Issue no 274
Top Story
Top story: African telecoms skills levels on the rise but still gaps in revenue assurance and logistics
The rapid growth of the telecommunications sector (particularly of mobile operators) has been the impetus behind one of the most significant skills transfers that has taken place on the continent. Despite the continuous harping on the "brain drain", it appears that Africa is reaching the point where it is no longer recruiting widely outside of the continent and African managers themselves now have much needed opportunities to get international experience, writes Mapara Syed. The progress the telecommunications industry has made across Africa over the past few years has been so substantial that the increasing number of telco personnel and experts…
Telecoms
MOROCCAN ISP MAROC CONNECT AWARDED THIRD FIXED LINE LICENCE BY ANRT
In an unprecedented move, the Moroccan regulator ANRT has granted a third fixed network operating licence to an ISP. Maroc Connect is part of France Telecom's Wanadoo franchise network. No…
Telecoms
GUINEA: 4TH GSM LICENCE FINALLY AWARDED TO INVESTCOM HOLDING SA
According to a source close to the Ministère des Postes et Télécommunications, Guinéenews has learnt that the 4th GSM licence has been awarded to Investcom Holding SA, a Luxembourg based…
Telecoms
ERICSSON CLINCHES USD46 MILLION CDMA DEAL WITH NITEL
Fixed-line operator, Nitel has awarded Ericsson a deal worth USD46 million for the expansion of its fixed-wireless CDMA 2000 1X network. Under the terms of the contract, Ericsson will be…
Telecoms
ZIM REGULATOR POTRAZ THREATENS TO REMOVE SNO LICENCE FROM TELEACCESS
Zimbabwean regulator Potraz is threatening to withdraw TeleAccess' licence to operate a fixed telephone network. TeleAccess was awarded the licence in January 2003, becoming the country's second fixed network provider…
Telecoms
COTE D'IVOIRE: REGULATOR VS MINISTRY - THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
To help puzzled readers follow what is happening in the dispute between the Ivorian regulator ATCI, the Minister of Telecoms and ICT and the Government, Balancing Act's Ivorian correspondent seeks…
Telecoms
INFODEV PUBLISHES REPORT ON OPEN ACCESS FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
InfoDev has just published a report on how open access can help improve infrastructure development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Called Open Access Models: Options for improving backbone access in Developing Countries…
Telecoms
AZURE AND GIZA SYSTEMS WIN REVENUE-ASSURANCE CONTRACT WITH TELECOM EGYPT
Azure Solutions, the revenue-assurance company, and Giza Systems, a leading Egyptian systems integrator, announced on Tuesday last week a major new deal with Telecom Egypt, Egypt's incumbent telecommunications operator, to…
Telecoms
'NO RHETORIC OR HYPE...DEALING WITH REALITIES', SAY ACT 2005 ORGANISERS
Over 70 ICT industry leaders are set to speak at this year’s African Computing & Telecommunications Summit (ACT 2005), to be held in Johannesburg over 4-7 October. This impressive speaker…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Celtel Zambia has recorded more than 50,000 new subscribers from August 1, after reducing the price of sim packs to K15,000. Commercial Director Norman Moyo said in an interview…
Telecoms
TELECOMS, RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
Uganda Telecom (UTL) has announced that it has connected the entire northern region of the country to its GSM mobile network, beating a government deadline that required it to cover…
Internet
INTEL EYES AFRICAN EXPANSION, WIMAX LAUNCH
The world's biggest chip maker, Intel, is expanding into Nigeria and Kenya to beef up its African business and hopes WiMax wireless technology will be launched commercially on the continent…
Internet
KENYA'S UUNET LAUNCHES SH160M INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
Kenya's UUNet last week unveiled its new international gateway. The company has set up a state-of-art satellite earth station at the company's Parkside Towers offices in Nairobi. The company says…
Internet
USD200 MILLION PLEDGED FOR AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING BETTER INTERNET ACCESS
Six major US foundations have pledged USD200 million to strengthen higher education institutions in seven African countries. The funding will mean better Internet access for African universities. The money will…
Internet
PRETORIA LEADS THE RACE FOR ADSL UPTAKE IN SA
The results of SME Survey 2005, released earlier this month, are said to confirm that ADSL is becoming the preferred Internet access method for SMEs across the country. The findings,…
Internet
TALKNET AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES AFRICAN BRANCH FOR VoIP SOLUTIONS
TalkNet Holdings has launched TalkNet Africa, a VoIP solutions and services provider with feature-rich solutions tailored to business and residential needs. The company, which operates and owns an internationally distributed…
Internet
CANTENNA: DIY CAN-BASED CHEAP WI-FI OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR RURAL ACCESS
"Cantenna" wireless technology can make wireless connection cheaper for poorly served rural areas and economically disadvantaged Africans people who do not have access to Internet connectivity, writes Balancing Act correspondent…
