Issue no 298
Top Story
A new breed of wireless VOIP providers– mobile operators’ nightmare may be just around the corner
Last week saw South Africa’s Sentech signal its intention to use its T-CDMA network for voice. Initially it will take on incumbent Telkom with fixed wireless but it is looking forward to the moment when it will use the standard’s mobility to take on the mobile operators at their own currently very profitable game, writes Russell Southwood. And as we reported two weeks ago, T-CDMA was the standard used by Cameroonian ISP, Douala1 for its wireless broadband roll-out and it has similar voice plans long-term. Sentech may be the first to put its head above the parapet using T-CDMA but…
Telecoms
SOUTH AFRICA: OPERATORS HOWL OVER ICASA PROPOSALS TO LOWER INTERCONNECT
Moves by the telecommunications regulator to slash the fees that rival operators charge to route calls from one network to another would not result in a substantial cut in the…
Telecoms
ZIMBABWE PASSES BIG BROTHER LAW TO INTERCEPT PHONE CALLS AND E-MAILS
The Zimbabwean government is working on one of its most repressive laws yet, to enable it to snoop on telephone and e-mail messages in a bid to crush rising opposition…
Telecoms
BENIN LAUNCHES A NEW POST AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATOR
Finally Benin has moved a step forward towards the deregulation of its telecommunications sector when the Council of Ministers nominated Madame Nina Mahussi Sokè Gbèho Attignon as a new Executive…
Telecoms
LIBERIA: COURT STAY-ORDER UNABLE TO STOP ZTE WORK AT LTC
Despite a Supreme Court stay-order on the operations of the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LTC), ZTE Corporation, a Chinese owned Company is said to be working at the LTC. ZTE Corporation…
Telecoms
GHANA: ONE DIAL STILL AWAITS LICENSE FROM NCA TO ROLL OUT US$400M TELECOM INVESTMENT
One Dial Communications Limited, a network service provider based in the United States is still waiting a license from the National Communications Authority (NCA) to roll out over $400 million…
Telecoms
TECOM OUTBIDS ETISALAT, SAUDI OGER AND MTN IN TUNISIA
UAE-based telecoms provider TECOM, now under ownership of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, has outbid Etisalat to secure a place in the final round of bidding for Tunisie Telecom. TECOM bid…
Telecoms
SOUTH AFRICA: VIRGIN MOBILE SEEKS 10% MARKET SHARE
Fourth cellular network operator Virgin Mobile planned to win a 10% share of the market within five years by creaming off the most lucrative clients who were discontented with the…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
The decision to lay off 12,000 of Telkom Kenya employees is final, Information and Communications minister Mutahi Kagwe has said. Kagwe ruled out a possibility of suspending retrenchment plans set…
Telecoms
TELECOMS, RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
The mobile phone company Telecel in Gabon has announced that it will invest 20 billions CFA to further expand the coverage of its network. The city of Mouila in the…
Internet
EGYPTIAN REGULATOR TO LAUNCH TENDER FOR TWO INTERNATIONAL VOIP GATEWAYS
The Egyptian regulator NTRA will launch a tender for two international VoIP gateways at the end of month (March 2005). Until recently, the NTRA had only legalised VoIP for PC-to-PC…
Internet
NIGERIA’S PHASE3 WINS BID TO RUN POWER COMPANY’S FIBRE
Phase3 Telecom, an integrated long distance telecommunications firm has acquired the western axis of the High Voltage Telecommunication Infrastructure (HIVOTEL) belonging to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in a…
Internet
GHANA’S ISP ASSOCIATION NEGOTIATES $9500 DUPLEX ON SAT3 WITH GT TO SESIMBRA
The Ghanaian ISP association GISPA has received a letter of confirmation from incumbent Ghana Telecom of the deal it has negotiated for its members. It will allow them to buy…
Internet
ALVARION SELLS WIMAX TO DRC’S INTERCONNECT AND HAS TALKS WITH ANGOLA TELECOM ABOUT PARTNERSHIP
Alvarion Ltd a provider of wireless broadband solutions and specialized mobile networks, announced that Inter-Connect, an ISP and broadband provider in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is improving and expanding…
Internet
NITEL PILOTS WHOLESALE BROADBAND SERVICES FOR ISPS IN ABUJA
Nigeria’s state-owned incumbent operator Nitel has launched a pilot project for its wholesale ADSL service in the city of Abuja. The operator aims to sell bandwidth on its broadband network…
Internet
MALI: "WIRED" IMAM OF DJENNE CONNECTS TO OUTSIDE WORLD WITH U.S. HELP
Imam Almamy Korobara is reaching out beyond his remote corner of Mali to connect with millions of Muslims and religious leaders worldwide using the web of linked computers called the…
Internet
INTERNET MEDICINE FOR AFRICA'S VETERINARIANS
Veterinary schools in sub-Saharan Africa have joined forces to create an internet-based training programme that will allow vets to study for postgraduate degrees while continuing to work, says the Science…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
ICANN, The Internet's key oversight agency has outlined a plan for testing domain names entirely in non-English characters, bringing closer to reality a change highly sought by Asian and Arabic…
