Issue no 553 6th May 2011
Top Story
Mobile Web Ghana rewards two local mobile apps developers
Last week’s News Update reported on the winners of the World Bank Competition on “Apps for Development”. In the same issue we also covered the ITU’s announcement about the “Green ICT Application Challenge”. And this week’s Top Story is about the Mobile Web Ghana mobile apps awards. Readers will not be surprised to feel that this is developing into something of a trend. So this week Isabelle Gross talks to the mobile app winners of the contest in Ghana.Before telling you more about Alfred and David’s winning projects, let’s start by introducing Mobile Web Ghana (mwg). Headed by Florence Toffa,…
Telecoms
Gambia: Online newspaper claims Gamcel ‘resold’ to previous Lebanese owner
There is a change of ownership at the country’s premier GSM Company Gamcel, claims Gambian online newspaper Freedom. The Lebanese-owned telecommunication company Spectrum, which had its initial contract prematurely terminated…
Telecoms
Mobile Portability War in Kenya Takes Legal Twist
The mobile portability war is now headed for the courts after Mobile operator, Safaricom sued Porting Access Kenya, the administrators of Mobile Number Portability for defamation and economic sabotage.The operator…
Telecoms
Mauritius: Minister calls for 25% cut in mobile phone charges
Mauritius’ minister for information and communication technology, Tassarajen Chedumbrum Pillay, is calling for a minimum 25% reduction in mobile interconnection fees before the end of May, Reuters reports. The minister…
Telecoms
Kenya: NCIC Monitoring SMS, Web Chatter for Hate Speech
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission has been monitoring text messages and internet-based communication for any clues of hate speech and incitement. The Commission said it has been partnering with…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- The Guinean government has threatened to revoke MTN’s mobile network licence if it does not make a payment of EUR15 million (USD22.5 million) by the 2nd May writes Reuters.…
Internet
Main One and SEACOM join forces to offer capacity between Nigeria and South Africa immediately
Main One and SEACOM have interconnected their West and East African Cable Systems to launch capacity services from PoP to PoP, from a STM-1 level and above. This partnership extends…
Internet
AfDB Approves USD 12 Million for Seychelles Submarine Cable Project
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved on Wednesday, a USD 12 million senior private sector loan to finance Seychelles East African System “SEAS”. The project…
Internet
South Africa: ADSL speed upgrades and uncapped ADSL
Telkom looks set to bump up DSL512 speeds to 1Mbps in the near future – here is what you can expect with uncapped ADSL on the new serviceWhen new Telkom…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Telecom Namibia has deployed a SkyEdge II broadband VSAT satellite network to provide network connectivity for businesses and residential customers across the country, including telephony and high speed internet…
Computing
Africa’s Nations Call for ICTs to Tackle Disease
African health ministers have called for the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to help with attempts to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and sickle-cell disease.The recommendation…
Computing
New Senegalese Business Incubator Opened to Support Early-Stage ICT Enterprises
On April 19th, 2011, the Dakar Information and Communication Technologies Incubator (CITIC) officially launched. This business incubation center is the result of a public-private partnership among infoDev, a donor funded…
Computing
Nairobi Targets Technology to Raise Parking Revenue
The City Council of Nairobi projects to grow its monthly revenue from car parking services by 78 per cent to Sh16 million when an automated system is set up in…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Kenya Reinsurance Corporation slashed its dividend to invest the money in a new Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP), management said. Kenya Re managing director Jadiah Mwarania believes the system will…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms Rates, Offers and Coverage
- In Zambia, Zamtel has reduced its international call rates to high traffic destinations by more than 50 per cent. The company has slashed rates for calls to destinations frequently…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Ringing Results for Telecom Namibia
Riding on the back of increasing subscriber additions for its broadband offerings, Telecom Namibia last year rang up a three per cent increase in total revenue, totalling N$1,16 billion.Releasing its…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Rwandatel Hit With Rwf54.3 Billion Liabilities
Rwandatel is willing to pay the Rwf54.3 billion it owes to its creditors arising from debts and other expanses, the company's new administrator said yesterday.The financially crippled telecom operator is…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Zimbabwe: Econet transfers 49% Ecoweb stake to Liquid in USD70m partnering deal
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has signed a USD70 million partnership agreement with associated company Liquid Telecommunications Holdings (Liquid), which henceforth takes a 49% stake in the cellular operator’s ISP arm, Ecoweb.…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Uganda: UTL to Appeal Against MTN's Sh5 Billion Court Ruling
Uganda Telecom has no plan to pay Shs5 billion in fees and interest to MTN Uganda, despite a High Court order to the firm to do so. Instead, the mobile…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Money – In Brief
- India’s largest mobile network operator in terms of subscribers, Bharti Airtel has reported a hefty drop in net profit in its 2010-11 fiscal year, as a result of foreign…
Digital Content
Kenya: You Can Now Track Your Stolen Vehicle Via SMS
Imagine tracking down your stolen car using the SMS (short message service) and immobilising it. Yes, that is now happening. With the rising uptake of mobile value added services, the…
Digital Content
Rwanda: E-Soko Wins Continental Award
The E-Soko project on Monday won an African award for the promotion of ICT in Rwanda during the third Technology in Government in Africa (TIGA) Awards held in Addis Ababa,…
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People
In Burkina Faso, Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo has been appointed Minister of ICT and Post while in Niger the job has been taken on by Salifou Labo Bouché.
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Events
eLearning Africa 2011 - Spotlight on Youth, Skills and Employability25-27 May 2011, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaThe 6th event in the series of pan-African conferences and exhibitions will focus on Africa's…
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Jobs & Opportunities
Implementation Manager – ZambiaThe company is looking for Looking for a Implementation Manager with Vast experience in Telecom. Ericsson experience preferred. Location will be ZambiaFor further information or to apply…
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Contracts
Etisalat and Alcatel-Lucent -NigeriaEtisalat Nigeria has decided to renew its managed services contract for its mobile network with Alcatel-Lucent. The French-US vendor said it will continue supporting Etisalat Nigeria’s network…
