Issue no 596 16th March 2012
Top Story
Mobile data revenue: the long road ahead for African mobile operators
Back in December 2011 Balancing Act published an article on mobile data revenue which highlighted that data revenues for mobile operators in Sub-Sahara Africa remain tiny in most countries with the exception of South Africa and to a lesser extent Kenya. In the last couple of years many African mobile operators have launched 3G networks and more rollouts are in the pipeline. These are high CAPEX investments at stake and as in a poker game, the player needs to have the right cards in its hand to win the hand. Isabelle Gross looks at what mobile operators already have in…
Telecoms
Safaricom Threatens to Pull Out of LTE Network Venture
Kenya's Safaricom has said that it will withdraw from plans to build a shared LTE network for all the mobile networks if the government insists that it operate in the…
Telecoms
Congolese court rejects Vodacom appeal; SA firm ordered to pay consultant USD21m
South Africa’s Vodacom Group has been ordered to pay former consultant Moto Mabanga USD21 million after losing an appeal in a Democratic Republic of Congo court, Bloomberg reports. Mabanga told…
Telecoms
Egypt’s Mobinil looks to bounce back
After months of fears, Mobinil this week announced its margins of losses for last year were not nearly as poor as analysts and observers believed. Still, the company has a…
Telecoms
Airtel has announced a series of initiatives in its endeavor to build a ‘green’ environment friendly mobile network and reduce its carbon footprint in Africa.
The company said that over last one year, it has reduced the number of telecom sites running solely on diesel by more than 50% by overcoming the challenge of lack…
Telecoms
Ghana - Telcos want 20% import tax on SIM cards removed
The CEO of Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Kwaku Addo Sakyi-Addo said 20% import tax on SIM cards is an anomaly in the copyright law and must be removed.The Copyright Regulation,…
Telecoms
Nigerian Regulator Seeking to Release Additional 2.5Ghz Spectrum
Nigeria's Communications Commission (NCC) has confirmed that it is seeking to reclaim unused radio spectrum from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) which could be resold to the mobile network operators.There…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- France Telecom (FT) subsidiary Orange Uganda has signed a 15 year leaseback deal with African towerco, Eaton Towers. Orange has agreed to sell its passive infrastructure and assets to…
Internet
Tunisia: Anonymous Hacks Islamist Party's Facebook Page
The Facebook page of Hizb Ettahrir, an Islamist political party that is legally unrecognized in Tunisia, was hacked last night by a Tunisian group claiming affiliation with the international cyber…
Internet
Nigeria: Undergraduate Creates Social Network Website
Prudence Okoilu, a 300 level student of Physics and Electronics, University of Lagos (UNILAG), recently opened a social network website "HIPINGG." Its feature combines Facebook, Twitter and Pinging. Tosin Adesile…
Internet
Tunisia: Internet Freedom in Nation Hovers Between Present Fragility and Future Hope
Last Tuesday Tunisia celebrated the National Day of Internet Freedom. A ceremony was held at the Carthage Presidential Palace, where the Tunisian President paid tribute to the memory of Zouhair…
Internet
Ghana’s Internet speed ranked highest in Africa
Ghana has been ranked number one in Africa as the country with the highest Internet speed, according to the latest global internet speed report released March 5, 2012 by US-based,…
Internet
Gambia - Netpage launches WiMAX wireless broadband service
Netpage has launched a new WiMAX-based wireless broadband service in Gambia, under the banner ‘4G Max Evolution’, which hit the market on 15 March 2012. Netpage is offering fixed-wireless internet…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Vodafone Ghana has introduced an integrated and engaging communications campaign with the tagline ‘Limitless Possibilities’. This campaign is aimed at educating Ghanaians about the Internet and empowering them to…
Computing
Nigeria: Huawei Awards ICT Scholarship to 15 Unilag Students
Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria has awarded ICT scholarships to 15 students of the University of Lagos. The Huawei ICT Scholarship scheme is targeted at full-time undergraduate students who are committed…
Computing
Namibia: Computerised Health Records On Track
The Ministry of Health recently advertised a tender for the supply of computer equipment for hospitals in Oshakati, Rundu, Keetmanshoop and Windhoek as part of the implementation of the E-Health…
Computing
Angolan police seize independent newspaper’s computers
The Committee to Protect Journalists told Bikyamasr.com that today Angolan police raid at the independent weekly Folha 8, which was conducted in connection with a politicized investigation into the publication…
Computing
Ghana: Govt to Distribute RLG Laptops to Teachers
The Minister of Education, Lee Ocran, says in order to help improve ICT education, his ministry would soon be donating laptops to all teachers across the country, to make them…
Computing
USAID to Support ICT Developments in Kenya
The US government is to extend technical assistance to Kenya in developing ICT strategies on universal access and broadband.According to an agreement signed between the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK)…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs connected 66 embassies and high commissions abroad following the launch of their Global Communication Network (GCN) and ICT training centre. Minister of Foreign Affairs…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
MTN Ghana have launched a tariff that makes on-net calls free of charge after the first three minutes of billable voice calls.
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
More Equity Funding for Mobile Transactions Zambia
Omidyar Network and Accion International have invested USD3.2m in Mobile Transactions International, a Zambia-incorporated company that leverages mobile technology and an agent network to enable financial transactions across the Zambian…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
UniBank, Airtel money collaborate with Star Micro
In a statement issued in Accra on Tuesday, it was revealed that UniBank Ghana Limited has collaborated with Airtel Money and Star Micro Insurance.The aim is to offer life insurance…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Money News - In Brief
- Kenya's Safaricom has cut withdrawal commissions and increased deposit commissions it offers its M-Pesa agents in an effort to increase the volume of large deposits on its money transfer…
Digital Content
Her Zimbabwe goes live
iZimbabwe’s Fungai Machirori, has launched a website dedicated to discussing and articulating Zimbabwean women’s issues and experiences. Being one of Zimbabwe’s most insightful writers and one who’s already been already…
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People
World Economic Forum chooses SEACOM’s Brian Herlihy as a Young Global Leader for 2012 Brian Herlihy, Executive Director at SEACOM, has been named as one of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s)…
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Jobs & Opportunities
Create your own SMS application with ForgetMeNot Africa and launch it on the Econet Zimbabwe networkThere’s an amazing opportunity in Zimbabwe to create your own apps business. ForgetMeNot Africa, Jumpstart…
