Issue no 471 11th September 2009
Top Story
African mobile ARPUs set to fall up to 2013 in most countries except in those with mobile data potential, says new report
Good news for consumers is bad news for Africa’s mobile operators. As coverage areas widen and competition increases, ARPUs in many of their country markets will go into long-term decline up to 2013. However, this cloud comes with a silver lining for many African countries. Where there is mobile data potential, ARPUs will begin to rise again. Operators across the region are shifting their sole focus from subscriber growth to improving ARPU or at least stopping its decline, by streamlining their operations (not Zain’s round of redundancies earlier in the year) and by offering advanced services. The emergence of 3G…
Telecoms
Vodafone Egypt and Telecom Egypt ink new international gateway contract
Vodafone Egypt has signed a new three-year contract to use Telecom Egypt's (TE’s) international gateway for its overseas traffic, Reuters reports, citing a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Communications…
Telecoms
Uganda: UTL Launches Solar-Powered Phone
Uganda Telecom has launched the first solar-powered mobile phone in the market. The new phone, dubbed "Kasana," runs on solar-power after an initial charging on electricity grid power. Uganda telecom's…
Telecoms
South Africa: Mobile operators agree to cut interconnect rates by February 2010
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) says mobile operators have agreed to drop the termination rates by the beginning of February 2010. According to a report released by the…
Telecoms
Botswana: Government to separate out and retain wholesale operation during BTC privatisation
Botswana’s Minister of Communications, Science and Technology, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, has announced that the government plans to exclude Botswana Telecommunications Corporation’s (BTC’s) nationwide backhaul from the incumbent telco’s privatisation process, according…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- A committee set up by the government of Ghana to review last year’s sale of 70% of national PTO Ghana Telecom (GT) to the UK’s Vodafone Group has completed…
Internet
Globacom says that Glo 1 cable has landed in Lagos but not yet ready for business
Globacom announced last weekend that its long-delayed cable Glo 1 had landed in Lagos. Globacom’s Group Executive Director, Paddy Adenuga, said in a statement to mark the landing of the…
Internet
South Africa: iBurst giving away 40 Terabytes of free data
iBurst is giving all of its customers free data allowance in October, and doubles the allowance for email billing subscribers iBurst recently rolled out its Business and Operations Support Systems,…
Internet
Gateway goes live on Seacom
Two years after committing to the SEACOM project, Gateway Communications is live on the submarine fibre optic cable connecting Africa to Europe, Asia and the rest of the world. Gateway…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- South African fixed line and WiMAX operator Neotel has announced that it plans to launch a range of WiMAX services aimed at the corporate and high-end consumer markets, reports…
Computing
Omatek Computers denies owing bad debt to Afribank
Following a Central Bank of Nigeria announcement, local computer assembler Omatek Computers has been forced to deny that its N1.6 billion loan from Afribank, one of the banks in the…
Computing
South Africa: City of Johannesburg owes tech supplier millions
Masana Technologies is owed millions by the City of Johannesburg, after 1,200 invoices have not been paid, the liquidator says. Masana filed for provisional liquidation on 20 August, as it…
Computing
Cameroun: Douala City Council computerises its management systems
Communauté urbaine de Douala (CUD) presented its new information and data management system (Siged) which cost FCFA 300 million to install. Fritz Ntonè Ntonè, the Government delegate at the launch…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Lottotech, the new franchisee to run the Mauritius national lottery, was showing off its equipment line-up last week. Its American partners GTech bought the IBM equipment to the island…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)
- CNN International and Skype have signed an exclusive advertising partnership around the network’s nightly programme ‘Connect the World’. Skype will advertise around the show’s ‘Connector of the Day' feature…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Indian firms do not confirm participation in Zain deal
A proposed consortium made up of India’s Vavasi Group, regional telecom companies BSNL and MTNL and a Malaysian investor is yet to decide on a deal to buy a 46…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Nigeria: Transcorp Loses Bid to Stop Resale of Nitel
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday refused the request by Transcorp to stop the resale of 51 per cent shares of Nitel and its mobile arm, Mtel. Transcorp…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
South Africa: Tough Times Hurt Compu-Clearing
Software developer Compu-Clearing has posted preliminary results showing a drop in profitability inflicted by difficult economic conditions for the year to June 30. As a supplier of freight- forwarding and…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
UniBank joins Moneygram Transfer Services
UniBank, financial services provider, has teamed up with Global Payment Services provider MoneyGram to offer money transfer service at the bank's 13 branch locations in the country. An agreement to…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- O3b Networks has announced that Coface, the export credit agency acting on behalf of the French government, has agreed to provide cover in support of a proposed USD465 million…
Digital Content
MTN Mobile TV on its way
MultiChoice believes ICASA will issue a broadcast licence before the end of 2009 MultiChoice and MTN last week expanded on their plans to release a mobile television offering in South…
Digital Content
South Africa: Ring Tone Firms Given Ultimatum to Pay Royalties
South Africa’s largest association of music publishers and composers is giving reticent ring tone suppliers an ultimatum to pay royalties or face the music. Musicians are resentful that they receive…
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People
South Africa’s M-IT has appointed Zunaid Mayet as Managing Director. With more than 20 years experience in the ICT sector, Mayet has worked around the globe, establishing and running businesses…
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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)…
