Issue no 665 25th July 2013
Top Story
iSpace joins the wave of incubators setting up across the continent but questions still hover over the ecosystem
The past two years has seen the steady growth of things that are variously called innovation hubs, incubators and accelerators. They are now creating support networks that give ICT entrepreneurs a much better chance of survival. This week Russell Southwood spoke to Josiah Eyison and reflects of the continuing dangers for this ecosystem.iSpace came out of a conversation between Ghanaian developers for the need for a space to meet and the lack of reliable internet connectivity. Eyison took that conversation to heart and decided to set up iSpace:îWe will be able to support graduates who donít know where to go.…
Telecoms
Telecel lodges ëunfairí practice complaint
Zimbabweís second largest mobile phone operator by subscription, Telecel Zimbabwe, has lodged a complaint with the Postal and Telecommunications Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) over alleged unfair business practices by rival…
Telecoms
Tanzanian cellcos disconnect 650,000 SIM cards for non-registration; govt suspends SIM tax
A total of around 650,000 subscribers have had their SIM cards deactivated by Tanzanian mobile operators for failing to register then under new rules set down by the government. Airtel…
Telecoms
Ghana: Glo, Vodafone Owe KMA Millions Of Cedis
Two out of the six telecom companies operating in Ghana owe the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) whopping sums of money, amounting to millions of Ghana cedis. According to an insider…
Telecoms
Etisalat Signs Landline Capacity Agreement with Telecom Egypt
Egypt's Etisalat Misr has signed a capacity leasing agreement with the monopoly landline operator, Telecom Egypt for its basic telephony services.In a statement to the local stock exchange, Telecom Egypt…
Telecoms
Tanzania: Mobile Phone Operator Outsources Tower Services
Vodacom Tanzania has sold its entire tower network assets to Helios Towers Africa in a US$75 million deal that will further the mobile phone operator's outsourcing drive.The deal sealed last…
Telecoms
Nigeria: SIM Cards Registered With Pictures of Animals, NCC Says
The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) on Wednesday said its investigation revealed that SIM cards were registered with pictures of goats, dogs and flowers. Efosa Idehen, NCC's Head of Enforcement, disclosed…
Telecoms
Telecoms - In Brief
Rwandaís telecoms watchdog the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) has announced that 87% of the 6,415,443 SIM cards issued by the countryís three network operatorsñMilicom Rwanda (Tigo), Airtel Rwanda and…
Internet
TVCABO Taps Metaswitch for Angolaís First Triple-Play Service
Metaswitch Networks has announced that TVCABO will deploy a range of Metaswitch solutions to underpin its new triple-play service offering ñ the first in the Angolan telecom market.Leveraging the Perimeta…
Internet
Uganda Signs Pact for Internet Regulation
The government through the national IT authority, the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda and Government of the Republic of South Korea through Korean Internet and Security Agency (KISA) have signed a…
Internet
Nigeria: Minister Tasks Broadband Committee On 20 Percent Access
The Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, has tasked the Presidential Committee on Broadband to ensure that Nigeria attains 80 percent of broadband access by 2018.The minister gave the…
Internet
Dutch registrar to revive three African TLDs
Freedom Registry has taken up operating the TLDs (Top Level Domains) for Mali, Gabon and Central African Republic, aiming at creating international interest in them by providing free domains.The Amsterdam-based…
Internet
Ivory Coast fibre optic network to boost growth - minister
A $210 million project to lay fibre optic network across Ivory Coast should allow the West African country to connect up to 30 percent of its population to the Internet…
Internet
Kenyaís broadband strategy asks for ten fold increase for ICT budget
Kenya's ICT sector is gearing up for massive reforms following the launch of the National Broadband Strategy (NBS), which is seeking to increase ICTs to 5 per cent of the…
Internet
Platco selects SES for DTH service in South Africa
Platco Digital, a sister company of the South African independent broadcaster E.tv, has awarded a fifteen-year contract to SES for the broadcast of a free-to-air service in South Africa, with…
Internet
Internet - In Brief
Malawiís internet consumers will have to dig deeper into their pockets, following the reintroduction of VAT on internet services this month.
