Issue no 475 9th October 2009
Top Story
African universities will buy 60 Gb of bandwidth and set up a continental network
Almost unnoticed African universities have come together to sort out their bandwidth problems in the new era of fibre. In April 2010, European NREN Dante will start to implement with eastern Africa’s UbuntuNet Alliance, a continental network to link up African universities with plentiful bandwidth to their colleagues across the globe. On 1 November West and Central Africa will set up its own network organisation to join the process. African universities currently spend an estimated US$1.4 million and are destined to become important players in network development. 15 million euros from the European Commission will go via European National Research…
Telecoms
Mozambique to launch 3rd mobile international tender in December
The Mozambique government will finally launch an international tender for a third mobile phone licence in December, after delays amidst complaints from the two existing mobile wireless operators, a government…
Telecoms
Can a new GSM operator emerge from Nitel’s privatisation?
Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) Dr. Christopher Anayanwu said at the weekend in Abuja that despite the ailing nature of the Nigeria Telecommunication Limited (Nitel) there…
Telecoms
Angola’s Multitel invested US$10 million in improving its services
In 2009 Angolan company Multitel invested US$10 million in improving its telecommunications services, particularly in providing broadband, the company’s managing director, António Geirinhas said Wednesday in Luanda. Speaking to Angolan…
Telecoms
Econet disputes ownership of Zain Nigeria but Zain says it’s “a fantasy”
South Africa-based Econet Wireless is disputing Gulf carrier Zain's ownership of one of its most important operations, a long running legal challenge that has almost no chance of success. However…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- The negotiations for the sale of Zain Group's assets in Africa are frozen, says the Chief Executive Officer of Zain, Kuwait's largest public company. This news came during a…
Internet
World Bank to Invest $215 Million to Boost Internet in Central Africa
The World Bank has announced a 10-year US$215 million fund to support the countries of the Central African region in developing their high-speed telecommunications backbone infrastructure to increase the availability…
Internet
Ghana ranks 28 in Internet penetration in Africa
Even though Ghana is the first country in West Africa to launch the Internet in 1993, the country ranks 28, out of 56 countries on the continent when it comes…
Internet
Virtually provides some Real Freedom to Egyptians
Egyptians critical of their government are using new media and the Internet to expose its improprieties and press for social change. Twitter users in Egypt have provided minute-by-minute coverage of…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- After years of haggling with the SABC and etv to get their satirical puppet show ZNews aired, cartoonist Zapiro and producer Thierry Cassuto have ditched traditional networks in favour…
Computing
Egypt's Hardcopy Peripherals Market Suffering Under Weight of Downturn, says IDC
IDC research shows that shipments of hardcopy peripherals to Egypt continued to record sharp year-on-year declines in volume during the second quarter of 2009. This marks the third consecutive quarter…
Computing
South Africa gets Kindle
Amazon's Kindle will be available to South Africans from the middle of this month. While cracked versions of the famed e-book reader have been used in the country, the official…
Computing
Microsoft to launch anti-piracy media campaign in Ethiopia
Microsoft Corp. has announced that it will soon start a strong media campaign against pirated computer software programs. Andrew Waititu, licensing and compliance manager for East Africa, on told journalists…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Computer Warehouse Group (ExpertEdge) has announced that SAP has appointed it as an approved SAP E-Academy Centre in Nigeria. Jaco Van Zyl, the Manager , Education Business Solutions for…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)
South Africa's Vodacom has launched a vehicle tracking service in cooperation with Tracker and Sierra Wireless. The inSIM embedded SIM component was designed and developed by Wavecom, now part…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Kenya’s Safaricom bond opens to seek first Sh5bn
Safaricom’s Sh12 billion bond has open following the approval from financial regulators. It announced that it will be seeking an initial Sh5 billion at a price to be announced later.…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Datacentrix performance hit by new Government in South Africa
Datacentrix last week released its interim results for the six months ended 31 August 2009, saying its performance was knocked by unrealised government deals. Chairman, Gary Morolo says the company…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
MTN contributes GH¢222.8 million to Ghana’s revenue in 2008
The Telecommunication sector's contribution to Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) currently estimated at almost 10 per cent more than tripled from 1.8 per cent to 6 per cent between 2000…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Egypt won't allow Telecom Egypt to buy Orascom IT units
The Egyptian government will not allow Telecom Egypt to purchase two information technology units, up for sale by Orascom Telecom, preferring private investors as buyers, the communications minister said. "We…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Zimbabwe mobile operator, Econet has reduced to 20 percent its stake in Afre Corporation after selling five percent in a drive to dispose of all non-telecommunication assets. The telco…
Digital Content
Uganda’s Judiciary Gets New Website
The Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki, on Tuesday launched the Judiciary website during a function at Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala. He said the website would enable the judiciary challenge corruption…
Digital Content
Nokia Set for Mobile Money Services in East Africa
Mobile phone company Nokia is expected to roll out its money transfer services in the East African region next year according to the firm's regional spokesperson. The global mobile phone…
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People
* Alcatel-Lucent announces that Amr El Leithy is joining the MEA management team and will be appointed MEA President on January 1, 2010, succeeding Vincenzo Nesci.
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Events
MOBILE WEB AFRICA 13-14 October 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa Coverage of one of the most important technological advances of the 21st century and the exceptionally interactive roundtable format promises to…
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Jobs and Opportunities
* Amy Mahan Research Fellowship Program to Assess the Impact of Public Access to ICTs Up to 12 Research Fellowships will be awarded, each providing a grant of up to…
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Contracts
* Safaricom and Alvarion - Kenya WiMAX vendor, Alvarion says that it has selected by Kenya's Safaricom for a three-year turnkey WiMAX project. The Safaricom WiMAX project will augment the…