Internet
WSIS PARTICIPANTS STILL SHARPLY DIVIDED OVER INTERNET GOVERNANCE
The final preparatory meeting for the forthcoming Tunis Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) opened last Monday in a spirit of cautious optimism, as delegates expressed…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- The Alemaya University in Ethiopia has disclosed that it will launch distance education for degree level programme in eight towns during the current academic year. Head of external and…
Computing
NIGERIA IS ONE OF MICROSOFTS FASTEST GROWING MARKETS, SAYS ILLUKWE
Microsoft has rolled out activities to mark its fifth year anniversary in Nigeria with an announcement that Nigeria is one of the fastest growing markets for Microsoft Corporation. Country Manager…
Computing
SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT LOOKING FOR OSS SUPPLIERS
The South African State Information Technology Agency (Sita) is looking for an open source distribution and supplier to assist government to migrate to open source. Sita, the South African government's…
Computing
VISA INTERNATIONAL INVESTS IN ATM PLATFORM IN GHANA
VISA International, the world acclaimed credit card operator, has invested over USD250,000 into the VISA National Net Settlement Service (VNNSS) Automated Teller Machine (ATM) common platform for five commercial banks…
Computing
ZIMBABWE'S CSO LAUNCHES ZIMDAT DATABASE
The Central Statistical Office on Wednesday launched the Zimbabwe Statistics Database (Zimdat), a system that organises, stores and displays data in a uniform format that facilitates information sharing. The system,…
Computing
ARIVIA.KOM APPOINTED AS ACSA'S ICT SERVICE PROVIDER
Arivia.kom has secured a five-year contract as the preferred information communication and technology (ICT) service provider to Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), with a minimum value of R68 million over…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- The Get Eshet Industrial Site, a private business company operating in Debre Zeit town in Ethiopia, said it has finalized preparations to establish a personal computer (PC) manufacturing factory…
digtool
CROSSING A BORDER TO GET INTERNET ACCESS
http://www.knowprose.com/node/8706 Today, the first person I bumped into when I walked into the lobby of the hotel was none other than Bukeni Waruzi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
ORASCOM SELLS ITS DRC MOBILE COMPANY TO MILLICOM
Egypt’s largest mobile network operator Orascom Telecom Holdings has sold its wireless operation in the Democratic (Republic of) Congo, Oasis Telecom, to Millicom International Cellular for USD35 million including debt.…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
CELL C COMPLETES FINANCING PLAN
Cellular network operator Cell C has entered into a three-year R500 million revolving credit facility with Nedbank. This completes a financing plan for the smallest of the country's three network operators…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
ETHIOPIA'S ETC’S ANNOUNCES REVENUES OF USD115M
The state owned Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation (ETC) registered a marked growth in total revenue as it registered over a billion birr (USD115 million) total revenue, accomplishing the installation of more…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Zimbabwe’s Econet Wireless Group has decided to complete its purchase of its South African partner Altech’s 50% stake in its Botswana-based subsidiary Econet Wireless Global ahead of schedule. Econet…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
READERS' RESPONSES: ISSUE 275: ETC DELAYS PRIVATISATION
We were concerned by elements of your recent article on the telecoms revolution in Ethiopia (Ethiopia puts off privatising ETC but rolls out nationwide fibre network). In the opening paragraph…
Digital Content
HACKERS BLITZ SA SITES
Hackers claim to have defaced about 700 South African Web sites over the past week. Hackers, named “oldschool” and “eMP3R0r TEAM”, claimed on a hacking “brag site”, http://www.zone-h.org/, to have…
Digital Content
Web And Mobile Data News - In Brief
- In the most-recent edition of a rating of Nigerian Bank websites by Phillips Consulting, Zenith Bank's website has topped the charts again with a comfortable lead of 96%, winning…
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PEOPLE
Nicomm 2005 will be postponed until November 2005 because of the tragic death of Engr Charles Alaba Joseph, President ATCON who died on September 15, 2005 in Lagos. For more…
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EVENTS
THE SEVENTH ANNUAL AFRICAN COMPUTING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS SUMMIT 4-7 October 2005, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg For further details contact Sean Moroney: Tel +44-(0)1480-880774, seanm@aitecafrica.com To register as a delegate,…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
COMMUNICATION AND IT OFFICER Reporting to the General Secretary, the Communication and IT Officer (CIO) is responsible for assisting the General Secretary (GS) in coordinating and maintaining contacts with WACSOF…
