Issue no 574 30th September 2011
Top Story
Operator-agnostic mobile money transfer services Pata Express carves a niche for itself in Congo-Brazza and plans to launch Phone Page directory
While there is a lot of publicity made around mobile payment services launched by mobile operators in Africa (thanks to their very well-oiled PR machine) there is much less emphasis on mobile payment services launched by other organisations. During her recent visit to Congo-Brazza, Isabelle Gross spoke to Alain Ndalla, the CEO of Pata Express about their mobile operator agnostic mobile transfer service and other services that the company plans to launch in the coming 12 months. Pata Express has started offering mobile transfer and payment services in Congo-Brazaville twelve months ago. To comply with local banking rules, Pata Express…
Telecoms
17 firms submit bids for ‘open access’ LTE scheme
According to Business Daily Africa a total of 17 telecoms firms have registered their interest in Kenya’s planned ‘open access’ Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. Of the companies involved, eight…
Telecoms
Kenya’s Yu mobile initiates second round of mobile tariff war
A second round of the mobile tariff war is looming in Kenya following an announcement by Kenyan mobile operator Yu, the mobile phone brand of Essar Telecom Kenya Limited, that…
Telecoms
UCC axes six telecoms licences
Uganda’s Communication Commission (UCC) has revoked the licences of six telecoms operators for failing to launch services within their allotted time limit. Uganda’s licensing regime is technology neutral, with concessions…
Telecoms
Nigeria: NCC Extends SIM Card Registration
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given a grace period for subscribers who were unable to register their SIM cards during the six-month registration exercise. A statement by the NCC…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Essar Telekom Kenya has agreed to pay Kenyan Data Networks (KDN) a lump sum of KES25 million (USD250,000), followed by KES6.2 million until an independent arbitrator can settle the…
Internet
ACE cable lands in Liberia
A high powered cable ship is expected to land at the shores of Liberia next month under the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA), intended to increase government inter-connectivity computer networking and…
Internet
Internet Solutions mulls metro Wi-Fi plan
Dimension Data division Internet Solutions (IS) is at an advanced stage of planning for a project that could see it investing heavily in building metropolitan Wi-Fi networks to serve business…
Internet
Airtel inks 3G network roll-out deal with NSN
Finnish telecommunications equipment vendor Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) has signed an agreement with Bharti Airtel to expand the operator’s 2G infrastructure and deploy 3G networks in seven African countries. Under…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
Airtel has launched an online search platform to help Somali refugees find their relatives. The platform includes the use of mobile Internet (wireless application protocol or WAP) and also Android…
Computing
Teraco opens Durban data centre as colocation demand continues to rise in South Africa
Durban North, 30 September 2011 – Teraco Data Environments today opened the doors of its third vendor neutral colocation facility in River Horse Valley. Dark fibre Africa, MWeb, Telkom, Neotel,…
Computing
Tanzania: Bank Promises Improved Services With New Software
Ecobank Tanzania customers should anticipate improved services as the bank changes bank management software.The shift from Globus to Flexcube, to become effective on Monday next week, will affect all of…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- The City Council of Nairobi has developed an e-Construction Permit Management System with the help of the World Bank The Director of Planning Tom Odongo said yesterday that the…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Essar Telecom partners with Tata Communications
A new deal inked on Monday between Essar Telecom Kenya and Tata Communications will allow yuMobile to route all international voice calls through the Tata communications network.“It’s a really smart…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Nigeria: Starcomms Unveils Trans-Network Migration Service
STARCOMMSPIc has introduced a value added service that will help its new customers who are migrating from other networks to notify their old contacts automatically about their new Starcomms number.…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Rwanda: Blackberry Users Yet to Fully Benefit From Smart-Phone Features
Owners of blackberry phones in the country cannot enjoy the full potential of smart phones until the handset maker, Research in Motion (RIM), awards a license to the service provider,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Telkom shares slump, reports a loss
Shares in telecommunications group Telkom slumped R1.60 (Less than US $1) or 4.82% to R31.60 (about US $4.1) on the JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) today after the group announced losses…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Nigeria: ICT companies urged to list on stock market
Nigeria’s Communications and Technology Minister Omobola Johnson has again called on information, communications and technology firms in the country to list on the Stock Market in an effort to boost…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Money News - In Brief
- Zain's Sudan subsidiary has awarded a mobile advertising contract to Jinny Software.- Sierra Leone’s parliament has approved a concessional loan agreement between the government and the Export-Import Bank of…
Digital Content
iBurst shakes up SA’s data prices
South Africa based wireless data provider, iBurst has presented the South African public with new competitive data packages, available on a month-to-month or contract package.iBurst’s new data packages range from…
More
People
Emma Kaye, CEO of bozza.mobi was elected one of Africa's top ten women in science and technology- In the spirit of celebrating African excellence, ITNewsAfrica decided to profile 10 African…
More
Jobs & Opportunities
The African Child On-line Protection education & Awareness centre (ACOPEA) seeks partnersMission and goals:ACOPEA aims to promote Africa wide awareness on the importance of child safety in the online world,…
