Issue no 660 21st June 2013
Top Story
DRC: The enemies of promise gather to throw away the digital opportunity
Last Friday the WACS cable was lit up at the DRC’s landing station in Muanda. This should be a cause for great optimism but the country is run by the enemies of promise so do not expect anything to happen quickly. Russell Southwood reflects on how the digital opportunity might be thrown away by this country’s politicians.The Chairman of WACS sent a signal to say that the landing station at Muanda was ready for service to the Congolese Minister of Post, Telecommunications and New Technologies of Information and Communication, Tryphon Kin-Kiey Mulumba waiting to kick off the launch ceremony. Congolese…
Telecoms
South Africa: MTN Big Data Sale to be extended
MTN said that it plans to extend its Big Data Sale, which offers massive discounts on mobile data products, to 30 September 2013. This sale was set to expire on…
Telecoms
Tanzania imposes 14.5% excise duty on telecom services
The Tanzanian government has imposed a 14.5 percent excise duty on telecommunication services from 01 July. According to the Mobile Operators Association of Tanzania (MOAT), excise duty currently only applies…
Telecoms
Etisalat awards Huawei five-year managed services deal
Huawei has announced that it has been awarded a new managed services contract from Etisalat Nigeria, covering an expanded maintenance scope for both passive infrastructure and active infrastructure (SDH/PDH nodes).…
Telecoms
Nigerian army bans satellite phones in Borno
Nigeria's military has banned satellite phones in a northern state to hinder communication by Islamist militants following recent attacks.Mobile phone signals have already been blocked in Borno state, after a…
Telecoms
Airtel Gabon earmarks USD125m investment
Indian giant Bharti Airtel has announced that it will invest an additional USD125 million in its cellular network operations in Gabon, including the deployment of 3G and 4G technologies. Airtel…
Telecoms
Telecoms – In Brief
- Moov Benin, the largest mobile operator by subscribers in the small west African country, has received a ‘universal’ mobile service licence allowing it to operate its existing frequencies on…
Internet
China Telecom Global services signs with vendor neutral data centre Teraco
China Telecom Global is now offering services from Teraco Data Environments. Lex van Wyk, Chief Executive Officer of Teraco Data Environments says, “China Telecom’s decision to be part of Teraco’s…
Internet
Kenya: Internet helps accountant run thriving dairy farm in Nyanza
In 2005, one of the farmers, Jonam Okok, borrowed Sh200,000 which he invested in rice farming on his four-acre parcel of land. He says that he got nothing and had…
Internet
Voice tech helps Africa get online
Funding for a project to deliver voice-based technologies that enable illiterate people in rural Africa to access the web — even those without an Internet connection or a computer —…
Internet
Kenya hosts first Intel developer initiative in Africa
Intel Corporation has announced a new initiative that will see Kenyan developers become the first in Africa to benefit directly from Intel Software and Services Group (SSG), a global division…
Internet
Open Wi-Fi Comes to Tunisia: Ex-Dictator's House Turned Into "openwireless.org" hotspot
When former Tunisian dictator Ben Ali was ousted, the Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI) was quickly transformed from an institution of control to one of openness, reversing the oppressive censorship policies…
Internet
African Entrepreneurs Deflate Google’s Internet Balloon Idea
Google’s latest pet project, called Loon, is meant to deliver the Internet to new parts of the world via solar-powered balloons soaring through the stratosphere. Yet some technologists in Africa…
Internet
Ethiopia: Polish IT Company Looks for Partnership in Ethiopia
Asseco Group, a Polish Information Technology company and Europe's seventh largest IT company, is looking for partnership with a local IT company in a bid to join the Ethiopian IT…
Internet
Internet – In Brief
- Google has announced the launch of 18 additional languages on Google Drive, including Swahili, Afrikaans and Zulu.- Mobile service provider Safaricom has launched a public transport free Wi-Fi initiative…
Computing
Côte d’Ivoire adopts Bill on Electronic Transactions
The Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs of the National Assembly of the Côte d’Ivoire has adopted the Bill on Electronic Transactions presented by the Minister of Post and Information…
Computing
UN commends Galaxy Backbone for e-Government initiative
The United Nations Public Service Awards for 2013 has recognised the role of Galaxy Backbone Limited in driving electronic governance in various institutions of government. Galaxy Backbone’s ‘1-GOV.net’ initiative was awarded…
