Issue no 624 28th September 2012
Top Story
The wall that stands between Africa and a fully functioning online content ecosystem
The global debate about “over-the-top” services (delivered by the Internet) vs the walled garden approach (delivered within apps or the mobile operators’ walled space) is not just some distant developed world issue but crucial for Africa. The current African content deals and the frameworks that support them are broken beyond repair. Russell Southwood looks at why and what happens next.Historically, the terms for content deals come out of the mobile operators providing SMS services. The mobile operators sometimes deal directly with content owners but in the main these deals go through “VAS aggregators”, the value-added service providers who provide the…
Telecoms
Swaziland: The King's Monopoly
Last week, employees of the Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC) became the latest group to go on strike in the public sector in Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy. The…
Telecoms
Slow start for Algerian mobile telephony
Ten years after Algeria's mobile phone industry was opened up to the private sector, the market still remains fragile.Two private-owned networks have been embroiled in a string of crises.Market leader…
Telecoms
Sierra Leone’s government has approved a proposal to privatise the ailing state-owned telco.
The fixed line, mobile and internet operator, Sierratel, has been labouring under millions of dollars in debt for some time. In May this year, Sierra Leone’s National Commission for Privatisation…
Telecoms
Telecoms News - In Brief
- Vodacom South Africa said it has received a shipment of nano Sims and they should be in stores by 28 September. In mid-September Vodacom informed their trading partners that…
Internet
Safaricom still keen on own 4G-LTE despite government PPP Dennis Mbuvi
Safaricom is still keen on doing its own 4G-LTE network. This is despite an ongoing public-private partnership (PPP) led by the government to have a country wide 4G-LTE network by…
Internet
Ghana - Internet for 400 schools
400 senior high schools across 10 regions of Ghana are to get Internet access as part of a Government-driven project.The schools have been selected to benefit from the government’s Senior…
Internet
Democratising high speed Internet access in Senegal
A decade ago, Senegal was one of the most promising African countries in the area of Internet adoption, with more than double the Internet penetration in Nigeria. Yet today, Nigeria…
Internet
MozMed, the virtual platform of health in Mozambique
MozMed is a virtual platform covering all aspects of health, that has recently been launched in Mozambique (August 2012). The platform offers the possibility to ask questions via Internet (www.mozmed.com)…
Internet
Telma unveils new 20Mbps DSL service for businesses
Telecom Malagasy (Telma), Madagascar’s monopoly provider of fixed line telecoms services, has announced the launch of a new high speed fixed broadband service which it claims significantly increases the downlink…
Internet
Kenyans on Twitter call for politician’s arrest
Kenyans on social media are demanding the arrest and prosecution of an assistant minister who was caught on camera calling for the eviction of members of the Maasai community from…
Internet
MainOne Connects London Internet Exchange Point
Main One has connected its cable network to the London Internet Exchange Point (LINX), one of the largest internet exchange points in the world with over 430 members from more…
Internet
eMarketing Egypt releases its second report about Facebook in Egypt
“Facebook evolved to be of extreme importance for any digital marketing efforts, and understanding all about Facebook users becomes an essential step to start any Facebook marketing activity“, Said Ahmad…
Internet
Internet News - In Brief
- An amateur film ridiculing the Prophet Mohammed unleashed a week of raucous protests on the Arab street. In the online world, reactions were no less forceful.While bloggers roundly condemned…
Computing
Huawei, Makerere promote schools ICT innovation
Huawei has partnered with Makerere University’s College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology to promote local ICT talent from the secondary school level through sponsoring of the Science and Technology…
Computing
South Africa - Computer skills in short supply
Public Service and Administration Minister Lindiwe Sisulu says “ICT-illiterate” senior managers are obstacles to the best use of information and computer technology (ICT) in the civil service.She says such circumstances,…
Computing
Computer News - In Brief
- The Lagos State Ministry of Educations is partnering with a local software developer to boost its Computer Ownership Scheme designed to promote electronic teaching/learning in the state. The state…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
- South African-based mobile social network MXit has acquired mobile community specialists Motribe. When the deal gets approved, MXit is expected to own 100% of Motribe, after MXit bought out…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Altech to sell off West African business
Allied Technologies Limited (Altech) has announced that it plans to dispose of its 75% share in Altech West Africa Limited (AWA).Altech said in a statement that AWA launched in Nigeria,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Orange has launched its Orange Money service in Guinea.
Orange says this is in line with Orange’s goal to launch the service in all 22 countries in Africa and the Middle East where the Group operates. Since the service was…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Money News - In Brief
- The Zimbabwean mobile operator Telecel has confirmed that it has shut down its mobile money service Skwama. The service was introduced in January 2011 but failed to take off,…
Digital Content
Zambia to implement e-voucher system
The Zambian government has said the Electronic Voucher (e-voucher) system to be introduced under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) will be implemented in the 2013/2014 farming season.Agriculture and Livestock…
Digital Content
Tanzania - SMS app ensures safe ferry trip
Tanzanians could soon have access to an SMS application that enables the country’s ferry passengers to confirm and ensure that the vessel they are set to board on is indeed…
Digital Content
Kindle's English language teaching role 're-examined'
Cancellation of a $16.5m US project to use Amazon's e-reader to teach English around the world highlights the challenges of achieving effective results from m-learningDays before US Secretary of State…
Digital Content
Worker fired over altered photo tweet
A staff member who made comments on Twitter about an altered photograph published in the Citizen was dismissed on Thursday, according to a statement on the newspaper's website. “A disciplinary…
Digital Content
Mobile application for cheap gas in Uganda
Almost every week, African software developers introduce new applications to the market. Two IT students in Uganda have developed an application that shows motorists the cheapest gas stations in the…
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Jobs & Opportunities
Google rolls out ICT scholarship to African studentsGoogle has announced a scholarship programme targeted at African female students who are enrolled in ICT courses, to encourage students to take an…
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Events
Broadband World Forum16 – 18 October 2012, Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsThe event, now in its 12th year, is the most respected in the regions Telecoms calendar and…
