Issue no 483 4th December 2009
Top Story
Malawi’s Access Communications targets fixed line niche market with CDMA2000 EVDO Rev A network
With Africa’s mobile markets becoming increasingly crowded for operators and the mobile players planting their big feet on the Internet space, there’s not much room left for new entrants. That is unless you look differently at African markets and start to search for profitable niches rather than mass markets. Russell Southwood talked to Access Communications CEO Faizal Okhai about the niche he wants to occupy in Malawi. Access Communications is currently rolling out its CDMA 2000 EVDO Rev A network (which will operate on 800 mghz) in 4 cities in Malawi: Blantyre, Lilongwe, Muzuzu and Zomba. By the end of…
Telecoms
Zimbabwe: Broadlands to End TelOne Dominance
A new data operator has vowed to not only challenge TelOne, but also join the war for the hearts and minds of subscribers in Zimbabwe. Chemist Siziba, the Broadlands Networks…
Telecoms
Sierra Leone: Operators, Consumers Discuss Telecom Issues
Sierra Leone’s regulator, NATCOM has ended its second consumer parliament in Makeni, a forum which brought together operators and consumers to discuss issues that affect the telecom industry in the…
Telecoms
Portuguese Zon Multimédia signs partnership with Angola’s President daughter to set up local telecoms operation
Portuguese company Zon Multimédia has set up a partnership with Isabel dos Santos, businesswoman and daughter of Angola’s president, in which the Portuguese company has a 30 percent stake, according…
Telecoms
Uganda: Civil Servants asked to return BlackBerry phones
MPs asked top government officials who received 450 BlackBerry phones during the Commonwealth summit to return them to the ICT ministry. The Public Accounts Committee asked the ICT ministry permanent…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- The 1.97 Tbps ACE submarine cable system, which will stretch from France to South Africa, welcomes new members. Six new telecommunication operators joined the ACE consortium recently, namely Etisalat…
Internet
Kenya’s Wananchi Lowers Internet Prices With Eyes on SMEs
Multimedia company, Wananchi Group, moved to slash the cost of its internet offering by half, saying it was keen to cash in on its investment in fibre optic technology as…
Internet
Telkom South Africa hosts speed test server on 1 Gbps connection
Speedtest.net wants to become the premier destination for Internet users to test their download speed in South Africa. The Speedtest.net website has a very user friendly interface and sports a…
Internet
Cameroon revealed as web threat hotspot
More than one third of websites in the West African country of Cameroon pose a security risk to surfers according to a new report by security expert McAfee. Web addresses…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Installation of the first cable landing station of East African Submarine System (EASSy) will commence this week in Mozambique, according to an announcement by the consortium’s largest investor The…
Computing
Samsung's ICT Training Plan Places 185 Into Employment in Kenya
An initiative by a mobile phone manufacturer, Samsung, and three non-governmental organisations to train youth from poor backgrounds in Nairobi in ICT and entrepreneurship is beginning to bear fruits. While…
Computing
More Firms 'Are Cutting Back On IT Spending' in South Africa
A growing number of companies are cutting back on IT spending as a proportion of their overall turnover, a study has revealed, raising concern that this will affect their performance…
Computing
Safaricom to offer IT Systems Management Services in Kenya
Safaricom's corporate customers can now leave most of their day-to-day information technology (IT) systems management operations to the service provider. In a partnership deal signed between the company and solutions…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- In South Africa, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will award the tender for its long-awaited smart ID card project within the current financial year. Following the cancellation of…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)
- Nigeria’s telecommunications operator, Globacom has announced a new package which enables subscribers on its network to make unlimited intra-network calls by just paying N40 a day. - Orange Uganda…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Belgacom, MTN merge carrier services operations
Belgacom’s International Carrier Services (ICS) division has extended its long standing partnership with pan-African carrier MTN, with the combination of the two firms ICS units and MTN’s acquisition of a…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Sawiris says no intention to sell Djezzy or leave Algeria
Orascom Telecom (ORTE) announced that it has no intentions to sell Algerian subsidiary “Djezzy” in a comment on news circulated about Vivendi’s keenness on buying OT Djezzy. Orascom chairman, Naguib…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
South African company Huge's Profit Shrinks On Airtime Sales
Telecoms company the Huge Group has become smaller again after posting results showing a drop in revenue, the decimation of its operating profit and a plunge from a net profit…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
French Telecoms Giant Squeezes Small South African PR Firm Orange Ink
French telecoms giant Orange has issued legal threats to Johannesburg public relations firm Orange Ink, demanding that it change its name and accusing it of copyright infringement. Orange, the cellular…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money - In Brief
- Nigerian newspaper, Leadership, has reported that indications have emerged that the House of Representatives may have concluded arrangements to investigate the reasons behind the alleged sabotage in the sale…
Digital Content
UK Mobile Phone Experts Hook Up with Ugandan University
UK mobile phone experts are visiting Uganda to work with staff and students from Makere University, in order to improve mobile phone innovation in the developing world. Academics from Makerere…
Digital Content
Jobberman Is A Nigerian Job Search Engine With Promise
Jobberman is a Nigerian search job engine which recently launched in the competitive world of Nigerian job boards and job search engines. Jobberman has a clean, easy to browse interface…
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People
- Grameen Foundation has announced the appointment of Norman Buckham as regional CEO for Africa and David Edelstein as the new director of the Grameen Technology Center and vice president…
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Events
INVESTING IN ICT IN EMERGIN MARKETS 9-10 December 2009, London, UK With a world population of 6.7 billion people, 1.2 billion land line telephone lines and 4.0 billion mobile cellular…
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Jobs and Opportunities
* Build a business park in The Gambia The Gambia Investment Promotion & Free Zone Agency (GIPFZA) is searching internationally for a company to develop and manage the Yundum Business…
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Contracts
MTN and Motorola – Rwanda US telecoms equipment supplier Motorola has signed a three-year contract with MTN Rwanda to upgrade the cellco’s wireless network. Motorola will deploy its multi-vendor intelligent…
