Issue no 552 28th April 2011
Top Story
African telcos can claim carbon credits under a new scheme launched by Nedbank Capital
Although a large number of African telcos use diesel generators to power their base stations and other telecoms equipment, the “green revolution” that should see them make more use of renewable energy solutions is yet to come. Mindsets like “this is how we are doing things here” are slow to change but sooner rather than later, telecom operators will need to incorporate “the green component” in how they operate their networks in Africa. This is exactly where Nedbank Capital’s new carbon credits scheme for telecoms operators comes in. Isabelle Gross spoke to Fritz Milosevic, investment banker at Nedbank Capital about…
Telecoms
MTN Swaziland Loses Bid to Stop New Mobile-Phone Operator
MTN Group Ltd.’s Swaziland unit lost a court bid to stop Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications Corp. from offering mobile-phone services in the country.There isn’t a conflict of interest in the…
Telecoms
Zamtel Targets 80 Percent Coverage of Zambia
Zamtel will establish more than 500 base stations to cover about 80 per cent of the country with its mobile network. Zamtel CEO Hans Paulsen said his company would undertake…
Telecoms
World Bank Announces Winners of First “Apps for Development” Competition
An app that allows users to visualize development indicators using powerful charts and maps, a web-based tool to measure the impact of global events on progress toward the Millennium Development…
Telecoms
Kenya: Airtel Boss Wanted in Court Over ADs Cash
A Nakuru court has ordered Airtel Kenya Managing Director Rene Meza to appear in court within one week in a case where the municipal council has sued the mobile phone…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Communication Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo has made the first video call over the mobile network of Intergroup Telecom to President Koroma. Local newspaper…
Internet
Africa: Seacom Sees Intra-African Internet Traffic Growing
Undersea cable operator Seacom is positioning itself to benefit from growth in internet traffic between African countries by partnering with local operators to provide seamless connections within the continent.Key to…
Internet
Kenya: E-Ticketing At Maasai Mara Game Reserve Launched
The long-awaited electronic ticketing system within the gates of the famous Maasai Mara game reserve has come into force. In an advert placed in sections of the press on Thursday,…
Internet
Zimbabwe: 24% of urban adults now using Internet, say AMPS survey
According to a Zimbabwe All Media Products and Services (AMPS) Survey, 24% of urban adults are now using the Internet. Of these, 83% of the Internet users go online at…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Leading press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned Uganda’s Communications Commission for ordering the blocking of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter earlier this month. In…
Computing
Ghana Government abandons E-Voting for 2012 Polls
Ahead of 2012 general election, the Electoral Commission of Ghana has confirmed that it has jettisoned the idea of introducing electronic voting (e-voting) for the conduct of the polls. The…
Computing
Zimbabwe: FBC Holdings introduces a mobile financial software application
FBC Holdings has introduced a mobile financial software application that provides users with free data from global financial markets including stocks, mutual funds, currencies, commodities, financial futures, oil and precious…
Computing
Digital Multimedia Academy to Open Next Month in Rwanda
The Africa Digital Multimedia Academy, which is supported by Pixel Corps, a US-based digital media firm, will next month open its doors, at the Regional ICT Training Centre (RITC) of…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- A regional ICT forum on the East Africa Public Health Laboratory Networking Project (EAPHLN) kicked in Kigali. The five-day workshop aims at establishing efficient, high quality, accessible public health…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms Rates, Offers and Coverage
- Telkom Kenya has reduced the price of its on net calls for its post paid subscribers to Sh1 per minute aimed at attracting and retaining customers. Off net calls…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
AccessKenya to invest over US$50,000 to expand data centre
Leading data center provider AccessKenya has invested an additional Sh5 million (US$60,000) in boosting its capacity of its data center in the country. It comes as the same company announced…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Tanzania: TRA 'Cries' As Mobile Phone Pricing War Ruins Tax Collection Targets
The intensified price wars among mobile phone operators has adversely revenue collection in February, as collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) was short of target. The price wars resulted into…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
IT and telecoms jobs in decline in South Africa
Recruitment activity in Information Technology and Telecoms decline, but some skills still in big demand The March 2011 CareerJunction Index (CJI) Report was released last week, revealing the latest recruitment…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
South Africa’s SilverBridge to report a loss
Listed financial services software provider SilverBridge will report a loss in the full-year to February, reversing its previous profitable position. The company says in an announcement to shareholders that it…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Money – In Brief
- The growing use of plastic money has attracted the two major payments solutions companies, Visa International and Mastercard to set up base in Kenya. Visa International has announced plans…
Digital Content
Kenya’s Mobile Operators sharpen up their content offering strategy
Mobile phone operators are targeting county governments in the race for the rural market to grow their data businesses. And e-health and e-learning value-added services will be the next battlefront…
Digital Content
Uganda: Robusta Coffee to Be Marketed Online
Uganda Coffee Producers and traders can now market their fine coffee online using a Q system web portal developed by the Coffee Quality Institute, Uganda Coffee Development Authority has said.David…
More
People
- The former head of the Mozambique's publicly-owned port and rail company, CFM, Rui Fonseca, on Thursday took office as chairperson of the board of directors of the Mozambican subsidiary…
More
Events
Ghana ICT and Telecom Summit28-29 April 2011, Ghana-India Kofi Annan ICT Centre Accra, GhanaThe summit will bring together over 200 decision-makers from Ghanaian operators and international stakeholders with an interest…
More
Jobs & Opportunities
ITU App Challenge targets climate change ITU has launched a Green ICT Application Challenge to find the best and most innovative idea for a climate change focused app. The winning…
More
Contracts
Enghouse Systems and Converged Communications - MEAGlobal enterprise software solution vendor, Enghouse Systems and Converged Communications FZ LLC (CCMENA) have signed a Master Distribution Agreement for the Middle East and…