Issue no 288
Top Story
Imagining the future: Africa looking forward five years from now
The start of the year always sees many predictions for the coming year and a certain amount of gloating from those who feel they guessed right last time around. Some predictions are easy. They are just about pointing to something that is about to take off. The start of Africa's broadband markets would be a typical example. Other predictions are less easy to make. However, making predictions in Africa is so much harder because so much depends on the often unpredictable mix of Government action and commercial strategy. It always seems to be a case of "if this happens, then…
Telecoms
ZIMBABWE: NO VISA FOR TELECEL MD PUTS COMPANY UNDER GOVT PRESSURE
Mobile phone network operator Telecel Zimbabwe's designated managing director, John Swaim, is yet to be issued a work permit by immigration officials, leaving the company without a substantive head several…
Telecoms
HONG KONG'S AQUENTIUM TO BUILD MOBILE PHONE NETWORK IN SOMALILAND
Aquentium says that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Faaco Telecom to provide a telecommunication mobile phone system for the Republic of Somaliland. Under terms of the…
Telecoms
VODACOM CONSIDERS BIDDING FOR THIRD MOBILE LICENCE IN ANGOLA
Vodacom said that it is considering bidding for a possible third wireless network operating licence in Angola. Vodacom, owned by South African fixed line incumbent Telkom and UK-based Vodafone Group,…
Telecoms
GHANA TELECOM BUYS ALVARION FOR WIRELESS EXPANSION PROJECT
Ghana's national telecom company has placed a $3 million equipment order as part of an expansion of its wireless broadband network.Israel's Alvarion Limited announced Tuesday it had received an order…
Telecoms
MTN UPGRADES ZAMBIAN NETWORK TO TAKE ON CELTEL
MTN is planning a major network upgrade in Zambia in the first six months of 2006 as it sought to take on market leader Celtel, a top company official said…
Telecoms
TEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES WANT TO SIGN UP FOR NIGERIAN SATELLITE, SAYS D-G OF NSRDA
More than ten African countries have indicated their desire to benefit from the operations of the yet-to-be launched Nigeria Communication Satellite, known as NIGCOMSAT-1, Director General of the National Space…
Telecoms
EASSY FIBRE PROJECT TENDER EVALUATION FOR CONSTRUCTION DUE SHORTLY
According to a statement from the EASSY project's secretariat in Nairobi and the co-ordinators in Dublin, Ireland, tender evaluation had commenced and anticipated to be completed in the early part…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- South Africa: Cell C and Electronic Tracking Systems Limited (ETS) partnered together to use Cell C GSM network in tracking and recovering stolen goods which have been hidden either…
Telecoms
TELECOMS, RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
- Zimbabwe’s Econet Wireless is increasing its call tariffs by up to 100% from 13 January. The company announced that the increase includes on and off-peak calls between Econet users…
Internet
ISRAELI SIERRA-COM TO INVEST US$3M IN SIERRA LEONE BROADBAND AND VOIP
Israeli telco Sierra-Com has launched a high-speed internet VoIP services in Sierra Leone via its IPTEL subsidiary. The new operator has pledged to invest USD3 million into the rollout of…
Internet
ETHIOPIA SIGNS 2.1M BIRR PROJECT FOR TELEMEDICINE AND TELEDUCATION CENTRES
An agreement to establish tele-medicine and tele-education centres signed here yesterday between the Ethiopian Information Communication Technology Development Agency (EICTDA) and the Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL). The agreement entitles…
Internet
SOUTH AFRICA - ONLINE RETAIL GROWTH SLOWS SLIGHTLY
Online retail in South Africa grew by 20% in 2005, down from the 25% growth rate of 2004, as the industry finds itself lagging due to the high cost of…
Internet
ANGONET'S MALANJE PROJECT HELD UP BY FIVE MONTH DELAY ON NETWORK EQUIPMENT DELIVERY
Angonet, a project to set up community cyber-centres in northern Angola, is experiencing long delays due to a lack of suitable telecoms infrastructure. The project in the province of Malanje,…
Internet
NIGERIA LAUNCHES BLOGOSPHERE: NIGERIANBLOGGERS.COM
With the debut of the NigerianBloggers.com recently, Nigerians are catching the bloggers' fever. After listening to the immediate past president of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem and…
Internet
ADSL "TO BE OVERTAKEN SOON" IN SOUTH AFRICA BY MOBILE HSDPA
South Africa's mobile operators are investigating implementing the next upgrade beyond 3G: High-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA). Trials are under way to look at the feasibility of the upgrade. The…
Computing
MOROCCAN PIRATES NOW RISK JAIL UNDER NEW LAW
The much-talked about Moroccan pirates will now risk a jail sentence under a law on intellectual that will be passed shortly. It was approved unanimously in early January by the…
Computing
NIGERIAN INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION URGED TO START AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEM
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been urged to quickly start an awareness campaign on the electronic voting system which the Commission chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, says will be used…
Computing
SA'S OBSIDIAN TO TEACH OPEN SOURCE BASICS
Buli Tikolo, training co-ordinator, Obsidian Systems, says its new course is aimed at office workers and other non-IT professionals that wish to gain a rounded understanding of computing, specifically in…
Computing
SOUTH AFRICA: CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR DIGITAL TV
Although it is possible for Sentech to meet its 2010 deadline for the upgrade and digitisation of its television broadcasting signal distribution network, SA's road to digital broadcasting will not…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
SOUTH AFRICA: BEE GRIPE FAILS TO HALT VODAFONE-VENFIN DEAL
The R21bn investment into SA by the UK-based Vodafone was given the go-ahead despite a last-minute objection lodged with the Competition Tribunal by a little-known black empowerment grouping. The objection…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Nigeria: Chairman of Global Fleet, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim said his next port of call is NITEL after he unsuccessfully sought to buy over VGC Communications Limited. But observers are…
Digital Content
CELLSMART TAPS MOBILE MARKET
CellSmart Technologies, a mobile messaging applications development company, has signed a deal with Yarona FM, a youth commercial radio station based in Botswana, to provide its listeners with interactive radio…
Digital Content
SOUTH AFRICA ETHEKWINI LAUNCH NEW PORTAL BUILT ON OPEN SOURCE
The movement towards open source software and standards in South Africa has received another boost from a government project, with the eThekwini municipality basing its Intranet and Internet portal (www.durban.gov.za)…
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PEOPLE
* South Africa's biggest Internet Service Provider (ISP), Internet Solutions, a unit of IT firm Dimension Data, has appointed Dharmesh Rama as its new financial director. Internet Solutions said in…
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EVENTS
- Telecoms conference 2006: Has Telecoms deregulation delivered on its promise? Tuesday January 31st 2006, Cape Town International Convention Centre For further information contact Nicky Floris, nicky@callingthecape.org.za or (021) 487…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
- The Reuters Digital Vision Program (RDVP) at Stanford University is accepting applications for the 2006-07 academic year (September 2006 - June 2007). The deadline is April 3, 2006. Fellowships…
