Issue no 470 4th September 2009
Top Story
The world of virtual networks: Effortel seeks to enter African market with an MVNO offer
Africa is in two minds about MVNOs: on the one hand, they seem to have taken root in South Africa but elsewhere they provoke nervous reactions from other market players. Mobile Virtual Network Operators (to give them their full name) are the natural next step, particularly in those markets that are highly competitive. MVNOs suit mobile operators who are struggling to gain market share: the MVNO helps build growth and increases the financial contribution to paying off CAPEX. For the investor, an MVNO in the African context probably suits someone who already has a niche customer base, whether a financial…
Telecoms
Nigeria: Fresh 2.3GHz Auction - Ministry Wants NCC to be More Transparent
Nigerians will, in few weeks, witness a fresh bidding exercise on the nation's 2.3GHz spectrum licence, following the acceptance of the regulator NCC to conduct another auction exercise as directed…
Telecoms
Ghana: Q1 report from regulator NCA shows new entrant Zain’s ARPUs at only US$3
According to Ghana News Agency, the First Quarter Report of 2009 from the country’s regulator NCA shows that MTN’s ARPU $8.00 per month, Tigo’s $5.30, Kasapa’s $4.70 and Zain’s only…
Telecoms
South Africa: 25c interconnect rate fair, says expert
The South African interconnect rates battle continues to rumble on. It was given new life this week when telecoms regulatory expert Alison Gillwald said that rates sould fall by 80%…
Telecoms
Orascom will rebrand its African ops Leo shortly
Orascom Telecom will rebrand its four African mobile networks in the coming months as it looks to build a pan-African mobile presence years after having sold most of its businesses…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- MTN South Africa and Clicks terminated an agreement for the sale of 17 Musica stores to the cellular operator, citing certain legal conditions that could not be met, the…
Internet
South Africa: Operators give users more bandwidth but no price reductions
The battle of the bandwidth suppliers has begun, with MTN and MWeb not dropping their fees but instead increasing bandwidth to end users. This is a sort of price war…
Internet
Botswana: Consortium Brings Cheaper Internet Connectivity
The much-anticipated undersea fibre optic cable linking Africa to Europe is expected to bring cheaper internet connectivity to Botswana before the end of the year after a local consortium clinched…
Internet
Kenya: Tata Banks On Fibre Optic Cable to Grow Revenue
Tata Communications in Kenya hopes to cash in on the expected surge in Internet traffic as a result of the new undersea fibre cables to grow its revenues. The Indian…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- A new satellite hub has been launched by a Canadian company Juch Tech Incorporation to deliver Internet services to Africa. The new Internet service, via the Trans-Africa satellite, is…
Computing
Uganda: Sh3 Billion Lost to Software Piracy
Microsoft loses Sh2.8b monthly to piracy in Busoga, Buganda and Ankole, a survey has shown. However, the firm loses over $15b (about sh31.7 trillion) annually due to software piracy, Andrew…
Computing
Nigeria: 'Citizens Spends N25 Billion On Software Imports', says NOTAP
Nigeria has spent over N25 billion in the past decade to acquire foreign software and other forms of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the National Office for Technology Acquisition and…
Computing
Expansion of ICT sector fuels Egypt’s economic growth
Reports last week revealed that Egypt’s overall economy expanded by 4.7 percent in the fiscal year through June, fuelled by the expansion of its information and communications technology sector which…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Computer manufacturer and technology importer Mustek 's profit has taken a serious dive, with a loss of R67.,8m caused by foreign exchange fluctuations bringing its figures down, the company…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)
- Subscribers of Nigeria’s Starcomms are in for lengthy conversations this Ramadan period as the network offers a record tariff slash on on-net calls. During the promo, all Starcomms subscribers…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Morocco: Meditel’s new owners may list stake, invite foreign partner in future
The new owners of Morocco’s second largest mobile operator Medi Telecom (Meditel) are considering a listing on the stock exchange as well as the future possibility of selling a stake…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
13 bidders interested in buying Nigeria’s disastrous incumbent Nitel
A total of 13 telecoms companies have expressed an interest in acquiring a 75% stake in Nigeria’s struggling incumbent telco Nitel and its mobile arm M-Tel according to a statement…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
South Africa: Huge Group’s audited results show R2.7 million increase in revenues
Huge Group, an AltX listed company specialising in managed telecommunications, last week reported that its revenues for the year ended 28 February 2009 had increased by a further R2.7 million…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Kenya: Essar Group buys out Econet Wireless
Indian telecommunications firm, Essar Group, has assumed majority shareholding in Essar Telecom Kenya after buying out Econet Wireless Kenya. Essar Telecom Kenya Chief Executive Officer Srinivasa Iyengar, in an exclusive…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Zain, whose shareholders voted to lift a cap restricting ownership last Monday, is in talks to sell a stake in its African operations, its chief executive said. Zain is…
Digital Content
Microsoft launches OneApp/Mibli for mobile Internet in South Africa with Blue Label Telecoms
Blue Label Telecoms is touting its partnership with Microsoft as a potentially lucrative source of income, with them jointly launching a service that lets people with low-end cellphones use Internet…
Digital Content
Google kicks off the work to launch Street View in South Africa in 2010
The local arm of Google and Toyota will start taking snapshots of South Africa’'s suburban streets for the coming version of Google Street View in the country. Street View is…
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People
- The CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has underscored the importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to the growth and development of most emerging…
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Events:
* Telecoms World Africa 31 August - 4 September 2009, Cape Town international Convention Centre - Cape Town Telecoms World Africa is an established forum for the communications sector in…
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Jobs and Opportunities
Alcatel Lucent 3G Optimisation Engineer is needed by a major client.You will have very good technical experience of 3G Optimisation working Alcatel Lucent equipment.The successful candidate will carry out 3G/2G…
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Contracts
Zain, and Harris Stratex Networks US wireless solutions provider Harris Stratex Networks has announced it has partnered with mobile operator Zain Nigeria to build a new network operations centre (NOC)…
