Issue no 447 27th March 2009
Top Story
Africa’s powerline pioneers look set to get traction over the next three years
Next week will see the coming together of Africa’s powerline pioneers for an event in South Africa and an African Powerline Communications Forum has been set up under the ATU. The latter is chaired by the Telecoms Manager of Johannesburg City Council. After a number of false starts and several pilots, Russell Southwood asks whether this might be the point where powerline finally gets some traction? Powerline technology allows the transmission of data over electrical powerlines. Many people are familiar with this in homes and hotels but large scale deployments allow data to be sent over power lines to the…
Telecoms
Kenya's Orange says to invest $99 million this year
Orange Kenya plans to spend 8 billion shillings ($99 million) this year to develop its network, the company's deputy chief executive said on Friday. Orange, formerly state-owned Telkom Kenya, operates…
Telecoms
ZTE’s stake in Congo Chine Telecom up for grabs
Following a denial by MTN last month that it was close to sealing a deal to acquire ZTE’s 51% stake in Congolese cellco Congo Chine Telecom (CCT), a spokesperson for…
Telecoms
Starcomms’ Boss wants to boost service quality in Nigeria
Starcomms, the largest CDMA2000 operator in Nigeria, has revealed that its new strategy is to limit its drive for expansion in subscriber number and to consolidate on increasing its profitability…
Telecoms
MTN Ghana CEO complains about permit times for new base stations and says infrastructure sharing underway
Brett Goshen, CEO of MTN, Ghana, said last Tuesday the company had all the resources and expertise to deal adequately with network challenges. However, hesaid that the slow pace at…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- About 78 workers of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), including union leaders, were on issued redundancy notices by Transcorp, owners and operators of the corporation, following dwindling fortunes of…
Internet
Access Kenya signs Sh400m loan deal for Internet expansion
With a Sh1 billion war-chest, AccessKenya has announced it would be investing in three key projects aimed at cementing its position in the increasingly competitive Internet industry. It announced on…
Internet
Nigeria’s N11 Billion Free Internet Project under Representatives Scrutinity
Worried about the non-completion of Nigeria's $86 million rural digitalization project being handled by Galaxy Backbone PLC two years after the contract was awarded with the whole amount paid up-front,…
Internet
South Africa’s Presidency Launches Children's Website
Twenty-four schoolchildren from schools around Gauteng and surrounding areas are on their way to the Union Buildings this morning to check out a new children's website. The website, which was…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- In Zimbabwe, TelOne is battling to secure US$700 000 to pay Global Connect that operates the satellite linking system that enables the country to enjoy Internet access. The US$700…
Computing
Omatek Signs MOU With Ogun State in Nigeria
Determined to make Ogun State an ICT hub in Nigeria, the government of the state through Gateway ICT Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding with Omatek Ventures Distribution Limited…
Computing
New ICT Programme to Address South Africa's Tech Skills Shortage
The Department of Communications has launched a new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programme to address the country's ICT skills shortage. The National e-Skills Dialogue Initiative (Ne-SDI) which will be…
Computing
South Africa: HP Has No Regrets About BEE
Hewlett-Packard (HP) remains the only multinational technology player granted government exemption from selling its shares to black empowerment partners, and the company says it does not regret that early move…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Botswana’s Ministry of Education (MoE) has received 731 computers with printers from the Indian High Commission in Gaborone. The computers will be distributed to schools in the country. -…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)
- An NGO based in Ghana has come down heavily on MTN for being the "worse culprit" in the poor delivery of telephony services to the people of the three…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Burkina Faso’s Onatel Raises US$60 million in IPO
The Burkinabé government has raised 29 billion CFA francs (US$59.6 million) from the sale of a 20% stake in fixed-line incumbent Onatel through an initial public offering (IPO), according to…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
UBA, Citibank Give MTN Côte d'Ivoire $150 Million Facility
United Bank for Africa Group (UBA) and a host of other financial services institutions, led by Citibank, are providing a $151 million five-year loan facility to MTN Cote d'Ivoire, in…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Millicom purchases remaining shares of Chad venture
Millicom International Cellular S.A has purchased the remaining shares in two joint ventures, Navega in Central America and its business in Chad, for a proportional total of $60 million. Millicom…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Telkom South Africa Delays Outsourcing Over Concern About World Cup Service Delivery
Telkom's goal of saving up to R1.3bn a year by hiring another company to run its core networks has been put on hold, with the Solidarity union saying Telkom fears…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Brett Goschen, CEO of MTN Ghana, has said the telecom market leader in Ghana would float shares in the near future to enable Ghanaians to own part of and…
Digital Content
Google Kenya launches SMS search service for phone users
Internet firm Google Kenya has launched an SMS search service, hoping to cash in on the rising number of mobile phone users. Google SMS Search gives access to information through…
Digital Content
Defeating Drug Counterfeiters With SMS in Ghana
Pharmaceutical drug counterfeiters can foil even the most sophisticated technology if consumers cannot personally verify their medication's safety, according to Ghanaian entrepreneurs who will soon introduce in West Africa verification…
More
People
- Nombulelo Moholi has been appointed as the new managing director of Telkom’s South African business unit, Telkom SA. The appointment o Moholi follows a major organisational restructuring exercise. Under…
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Events
* EAST AFRICA COM FORUM 1-2 April 2009, Nairobi, Kenya Promoting new models and services for the broadband era in East Africa: The only telecoms event to serve the East…
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Jobs and Opportunities
GPRS AND 0&M ENGINEER - MALAWI The company urgently requires the services of a GPRS O&M Engineer with Alcatel experience, SGSN/GGSN. Minimum 4 years experience & able to start immediately.…
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Contracts
* Bintel and Redknee Solutions - Gabon Redknee Solutions has announced that Bintel, a Bahrain holding firm which is rolling out services in Gabon, will deploy its Turnkey Converged Billing…
