Issue no 611 29th June 2012
Top Story
First shots fired in the coming mobile content war – competition breaks out amongst music streaming and download platforms
There are now several online and mobile music TV platforms that have started in Africa. Some like Iroko Partners started with Nollywood film and went into music, whilst others like Spinlet have started with music and could easily go into TV programming. Orange has thrown its hat into the ring with entry of its minority-owned Deezer platform into Africa. Sylvain Beletre, Senior Research Analyst, Balancing Act talks to the key players.African mobile operators are still stuck in the SMS way of thinking about content: it’s the stuff that the aggregators turn up with at their doorsteps. In the main, they…
Telecoms
Jasco opens Congo subsidiary
Jasco Networks has expanded its operations into Central Africa with the formation of Jasco Congo, a subsidiary company with dedicated presence and local shareholders in the region.Following this expansion, the…
Telecoms
Kenya: Safaricom Gives Notice to Unregistered Users
Nine hundred thousand Safaricom service subscribers may be cut off from the network in the next three months because they either have not registered their SIM cards or are using…
Telecoms
Senegal’s regulator runs call-in campaign on quality of service
There are two types of Internet service: the spotty and the steady. “Bad” service is when a signal exists, but its strength is too weak to consistently access. “Good” service…
Telecoms
Nigeria: Hyperia, Yahsat Rollout Satellite Broadband Service
Hyperia Limited, an indigenous Internet Service Provider (ISP), and Yahsat, a satellite communications company, have rolled out a satellite-based broadband service in the country.Deputy Managing Director, Hyperia, George Opara, who…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Landlocked Botswana has inaugurated its link to the West African Cable System . (WACS), which was launched last month and stretches 14,900km along the west coast of Africa, reports…
Internet
Nigeria: Students, Teachers Get E-Learning Data Base
An IT based-educational database for teachers and students has been launched in Abuja. The data base called Green Book system will provides a wide range of IT enhanced free learning…
Internet
Google Map Maker arrives in Egypt
With the launch of Map Maker in Egypt, “anyone who cares about maps can lend their local expertise to create more detailed views of the places they know, such as…
Internet
Sudan: Govt Blocks Hurriyat Online Newspaper
Online Arabic newspaper Hurriyat Sudan has reported that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has blocked its website since June 25, following its coverage of protests in Khartoum and other towns.The…
Internet
AccessKenya woos property developers with multi-use cable
Internet services firm AccessKenya is seeking to ride on increased activity in real estate market to grow sales by connecting homes and offices to its fibre network during construction.“We will…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- Telkom South Africa has selected French-US telecoms equipment vendor Alcatel-Lucent to supply equipment for a broadband network upgrade that will form a key part of the company’s ‘Network Transformation…
Computing
Madagascar: Online Research Network launched
Madagascar has launched an online research network, the Research and Education Network for Academic Learning Activities (iRENALA), which aims to boost science, technology and education in the country, as well…
Computing
Kenya: Microsoft, British Council to Build 90 Digital Hubs
Kenya is among the six nations earmarked for a multi-million project in six Sub Saharan African nations, for the launch of digital hubs under Badiliko project. The project which is…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Apelon, Inc., an international provider of terminology and data interoperability solutions, has been selected to assist the development and implementation of an electronic health enterprise architecture for Rwanda to…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Coverage and Offers
Airtel Ghana has launched a new service dubbed “Airtel Smart Zone”, which offered customers discounts of up to 99% on on-net and off-net calls and SMS at different times of…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Nigeria: Adlevo Capital invests in M-money service provider, Paga
Adlevo Capital Managers, a private equity fund manager focused on investments into technology-enabled businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa last week announced that it has completed an investment into the parent company…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Vodacom Tanzania to expand M-PESA services via network upgrade
Vodacom’s Tanzanian operating subsidiary intends to expand coverage of its popular money transfer service M-PESA to even the most remote parts of the country, by dint of the TZS130 billion…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
China will fund Kenyan Government’s local fibre roll-out
The Kenyan government has struck a deal with China for a Sh6.04 billion soft loan to fund the National Optic Fiber Backbone Infrastructure (NOFBI) and e-government expansion projects.Finance Permanent Secretary…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Rwanda: MTN, Bank of Kigali Extend Services to the Unbanked
MTN Rwanda and Bank of Kigali (BK), have entered into partnership to extend financial services to the unbanked population through mobile banking.The partnership is tailored to boost mobile banking services,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Money News - In Brief
- The Zimbabwean fixed line incumbent TelOne has revealed that the amount it is owed in unpaid bills had reached USD211.4 million by the end of March 2012. The state-owned…
Digital Content
Ethiopia Denies Banning Skype and Other Internet Communication Services
The Ethiopian government has dismissed allegations that it has banned Skype and other use of Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) services that offer audio and video related communications over the internet.Reporters Without Borders…
Digital Content
Developer wins Nokia award for 'Skinswap' app
A Kenyan developer has won Ksh1million for his mobile application “Skinswap” - which allows users to receive wallpapers easily and create a hybrid of animals and skins.With the application users…
Digital Content
SeeAm Mobile App Wants To Help You Locate ATMs In Nigeria
Have you ever been in a situation where you’re in need to use the closest ATM within your location? Or perhaps you’re looking for a particular bank’s ATM within that…
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Jobs & Opportunities
Orange launches second edition of the Orange African Social Venture PrizeArmed with the success of the previous edition in 2011, Orange has launched the second edition of its Orange African…
