News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 433 on 7 November 2008
Top Story
Ushahidi helps people by tracking what’s happening in a crisis by web and SMS
All too often African web apps have been pale copies of their Northern cousins and have not really seemed to either have found a real usefulness to their users or acknowledged the presence of the mobile phone. The idea that sparked Ory Okolloh’s Ushahidi site is an interesting and brave one that in a continent trying to make peace with itself may well succeed. Russell Southwood spoke to the women who got the whole thing off the ground on a recent visit to South Africa. Ushahidi means testament in Swahili and the is about allowing anyone to submit crisis information…
Telecoms
Econet Finally Launches its Network in Kenya
Econet Wireless Kenya (EWK) finally launched last week after five years of delays caused by legal problems and financial woes. Econet Wireless International (EWI) recently sold a 49% stake in…
Telecoms
Bank to offer Cross-Border Prepaid Airtime in Namibia
First National Bank (FNB) Namibia becomes the first commercial bank in the country to offer cross-border prepaid airtime purchases. According to a media statement issued by the bank on Wednesday,…
Telecoms
Zain and Safaricom scoop African telecommunication awards
Leading mobile service providers, Zain Kenya and Safaricom Limited, have reason to smile after both emerged winners at the Inaugural AfricaCom Awards in Cape Town. Both companies scooped two awards…
Telecoms
New flat rate Phone Service sets out to revolutionise the Kenyan market
Zolatel Telecom, a subsidiary of Kenyan-owned Unicon Corporation, recently launched an all-digital, North America phone service that enables people to make calls to and from Kenya just as they would…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Mozambique and Brazil agreed to cooperate in the scientific development of telecommunications over the next three years. This was spelled out in a memorandum of understanding signed between the…
Internet
O3b Networks Ltd makes inroads into Nigeria’s Internet market
O3b Networks Ltd. announced it will begin deployment of a new high capacity backhaul infrastructure for Galaxy Wireless Communications Limited to provide high-speed, low-cost Internet connectivity to its emerging and…
Internet
Terrestrial broadband study begins in Africa
The e-Africa Commission has initiated a study on the feasibility of its Umoja terrestrial network – marking key strides in the development of a broadband infrastructure network for Africa. “The…
Internet
Malawi intensifies fibre-optic installation as demand for telecom technology grows
As the demand for communication technology continues to grow in Africa, incumbent Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) is intensifying efforts to speed up laying of underground fibre-optic cables throughout the country…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- The management of Nitel has announced it has fixed and restored the services of the SAT-3 Cable, damaged on October 15, 2008. The damage on SAT-3 has disrupted international…
Computing
Lagos Shuts Computer Village Over Tax issue
Lagos has shut down its famous computer village in Ikeja over alleged failure of the marketers to pay personal income tax. Officials of the state Board of Internal Revenue on…
Computing
ICTs represent 10% of Tunisia's GDP
Tunisia's Ministry of Communication Technologies is willing to increase the part of the ICT sector in the country's GDP in order to reach a 13.5% share by 2010, against 7.8%…
Computing
Refurbished PCs make computer ownership more affordable and accessible in South Africa
Six local computer refurbishment partners have joined Microsoft's Secondary PC programme in South Africa to make high-quality PCs more affordable for people across the country. By participating in the programme…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- There appears to be tough time ahead for software pirates as the Software giant, Microsoft Nigeria, in conjunction with the Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN)…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)
- Zain Ghana launched a drive to pre-register numbers for new subscribers on its network. The launch targeted media personnel, who got their current phone numbers on other networks minus…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Dubai Firm to Invest in South Africa’s Telecom Market
Dubai-based telecoms advisory firm Delta Partners has boosted plans to invest in SA by launching an $80m equity fund. It is now seeking telecoms players in which to invest that…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Anabel Mobile Signs Music and Video Deal With Storm Records in Nigeria
Anabel Mobile, the latest entrant into the telecommunications industry in Nigeria, has signed a mega Music and Video deal with Storm Records. The deal covers Storm granting Anabel licences to…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
New licence fees dreaded by South Africa’s VANs
The proposed licence fee structure for new telecommunications licences could put a damper on the victory celebrations of smaller value-added network service providers (VANs). They could now see themselves hammered…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
South African software company ready for the Worst Or the Best
Software developer UCS is working with two budgets for the coming year: one for business as usual and one housing contingency plans on how to react if the economic turmoil…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with New Technologies Africa (NTA), a registered company engaged in Information Technology is putting finishing touches to the launch of…
Digital Content
Liberian farmers use SMS to get better prices
Farmers in Liberia can now access market pricing information through SMS on their mobile phones. Agricultural Market Information and Linkage System (AMILS) was launched this week by Agro, Inc., a…
Digital Content
Waspa tightens mobile regulations in South Africa
Mobile content service providers will now be required to explicitly notify customers once their service bill exceeds its limit. The Wireless Application Service Providers' Association (Waspa) has amended its code…
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People
* The Chief Operating Officer of Glo Broad Access, Martins Olusola Olowonihi has died from gun shot wounds sustained from a cross fire between the police and armed robbers in…
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Events
* TELECOMS COST ALLOCATION AND PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS CONFERENCE 1st – 5th December 2008, Hesperia Hotel, London - UK www.iir-conferences.com/costprof * INVESTING IN ICT SECTOR IN EMERGING MARKETS 11-12 December 2008,…
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Jobs and Opportunities
* ISOC Fellowship to the IETF The Internet Society has announced that it is seeking applications for the next round of the ISOC Fellowship to the IETF program. The program…
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Contracts
* Globacom and Acision - Nigeria Globacom, Nigeria's National Operator, has selected Acision, a leading messaging company, to provide Value Added Services (VAS) for its new mobile network in Ghana.…
