Issue no 615 27th July 2012
Top Story
Nigeria mobile money special: Mobile money providers still struggling to get to grips with the need for strong agency network and the scale of the market
In this Nigeria mobile money special, there are two views of the market. Emmanuel Okoegwale, Principal Associate, MobileMoneyAfrica identifies lack of clarity over current regulation and lack of focus on the agency network as key obstacles. In a country as large as Nigeria, the geographic spread of agents for internal remittances will be crucial. Russell Southwood took the temperature from the point of mobile money provider Paga when he talked to its CEO Tayo Oviosu.It’s been a year since mobile money providers in Nigeria were licensed and approved. The providers are a combination of financial institutions and independent providers. Despite…
Telecoms
Kenya: Price
The raging price war among Kenya’s mobile operators is far from over. Just a day after Safaricom lowered its rates in a one-month promotion, Telkom Kenya has followed suit by…
Telecoms
MPs of Uganda Give UCC Two Months to Crack Whip On Crafty Telecom Firms
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has been given two months to crack the whip on telecom companies sending unsolicited messages to their customers. The ultimatum was issued by MPs on…
Telecoms
Ethiopian handset assembler Tecno Telecom Plans Rapid Expansion After Inauguration
Peter Gatkuoth Gey, state minister of Communications listen attentively when Amare Teferi (PhD), marketing manager of Tecno Mobile explains how the company employees assemble the mobile apparatus at the inauguration…
Telecoms
Umeme Launches Mobile Money Payment System in Uganda
Umeme recently launched bill payments by Mobile Money together with real-time bank reconciliations, meaning that customers will be able to avoid disconnections caused by delayed payment reconciliations.The instant payment solution…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Zamtel has completed connections to two submarine cables, to WACS and SAT-3, with both links made via Telecom Namibia. The Zamtel fibre network runs from Solwezi, Ndola, Lusaka, Livingstone…
Internet
University research networks ZAMREN and TENET form the first UbuntuNet cross-border link
UbuntuNet Alliance announces that the research and education community in Zambia joined their global counterparts on Tuesday, 17th July 2012 when a team of Engineers from ZAMREN, ZESCO (the Zambian…
Internet
Africa to Get Own Internet Domain
Africa will now have its own Internet domain name; dot Africa, in the next 18 months.This is after the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) completes its evaluation…
Internet
Airtel Malawi Upgrades Mobile Internet
Airtel has launched its 3.75G mobile internet in Malawi and Madagascar, which offers fastest information transfer. According to a statement released by Airtel, the launching of the 3.75G is an…
Internet
Tanzanian incumbent to sell NICTBB bandwidth to neighbours
Tanzania’s state-owned fixed line PTO Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL) is looking to strike deals with neighbours such as Mozambique and landlocked Burundi, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia, to sell them…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- ISP PowerTel has increased its presence in Bulawayo, the second largest city after it commissioned three base stations in the city. PowerTel announced that it has switched on three…
Computing
SMEs in Zimbabwe Urged to Utilise IT
Small to medium enterprises have been urged to utilise new information technology software in order to improve business efficiency. Pastel (South Africa) product manager Alfred Nhira said most companies in…
Computing
ISPON Begins Nationwide Search for Software Talents
ON the heels of the global software contest powered by Microsoft Corporation which held in Sydney, Australia a fortnight ago, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) has flagged…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- Johannesburg, South Africa –Information Builders, a leader in business intelligence (BI) and analytics, information integrity, and integration solutions, announced further expansion into South Africa with the appointment of InfoBuild…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
- Safaricom has launched a new promotion Wakenya Tuongee with discounts of up to 75% on their calling rates.The customers pay Kshs. 4 for the first minute of their call,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
UN Denies Any Wrongdoing in Kenya’s Internet Deal
United Nations officials in Nairobi have denied that a Sh800m contract for Internet services in Gigiri is being improperly awarded. UN Information Director Nasser Ega-Musa has now advised, "A contract…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Vodacom 2Q12 revenues up 9.3% to ZAR17bn
South Africa-based Vodacom Group has reported consolidated revenues of ZAR17.02 billion (USD2.08 billion) for the three months ended 30 June 2012, up 9.3% on the corresponding year-earlier period. The carrier’s…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Nedbank still committed to M-Pesa
Nedbank, the financial services partner in Vodacom’s M-Pesa mobile payments initiative, says it is “disappointed” that the service hasn’t taken off as fast as it had hoped for but it…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Nedbank still committed to M-Pesa
Nedbank, the financial services partner in Vodacom’s M-Pesa mobile payments initiative, says it is “disappointed” that the service hasn’t taken off as fast as it had hoped for but it…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Money – In Brief
- Maroc Telecom has recorded net income of MAD3.13 billion (USD344 million) for the first six months of 2012, down 22% year-on-year following voluntary redundancy costs and declining sales in…
Digital Content
Taxman to Track Via E-System in Kenya
ELECTRONIC tax registers will soon be connected to a central server at Kenya Revenue Authority headquarters to help in real time monitoring of transactions for fraud detection.KRA commissioner general John…
Digital Content
Cameroon to fight power cuts with cell phones, Internet
Cameroon plans to send daily emails and text messages to electricity customers asking if they have experienced power cuts, in a bid to get a handle on its crippling blackouts,…
Digital Content
Online Auto Shops Set to Eclipse Car Markets in Nigeria
EVERYBODY is wondering what is happening in the Nigerian internet market. Surprising, more than 40 million Nigerians are on the internet and most of them use mobile applications. A lot…
Digital Content
E-Cargo Tracking System Starts in Tanzania
Dar es Salaam — The much awaited Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) that is aimed at ensuring and monitoring the movements and safety of cargo started operations on July 1…
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People
- Samsung Electronics SA has appointed Matthew Thackrah to the newly created position of deputy MD, just weeks after the sudden resignation of MD Deon Liebenberg, who left the Korean…
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Events
Managed Services World Congress 201218 – 19 September 2012, Maritim Pro Arte Hotel, Berlin, GermanyWith Managed Service business models evolving in new and exciting directions, it’s time to reassess the…
