Issue no 708 6th June 2014
Top Story
TV White Spaces comes under fire as number of African pilots grows
Last month saw the launch of another TV White Spaces Pilot in Ghana, joining the growing list of pilots across the continent. As the number of pilots has grown and their profile increased, they are meeting more opposition, both on and off the continent. Russell Southwood spoke to Professor H.Nwana of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance and looks at what its opponents argue.SpectraLink Wireless with help from Facebook and Microsoft have rolled out broadband covering using TV White Spaces (TVWS) across the campuses at All Nations University College and Koforidua Polytechnic in Koforidua, Ghana. It is licensed by Ghana’s regulator NCA…
Telecoms
Mobile Data Use Doubles in Sub-Saharan Africa
Mobile data use is growing fast in sub-Saharan Africa, opening up big opportunities for mobile service and telecommunications equipment providers, Swedish company Ericsson says in its latest mobility report for…
Telecoms
Central African Republic bans phone text messages
The authorities in the Central African Republic (CAR) have banned the use of mobile phone text messages.The move is aimed at helping to restore security after more than a year…
Telecoms
Airtel Kenya Welcomes MVNO Licensing
Airtel Kenya has welcomed the regulator's recent decision to license three MVNOs, saying that it welcomes the competition in the market.Three companies, Zioncell, Tangaza Pesa and Fincell (a subsidiary of…
Telecoms
Sudan Cuts Off Unregistered SIM Cards
Sudan's telecoms regulator has ordered the country's three mobile networks to cut off unregistered SIM cards, following several months of warnings that a suspension was imminent.The regulator said that "hundreds…
Telecoms
Sierra Leone to adopt per-second billing on 1 July
Sierra Leone’s telecoms regulator, the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), has announced that all GSM operators in the country will convert their billing platforms to leones (SLL) per second from the…
Telecoms
Apple and Etisalat Partner to Deliver iPhone 5S to the Nigerian Market For The First Time
Since fastest growing telecommunications operator, Etisalat Nigeria announced its partnership with Apple Inc. to deliver the iPhone 5S from June 16, the news has been generating much excitement among Apple…
Telecoms
Telecoms – In Brief
- South Africa's MTN has outsourced the management of its wholesale billing and business services platform to CSG.
Internet
Angolan Network Starts Migration from WiMAX to LTE
The Angolan WiMAX network operator, Multitel is to migrate its network to LTE after signing a supply contract with Telrad Networks.Since 2006, Multitel has offered a variety of broadband services…
Internet
Volo Helps ISPs Solve Barriers to Delivering High-speed Internet Access for the Next Billion
Volo enables ISPs in emerging markets to provide high-bandwidth at an affordable price, giving businesses access to critical management tools such as Google Apps, Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, Quickbooks Online…
Internet
Internet – In Brief
- GeoPoll the world’s largest real-time mobile survey platform, today launched its Audience Measurement Service, which offers the first ever daily TV ratings in several African markets. The launch of…
Computing
Kenyan Software Developers Trained For Digital Cloud
50 Kenyan students and software developers have completed an intensive training courtesy of IBM which will enhance their technical and entrepreneurial skills. The IBM team also developed plans to stimulate…
Computing
South African IT Security Firm Opens Nigeria Office
Leading IT security vendor, Phoenix Distribution has opened an office in Nigeria to meet the growing demand for technology and information security products given the high rate of cybercrime in…
Computing
Computing – In Brief
- Three members of the National Assembly's Energy and Communications committee has questioned the manner in which the Kshs 15 billion security tender was awarded to Safaricom to supply and…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
- MTN South Africa said it has now made Simfy Africa available for ZAR 49 per month and it is offering a two-week free trial period. MTN customers will be…
Money Transfer
Millicom International Cellular: Millicom, Airtel and Zantel Announce Africa’s First Mobile Money Interoperability Agreement
The subsidiary of Millicom (sto:MIC) in Tanzania, Tigo, joined with Airtel and Zantel today to announce Africa’s first agreement to allow their customers in the country to send money to…
Money Transfer
Bango provides direct billing for apps to Etisalat Group
Mobile payments firm Bango has signed an agreement to provide direct operator billing across Etisalat's markets in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and the service has already become operable…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Singaporeans seek business ties in Botswana ICT sector
A Singaporean business delegation has visited Botswana to pursue possible partnerships with local Information Communication Technology (ICT) companies. The Singaporean delegation, comprising of representatives of nine ICT companies presented various…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Bharti Airtel to sell Africa towers to kill debt, deal could rake in $3 billion
Bharti Airtel is poised to conclude a much-anticipated deal to sell its towers in Africa in seven days, which could help the world's fourth-largest telecom operator rake in as much…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Monaco Telecom, BinTel ink partnership deal
Monaco Telecom has signed a partnership agreement with Middle Eastern group BinTel, which operates mobile services in Gabon, Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic under the Azur brand,…
Digital Content
Egypt’s plan for mass surveillance of social media an attack on internet privacy and freedom of expression
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well as mobile phone applications would be systematically monitored under the proposed plans.A call for tenders to introduce a new system to carry out indiscriminate…
Digital Content
How Somalia’s al-Shabab militants hone their image
A recent al-Shabab directive that all its members change their mobile phone numbers shows how tech-savvy the al-Qaeda-linked Somali Islamist group remains and how their communications strategy is key to…
Digital Content
Orange Kenya Launches Mobile Self-Care Android App
Orange kenya has launched the first e-care app in the Kenyan market. The myOrange app offers Orange mobile subscribers a personalized account management experience, allowing them to check their credit…
Digital Content
Spotify and Vodacom Potential Music Deal in Africa
Spotify rumoured to be in Talks With Vodacom Over Music Deal in Africa. Spotify is rumoured to be in talks with Vodacom Group Ltd. on a partnership that would mark…
Digital Content
Africa’s mobile ways fit in well with us, says Twitter
Twitter seems hell-bent on pushing its business solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses, and like many big tech companies, Africa has entered its sphere of thought. Last week, the social…
Digital Content
App uses voice to connect teachers and students in Africa
Delivering education across Africa and rural areas is a major challenge, however mobile entrepreneurs are coming up with new ways to overcome these challenges. Martin Pasquier, founder and lead explorer…
More
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,…
More
People
Graham Beneke, co-chair of South Africa's Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA) and a network engineer, has been appointed to the National Broadband Advisory Council. Beneke welcomed his appointment, saying it…
