Issue no 692 14th February 2014
Top Story
Mobile as Africa’s debit card: Mobile Money Integration Services is the next wave of mobile money growth
In the countries where mobile money has been particularly successful like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, the next unfolding wave of growth is payments integration. It sounds boring but it’s tying in merchants and banks to mobile money to allow more payments to be made more effectively. Russell Southwood talked to Arnold Sentuwa Luwugge and Gerald Begumisa of Yo Uganda about what it might mean.Yo’s Arnold Sentuwa Luwugga describes the company as “developing technology and mobile solutions for businesses and NGOs”. It has developed its own custom software and has customers both in Uganda and in other African countries. It is…
Telecoms
Nigeria - Telecoms firms blame government for poor services
Following the threat by the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, to stop the sale of new SIM cards, telecoms operators in the country have said that negligence by…
Telecoms
Why conflict-torn Central African Republic has big telecoms potential
Voice services are expected to dominate conflict torn nation the Central African Republic's (CAR) mobile market over the next five years, according to a research report.The report titled "Central African…
Telecoms
Morocco to Require Prepay SIM Card Registration
Morocco s telecoms regulator ANRT has announced that mobile networks offering PrePay SIM Cards will need to validate their customer s identification from the start of AprilIn a statement, the…
Telecoms
Nigeria: Plans to Ensure Phones Are Locally-Made
The federal government plans to ensure more mobile phones are made locally and are subsequently affordable to Nigerians.This follows a recent report that about half of Nigeria's estimated 160 million…
Telecoms
Tafadzwa Muguti alleges 'sabotage' over NetOne-Huawei court case dismissal.
Businessman Tafadzwa Muguti has cried foul after a Zimbabwean court threw out his corruption case against mobile network NetOne, China’s Huawei and the State Procurement Board (SPB).Muguti, a Johannesburg-based businessman…
Telecoms
Learning to share: Could tower-sharing be the solution to rural networks' problems?
Late last year, the South African mobile giant MTN announced the sale of around 1,200 of its mobile towers in Rwanda and Zambia to a company called IHS Holding, which…
Telecoms
Two Million Mobile SIM Cards Deactivated in Zambia
The SIM cards of over two million Zambian mobile phone users were deactivated last week, according to the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority. After spending several months pushing subscribers…
Telecoms
South Africa: FNB gets Sony Xperia devices
First National Bank (FNB) and Sony Mobile have announced the availability of Xperia mobile devices. The Xperia devices have been available as part of FNB's 24-month deals for the past…
Telecoms
Telecoms – In Brief
- The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has renewed the operating licence of Airtel Malawi, the country’s largest cellco by subscribers, for a further ten years, BiztechAfrica reports. ‘As a…
Internet
Moroccans denounce new information draft law
After a heated debate and a long wait, the Moroccan government secretariat withdrew the “Information Law” draft bill (“Code Numerique”) from its official website, after it had published it in…
Internet
Kenya’s Nakuru County gets free Wi-Fi
Kenya’s Nakuru County will be receiving free Wi-Fi for up to a month as part of a partnership between the Nakuru County government, the State House’s Department of Communications and…
Internet
Internet – In Brief
- The Djibouti Data Center (DDC) has announced that it has launched a new Internet Exchange point at its data center facility in Djibouti. The new IXP will allow existing…
Computing
Ivorian made educational tablet to be unveiled during Mobile World Congress
Qelasy is the name given to the tablet, which could soon be available to consumers all over Ivory Coast. While some might consider the touted selling price as prohibitive for…
Computing
Cisco sees silver lining in cloud take up in Africa
Cisco has released its results and analysts believe the network company is focused on the increased uptake of cloud computing across Africa going forward. An ICT research analyst from Frost…
Computing
Namibia: E-Justice Debuts in Namibia
Windhoek — Judges, legal practitioners and staff members of the Office of the Chief Registrar of the Superior Courts are in the process of user-testing the new e-Justice system to…
Computing
Computing – In Brief
- Under a grant from USAID, the Lubuto Library Project has set out to create lesson plans in Zambia’s seven national languages. The project aims to demonstrate that libraries can…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Kenya's Orange has introduced new permanent SMS bundles that will allow prepay subscribers to purchase daily, weekly and monthly SMS bundles.Angolan mobile operator Unitel has expanded its prepaid roaming service…
Money Transfer
Paynet, Pep Intermedius to merge mobile money networks
East Africa payments service provider Paynet has announced a merger of its PesaPoint agent network with that of Pep Intermedius. Pep Intermedius had over 150 agent outlets offering mobile money…
Money Transfer
Law governing Mobile Money in the offing
The government through the Uganda Law Reform Commission (ULRC) is developing a law that will govern how mobile money and internet banking transactions are conducted in the country.In Uganda, mobile…
Money Transfer
Standard Bank Bitcoin pilot won’t launch
“The pilot is now complete and Standard Bank has no plans to launch".The pilot Bitcoin trading platform that was being tested at Standard Bank will not be launched to customers,…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Vodafone, MoneyGram ink global M-Pesa cooperation agreement
Vodafone and MoneyGram have signed a global agreement that will enable customers from 200 countries to transfer money directly to M-Pesa users. The service will be launched in key markets…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
MTN Denies Reports of Hostile Takeover Bid for Botswana Mobile Network
South Africa s MTN Group has dismissed speculation that it is interested in raising its stake in its Botswana based subsidiaryMTN Group labelled as 'pure fabrication' local media reports that…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Ghana: Jospong-Expresso deal off
Adom Business can confirm that the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) and Expresso Telecoms Ghana deal is off.The two closed discussions on the sale of Expresso on Friday January 31,…
Digital Content
Internet Solutions acquires stake in Antfarm
South Africa’s Internet Solutions (IS) has enhanced its audio and video streaming capabilities following the acquisition of a significant stake in Antfarm, a local streaming media service provider, for an…
Digital Content
Tech Wizard Launches New Sudan in TED World
A 36-year-old computer engineer established TEDx Khartoum - a vibrant international platform of conferences and lively debates about a new Sudan three years ago. Anwar Dafa-Alla introduced Sudan, its people and…
Digital Content
Ghana’s BoxBuzz to launch in Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, SA and China
Plans are underway to introduce Ghana’s BoxBuzz, an SMS alert system that informs owners of Post Office Box addresses when they receive a letter, to Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa…
Digital Content
Vodacom launches vouchercloud app
Vodacom South Africa has announced the launch of vouchercloud, a geo-location app that seeks out the best local deals and displays them via smartphone. Through vouchercloud, Vodacom has partnered with…
Digital Content
Ndemo calls on Kenyan telcos to collect data
Data collected from mobile phones in Kenya could be used by telecom companies to help predict trends, said Dr. Bitange Ndemo speaking at the Mobile East Africa 2014 in Nairobi.Ndemo,…
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People
South African part state-owned operator Telkom has announced the appointment of industry veteran Alphonzo Samuels as chief technology officer (CTO), as the firm moves closer to completing its new leadership…
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Events
eGov Kenya 20-21 March 2014Brackenhurst Conference CentreNairobi, KenyaeGov Kenya will provide an intensive two-day briefing for CFOs and CIOs from each county to empower them with the insights and knowledge…
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Jobs & Opportunities
East Africa: M - Lab Launches Pivot East 2014 CompetitionStartups can start submitting their ideas for East Africa's mobile startups pitching competition and conference - Pivot East 2014 - which…
