Issue no 303
Top Story
The new scramble for Africa – acquisitions reshaping the communications landscape
A new scramble for Africa is under way as multinationals from all over the world take a new interest in acquiring communications companies on the continent. The temperature for fresh deals has also been raised by a number of companies on the continent itself seeking to shape a regional or indeed international strategy for themselves. A dizzying succession of deals and announcements of acquisition strategies means that even if only half of what is announced happens, the landscape of the communications sector may look very different over the next three years. Russell Southwood identifies the players and looks at which…
Telecoms
NIGERIA’S NCC IS LOOKING FOR A QUICK 3G IMPLEMENTATION
Nigeria’s regulator went out to consultation last week on the forthcoming implementation of 3G. It wants it to happen as quickly as possible and bidding for licences will be very…
Telecoms
MILLICOM TO DEPLOY GSM NETWORK IN CONGO DRC
Oasis, the Congolese operation of Millicom International, has awarded Huawei a turnkey contract to provide a brand new GSM network. Under the first phase of the contract, Huawei will supply…
Telecoms
KENYA TO CUT MOBILE CALL RATES BY 90 PERCENT?
Loose talk by a Ministry of Information and Communications official gives some indication of the hopes being placed in the recent interconnection study commissioned by the regulator CCK. And the…
Telecoms
SOUTH AFRICA’S DISPUTED ICASA BILL TO BE REWORKED
The Freedom of Expression Institute has welcomed President Thabo Mbeki's decision not to sign the controversial Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) Amendment Bill into law on the grounds that…
Telecoms
ZIMBABWE’S NETONE TO IMPORT GENERATORS TO BEAT POWER CUTS
Mobile phone network operator NetOne says it will import diesel generators to alleviate network failure spawned by incessant electricity power cuts. The country has over the past year been facing…
Telecoms
GATEWAY COMMUNICATIONS EXPANDS LONG DISTANCE NETWORK ACROSS 30 AFRICAN COUNTRIES
Gateway Communications has completed its $1.4m upgrade and expansion of its international long distance network. This enables Gateway to link mobile networks effectively across over 30 African countries and to…
Telecoms
MTN AND TERRACOM TO AGREE ON INTERCONNECTION PRICES
Rwanda's two major telecom providers, MTN Rwanda and Terracom are expected to sign an interconnectivity agreement, which has been a source of bickering in recent weeks. The agreement will be…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- The Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has officially changed the mobile telephone access codes from six to seven digits. The new mobile network destination codes will commence in July…
Internet
MTN RWANDA LAUNCHES MOBILE DATA SERVICES WITH GPRS
MTN Rwanda has unveiled its mobile internet service, a move that seeks to transform the telecom giant from a predominantly voice service provider to a fully fledged telecom solution provider.…
Internet
MOZAMBIQUE WINS WIMAX RACE WITH MAPUTO MUNI NETWORK
Rapid Cloud Technology, the Johannesburg-based sub-Saharan distributor of certified WiMax equipment for Canada's Redline Communications, has deployed Africa's first certified WiMax metropolitan network in the capital of neighbouring Mozambique in…
Internet
KENYAN FIRM LAUNCHES MOBILE INTERNET SERVICE
Africa Online Limited yesterday introduced a mobile high-speed internet service in Kenya, making it only the second country after South Africa to have such a service. Known as InfiNet Broadband,…
Internet
GROUP OF UGANDA ISPS TO PURCHASE BANDWIDTH TOGETHER
Uganda Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have agreed to consolidate their purchase of bandwidth in an effort to cut down Internet costs, writes Balancing Act’s Uganda correspondent Esther Nakkazi. Officials from…
Internet
BOTSWANA INTERNET COMPANIES CHALLENGE BTC-BOTSNET
The country's largest Internet Service Provider, Botsnet and the incumbent, Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) are being investigated by the Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA) after a group of ISPs filed a…
Internet
RWANDA TO HEADQUARTER US$ 280M EASSY FIBRE CABLE PROJECT
Rwanda is set to become the headquarters of the 23-country US$280m Submarine Cable Project according to the outgoing Executive Director of Rwanda Information Technology Agency (RITA), Dr Shem Ochoudho. Speaking…
Internet
ZIMBABWE IS OUTRAGED AT GOVT BID TO MONITOR PRIVATE MAIL
Zimbabwe's civil society - frantically trying to preserve the country's shrinking democratic space - is outraged by fresh attempts by the state to push a new law, which seeks to…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Kenya Data Networks (KDN) has launched a broadband wireless service in partnership with local ISPs. KDN has partnered with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to roll out the service countrywide.…
