Issue no 744 13th February 2015
Top Story
Mali – The Internet and social media but not as in other African markets
Francophone Mali is one of Africa’s poorest countries and the recent coup and military conflict in the north have threatened its former stability. Beneath these headlines, the country has continued to develop its telecoms and Internet networks. However, the pattern of development is sufficiently different that it raises questions about how it will change in the future.There is a clear pattern emerging in Africa’s more well-developed Internet markets. The full cycle is as follows: international wholesale fibre prices go down; some time later retail Internet prices go down; speeds steadily increase with fibre, ADSL and 3G+; the numbers of internet…
Telecoms
Tigo has set up a record of 25.3 Mln subscribers in Africa but profits fall
The Luxembourg Millicom International Cellular Telecom group, operating in Africa and Latin America under the Tigo brand, has released its financial results for the year 2014. With total revenue up…
Telecoms
Bunfight over spectrum on the cards as mobile operators ask for more
Radio and television broadcasters, satellite providers and even radar operators will have to make way for mobile broadband companies if radio frequency spectrum proposals to be put to the International…
Telecoms
Nigeria Has The Highest Number of Dual Sim Phone Users In The World, Says Open Signal
At 66 percent prevalence, Open Signal, the crowdsourced cell phone signal startup, has flagged Nigeria as the country with the highest penetration of dual SIM devices in the world.Meaning; for…
Telecoms
e-learning in Zimbabwe: the reality behind bringing mobile phones into the mix
We should allow cell phones in Zimbabwe’s schools. Well, that is what the responsible powers think anyway. Just recently, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Education, Dr Lazarus Dokora, was quoted in the…
Telecoms
Uganda: Vodafone Uganda Launched, Unveils Voice and 4g Data Services
Vodafone Group that entered into a non-equity Partner Market agreement with Afrimax Group to launch Vodafone Uganda and serve mobile customers in the Ugandan market with high quality voice and…
Telecoms
Millicom Cellular SWE : Tigo Senegal extend 3G+ network to the country’s interior
Agence Ecofin writes that Tigo Senegal, a wholly owned subsidiary of Millicom International Cellular (MIC), is expanding the footprint of its 3.5G mobile network into the country's interior, providing customers…
Telecoms
Telecoms – In brief
Orange Madagascar is preparing to roll out an LTE network in 2015, NewsMada reports, citing comments by the company’s CEO Michel Barre. Speaking at a press conference in Ankorondrano on…
Internet
Airtel Ghana promotes safer internet for children
Airtel Ghana marked Safer Internet Day 2015 by announcing expanded efforts to keep the internet safe for children in Ghana. Airtel urged parents to become better informed about online safety…
Internet
Web Africa slashes prices & doubles data on capped ADSL
Internet service provider (ISP) Web Africa has taken the fight to the competition by drastically cutting prices and adding extra data onto all of its capped ADSL products. Under the…
Internet
44 Million Cell Phone Subscribers, 9.97 Million Internet Users in Morocco
Rabat- A new report released by Morocco’s telecommunication regulator reveals that the number of cell phone subscribers has reached 44 million, while the number of internet users reached 9.97 million.This…
Internet
NAPAfrica has become Africa’s Largest Internet Exchange Point
NAPAfrica recently announced the successful attainment of 20Gbps throughput with more than 180 members across its locations in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. This in line with its previous commitment…
Internet
Internet – In brief
Telecoms regulator the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has warned that it could shut down access to social networking sites for national security reasons, if the websites are misused, NTV reports.…
Computing
DRC: Google plans to open an Office in Kinshasa
US Internet giant Google plans to boost internet connectivity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and will open an office in Kinshasa in the near future. The information was…
Computing
Chinese Inspur Group Unveils Zimbabwe’s First Supercomputer
Leading Chinese personal computer and server manufacturer, Inspur Group, recently unveiled a Supercomputer in Zimbabwe with a capacity to process 36 trillion calculations per second. The Supercomputer facility was launched…
Money Transfer
Ethiopia: Hellocash Mobile Money Service Goes Live in Ethiopia
Lion International Bank and Somali Micro Finance in partnership with BelCash Technology Solution PLC launched the official pilot of the HelloCash mobile money services.BelCash Technology Solution PLC is an Ethiopian…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
MTN, Telkom outsourcing deal talks drag on
South African operator Telkom has disclosed that it remains in discussions with rival MTN in regards to the potential extension of the existing roaming agreement between the two companies to…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Zimbabwe: Mugabe Nephew's Telecel Zimbabwe Bid Challenged
President Robert Mugabe's nephew Patrick Zhuwawo's bid to take charge of the country's third biggest mobile network Telecel Zimbabwe was challenged in the High Court on Tuesday.Zhuwawo recently published a…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Nedbank snaps up a third of GloCell
Nedbank Capital has acquired a 32,9% stake in cellular service provider GloCell in a private equity transaction for an undisclosed sum.GloCell is one of South Africa’s largest distributors of prepaid…
Digital Content
Bombshell Election Rigging Allegations Make #EkitiGate a Trending Topic in Nigeria
Sahara Reporters, a Nigerian online news portal based in New York, has released audio recordings purported to show how politicians in connivance with soldiers rigged the 2014 governorship elections in…
Digital Content
InMobi Reaches Over One Billion Mobile Devices
Inmobi Mobile advertising platform InMobi has announced over one billion unique mobile devices on its network in Q4 2014, making it the only mobile-first advertising platform to reach this landmark…
Digital Content
‘Photoblogging Is My Sustenance', Says Ugandan Photographer Edward Echwalu
The name Edward Echwalu is quickly becoming synonymous with photography and blogging in Uganda. In an exclusive interview, the amazing photoblogger spoke to Global Voices about his love for photography…
Digital Content
Goodluck Jonathan Launches Nyenet.com to fund startups & win the youth vote
We won’t discuss politics here because we know your vote is your right but we think President Goodluck Jonathan’s new Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy (YES) and the Nigeria Youth Entrepreneurship Network…
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People
Equity Group has named two new board members at its telecommunications subsidiary Finserve Africa. They are former Safaricom chief technical officer John Barorot and former InMobi Africa MD Isis Nyong'o.…
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Events
AITEC East Africa ICT Summit 201518-19 February 2015Kenya School Of Monetary Studies Nairobi, KenyaThrough its range of in-depth specialist Forums, AITEC East Africa 2015 will provide a unique platform for…
