Issue no 591 10th February 2012
Top Story
It came out of nowhere – Low-end, mobile social network Eskimi shoots to 2.5 million subscribers in Nigeria
The speed with which Facebook grew in Africa was startling but the story is now well-known. Lithuanian social network Eskimi is designed for low-end handset users and in a little over 18 months it has gone from nothing to 2.5 million users. Anyone who believes that mobile content is important has to understand why this has happened. Russell Southwood picks over the bones with Vytas Paukstys, CEO, Eskimi and Nigerian Ayo Alli who has taken on the promotion of the site.There’s a cycle of events before the content moment arrives. International fibre connections have to be in place: content and…
Telecoms
MTN, TurkCell in talks over bribery lawsuit
TurkCellIletisimHizmetlera AS (TurkCell) has confirmed that talks with South African mobile operator MTN (MTN) are ongoing, with the former looking to bring a case against MTN and its subsidiary, Irancell,…
Telecoms
Airtel given more time to increase its local shareholders
Airtel Kenya has won a major concession from the government after the parent company was allowed to continue holding a 95 per cent stake in the second largest mobile telephony…
Telecoms
Uganda: Mobile operators to pay more for QoS shortcomings
Telecoms with poor service quality will soon start to pay 10 per cent of their gross income in penalties, if the communications regulator goes ahead to implement a new penalties…
Telecoms
GilatSatcom’s SuricatePRO Connects IridiumUsers in Underground, Closed and Remote Facilities
GilatSatcom, a provider of domestic and international fiber and satellite-based connectivity services in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, has announced that it has released to market SuricatePRO, a communication…
Telecoms
Sierra Leone: Airtel’srolls out 3G in main cities
Airtel Sierra Leone has taken a significant step towards building the largest 3G network across Africa by announcing the launch of its 3G mobile platform in the country, which promises…
Telecoms
Kenya: Nokia Taps App Talent to Increase Sales
Mobile handset manufacturer Nokia will establish a regional research and development centre in Nairobi in an effort to capture the growing number Kenya's software developers to cultivate applications for its…
Telecoms
Nigeria: NCC Defends Delay in Licensing Fixed Line Operators
Nigerians who were hoping to see the rollout of newly licensed Fixed Line operators may have to wait a little further, following a recent revelation by the Nigerian Communications Commission…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Algeria’s dominant communications provider, state-owned Algerie Telecom, is expanding its relationship with satellite operator Eutelsat under a new five-year contract. The deal will see the Algerians lease 47MHz of…
Internet
Egyptian mothers on the net
For a first-time mother, it is usually her own mother who becomes the primary source of motherhood advice. Other female relatives and friends who already have children are often second…
Internet
Social media saved Africa's oldest community station
When a financial crisis threatened the existence of Africa’s oldest community station, Bush Radio, an outpouring of sympathy and appeals went viral on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.…
Internet
Street View coming to Botswana
Google has added five Western Cape wineries to its popular Street View service in Google Maps and will begin collecting images in Botswana in the next few weeks, the Internet…
Internet
Global Connectivity Provider SkyVision Increases Its Pan-African Coverage.
SkyVision Global Networks, a provider of IP connectivity over satellite and fiber optic networks, has announced that it has partnered with CMC Networks, a leading ISP based in South Africa,…
Internet
Google+ users at almost half a million in SA: report
Canadian start-up Exponential Labs claims to have monitored Google+ since it launched and have made statistics about the social network available onlineNew statistics from PlusDemophraphics.com finds as many as 466,828…
Internet
Nigeria: NITDA to Provide Wide Internet Access to Varsity Students
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said it will soon provide wide Internet access to students in universities across the country. ProfessorCleopasAngaye, the Director-General of the agency, said…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Dutch Anthropologist Mirjam de Bruijn has been awarded a Vici grant by NWO to investigate the influence of new communication technologies and social media on changing social and political…
Computing
South Africa: Milpark Launches New Online Platform
MyMilpark, Milpark Business School's new online learning environment, provides a platform for students with their own e-mail address.Milpark recognises that the student is the principal player in the teaching-learning transaction…
Computing
Rwanda: Actionaid Boosts Fight Against GBV
National Police's anti-gender based violence (GBV) offices received computers and cameras worth Rwf 8.5 million from Actionaid Rwanda to support their efficiency in curbing the vice.The equipment will be dispersed…
Computing
Uganda: MoH Launches Electronic System to Curb Shortages in the Health Sector
Ministry of Health launched a Human Resource for health Information System a digitalised information system for managing human resource in the Ministry. The purpose of the system is to improve…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Sierra Leone’s Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Tamba Mansa Ngegba, has expressed interest on behalf of his country for a computer charity organisation to work in Sierra…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage - (Briefs)
- Zimbabwe- Econet Wireless has started offering video conferencing facilities to companies and parastatals that can afford the service.In an interview after handing over 350 cellphone handsets and lines to…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
URA, MTN Shs136 billion tax row moves to arbiter
A tax row between Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and telecoms company MTN has been scheduled for arbitration starting February 15 after failed attempts to resolve the matter in the boardroom…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Uganda: Airtel's Mobile Money creates seamless regional money transfer
The entry of Airtel Uganda into the Mobile Money platform is set to generate renewed innovativeness that could yet again send ripples across Uganda's telecom sector.Early last week, Airtel launched…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money News - In Brief
- South Africa-based regional mobile operator Vodacom Group said revenue in its third quarter ended 31 December 2011 increased 12% year-on-year to ZAR17.99 billion (USD2.38 billion) from ZAR16.03 billion in…
Digital Content
South Africa: New Award for Best Food Blog Announced as Part of Annual Awards
Keeping things local is what the 2012 Eat In DStv Food Network Produce Awards is all about. Against this background, Eat In - the ultimate foodie shopping guide that takes…
Digital Content
Angola: Airline Company to Launch Electronic Service for Luggage Control
The state-owned Angola Airline Company (TAAG) will launch this year an electronic service that enables customers to locate their luggage by inserting a number on the system, ANGOP has learnt.This…
Digital Content
Africa: Software Apps for Farmers Win Prizes
The increasing use of software applications (widely known as apps) in solving Africans' problems has been highlighted by the three winning entries of the Apps4Africa: Climate Challenge contest.The regional competition…
Digital Content
Cameroon: The Cardiopad - an African Invention to Save Lives
A young Cameroonian engineer has built the first fully touch screen medical tablet that could soon save many African lives. He first has to find the necessary funding to mass-produce…
More
People
- Telecommunications group Telkom SA (TKG) on Wednesday advised that Polelo Lazarus Zim has been re-appointed as the chairman of the Telkom Board of Directors with immediate effect.
