Issue no 541 11th February 2011
Top Story
When will African mobile operators go “green”? – not yet, concludes a new report
The number of green mobile base stations deployed in Africa remains small. It represents a mere 3.1% of the total number of deployments worldwide (9,558). This news comes amid headlines last week on oil prices soaring to their highest level for two years as the value of Brent crude broke the US$101 a barrel mark for the first time since October 2008.A large number of African mobile base stations require two sets of generators and in some cases up to three months supply of costly fuel in their tanks. More remote base stations may require fuelling by boat and hand-cart…
Telecoms
LibyaPhone Mobile enters Libyan wireless sector; becomes third state-owned cellco in market
State-owned broadband provider Libya Telecom & Technology (LTT) has confirmed that it has launched Libya’s third mobile phone network, under the brand name LibyaPhone Mobile. Although no precise rollout details…
Telecoms
Tanzania: Huawei sues Hits Telecoms for non-payment
The much-anticipated rollout plan by Excellentcom (T) Limited, a new mobile phone company, has stalled. The firm, trading as Hits Tanzania, risks being wound up and has already laid off…
Telecoms
Kenya: Tariff Wars Drive Up Subscriber Numbers but only 5% shift in Safaricom’s market share
The number of mobile phone subscribers in Kenya has grown to 22 million people, according to the Communications Commission of Kenya quarterly report for September 2010. The rise, attributed to…
Telecoms
Bank of Tanzania, TCRA Partner on Mobile Phone Cash Transfers Control in Tanzania
The strong growth of mobile payment services in the country has led to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the services' joint supervision by the Bank of…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
The Mauritanian regulator, the ARE, has issued on January 23rd a call for interest for the provision of a monitoring system for international inbound voice calls. For our readers who…
Internet
1Mbps broadband for all South Africans, says Vodacom CEO
Peak mobile broadband speeds are reaching tens of Mbps, but Vodacom CEO says that they will focus on giving everyone at least 1Mbps Mobile broadband technologies in South Africa are…
Internet
Rwanda: Senate to Summon ICT Minister Over Fibre Optics
The Minister in the Office of the President in charge of ICT is set to appear before the Senate to explain how the government intends to manage and maintain the…
Internet
African TLD registries yet to deploy DNSSEC
Lack of political willingness and weak management of country code top-level domains has led to slow implementation of DNS Security Extensions in Africa.Africa was expected to extensively implement DNSSEC because…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
The Kigali Wireless Broadband (Wibro) technology is set go live, according to David Kanamugire, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT in the President's Office. He told Business Times…
Computing
Kenyan Tech Firms Lobby for Government Software Tenders
Innovators are lobbying to have the first option in developing software for government ministries, departments and parastatals, saying this would help the nascent segment grow while offering the public sector…
Computing
Department of Labour and Siemens to split in South Africa
The Department of Labour (DOL) will not renew its contract with Siemens to deliver its IT systems. DOL acting director-general Sam Morotoba presented the current status of the contract to…
Computing
R35m Continuity South Africa deal finalized
The R35m sale of 51% of disaster-recovery firm Continuity SA by JSE-listed outsourcing specialist the Dialogue Group, has been finalised. CoroCapital, the investment banking firm and subsidiary of Coronation, now…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
The Introduction of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System in 2007, otherwise called the E-payment has saved the Federal Government of Nigeria N12 billion, the Minister of Finance has said.
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates. Offers and Coverage
Nigeria’s mobile operator Globacom has launched its prepaid 3G plus internet services in Kaduna. Morocco’s third largest mobile operator Wana, which launched a GSM-based network in February 2010 under the…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Ghanaians must own 30% of telecom service providers says Minister of Communications
Companies in the business of providing infrastructure services for telecom firms will now have to be partly owned by Ghanaians.According to a new directive from the Ministry of Communications, Ghanaians…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Millicom/Tigo reports Q4-2010 results
Millicom International Cellular (MIC) has reported a drop in profit for the fourth quarter ended 31 December 2010, reflecting the absence of gains from discontinued operations included in results for…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Cell C sells stake in Virgin Mobile South Africa; new investor pledges substantial investment
South African mobile operator Cell C has sold its 50% stake in Virgin Mobile South Africa for an undisclosed sum, the Virgin Group has confirmed. The deal will see co-owner…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Kenya: M-Pesa Clients to Access Visa ATMs
Registered customers of mobile phone money transfer service, M-Pesa, can now withdraw cash in any currency from Visa branded automated teller machines (ATMs) anywhere in the world. They can also…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Money – In Brief
Following directives given to commercial banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria to effect electronic payment system in the country, MasterCard, an international electronic payment company, has entered into alliance…
Digital Content
Uganda: Rural Population to Benefit From Bicycle Powered Phone Charger
Handset manufacturer, Nokia, is set to launch a bicycle- charger that will help people in rural areas to harness energy from bicycles to charge mobile phones. In an interview with…
Digital Content
Mobile apps growth in Kenya Catches Tech Investors' Eyes
Mobile application development in Kenya is gaining speed as players rush to tap into the vast pool of young tech entrepreneurs by offering training. Experts predict that mobile applications will…
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Events
5th Africa Economic Forum 20117-9 March 2011, Cape Town, South Africa Venue BMW Pavilion, V&A WaterfrontOur 5th Africa Economic Forum 2011 (AEF-2011) in Cape Town at the BMW-Imax Theatre, with…
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People
InMobi, a mobile advertising firm, has appointed a Kenyan-born Isis Nyong'o as its vice president and managing director for Africa as it seeks to get a larger share of the…
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Jobs & Opportunities
HR Manager’s job entails providing practical, consistent, and proactive support, direction and advice to other division managers on HR procedure, policy, best practice, employment rewards, benefits, and legislation to facilitate…
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Contracts
MTN and Radcom – East AfricaRadcom, a provider of service assurance solutions, says that it has won a contract from South Africa based MTN for its Omni-Q Service Assurance solution…
