Issue no 365
Top Story
Buyer beware: Maroc Telecom mired in fall-out from Gabon Telecom purchase
Vivendi-owned Maroc Telecom’s acquisition of Gabon Telecom highlights the pitfalls for any potential buyer of the current crop of African telco incumbents. When you open the cupboard, all of the skeletons come falling out: some you knew about when you bought the company and some you didn’t. Russell Southwood looks at Maroc Telecom’s current sea of troubles. In February 2007 Maroc Telecom announced it was going to spend US$79 million buying Gabon Telecom. For some there were gasps of amazement as this is a privatisation process that dragged on for a number of years and the Government of Gabon seemed…
Telecoms
Seacom’s undersea cable forges ahead while CCK announced Five Firms Qualified on Bid to Build Cable in Kenya
Kenya's telecoms regulator said that five telecoms firms had qualified to bid for the construction of a submarine fibre-optic cable linking Mombasa to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).The…
Telecoms
Rwanda’s Government to buy back Terracom Communications
After months of uncertainty and blame game, the Rwandan cabinet has decided to buy-back its telecommunications company from controversial youthful American Tech entrepreneur Greg Wyler.Essentially the highest political decision making…
Telecoms
Uganda Telecom Goes Borderless
In a surprising modesty uncharacteristic of Uganda's telecom industry, Uganda Telecom has pulled off a major one but refrained from pomp.The company has struck an agreement with Kenya's telecommunications behemoth,…
Telecoms
Econet is finally Authorised to Launch Third Mobile Network in Kenya
The Kenyan government has announced that South Africa-based Econet Wireless has been cleared to proceed with the construction of the country's third mobile network.Speaking on Kenyan television, the Kenyan Minister…
Telecoms
Namibia’s Communications Bill set to boost the Sector’s Growth
Prime Minister Nahas Angula says the Information Communications Bill is not designed to fulfil the expectations of only one institution, but the sector as a whole.Addressing the opening of a…
Telecoms
IN BRIEF:
- President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has signed into law the Liberia Telecommunications Act of 2007 which establishes separate regulatory and policy making agencies to standardize the Telecommunications sector in Liberia.-…
Internet
New Wireless Internet Service gives wings to Tanzania
In three months Tanzania will be braced with one of the world's fastest, cheapest and most reliable communication technologies.This comes after the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) granted an International…
Internet
Neotel’s Neolink off to a good start in South Africa
Neotel launched their Neolink leased line services earlier this year, and the initial market response has been positive the company says.Neotel launched its National Private Leased Line services – called…
Internet
Makerere University in Uganda in Sh900m Internet Debt
Uganda telecom has disconnected internet services at Makerere University over a sh900m debt. The university is indebted to three internet service providers.An internal communication stated that due to unpaid debts,…
Internet
Botswana’s Musician Threatens to Sue for Copyright Violation through the Internet
Internet surfing led a Botswana musician to some interesting discovery. While surfing the net early this year, jazz/fusion musician Nick Ndaba found his album, Dawn of Bojazz on sale at…
Internet
IN BRIEF:
- As of June 30th, Morocco counts 444,633 broadband connections, an increase of 10% over the last three months. The number of dial up connection carries on its decline to…
Computing
Raids in China to limit software piracy in Nigeria
The fight against computer software piracy in Nigeria has received a boost following raids and arrests made in southern China over the last two weeks – the result of the…
Computing
Pay-As-You-Go Microsoft Software for the Developing World
In South Africa, a legal copy of the Professional version of Microsoft Office can cost more than $700. That makes the software beyond the reach of many personal-computer users, and…
Computing
Primary Schools Grapple With Digital Technology in Senegal
In the poor fishing neighbourhood of Guele Tapee in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, a small school sits wedged between a run-down cemetery and a craft market. Piles of rubbish line…
Computing
IN BRIEF:
- Companies looking to dispose of old PCs in an environmentally friendly but secure way can make use of a new charity backed by Microsoft which sends refurbished computers to…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
TELECOMS, RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE
- Ghana Telecom in partnership with Black Star TV says that it has launched a mobile TV service, the first on the Ghanaian market, with offerings of 6 TV channels,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
MTC/Celtel Sign $320m Financing Deal for expansion
Officials of MTC / Celtel and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) - the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, have signed a $320 million deal, the first largest…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Vodacom Reports Positive Growth in South Africa
As at 30 June 2007, Vodacom Group recorded 32.4 million customers across its networks operating in South Africa, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho and Mozambique, reflecting a…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Maroc Telecom’s revenue up by 19.5% and Meditel reaches 6 millions subscribers
Morocco's second phone operator, Méditel, reached, up to the end of the first half of 2007, six million subscribers.The company's CEO, Inigo Serrano, noted that the Moroccan mobile phone market…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Cheap MTN Shares Offer Opens in South Africa
The application period of the National Empowerment Fund's (NEF's) Asonge share scheme for MTN shares, which is intended to bring more black South Africans into the economic mainstream, officially opened…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
IN BRIEF:
- The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (ADB) approved a US $ 50-million senior loan under its private sector window in support of a Regional African Satellite…
Digital Content
Africa is attractive for mobile banking
Cellphone banking in Africa is seeing faster uptake rates than those experienced in South Africa (SA).This is according to First National Bank (FNB) cellphone banking CEO Len Pienaar, who says…
Digital Content
Nashua Mobile helps Stats SA to dispense R1.2m of prepaid airtime to field workers
Nashua Mobile helped Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) to ensure that the Community Survey 2007 ran smoothly by providing the organisation with a solution that allowed it to dispense prepaid…
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PEOPLE
- Novell’s South Africa’s country manager Stafford Masie has resigned in order to establish and head up the local operation of Google.- The Computerise Nigeria Project (CNP) has appointed a…
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EVENTS
- TELECOMS WORLD AFRICA31st July - 2nd August 2007, Johannesburg, South AfricaKey decision-makers in South Africa and leading international players will share their expertise and forge invaluable business relationships in…
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Transmission implementation engineer - UgandaThe company is looking for a transmission implementation engineer.The engineer will supervise the installation of the outdoor and indoor units, configuration, panning and traffic routing. He/she…
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CONTRACTS: WHO'S SELLING WHAT TO WHOM?
CBA and Temenos AG – South AfricaCommercial Bank of Africa Limited (CBA) has signed a Sh309.5 million agreement with banking software company, Temenos AG, of Switzerland. The software dealer will…