Computing
Childrenís laptop project extends to 400 schools
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project has so far covered 407 schools across the country. At least 207,026 laptops have been distributed, according to Nkubito Bakuramutsa, the OLPC Coordinator…
Computing
Recycled computers for schools in Swaziland
Computer Aid, a London-based charity has helped to computerise all secondary schools in Swaziland, recycling computers no longer wanted by private companies.More than 5,500 computers have been delivered to the…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Rates Offers and Coverage
South Africa's Telkom Business has launched an out-of-bundle rate of ZAR 0.79 per minute to all networks at any time. The SingleRate targets SME customers on a BizTalk contract for…
Money Transfer
Orange and Total have signed a partnership to distribute Orange Money at TOTAL service stations in Africa and the Middle-East
Orange and Total have signed a partnership giving Orange customersí access to Orange Money services at all TOTAL service stations in African and Middle-Eastern countries where the two groups are…
Money Transfer
Rwanda: Bank of Kigali Unveils New Mobile Banking Platform
Bank of Kigali unveiled a new mobile banking solution, mVISA platform yesterday, which will enable customers' to access their accounts from wherever they may be, reports Ben Gasore.The bank is…
Money Transfer
Eritrea: Inhabitants of Af-Himbol Area Express Satisfaction With Launching of Mobile Service
The inhabitants of Af-Himbol area have expressed satisfaction with the launching of mobile service, and said that such a facility has given impetus to the overall activities in the area…
Money Transfer
WorldRemit Launches Online Money Transfer through Zaad Service in Somaliland
World Remit has launched direct worldwide money transfer through Zaad Service in Somaliland. World Remit Customers all over the world will now be able to send money safely from the…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
MTN Stock Falls as CFO Resigns Amid Company Investigation
MTN Group Ltd. (MTN), Africaís largest wireless operator, fell to the lowest level in almost four weeks after Chief Financial Officer Nazir Patel quit, citing undisclosed allegations against him.MTN dropped…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Vimpelcom sells 2 African operators for EUR 75 mln
Luxembourg-based Niel Telecom has agreed to buy Russian telecom group Vimpelcom's Burundi mobile subsidiary Leo and Telecel Central Africa for EUR 75 million, subject to closing conditions, people familiar with…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Apple buys Nigerian entrepreneurís HopStop
Technology giant Apple has acquired HopStop.com, the startup venture established by Nigerian entrepreneur Chinedu Echeruo, for an undisclosed amount. HopStop is a mobile application that provides an online city transit…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Vivendi in Exclusive Talks with Etisalat to Sell Maroc Telecom Stake
French conglomerate, Vivendi has confirmed that it is now in exclusive negotiations with Etisalat to finalize an agreement for the sale of its 53% shareholding in Maroc Telecom.Etisalat was the…
Digital Content
UN agency appoints first lady of Nigeria to champion child online protection
The First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan, has been appointed as the UN International Telecommunication Unionís (ITU) Child Online Protection Champion.ìDame Patience Jonathan has demonstrated deep interest in activities…
Digital Content
Google launches search tool to help firms retrieve data in Kenya
Google has launched a tool that will help companies search for information stored in their computers for a fee as the tech giant seeks to diversify its revenues away from…
Digital Content
HIV drug resistance test to slash costs by 80 per cent
Researchers in South Africa have developed a low-cost tool to test for HIV drug resistance, potentially opening the door to improved treatment for users of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).The researchers, based…
Digital Content
Uganda: Students Win U.S. $12,000 From Microsoft for Malaria APPs
A team of Ugandan students who took part in the 11th annual Microsoft Imagine Cup for young technologists, developers and aspiring entrepreneurs, won in the women's empowerment category.Brian Gitta, Joshua…
Digital Content
Zambia: Bloggers Protest Watchdog, Zambia Reports Blocking
A sizeable group of people calling themselves Zambian bloggers yesterday converged at the Freedom Statute in Lusaka to protest the blocking of two critical website - Zambian Watchdog and Zambia…
Digital Content
Kenya: Publishers Want to Develop Digital Content for Schools
Curriculum publishers have asked the government to engage them in developing digitised content for schools' syllabus.Their appeal comes amid complaints that the ministry of Education is reluctant to involve them…
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Events
The Social Media Week Lagos Team is excited to announce that our official schedule is now LIVE and registration is open! At present we have 84 events scheduled and will…
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People
MTN Group says it has had a major reshuffle of ìleadership structuresî in the company. This includes the appointment of the current CEO of MTN Ghana, Michael Ikpoki as CEO…
