News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 487 15th January 2010

Regulator penalises leading mobile companies for QoS issues by shortening their licence period

In an unexpected move, Niger’s regulator ARM has shortened the licence period for two of the country’s pan-continental mobile operators over Quality of Service (Qos) issues. QoS may become a battleground issue across the continent this year as regulators realise they have the power to insist that agreed standards are met and things improve. For operators, getting network capacity in harmony with demand is full of headaches. Russell Southwood feels their pain. Last week Niger’s regulator Autorite de Regulation Multisectorielle (ARM announced that it had reduced the length of two mobile operators' licences in a row over quality of service,…

Rwandatel Management has no case against former CEO.

15 January 2010

On Tuesday December 22 2009, The New Times published an article entitled “Former Rwandatel CEO wanted over missing funds”. The article was written by Ignatius SSUNA and Eugene MUTARA and…

Zain, Africell Fined U.S.$50,000 Each in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone regulator NATCOM has imposed fines of US$50,000 each on two of the country's leading mobile phone operators for violating the Telecommunications Act of 2003. Africell Lintel Sierra Leone…

Orascom rejoices as court rejects FT’s latest offer for MobiNil shares

In the latest twist in the long-running saga over the ownership of Egyptian mobile network operator MobiNil, a court in Cairo has overturned a ruling by the Egyptian Financial Supervisory…

Gateway Communications and Longphone join as strategic partners for pan-African voice operations

Gateway Communications and Longphone agreed to partner in the call termination market to the African continent. Longphone - a European carrier and VOIP call termination provider since 1997, with a…

Uganda’s UCC to initiate study to look at costs of Mobile Number Portability

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is to conduct a study on the use of Mobile Number Portability. This would enable the users to switch their operator without having to change…

Telecoms News - In Brief

- Zimbabwe’s government will only consider a second fixed telephone operator when the Supreme Court has decided on TeleAccess' appeal against cancellation of its licence by the Postal and Telecommunications…

South Africa hits 5m Internet users according to recent research

In what is being considered a significant milestone for communications in the country, the number of South Africans to have access to the Internet has hit the five million mark.…

Rwandatel's Fibre-Optic Cable to Reach Kigali By April

Despite delays, Rwandatel's 900 Km fibre-optic cable is expected to land in Kigali by April this year. This was revealed by the company's Chief Technical Officer (CTO), Basilio Sadindi during…

Gambia: U.S$3 Million for GRTS’ Satellite Project

In a landmark presentation at State House in Banjul last week, the Republic of China on Taiwan through its Ambassador in The Gambia, Dr Richard Shih presented a cheque for…

Internet News - In Brief

- Rwanda's leading telecom company by market share, MTN, has said that the company has deployed a technology called Aradial Authentication, Authorization, Accounting (AAA) that will provide wireless services in…

Zimbabwe’s Cabinet Approves National ICT Strategy Plan, Blueprint

Cabinet has approved the newly-crafted national information communication technology strategy plan and the ICT blueprint is expected be launched at the end of next month. Information Communication Technology Minister Nelson…

Kenya Education Network Trust (KENET) published tender to procure a network operation centre

The Education ministry is gearing up for a series of ICT investments aimed at strengthening ties between institutions. The latest segment of a digitisation programme within the sector has started…

Makerere University to collaborate with UTL in setting up Regional Centres

Makerere University has embarked on a programme to decongest the university by opening regional centres across the country. Students from rural areas who want to join Makerere University will be…

Computer News - In Brief

- To ensure that products from senior high schools are equipped with requisite skills that will prepare them adequately for further academic work and possibly the job market, Information Communication…

Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)

- Chinese vendor Huawei has announced that its UMTS900 solution has been successfully deployed in the MTN Ghana network. This represents the first time in Africa continent that UMTS has…

Nigeria: Zinox Acquires Enugu Coal-City Wifi

Zinox Telecoms has taken over control of Enugu Coal-City Wifi project following a buyout of the Enugu State Government in a Joint Venture between the state and Zinox Telecoms at…

Uganda: Mara Group Set to invest in Local Telecom Industry

One of Uganda's home-grown business groups with a global presence is seeking access to venture into the competitive local telecommunications industry. The Mara Group which is behind the Kensington Luxury…

South Africa: UBS Removes MTN From List of Stock Picks

Africa's largest cellphone company, MTN, has been removed from UBS's list of top telecommunications stock picks due to concern about the effect of SIM card registration requirements in Nigeria. UBS…

Kenya’s BPO Operators Forecast Robust Activity After Landing of Fibre

The outsourcing sector in Kenya will see exponential growth this year, players in the sector have said. Ms Peres Were, managing director Cascade Global, says landing of the fibre optic…

On The Money - In Brief

- Egyptian mobile operator MobiNil has denied recent claims that it is late in paying the January instalment for its 3G licence, Reuters reports. MobiNil CEO Hassan Kabbani said of…

First money transfer service for Morocco

Maroc telecom has launched Mobicash, Morocco's first trials of mobile debit payment service. This first service of money transfer and payment by cell phone has been the object of an…

Mozambique Makes online gambling legal

The president of Mozambique has signed into law revisions to its gambling legislation that legalise online gambling, along with new land measures to permit slot machines in non-casino areas and…

People

In Uganda, Zul Javaid is stepping down from his position as Chief Executive Officer of WARID Telecom after two years at the helm. Javaid, who leaves at the end of…

Events

TELECOMFINANCE 2010 26th – 27th January 2010, Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel, London TelecomFinance 2010 will bring together the key individuals and companies that will shape the telecoms industry in what…

Jobs and Opportunities

* Google Africa is hiring Google South Africa is looking to strengthen its presence in South Africa and Africa Google is currently looking for new employees: Country Marketing Manager, an…

Contracts

West African operator and Redknee Solutions Redknee Solutions Inc., a provider of mission-critical software and solutions for communications service providers, today announced that it has secured a contract with a…