Issue no 594 2nd March 2012
Top Story
Africa’s ICT entrepreneurs – On the brink of the long Summer of Love
For over a decade, Africa’s ICT entrepreneurs have struggled to make sense of how to innovate and make money on a continent that was largely connected to the outside world by satellite and extremely expensive fibre. Now with cheaper wholesale bandwidth and falling retail prices, the season is going from an unforgiving winter to perhaps a long Summer of Love. Russell Southwood looks at the changes afoot that are helping Africa’s ICT entrepreneurs stand a better chance of success.When we started Balancing Act 12 years ago, Africa’s ICT entrepreneurs were talking about a whole range of services and applications but…
Telecoms
Nigeria - At Last, the Federal Government Approves Liquidation of NITEL, M-Tel
The Federal Government has finally approved the adoption of “guided liquidation” strategy for the privatisation of Nigerian Telecommunications Ltd (NITEL) and its mobile arm, M-Tel because of the huge liabilities…
Telecoms
Nigeria - Airtel deepens coverage, launches 3.75G network
To further deepen it network capacity and quality across the 36 states in Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria has launched a 3.75 G service targeted at boosting customers’ experience.With its 3.75 G…
Telecoms
Namibia: More Delays For Four G
THE delayed launch of MTC's 4G network hit another speed bump on Wednesday evening as the Windhoek City Council deferred a relevant item on the agenda of its monthly meeting.…
Telecoms
Liberalization of international gateway may close Sierratel, chairman says
Ahead of the July 5 set date for the full liberalization of Sierra Leone's international gateway and the revision of the country's telecom law, Sierratel's chairman has warned that the…
Telecoms
Tanzania - Phone firms taken to task over poor quality service
With customers of mobile phone operators having to endure a torrid experience due to poor quality of telephony communication, the government now wants service providers to connect to the national…
Telecoms
UAE’s Etisalat boosting its African satellite capacity with Intelsat
United Arab Emirates telecommunications company Etisalat announced on Tuesday that it was boosting its capacity on Intelsat 22, to be launched next month in an effort to boost its presence…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Safaricom has announced a major tariff review that will enable more Kenyans in the low income segment to access its mobile money transfer service, M-PESA. In the changes that…
Internet
How did a ship manage to slow down all of East Africa’s broadband?
Millions of Internet users in East Africa have seen their connection speeds suffer after an undersea fibre optic cable connecting the continent to high-speed services in Europe and the Middle…
Internet
Morocco: Authorities Reinforce Online Crackdown
Walid Bahomane, an 18-year-old student, was tried behind closed doors in Rabat earlier this month on charges of Internet "piracy" and "insulting the sacred values of Morocco and the King"…
Internet
Angola to get LTE network
Angola is set to become Africa's first country to have a commercial next-generation long-term evolution (LTE) mobile network. Chinese makers of telecoms equipment Huawei and ZTE have worked with Angolan…
Internet
South Africa: Schools Can Now Compete in World Education Games
For the first time South African learners and schools will be able to compete in the World Education Games taking place from 6-8 March 2012.Individual learners or classes will be…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Tunisia’s Supreme Court has cancelled the ruling of lower court to force censorship of web content. According to local media, a civil lawsuit was brought to the lower court,…
Computing
South Africa: Dept takes technology to rural schools
The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform recently donated Macbooks and other ICT equipment to Gaopotlake High in Mokgalwaneng as part of a project to bring the best available…
Computing
Nigeria - ‘Exposure to online contests improves student performance’
With the fast growing access to ICT facilities, it has been disclosed that exposure of pupils to online competitions, will improve their performance in mathematics, spelling and other science-related subjects.The…
Computing
Ghana to train disabled in ICT
The Chief Executive of Birim North District in Ghana Mavis Ama Frimpong has revealed that the Assembly would be organizing ICT training for persons with disabilities.She said the training was…
Computing
Kenya: Country Signs MoU to Boost Cyber-Security
Within the past year, more than 2,000 websites have been hacked. Kenya has signed a deal with a United Nations agency to boost the country's efforts in enhancing cyber-security.In a…
Computing
HP, Clinton Foundation set up data centers in Kenya
Hewlett-Packard, the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Kenya's Ministry of Public Health have completed the rollout of a series of data centers to connect laboratories and health centers as well…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Datawind has received an order for 100,000 3G-enabled tablets from Angolan cellco Movicel, valued at USD10 million, to be completed in eight weeks. The company also said it expected…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Coverage and Offers
- Angola's privately-owned Unitel mobile phone operator has expanded its voice roaming and data services to six more countries from various continents: Gabon, including Australia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pharaoh Islands and…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
South Africa: KT Corp. May Reduce Telkom Bid or Abandon Offer, Absa Says
KT Corporation may cut the price of an offer to buy a stake in Telkom South Africa Ltd. (TKG) or abandon the 3.8 billion rand ($505 million) transaction, Absa Asset…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Money News - In Brief
- Shareholders of Orascom Telecom Media and Technology (OTMT) have voted in favour of selling the majority of the company’s stake in Egyptian cellco Mobinil to France Telecom (FT). The…
Digital Content
Hackers go hard on Nigerian Celebrities: Starting with Flavour
Popular music crooner, Flavour had his twitter account hacked last week by unknown hackers.The hacker who tweeted from the twitter handle of the artist @flavournabania claimed that he had been…
Digital Content
Tunisia: Start Up Index - Unleashing the Potential of Local Innovation
Where do the most game-changing innovations occur? Sometimes, they don't germinate in the executive boardroom but rather in a small company or even a garage. Think back to the humble…
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People
David King new CEO for power management systems specialist Flexenclosure Telecom industry veteran David King has been appointed new CEO for Flexenclosure, a specialist provider of intelligent power management solutions for…
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Jobs & Opportunities
‘Microsoft Imagine Cup software competition’The deadline to register for the annual Imagine Cup student technology competition is 13 March 2012, 23:59:59 GMT. Students are to register in one of eight…