Computing
NIGERIAN JACITAD CALLS FOR HARMONIZATION OF IT BILLS
The Joint Action Committee for IT Awareness and Development (JACITAD has called for a harmonization of the two IT related bills now before the Senate. The two bills are the…
Computing
TANZANIA’S COSTECH RUNS PILOT PROJECT WITH VILLAGES
A pilot computerisation project is to be undertaken in selected villages, the aim being to improve local governance through better documentation of social services and agriculture. The Tanzania Commission for…
Computing
ZAMBIA: EFFECTIVE ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEMS REQUIRE IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY
Electronic payment systems of any kind need very good telecommunications network and computer systems, Bank of Zambia (BOZ) banking currency and payment systems director Morris Mulomba has said. In an…
Computing
NAMIBIA: NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR TRADE ACTIVITIES AT AGRA
Agra last week unveiled Agrismart, a new state of the art computer system, electronically efficient and tailor-made for the agricultural trade retail industry, to speed up transactions at the same…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
Neptune Software PLC, UK, plans to open an offshore development centre in Lagos, confirming its commitment to the African market. The offshore development centre will be the first of its…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
TELKOM OFFERS R2,4BN FOR BUSINESS CONNEXION
Telkom has mounted a fresh bid to take over information technology company Business Connexion, raising its initial offer to R2,4bn, and gaining the support of five key Business Connexion shareholders.…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
GHANA TELECOM SECURES USD40 MILLION IN BONDS TO EXPAND, UPGRADE NETWORKS
Ghana Telecom (GT) has secured USD40 million in bonds to expand and upgrade its networks, as it looks to meet government targets on telecoms access, particularly for those in rural…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
MTN STRENGTHENS LEADERSHIP IN AFRICA WITH STRONG RESULTS AND DECLARES DIVIDEND
The MTN Group has changed its financial year-end to 31 December in line with its operational cycle and to align itself with its international peer group. The Group is reporting…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
GATEWAY’S LEADING POSITION IN AFRICAN TELECOMS MARKET FURTHER STRENGTHENED SINCE ACQUISITION
Gateway Communications, the provider of communications services to telecommunications operators and businesses in Africa, has further strengthened its leading market position through the completion of the integration of Link Africa,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
The Cameroon government is reported to have received at least six bids for the 51% stake it is selling in state owned telco Cameroon Telecommunications (Camtel). The government revealed plans…
Digital Content
BOTSWANA: E-COMMERCE TO PROMOTE ARTISTS VIA NEW WEBSITE
An arts and craft website, ArtBantu.com is set to open a link between art producers in the country and international buyers paving the way for the first arts and crafts…
Digital Content
UGANDA GETS FIRST ONLINE MARKET PLACE
Ugandans no longer have to worry about getting time to go shopping. It is now possible to buy and sell over the Internet 24 hours, 7 days a week. Akatale.Com,…
Digital Content
LIBERIA: CEMESP LAUNCHES MEDIA DEV. WEBSITE
A new website to showcase issues relevant to the media and peace building in Liberia, www.liberianmedia.org has been lit up by the Center for Media Studies & Peace Building (CEMESP)…
Web and Mobile Data_old
NO CONFLICT WITH MULTICHOICE, SAYS VODACOM
Vodacom’s bid for a share of SA’s pay television market will not bring the cellphone operator into conflict with pay television monopoly MultiChoice, says group chief operating office Pieter Uys.…
Web and Mobile Data_old
NIGERIA: BENUE SIGNS N600M TELEVISION STATION CONTRACT
The Benue State government has signed a N600 million contract agreement with EMTELCOM Network Ltd UK for the establishment of a state television station in Makurdi, the state capital. Performing…
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PEOPLE
* Yesse Oenga has been appointed as the news Managing Director of Celtel Uganda. Oenga has been with Celtel for one and half years prior to coming to Uganda. Previous…
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EVENTS
- Spectrum management training workshop 3 - 7 April 2006 Grand Palm Hotel, Gaborone, Botswana For futher information contact in the UK Segun GEORGE Kemilinks International Tel +44 793 909…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
* IGCB TRAINING PROGRAMME, 1 APRIL - 1 NOVEMBER 2006 DiploFoundation, in cooperation with various partners, is currently accepting applications for the Internet Governance Capacity Building Training Programme. This programme…
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CONTRACTS: WHO'S SELLING WHAT TO WHO?
- ALCATEL AND TUNISIE TELELCOM – TUNISIA Alcatel has been awarded a US$61 million contract to extend the GSM/EDGE mobile network of Tunisie Telecom, the incumbent fixed and mobile operator…
