Issue no 603 4th May 2012
Top Story
A new tool that will help identify African Internet market share and allow content providers to optimise delivery
Access to reliable and transparent information helps markets work effectively. There is plenty of mobile subscriber data for Africa, whether from company reporting requirements or from the continent’s better regulators. However, with honourable exceptions, most regulators have not believed the Internet was sufficiently important to warrant tracking its subscribers. Now as Africa’s Internet steps into the limelight, it becomes important to know more. Russell Southwood talks this week to JulienCoulon of Cedexis who have just launched a tool that might contribute to solving this problem and be useful for optimising content delivery for telcos and media companies.Cedexis’ product was launched…
Telecoms
Tunisiana’s 3G bid declined
Telecom operator Tunisiana’s bid for the 3G and fixed licence has been declined by Tunisia’s ICT Ministry, according to a report by Biztech Africa.As per the report the Minister of…
Telecoms
Vodacom accused of using political, diplomatic pressure to combat fixer
Vodacom stands accused of using political and diplomatic pressure in its battle with a fixer who recently won a case against it in a Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)…
Telecoms
Glo extends reserved number activation period indefinitely
Glo Mobile Ghana has extended the period for which people could activate their specially-reserved numbers indefinitely.This was to allow the claimed 1.5 million Ghanaians who reserved special Glo numbers to…
Telecoms
Namibian - Leo takeover gets conditional approval from comptroller
The Namibia Competition Commission (NaCC) has issued a decision approving Telecom Namibia’s proposed takeover of cellular operator Powercom (trading as Leo) provided the buyer meets certain conditions aimed at ensuring…
Telecoms
Chad, Sudan, Central African Republic: 1500 km of fibre optic cable
An agreement on the financing of the regional broadband telecommunications network in Central Africa was signed by the representative of the World Bank in Chad, Jean-Claude Brou, and the Chadian…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Niger’s parliament has voted to nationalise incumbent telecoms operator Sonitel, abandoning a renewed attempt to privatise the company launched last year, Reuters reports. ‘By this vote, the Niger Telecommunications…
Internet
Ethiopia: Netizens Outraged as Ethiopia Steps Up Internet Censorship
Ethiopian netizens are outraged and expressing their concern on different social media platforms as the Ethiopian government increasingly engages in blocking and surveillance of selected websites, blogs and Facebook pages.…
Internet
West Africa: Bandwidth Cost to Drop As U.S.$650 Million Undersea Cable Goes Live
The cost of internet and data services is set drop drastically as the West Africa Cable System, a $650 million undersea cable goes live on May 11 in Nigeria and…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
The need to populate dot ng domain name registration among youths, corporate organisations and government agencies, formed a major discussion at the Annual General Meeting of Nigeria Internet Registration Association…
Computing
Kenya: Samsung, Strathmore Unveil 'Tab Classrooms'
In a historical and trend setting education delivery development in Africa, consumer electronics firm Samsung Electronics East Africa has sealed a joint partnership with Strathmore University to rollout a digital…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Nigeria - The Ministry of Communications Technology has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nokia, aimed at stimulating growth of Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Nigeria. At…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
- Safaricom last night discontinued sale of its unlimited data bundles as it seeks to optimise the sharing of its 3G network by users.The company has recently blamed some users…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Somaliland - Dahabshiil provides vital service for African community
CEO of money transfer service speak exclusively to African Business Review on why his company means more to him than just making money.The story behind international money transfer Dahabshiil truly…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
On The Money News - In Brief
- An ongoing programme to upgrade its mobile network to offer 3G services has seen MobiNil, Egypt’s largest cellco by subscribers, slump to a net loss in the first three…
Digital Content
Kenya: APP That Helps You Confess to Paying a Bribe
Would you publicly come clean you paid a bribe to get a service? Probably not. But an app customized for Kenya is making it easier for citizens to report bribery…
Digital Content
First point-to-point research network circuit between Europe and Africa enables astronomers to create a more detailed view of the universe
Radio astronomers in Africa and across the globe will benefit from faster collaboration through a dedicated, high speed 15,000 km network link between the pan-European GÉANT and African UbuntuNet Alliance…
Digital Content
Ugandan bloggers speak out about Kony2012
The ‘Kony 2012’ YouTube video was a phenomenon previously unseen in new media. Attracting over one hundred million views, it has been described as the most viral online campaign in…
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Jobs & Opportunities
Maghreb Startup Initiative Seeks Out Young Entrepreneurs in TunisiaYesterday, the Education for Employment (EFE) foundation and its partners announced the inauguration of the Maghreb Startup Initiative (MSI) – a regional…