Computing
MICROSOFT LAUNCHES LOW-COST WINDOWS XP FOR AFRICA
Within days of the official release of the first African language interface pack (LIP) for Windows XP, Microsoft has announced the coming release of a new edition of the operating…
Computing
UGANDA SOON TO JUMP ONTO THE OUTSOURCING BANDWAGON
Since independence, Uganda has been actively engaged in the outsourcing industry, offshoring the refining and value-addition processes of most of her raw materials to Europe and America - to her…
Computing
GAMBIA GETS A TECHNOLOGY CENTRE
The West African Council for Science, Technology and Development Centre (WASTDC) has been established in Banjul to undertake tasks on related problems in collaboration with other West African countries. According…
Computing
AFRICA URGED TO TAKE UP INDIAN US$55M ICT DEVELOPMENT OFFER
Information and communication technology (ICT) gurus meeting last week recommended that Africa should take up the US$55 million offer by India to develop ICTs across the continent over the next…
Computing
SENEGAL WANTS TO BREAK IN THE CALL CENTRE BUSINESS
Senegal's attempt to break into the European call center business has not been easy In the blue-carpeted office of the PCCI call center, young men and women sit before banks…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- The tendering process for the award of the computerised driving permits to Face Technologies was marred by irregularities, investigations by Uganda Parliament's finance committee have revealed. The committee recommended…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
TELECOMS, RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
- Subject to the approval of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), Vodacom will be lowering all its standard in-bundle 3G data tariffs by 20%. “This reduction in…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
FIRST PROFIT IN SIGHT AT LAST FOR CELL C
Cellular operator Cell C has grown revenue 34% in the past year and is finally within sight of making a net profit from its 2,9-million subscribers. For the first time…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
BYTES READY TO SPEND ITS CASH HERE AND ABROAD
Solid results from Bytes Technology are laying the foundation for a year of strong acquisitive growth. The group plans to beef up its core skills locally and to expand abroad.…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
SOUTH AFRICAN FARITEC BRUSHES OFF TARGET'S LEGAL WOES
Technology company Faritec's R54m acquisition of black-owned Enterprise Connection will not be affected by legal action that has been instigated against the target company. A notice issued by Faritec on…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Investcom has announced that it has finalised the terms of its increased ownership in its Yemen and Sudan subsidiaries. Investcom agreed to acquire an additional 30% interest in Bashair…
Digital Content
SMS DATING SERVICE WINS LOVERS IN KENYA
Muthuu Kagio is not as flirty as you would expect. The proprietor of Narob Systems, a city-based Short Message Service (SMS) dating services company, says he is simply a businessman.…
Web and Mobile Data_old
UGANDA BROADCASTING CORPORATION GOES ONLINE
Uganda Television, now baptised Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) Television has broken off from their archaic past and leaped into modern electronic transmission. After payment of a monthly subscription of US$9.95,…
Web and Mobile Data_old
MY TV LAUNCHES SERVICES IN ABUJA
My TV, a newly established direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television broadcast operator has launched its multi-channel services in Abuja, Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The outfit promises to break the monopoly…
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PEOPLE
* The Presidents of Rwanda, Tunisia and Senegal have been nominated for this year's ICT Africa awards in recognition of their role in ICT development in their respective countries. *…
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EVENTS
- ICT AFRICA INVESTMENT SUMMIT 2006 - STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE Development of ICT infrastructure in Africa 4 – 6 May 200, Intercontinental Hotel, Kigali, Rwanda For further information contact titi@cyberschuul.com…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
* ERICSSON MSS (MOBILE SOFT SWITCH) – KENYA To provide first line technical support to our GSM customers on MSS (MSC-S and MGW) Core Networks, by conducting trouble shooting and…
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CONTRACTS: WHO'S SELLING WHAT TO WHO?
- PHCN AND PHASE 3 TELECOM – NIGERIA The management of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PH-CN) has handed over some segments of its High Voltage Telecommunication Infrastructure (HIVOTEL) fibre…
