Issue no 699 4th April 2014
Top Story
Naspers-owned comparison website and mobile app Price Check signs branded deal with MTN in South Africa and will sign another deal in Nigeria
Naspers online investments outside of South Africa have had a mixed track record. But this week one of the more successful ones signed a branded deal with MTN in South Africa and will look at to sign with mobile operators in Nigeria, its other big market. Russell Southwood spoke to Andre de Wet, PriceCheck’s CEO.In South Africa PriceCheck has 1.5 mllion unique users searching for products on its web and mobile sites (around 35% are on mobile). The site has over 30 million products in 6,000 categories from 400 stores. The MTN deal is designed to drive mobile traffic to…
Telecoms
Africa: Thuraya Partners With Airtel to Bring Mobile Satellite Connectivity to 17 African Countries
Satellite services provider Thuraya Telecommunications has partnered with Bharti Airtel International to provide Airtel Africa customers with mobile satellite products and services across 17 countries in Africa.The partnership will provide…
Telecoms
Every1Mobile creating and connecting communities of mobile phone users
Africa’s number of mobile phone subscribers is the fastest growing in the world, according to a report released last year by GSMA, an organisation that represents mobile operators globally. Although…
Telecoms
South Africa: Orange quietly launches WiFi foray
Orange Horizons MD Sébastien Crozier says Orange is working hard to grow its presence in South Africa via WiFi hotspots.French telecoms operator Orange has quietly launched a WiFi pilot in…
Telecoms
South African Regulator Wins Partial Victory in Attempt to Cut MTRs
A South African court has ruled that planned mobile termination rate cuts by the regulator are illegal but will still permit them to go ahead anyway.Both Vodacom and MTN had…
Telecoms
Telecoms – In Brief
- Zambia’s minister of communications and transport, Yamfwa Mukanga, has reconfirmed that the state plans to offer a fourth mobile operator licence following the implementation of the digital migration project,…
Internet
In Libya, Universities Struggle to Get Internet Access
At the University of Tripoli, in Libya, each academic department receives a handheld device to access the Internet. The WiMAX devices, inexpensive mobile hotspots that are commonly used throughout the…
Internet
Intelsat and Vodacom Deliver High Performance Broadband Connectivity to the Sub-Saharan African SOHO & SME Markets
Satellite services provider Intelsat and telecommunications group, Vodacom, last week announced an agreement under which Intelsat will provide a managed broadband service to Vodacom. The solution will strongly position Vodacom…
Internet
Uganda Develops National Web Portal
Uganda's government has developed a Web portal that will ease the flow of information from its institutions to the general public. Pius Mwinganisa the Principal Information Officer at the Ministry…
Internet
Rwanda to access affordable devices for internet – by instalments
The Director General in charge of ICT in the Ministry of Youth and ICT, Didier Nkurikiyimfura has declared that Rwandan citizens will be able to access affordable devices for internet…
Internet
Internet – In Brief
- Morocco’s Internet regulatory authority has banned a taboo-breaking news website, its editor said Friday as he threatened to go on a hunger strike to reopen it. Ali Anouzla is…
Computing
'Nigeria's Mark Zuckerberg' puts tech into higher learning
At 23, many people around the world are still at university -- at that age, Gossy Ukanwoke had already started one.The young entrepreneur is the founder of Beni American University…
Computing
With a piracy rate of 80 percent, can the tech world convince Africa to buy legitimate software?
For African consumers hurtling head-long into the digital age, software licenses — which can cost hundreds of dollars — can often seem like an unreasonable expense. A licensed copy of…
Computing
Computing – In Brief
The Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange has contracted a South Africa's software firm, Securities and Trading Technology (STT), to provide it with integrated trading, clearing and settlement technology. The Chief…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers & Coverage
- South Africa's MTN is launching a new tariff offering unlimited voice, sms and data for ZAR 1,699 per month.
Money Transfer
Tanzania: Majority Tanzanians Accessing Mobile Phone Money Services
Over half of Tanzania's adult population currently have access to financial services compared to just 27 per cent in the year 2009, thanks to mobile phone money services which central…
Money Transfer
Interswitch, Western Union start web-based money transfers
Nigerian payment service provider Interswitch Transnational and Western Union have announced the launch of an account-based money transfer service (ABMT) in Nigeria. Customers can receive Western Union transfers directly into…
Money Transfer
UK based Transferbee launches free transfers to Nigeria
Transferbee enables Nigerians living in UK to send money to their family and friends in Nigeria cheaper than through banks or other systems. The company is normally charging only 4.5…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Telecom Egypt Asked to Pay $359 Million for Mobile License
Telecom Egypt will be asked to pay EGP2.5 billion (US$359 million) for the unified license that will permit it to offer mobile services the country's Telecommunications Minister Atef Helmy has…
Digital Content
Google’s Africa Connected reveals 5 inspiring winners powered by the web
A doctor and a designer are among the five winners of Google’s Africa Connected initiative.The programme, which was launched last year, set out to promote inspiring stories of people using…
Digital Content
Text For Change launches WASHtxt sanitation project in Uganda
Text For Change along with open source internet and mobile software developer Akvo have launched WASHtxt, a project in Uganda to provide communities with clean water, hoping to improve hygiene…
Digital Content
AfricanHadithi, a News Portal Dedicated to Telling Africa's Story
Africa is often underreported and misrepresented in mainstream media. AfricanHadithi wants to combat this. This new online platform is committed to highlighting authentic African stories and putting the news into…
Digital Content
First Afro emoticons launched by Oju Africa
In an innovative first, the world has been introduced to the first Afro Emoticons courtesy of Oju Africa. Powered by Mi-Fone, the first African mobile devices brand, “Oju” literally meaning…
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People
Gilat Satcom’s CEO Appointed as WIOCC Board MemberGilat Satcom, a leading provider of satellite and fibre-based connectivity services in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, today announced that its CEO,…
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Jobs & Opportunities
Orange Fab France chooses seven winning start-upsOrange Fab France has chosen the seven winning start-ups of its first intake. They are Afrimarket, a platform to transfer money to Africa, MyBee,…
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Events
AITEC Banking & Mobile Money15 - 16 July 2014Eko Hotel, Lagos NigeriaDear Colleague,For a number of reasons, including the recent dismissal of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,…
