Issue no 573 23rd September 2011
Top Story
Congo: “Fibre to the people” – how to make the best use of the new international capacity
On September 12th, the ACE submarine fibre cable landed close to Banjul, the capital of the Gambia. Excitement and interest were high as you can see from the photos taken at the beach where the cable was pulled out of the sea (for the photos see Balancing Act’s website). The commercial launch of international fibre capacity will only start in July 2012 but the Gambia is already finalising the legal framework that will govern access to this new international capacity. Further down the west coast of Africa, Congo (Brazza) is still undecided as to how to deal with the international…
Telecoms
Six telecoms companies lose their licences in Uganda
Six companies have lost their telecommunication business licenses in Uganda after failing to launch their services within the required time. The affected firms include; Talk Telecom, Mo Telecom, Mara Telecoms,…
Telecoms
Vodacom moves in to buy Telekom Networks Malawi
South Africa’s Vodacom is in talks to buy a stake in mobile operator Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM), the Daily Times newspaper said citing unidentified sources.Vodacom, which is majority owned by…
Telecoms
Kenya: Essar Agrees to Pay KDN in Sh133 Million Row
Mobile phone service provider Essar Telkom has agreed to pay Kenya Data Networks (KDN) Sh25 million upfront and Sh6.2 million in equal monthly instalments to settle a dispute involving Sh133…
Telecoms
South Africa: Icasa sets date for unbundling hearings
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) has set down a provisional date for hearings on local-loop unbundling, the regulatory intervention that will force Telkom to open its “last mile”…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Algerian telecoms regulator Autorite de Regulation de la Poste et des Telecoms (ARPT) has officially invited bids for the country’s first batch of 3G mobile licences. Operators have until…
Internet
Tanzania: TTCL issues wholesale tariff to access its backbone
The Tanzania Telecommunication Company Limited (TTCL) has announced new tariff structures for the National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) and allowed its customers to sublet the service. In an advert posted…
Internet
Burundi to get first national backbone network
ZTE Corporation, a publicly listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions signed an agreement on 20 September 2011 with Burundi Backbone Systems Company (Burundi BBS) to build Burundi’s…
Internet
Seacom to increase capacity as demand ups
Telecommunication firms have now taken up more than 60 per cent of the capacity that we initially had. Demand has grown and we expect further growth as more and people…
Internet
South Africa: Sentech, Infraco merger not imminent
Public enterprises minister Malusi Gigaba has again raised the possibility of a merger between state-owned enterprises Sentech and Broadband Infraco, but says nothing is imminent. “It would be the culmination…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Telegeography has announced the release their free interactive submarine cable map. TeleGeography’s online map depicts 188 international and planned submarine cable systems and their landing stations. The map presents…
Computing
US$22.5m African Development Fund loan for Bamako Digital Complex
The African Development Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a USD 22.5m African Development Fund loan to the Republic of Mali to finance a major digital complex in the…
Computing
Mobile solar classrooms to teach IT in rural Uganda
Three solar panels, a battery, ten folding chairs, five tables, fifteen Intel-powered Classmate PCs and two teachers in a small van: This is the basic “equipment” of the Mobile Solar…
Computing
ITU scores Africa low in global ICT rankings
Despite increasing deployment of broadband infrastructure and growth of mobile technology, Africa is the lowest-scoring region in the ICT Development Index (IDI) released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) last…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Three years after President Paul Kagame launched the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program, about 65,000 computers have since been distributed to some 128 primary schools in Rwanda. The…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms Rates, Offers and Coverage (briefs)
- 8.ta, South Africa’s fourth mobile operator has entered into a partnership with Nedbank that allows for 8.ta’s prepaid airtime to be purchased from the bank’s online banking channel.- With…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
South Africa: Alan Knott-Craig buys MXit
A few weeks ago Memeburn revealed that instant messaging platform MXit was rumoured to be in sale talks with startup investment firm World of Avatar. We can now confirm that…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Ghana: GhIPSS opens satellite offices to support e-zwich
The Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) has opened five satellite offices across the country to ensure that e-zwich services are running effectively throughout the country.The offices located in…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Top Ten investments in African Telecommunications
Africa has been seen in recent years as an excellent opportunity to invest in telecommunications infrastructure, with many countries receiving trillions of dollars in funding in order to upgrade GSM…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
South Africa: Airtime scam’ led to MTN arrests
Six suspects, not 10 as earlier reported by Sapa, were arrested on Thursday morning at MTN’s head office near Roodepoort. The operator explains the six — two of whom were…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On the Money News - In Brief
- According to Reuters, London based telecoms company, Eaton Towers, has secured a $150 million private funding from the Capital International Private Equity Funds to enable the company to roll…
Digital Content
Rwanda’s mobile developers rewarded
For instance, the Broadband Commission meeting that took place on 8-9 September, 2011, focused on the role of youth in defining new ICT services and driving take-up.Rwanda has an exceptionally…
Digital Content
Nigeria: Elections Set New Records in Use of Social Media
In 2008, then US presidential candidate Barack Obama broke new ground by using social media in ways never seen before. Yet it was Goodluck Jonathan, the recently elected president of…
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People
- Herman Heunis will leave the head of instant messaging platform MXit following the takeover of the company by Alan Knott-Craig Jnr from the World of Avatar.
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Jobs & Opportunities
Information Technology Manager – Abuja, NigeriaThe IT Manager will provide leadership support and maintenance to Family Health International (FHI) Nigeria computer and network infrastructure to ensure stable operations. S/He will…
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Contracts
Essar Telecoms and Tata Communications - KenyaTata Communications and Essar Telecom Kenya (yuMobile), a unit of Essar Group, have announced the signing of a mutually beneficial strategic sourcing agreement. Under…
