News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 383 on 7 December 2007
Top Story
Algerie Telecom becomes first operator to pioneer Fibre-To-The-Home strategy
Algérie Télécom is the first African telecoms operator to put together a business strategy that includes Fibre-To-The-Home. Although the price of connecting households to fibre has dropped considerably elsewhere, it still remains an expensive way to provide a local connection. However, the prize it is seeking to create is a large user base for its forthcoming triple play offer. Russell Southwood looks at what it’s up to. The operator is deploying an FTTH network from French vendor Sagem Communication and on15 December it will be launching a triple play offer with voice, broadband Internet and television. The triple play service…
Telecoms
Mobile base tops 7.7 million mark but fixed lines are down in Tanzania
By 30th September 2007, about 7.7 millions Tanzanians had a telephone service according to figures published by the regulator, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA). This is an increase of…
Telecoms
Ghana: Mobile companies unite to say no to airtime tax
Ghana’s mobile network operators have formally rejected government proposals to introduce an airtime tax on all voice calls, as announced by the Finance Minister as part of the 2008 budget…
Telecoms
Cell C Voice Heard in MTN Case in South Africa
Cellular operator Cell C has won the right to question MTN when the Competition Tribunal stages hearings into alleged anticompetitive behaviour. MTN will be in the dock for charging a…
Telecoms
Big Three GSM operators light up 3G services in Nigeria
MTN Nigeria, Globacom and Celtel Nigeria, the big three GSM operators in Nigeria, have completed the initial phase of network upgrade to deliver third generation (3G) services providing enhanced mobile…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- The phenomenal growth in Nigerian telecoms sector continues as subscriber base peaked at 46.2 million at the end of third quarter of the year. The nation's teledensity, considered the…
Internet
Millions Unspent in Drive to Bring Poor Online in South Africa
More than R250m that companies have poured into a fund designed to give everyone access to telephony services is gathering dust at the treasury -- while 20,000 schools still lack…
Internet
Cybercrime Bill Goes Through Second Reading in Botswana
Parliament last week adopted the Cybercrime Bill with amendments by Minister of Communications, Science and Technology, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi. With the Bill, government wants to make it a crime to repress…
Internet
Internet Election Wars Hit E-Mail Boxes in Kenya
Internet service providers in Nairobi have raised the red flag over abusive and unsolicited campaign material flooding the web as spam mail as the campaigns in Kenya head for the…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Galaxy Backbone Plc, Nigeria’s Federal Government's Internet Service Provider (ISP) has announced that it will provide connectivity nationwide to support triple play solution in the areas of rural telephony,…
Computing
Zinox goes live in Ghana, eyes West African PC market
Chairman of Zinox Technology, Leo Stan Ekeh says he has his eyes on expanding the reach of Nigeria’s leading PC maker across other West African nations as the company last…
Computing
Uganda is Changing Rural Lives With Financial Software
Through Post Bank Uganda, the government is changing the financial landscape with an intended massive rollout of financial software to the countryside to empower the rural folk. The introduction of…
Computing
Microsoft is playing a dangerous game with Vista, says Tarsus chief in South Africa
Microsoft's release of Windows Vista earlier this year caused somewhat of a stir in the market, receiving an overly critical response to its newest operating system from literally every corner…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- The Federal Government of Nigeria has renewed the licensing agreement with the Microsoft Corporation under a strategic partnership agreement. Director-General of National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA). Prof.…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
- The Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) is finalizing preparations to launch 3G (Third Generation) mobile services in fifty selected areas to corporate customers and its professionals. ETC also announced that…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
NATCOM raises US$1.5 million in Sierra-Leone
Sierra Leone's National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) has raised close to US$1.5 (five billion leones) to beef up its work. According to the outgoing chairman of NATCOM, Kanji Daramy, his commission…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Discussions on Nigcomsat’s Privatisation have started
Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan met with the National Security Adviser (NSA) and other stakeholders, to decide on t he proposed privatisation of the Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited ( NIGCOMSAT). The proposed…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Samsung to Boost Investments in Africa
Korean mobile phone and electronic goods manufacturer, Samsung Electronics, says it will increase investments in sub-Sahara Africa. The firm has regional offices in Nairobi, Lagos and South Africa. Its African…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
MTN Spends N660 Million On Diesel Monthly in Nigeria
South African mobile-phone company, MTN, said it spends $5.5million (about N660 million) on diesel fuel monthly in Nigeria. The whopping sum is spent on fuelling the company's 6,000 generators at…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Kuwaiti telecommunications Zain Group (owner of Celtel) has announced plans to increase its working capital by 75 per cent to finance an expansion programme in Africa and the Middle…
Digital Content
ReloadNG Launches E-commerce platform in Nigeria
ReloadNG , a web-based application, which provides a one-stop shop to all solutions regarding simplifying the process by which corporate bodies manage and distribute airtime (vouchers/credit) to their members of…
Digital Content
E-Tendering One Good Way to Curb Procurement Corruption in Africa
Tendering and awarding bids is the most sensitive and critical step in public sector procurement. Tendering is basically the process where a buying institution publishes its intention to purchase some…
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People
* President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has been awarded the Africa ICT industry development Award by ForgeAhead, a South African ICT firm. * Nii Quaynor received the Internet Society’s Jonathan…
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Events
- 3rd REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON MEDIA AND ICT ISSUES IN WEST AFRICA 13-15 december 2007, Dakar, Senegal The workshop entitled “new journalism, new technologies, improved governance” will aim at promoting…
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Jobs and Opportunities
* PARTNER SOURCING MANAGER If you are an experienced business or nonprofit leader with a strong track record who would like to leverage your talents to better the world, we…
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Contracts
* CELTEL AND CHEVRON -NIGERIA Celtel Nigeria and American oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL), have finally sealed a multimillion-dollar strategic business partnership deal which entails the mobile operator to…
