year will give a preview of what will start to happen once the words "monopoly" and "exclusivity" cease to be part of Government or regulator vocabulary. In a world once dominated by a small number of large entities (the incumbent, mobile operators) will be replaced by a whole raft of new service providing entities. There will then be one or two infrastructure providers depending on market size. The service providing companies will not be defined by the technology they use but by the service they provide. The subject of the…
Telecoms
VODACOM MOVES TO REOPEN TALKS WITH NIGERIA'S VMOBILE
South Africa's Vodacom, which pulled out of Nigeria in controversial circumstances barely two months after officially taking over the management of former Econet Wireless Nigeria, Vee Network Limited, is now…
Telecoms
ETISALAT-LED KANARTEL POISED FOR EARLY START ON SUDAN'S SNO NETWORK
Kanartel, the consortium led by Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat), last week announced that it is poised to begin work to develop the infrastructure for Sudan's second nationwide fixed line phone…
Telecoms
BOTSWANA'S TELECOMS BILL WILL STRANGLE INDEPENDENT REGULATOR
The Botswana Telecommunication Amendment Bill passed its second reading in Parliament last Monday. The bill proposes that Botswana Telecommunication Authority (BTA) be put under the control of the Science, Communication…
Telecoms
EMTEL BEATS VODACOM ON 3G IN AFRICA
With the launch of third generation (3G) telephone technology in Mauritius this week, the island nation's Emtel beat South Africa's Vodacom to become the first African country to launch 3G/UMTS,…
Telecoms
ANGLO-AMERICAN FIXED AND MOBILE CONSORTIUM KNOCKING ON DRC'S DOOR
An Anglo-American consortium is looking at offering fixed, mobile and internet service in the DRC using a CDMA network. The proposal is awaiting approval from the Minister of Posts, Telephones…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- France Télécom et Thuraya Télécom have provisionally been awarded GMPCS mobile licences in Algeria. - A Kenyan Court last week blocked a decision by Information Minister Raphael Tuju cancelling…
Telecoms
TELECOM RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
- The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has tasked the telecommunication operators in the country to adopt a common approach to issues and abide by minimum benchmarks in their operations to…
Internet
ICANN MEETING IN CAPE TOWN DISCUSSES AFRICAN INTERNET PROBLEMS
The ICANN meeting held last week in Cape Town discussed a wide range of issues. The following summary is drawn from a range of reports from different countries: - As…
Internet
SA'S WBS SOFT-LAUNCHES BROADBAND WI-FI SERVICE IBURST
Wireless technology company WBS soft-launched its high-speed internet services in Sandton City this week, ahead of its official launch early next year. Prospective users were shown the potential coverage map…
Internet
KENYAN GOVERMENT GAZETTES 6 INTERNET COMPANIES
The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) has gazetted the licensing of six companies for the Internet backbone and gateway operations. This brings to 16 the number of companies gazetted to…
Internet
NIGERIA'S NITEL INTRODUCES CDMA WIRELESS INTERNET SERVICES
Nigeria's NITEL has introduced two new products, fixed wireless access and IP wholesale, to complement its other products in the telecom market. A statement from the company made available to…
Computing
NAMIBIA'S OTAVI VILLAGE GETS NEW SAP SOFTWARE TO RUN VILLAGE
A new chapter in development and finding solutions to help Namibia's local authorities to deliver services effectively was written at the northern town of Otavi when a data processing company…
Computing
HI-TECH SOFTWARE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Mackeed Masemola and his friend Martin Pistorius are having a conversation through their computers. Mackeed, confined to a wheelchair, has switched on a video conferencing tool and waves a cheery…
Computing
FULL SUITE OF ICDL ADVANCED COURSEWARE TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN SA
Masterskill, IT education courseware and learner management systems specialist, is the first company in SA to receive approval to distribute the full suite of Advanced International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL)…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
RUMOURS COME THICK AND FAST IN SOUTH AFRICA ON THE BRINK OF COMPETITION
South Africa's ICT sector is in a high state of excitement with competition only a few months away. On a recent visit we picked up the following rumours that may…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- The deadline for international investors to express an interest in acquiring a stake in NITEL is 28 January 2005.
Digital Content
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY'S LIBRARY GOES DIGITAL
Makerere University Library is undergoing a digital revolution with the new Digital Library Project. According to Elly Amani Gamukama-the Systems Administrator of the main Library, the University has created a…
Digital Content
Web News - In Brief
- The World Bank and partners have a new web portal called the AIDS Media Center (AMC). The AMC features: breaking and embargoed news (as available); links to partner content…
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PEOPLE
* Maande Manyatshe, the Managing Director of South African mobile operator MTN, said yesterday that he did not expect 3G services to take off in South Africa in the future,…
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EVENTS
FIRST ANNUAL SANGONET "ICTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY" CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION The Southern African NGO Network (SANGONeT) will host its first annual "ICTs and Civil Society" conference and exhibition from 1-3…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
RESEARCHER: FREE AND OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE INNOVATION IN AFRICA Applications for the above post with the University of the Western Cape, starting in December 2004 or January 2005, are invited…
