News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 428 on 5 September 2008
Top Story
No free pass: global financial crisis will impact Africa’s telecoms sector
It’s early days but the conventional wisdom so far has been that Africa will avoid the worst of the backwash from the global financial crisis. Its banks are less over-committed as lenders and its relatively small number of consumers still struggle to find credit. However, as everything is connected globally, Africa is bound to take a hit like every other continent and that hit will impact directly on Africa’s telecom’s sector. Russell Southwood tries to read the tea leaves. Over the last five years about half of the countries on the continent have experienced above average economic growth. This growth…
Telecoms
Uganda: France Telecom Acquires Hits Telecom
The long-awaited Hits telecom service in Uganda will finally arrive as Orange Uganda as France Telecom announced that it had bought the company. Hits Telecom, which was registered late last…
Telecoms
PNN Executes N7 Billion Frame Agreement With ITL in Nigeria on tower sharing
Pan-African telecoms service provider, PNN limited has announced that it has reached another milestone in the telecommunications industry with the signing of a frame agreement with Independent Towers Limited (ITL),…
Telecoms
South Africa’s Neotel halves call fees to entice retail fixed line customers to install its phones
Second network operator Neotel is going head-to-head with Telkom in the consumer market by undercutting call fees to entice customers to rip out their Telkom line and install a Neotel…
Telecoms
Minister, Icasa in Court Over self-provisioning Licence for JSE-listed Altech
Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri is taking the industry regulator to court to prevent it issuing a telecoms licence to JSE-listed Altech. A court action pitting a minister against an industry…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Following repeated calls to tackle the international call failures that have blighted the country during 2008, incumbent Zambia Telecommunication (Zamtel) has confirmed that it has installed a new next…
Internet
Internet Costs set to reduce by 99 Percent in Rwanda when fibre arrives
Costs of Internet broadband in the country are expected to reduce from $3,000 to $25 for each Megabyte per second a government official has said. Nkubito Bakuramutsa the Director General…
Internet
Angolan Embassy in Belgium Launches Internet Site
The Angolan Embassy in Belgium last Tuesday launched its Internet website with information on its diplomatic representation, community residing in that European country and on Angola. According to the Embassy…
Internet
Huawei adds Zambia’s Zamtel to its list of national fibre backbone roll-outs
Last Chinese equipment vendor Huawei added Zambian national incumbent Zamtel to its of national fibre backbone roll-outs. According to Network World, Zambia Telecommunications (Zamtel) has inked a deal with Chinese…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- SADC Groundwater and Drought Management Project has announced launch of its website today, aimed at increasing awareness and sharing of information on groundwater and drought management issues in Southern…
Computing
Sahara nets mobile prestige with latest netbook offering in South Africa
Sahara Computers has launched a new 8-inch netbook to address the growing demand for a product within what analysts describe as a high-volume, burgeoning market segment. The company has expanded…
Computing
EC-Council, New Horizons to Boost Cyber Security in Nigeria
EC-Council, a United States (U.S.) based international certification body on information security and e-business, in collaboration with New Horizons, a Nigerian based knowledge provider on Information Technology (IT), is set…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Tarsus Technologies has announced the extension of its distribution agreement with Cisco to encompass Linksys, the company's consumer- and small business-focused brand of networking solutions.
Computing
Nigeria: HIIT Gets CPN's Accreditation As Training Centre
One of the frontline Information Technology (IT) Training and education Institute, HIIT institute last week got the nod from the country's computer registration council, CPN, to operate legally as study…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)
- Cellular provider, Econet Wireless is coasting towards the 1.2 million subscriber base target after the company reported a 41% increase in the number of subscribers for the six months…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Rwandan Govt, World Bank Pen $24 Million ICT Deal
The World Bank last week signed the recently approved $24m (approx. Frw13Bn) infrastructural grant with the Government of Rwanda. The grant will finance the availing of broadband infrastructure to different…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Local shareholders looking to sell their Vodacom Tanzania stake
Tanzanian shareholders holding a 35% stake in domestic mobile operator Vodacom Tanzania have reportedly approached the regulator, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), seeking permission to sell their shares to…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Vodafone Egypt expects revenue growth slowdown in 2008
Wireless operator Vodafone Egypt expects revenue growth to slow to between 18%-20% in 2008, Reuters is reporting, with the cellco claiming that the increased competition and market penetration in the…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Guine Telecom to receive USD50m in Chinese investment
China is to invest USD50 million to develop telecommunications facilities in Guinea Bissau’s national PTO Guine Telecom under the terms of a bilateral agreement between the two countries. Guine Telecom…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
-Western Union and Orascom Telecom have teamed up to introduce mobile remittance services across some of Orascom's markets in the developing world. The idea is to offer a 'low-principal, high-frequency…
Digital Content
E-Tranzact to Launch ATM Mobile Cardless in Nigeria
A simple, but high level technology that is new in the world and patented only to E-Tranzact, a switching payment company in Nigeria, is due for launch in October 28,…
Digital Content
Rwandatel's Upgraded GSM to Support E-Betting
Rwandatel is to provide the infrastructure that will enable Lotto Rwanda sell lottery tickets using a mobile handset. The agreement signed between Rwandatel, Lotto Rwanda, and Tilia Games will also…
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People
* HP has named Steen Lomholt-Thomsen as VP and GM of HP Software's Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
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Events
* TECHNOLOGY: A PLATFORM FOR DEVELOPMENT? 30 - 31 October 2008, Chatham House, London, UK Technology is now recognized as having the potential to transform the lives of millions in…
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Jobs and Opportunities
* RIM announces developer tools for the Blackberry Research In Motion (RIM) last week announced new versions of various BlackBerry developer tools that further support innovative, streamlined mobile application development…
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Contracts
*Aircom and MobiNil -Egypt Network planning company Aircom International has announced that it has been chosen by MobiNil, Egypt’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, to help plan and implement 3G…
