Issue no 460 26th June 2009
Top Story
East Africa’s mobile competition cauldron grinds up new entrants and spits them out
With news that Tanzania’s seventh mobile operator Sasatel is entering the market, East Africa is proving to be a testing ground for high levels of mobile market competition. Those countries with four or more operators have been extremely good for consumers but are exacting a heavy toll on new entrants. Russell Southwood looked behind the smoke of this battle to see what’s actually happening. With Essar announcing that it will become the sixth mobile operator in Uganda, the last wave of new entrants and some of the more established players must be wondering what happens next. Uganda currently has five…
Telecoms
Seventh mobile operator has launched operations in Tanzania
Telecom operator Dovetel Limited last week lunched under the brand name Sasatel as the seventh company to provide mobile telephony services in the country. Sasatel said in a statement in…
Telecoms
France Telecom Obtains Third Mobile Phone Licence in Tunisia
The Ministry of Communication Technologies has announced that the consortium composed of Divona/ Orange -France-Telecom, presented the best technical offer for the attribution of Tunisia's second and third generation mobile…
Telecoms
Globacom interested in acquiring Nitel in Nigeria, Glo One to arrive September 09
Globalcom Limited on Monday confirmed its interest in acquiring Nitel saying it wants to save the nation's asset from collapsing rather than creating monopoly in the sector. Chief operating officer…
Telecoms
Orascom settles dispute with Chad
Reuters reports that Egypt's Orascom Telecom (OT) has announced that it has received USD4.9 million from Chad in a settlement over ownership of a Chadian mobile operator. Chad's telecommunications ministry,…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Mobile phone subscribers who will fail to register their SIM cards by the end of this year, will be locked out of the country's communication system, the Tanzania Communications…
Internet
Somali Pirates Hold Back Seacom Cable, new opening date is 23 July
Pirates off the coast of Somalia have scuttled plans for the long- awaited Seacom cable to be switched on this month because a cable-laying ship was unable to enter some…
Internet
Dark Fibre launched network in South Africa
Telecoms infrastructure company Dark Fibre Africa officially launched its network on Tuesday after laying 800km of fibre-optic cable to lease out to cellular operators and Internet service providers. The company…
Internet
Tanzania’s President calls on Telephone Firms to help build the national backbone
President Jakaya Kikwete has directed the ministry of Communications; Science and Technology get in touch with mobile phone companies and see if they would work together in the construction of…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- In Kenya, Jamii Telecommunications Limited has become Safaricoms broadband infrastructure provider. Jamii Telecommunications is one of Kenya's leading broadband infrastructure providers and this alliance effectively gives Safaricom access to…
Computing
Techno Hubs Planned for Townships in South Africa
As part of its ambitious broadband project, the City of Johannesburg plans to set up techno hubs where people can access the Internet and boost their technology skills. According to…
Computing
Reporters find Northrop Grumman data in Ghana market
A team of journalists investigating the global electronic waste business has unearthed a security problem too. In a Ghana market, they bought a computer hard drive containing sensitive documents belonging…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- South Africa’s Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ) says it will continue to work on the transformation of the judiciary by increasing spend on IT. The budget would…
Computing
Ban On Used Computers Comes With Mixed Fortunes in Uganda
According to the recently read budget, used computers will no longer be seen in our shops after the three-month grace period has elapsed. Over the past decade, computer literacy has…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)
- Zimbabwe’s Zellco Cellular service has introduced "Billtrek", a facility that will enable customers to control their mobile phone bills. The function allows the customer to define maximum planned expenditure…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Nigeria’s First Bank and Others Finance US$240 Million for MainOne Fibre Cable
First Bank of Nigeria Plc in collaboration with Skye Bank and African Finance Corporation (AFC), have signed a US$240 million financing deal with MainOne Cable Company, a private sector-led initiative…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Mauritius Telecom profit down 5%, listing still on
Mauritius Telecom said 2008 post-tax profit fall 5 percent to 1.9 billion rupees ($59 million) on increased interest payments. Mauritius Telecom, which dominates the fixed line and mobile markets and…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Sierratel secures USD29 million expansion loan from India
The Sierra Leone Parliament ratified a loan agreement of $29,452,856 for the modernization and expansion of the network and telecommunications infrastructure of Sierratel. The loan agreement was provided by the…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
URA orders permits firm to pay sh5b
Face Technologies, the company which issues driving permits in Uganda, has not paid taxes in the past five years, the tax body has said. The Uganda Revenue Authority has consequently…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Paulo Zucula, has revealed plans to partly privatise incumbent mobile operator, mCel. According to the plan at least 5% of company shares will…
Digital Content
Rural Wireless Network Success in Tanzania
The first evaluation of a pilot in Tanzania to provide affordable Internet access to rural communities through a shared wireless (mesh) community network has been completed, and the results look…
Digital Content
South Africa’s Cosatu Website gets Google Warning
MyBroadband recently reported that the Cosatu website needed some attention, including the removal of malicious files from the website which can harm a visitor’s computer. It also contacted Cosatu about…
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People
- According to local newspaper, the Nation, Dominic Saint-Jean, Telkom Kenya chief executive officer, is expected to quit at the end of this month.
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Events
* AFRIHEALTH CONFERENCE 2009 “ICT in Healthcare - Are We Doing Enough For Africa?” 14-16 July 2009, Nairobi, Kenya This is the third successive year for our prestigious Pan African…
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Jobs and Opportunities
* MANAGER, TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS UNIT - KENYA The Kenya Power & Lighting Company Limited is responsible for transmission and distribution of electrical energy throughout the country. Following licensing of the…
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Contracts
MTN, Bharti Airtel and Ernst&Yougn - Africa India's Bharti Airtel Ltd. is likely to hire Ernst & Young and South Africa's MTN Group Ltd. is likely to mandate PricewaterhouseCoopers to…
