Issue no 735 28th November 2014
Top Story
Africa’s Converged Content and Services Space – Finding out what’s what and who’s who in the new digital economy
With faster, cheaper bandwidth either ready or not far off, Africa is experiencing the digital content and services moment. Like all things at the beginning, it’s full of fits and starts but the direction is clear. Russell Southwood senses that something is happening here but maybe you don’t know it is.About two years, we started (rather quietly) a web TV channel (called smartmonkeytv.com) to replace the now defunct Balancing Act You Tube Channel. It’s taken us a bit of time to get clear what it was about and who might be interested but we’ve got there.It tracks and analyses the…
Telecoms
Airtel deploys 4G/LTE network in Seychelles with Ericsson
Airtel has partnered with Ericsson to deliver a new, nationwide LTE 800 MHz network and to meet growing customer demand for mobile broadband services while delivering superior network performance. This…
Telecoms
Alliance for Affordable Internet welcomes Ghanaian government’s moves to cut mobile phone taxes
The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) has welcomed Ghana’s commitment to scrap hefty import duties on smartphones. The Ghanaian government, which recently joined A4AI, has announced these first steps in…
Telecoms
60% of the Zimbabwean population connected on mobile: POTRAZ
Despite having an “over-subscribed” mobile penetration rate of 106%, POTRAZ estimates that only 60% of the Zimbabweans are actually on mobile device or have multiple-active mobile SIM cards (Unique subscriber…
Telecoms
SCC to award Swaziland’s second mobile licence to Viettel by end-2015
Stan Motsa, acting chief executive officer of the Swaziland Communications Commission (SCC) has confirmed that Viettel-backed start-up Swavitel has submitted an application for the country’s second mobile licence. Domestic news…
Telecoms
Telecoms – In Brief
Zwipit, which specialises in the acquisition of used mobile devices such as tablets, feature phones and smartphones for refurbishment and resale, has set up an arm in South Africa. Zwipit…
Internet
NiRA targets 17 mln SMEs with switch to .ng campaign
Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) plans to rollout the switch to .ng campaign next year 2015 in an effort aimed at getting over 17.7 million SMEs in the country to…
Internet
Facebook’s universal access ‘Trojan horse’ attacked
The Facebook-led media and tech partnership Internet.org, which aims to get the developing world online, has been criticised for placing self-interest over fair and far-reaching internet access for the poor.This…
Internet
Guinea-Bissau’s top-level domain starts working
The top-level domain(.GW) of Guinea-Bissau is already working, the National Regulatory Authority (ARN) , responsible for the telecommunications sector in the country, said Wednesday in Bissau.The process was launched with…
Internet
Giddiphones.com is simplifying the way Nigerians buy phones – Olulana
A new online ad site that allows individuals to buy mobile devices has been launched in Nigeria. Dubbed giddiphones.com, the platform allows buyers and sellers to meet and transact business.In…
Internet
Internet – In Brief
The executive mayor of Cape Town Patricia de Lille has announced 61 public buildings in the city would have free WiFi by June 2015. According to the mayor, access to…
Computing
University of the Witwatersrand & edX Partner To Bring MOOCs In Africa
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits) has partnered with edX to bring massive open online courses (MOOCs) to a global learning audience.Education investment has remained the same yet the…
Computing
West Africa: Sonatel reveals digital education project
Senegalese operator Sonatel has launched the Orange Foundation’s digital education project for Africa in the presence of the country’s minister of education, Serigne Mbaye Thiam.According to the operator, the project…
Computing
Computing – In Brief
Acer South Africa has announced that it appointed PartServe Channel Support as its carry-in warranty service centre. PartServe now carries out all repairs to Acer equipment, regardless of whether it…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Afrihost Plus+ launched with free trial
Afrihost has announced the launch of its Afrihost Plus+ service, which offers a wide range of value added services.The standard price for the Afrihost Plus+ service is R145 per month.…
Money Transfer
Tigo Pesa returns TZS 3 Billion to customers as first quarterly payment: The first mobile money service in the world to pay profit to its users
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Tigo has announced the first of its regular quarterly payments worth 3bn/- (US $ 1.8 million) to Tigo Pesa users. This payment comes three months after…
Money Transfer
SA's e-commerce sector gears for consolidation
South Africa’s e-commerce market is bracing itself for increased consolidation, with more mergers and acquisitions expected as traditional retailers eye the online shopping space.Despite the country being the best market…
Money Transfer
Mobile money fails the test for emergency relief in DRC
Despite the hype around mobile money’s rapid uptake across Africa, in a new study e-vouchers outperformed mobile money - and in many cases physical cash - as the most effective…
Money Transfer
Kenya: Equity's SIM Technology to Go Live By March
Equity Bank plans to officially launch its mobile money platform Equitel - the trading brand of its telecoms subsidiary Finserve Africa - next quarter, chief executive James Mwangi said this…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Togo Telecom teeters on the brink
Incumbent operator Togo Telecom is said to be on the verge on bankruptcy, having failed to reverse a trend of poor financial results that started in 2008. According to the…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Viettel Group Drops Its Bid To Acquire Orange Kenya
The Vietnamese firm, Viettel Group, has bailed out on Orange Kenya after showing interest to acquire 70 percent of the company; this leaves the company looking for a plan ‘B’.‘Viettel…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
BTC sale now scheduled for 31 December
The much delayed privatisation of Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTC) is now expected to go ahead on 31 December 2014. Having initially been planned for 2011, the sale first ran…
Digital Content
Benin’s Beatzaddiction Wants To Help Artists Sell their music to the online global audience
Everyone loves music and they want them on their devices wherever they go, but getting African music online can be so cumbersome.Now, Benin’s Beatzaddiction is looking to satisfy the increasing…
Digital Content
West Africa's own Ebola anthem
Band Aid 30 is the most famous song raising awareness about Ebola, with millions of online views and downloads. But in West Africa, where the epidemic is concentrated, a different…
Digital Content
Pathgather Raises Looks To Bring Social Networking To Learning Management
Companies feeling they aren’t getting enough out of their learning management systems now have a new tool that may help with the recent financing and launch of Pathgather.In the learning…
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People
Orange Business Services appoints Giorgio Heiman as Vice President, AfricaOrange Business Services, the Orange branch dedicated to B2B services, has announced the appointment of Giorgio Heiman as Vice President of…
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Jobs & Opportunities
Vodafone Appstar 2014 contest unveiledAppStar 2014 has been launched and the firm says it’s now bigger and better with new categories and exciting new prizes – including a trip to…