Computing
Computing - In Brief
- The Malawi Industrial Research and Technology Development Centre (MIRTDC) says it will continue to strive towards complementing Government in her efforts of improving skills for small and medium entrepreneurs…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
- Orange Kenya has launched a Facebook dial service, offering mobile access to Facebook to entry level customers not previously possible for mobile data users. The first in Kenyan market,…
Money Transfer
Uganda to Impose 10% Tax on Mobile Money Transactions
he Ugandan government has announced plans to introduce a tax on mobile money transactions in the 2013/14 financial budget.The Finance Minister, Ms Maria Kiwanuka announced the levy on all mobile…
Money Transfer
Zimbabwe: Harare in Econet partnership for rate payment
Harare residents will soon be able to pay their bills via mobile phones after the city fathers agreed to partner with telecommunications company Econet Wireless.The Finance and Development Committee recently…
Money Transfer
Clickatell to capitalise on Rwanda’s mobile money growth
The world’s first bank-grade managed service for mobile money was launched over the last year in an agreement between Visa and the Government of Rwanda. This mobile money platform allows…
Money Transfer
Liberia: CBL, Lonestarcell Launch GT Bank Mobile Money
The Lonestar Cell MTN and the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) have launched Mobile Money Service at the Guaranty Trust (GT) Bank Liberia Limited in Monrovia.The new service, initiated at…
Money Transfer
Kenya: mobile subscribers can fill up using Airtel Money
Capital FM reports on the partnership between Airtel Kenya and oil marketing firm Total Kenya facilitating the use of Airtel Money at all Total service stations.Going forward Airtel subscribers will…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Sudan shelves telecom profit tax for three years
Sudan has scrapped a 30 percent profit tax on telecom operators until the end of 2015, replacing it with a 2.5 percent levy on total income, the state news agency…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Zimbabwe: Telecel Keen to Localise Shareholding
Telecel board chairman Dr James Makamba says the country's fastest growing mobile phone operator's shareholders are determined to address the shareholding structure that has raised eyebrows among empowerment groups as…
Digital Content
Nigeria's Indigenous Online Shopping Portal Debuts
Ryte Internet Technology Limited, has unveiled its online shopping portal, Ryte, a website, which operate as an online showroom for items on sale at different brick and mortar stores in…
Digital Content
Orange Roll Out Telemedicine
Orange Botswana and the Ministry of Health (MoH) have signed a three- year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to roll out M-health services to more than 19 villages across the country.In…
Digital Content
Tanzania: Farmers Enabled to Access Agriculture Information Easily
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Cooperatives in a joint venture with Zantel Tanzania and Sibesonke Limited has launched mobile phone services to reach the 33 million Tanzanian farmers with…
Digital Content
Giza Library offers tech space for entrepreneurs
Google for Entrepreneurs announced Wednesday its support for The Giza Library, a new co-working space set up to cater to entrepreneurs.The Giza Library will boast a device library for start-up…
Digital Content
How Kenyan startup SOKO built an Etsy for entrepreneurs who don't have Internet
Imagine trying to build Etsy without its shop-owners having an Internet connection and you would get SOKO, an African e-commerce startup that shows how entrepreneurs in the developing world aren’t…
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Money - In Brief
- Despite increasing competition and difficult economic conditions Telecom Namibia managed to post strong growth of 7.7 percent during the 2011/2012 fiscal year resulting in the highest increase in turnover…
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Events
App Promotion Summit 2013Accelerating your mobile application marketing strategyThursday, 11th July 2013Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Knightsbridge, LondonThe App Promotion Summit is set to tackle the most important issue for mobile app…
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Events
App Promotion Summit 2013Accelerating your mobile application marketing strategyThursday, 11th July 2013Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Knightsbridge, LondonThe App Promotion Summit is set to tackle the most important issue for mobile app…
