Issue no 792 28th August 2015
Top Story
Busy Being Born and Busy Dying – Taking the pulse of recent M & A in Africa’s telecoms and Internet sector
Who remembers HITS Telecoms? It came, it saw and it didn’t conquer. The blanched bones of failed businesses in the desert of lost opportunity can act as signposts for the road to the future. Russell Southwood looks at some of the recent retreats and tries to make sense of what they mean for the future of the industry. The good news or the bad news? The bad news. You’re all consenting adults and you’re probably sitting down so can take the shocks. Africa’s economic miracle is about to come unstuck. If China doesn’t buy as much of what it digs…
Telecoms
Telecoms: New NCC chief raises Service Quality Task Force
Professor Umar Danbatta, the new Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has raised a Task Force to recommend practical measures for improving Quality of Service (QoS) issues…
Telecoms
Cape Town Invests in Advanced Communications to Make City Safer
Motorola Solutions and radio distributor Altech Alcom Matomo have completed an extension of the digital Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) communications network in the city of Cape Town, South Africa. The…
Telecoms
Nigeria: NCC to Block 10.7 Million Telephone Lines
About 10.7 million telephone lines in Nigeria may be blocked following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to telecommunication operators in the country. According to NCC’s Head of…
Internet
Liquid Telecom sets up Hai, another Internet provider, in Zambia
It’s not just a partnership with MTN that has kept Liquid Telecom, the infrastructure concern busy. Recently, the telecoms company announced the launch of Hai, a new Internet Service Provider…
Internet
Africa: 4G-LTE has been launched in 24 countries!
Industry professionals have heard that 4G-LTE services have been launched in some African countries, but very few people know exactly where and who are the operators who have launched. On…
Internet
Kenya: Google Launches Service to Streamline Nairobi Public Transport
Google has launched a new service that maps out all gazetted bus stops in Nairobi, amid efforts to streamline public transport in the city. The launch of Google Transit update…
Internet
Africa: Liquid Telecom Records More Than Doubling in Local African Content On African Internet Networks
Liquid Telecom, Africa's independent internet service provider, has recorded a sharp climb in the proportion of local content on its network, from 20 per cent three years ago to now…
Internet
SA startup Tuse to take part in US-based Founders Space accelerator
South African startup Tuse, an Android app that tackles connectivity issues by allowing users to create wireless mesh networks, has been selected to take part in the renowned Founders Space…
Internet
MTN, Liquid Telecoms sign Africa Internet connection deal
MTN and Liquid Telecoms have partnered to access each other’s fixed and wireless Internet networks in a number of African countries where either party does not currently have presence. The…
Internet
EFCC: Nigeria no longer safe haven for cybercrimes
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says Nigeria is no longer be a safe haven for cybercriminals with the coming into force of the new Nigeria Cybercrimes Act 2015,…
Computing
Mauritius: Ghana & Mauritius Agree On ICT Park in Tema
Ghana and Mauritius signed in Port Louis, Mauritius, a framework agreement for the development of a Technology Park in Tema. The first phase of the park, which will be developed…
Computing
Zimbabwe: Econet Trains Computer Specialists
Econet Wireless says it has invested towards training of 1 000 young people as specialist computer programme coders over the last 12 months despite the problems that continue besetting the…
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Telecoms, Rates, Offers and Coverage
Samsung South Africa has announced Samsung Galaxy Rewards, a loyalty app for Samsung Galaxy smartphone users. Samsung Galaxy Rewards gives consumers access to a variety of prizes based on the…
Money Transfer
Safaricom Increases Charges to Equitel Customers
Safaricom has moved to discourage transfer of money to third parties on its M-Pesa platform by subscribers of Equity Bank's Equitel mobile payment service through new tariffs. Safaricom says in…
Money Transfer
Local mobile money tariff calculator app tweaked, now includes OneWallet, Nettcash
Death, taxes, vending, the unfair cost of data, high mobile money tariffs; that’s just part of a long list of things that many people accept as part of Zimbabwean life.…
Money Transfer
Uber Cash Triples Firm’s Growth in Kenya
Uber has announced it will make the cash payment feature permanent for Nairobi residents after a successful two-month pilot brought a five-fold growth in sign-ups and referrals. Nairobi is only…
Money Transfer
NIC Bank to launch banking via Whatsapp and Twitter
NIC Bank Group has announced that it will be the first bank in Kenya to launch an innovative social media banking platform, dubbed “NIC KONNECT”. The platform will allow customers…
Money Transfer
Money Transfers - In brief
MallforAfrica (MFA) is teaming up with PayPal through internet and mobile, to make online shopping from key markets outside of Kenya as easy as possible. The two companies are offering…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Cell C attracts 6 bidders
Oger Telecom has received offers from six companies interested in buying its controlling 75 percent stake in the South African operator Cell C, Oger Telecom's chief legal officer and deputy…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
25% of mobile rewards platform, TuYu, now belongs to Tritech Media
Tritech Media, a South African digital media company, has announced its acquisition of 25% stake in mobile rewards platform, TuYu. The fund from the acquisition will enable Tuyu scale its…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Telkom challenges iBurst sale
Telkom has filed an objection at communications regulator Icasa to Multisource’s planned acquisition of iBurst and Broadlink parent Wireless Business Solutions (WBS), TechCentral has learnt. Telkom submitted a written comment…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
End of the line for LAP Green? LPTIC consolidates sub-Saharan assets
The Libyan Post Telecommunications and Information Technology Company (LPTIC) has announced the strategic consolidation of a number of Libyan-owned telecoms companies currently operating in sub-Saharan Africa. The businesses in question…
Digital Content
Facebook launches Moments in SA
Cape Town - Facebook on Tuesday announced the launch of its Moments application for South Africa. The application allows people to create private galleries to share with selected people and…
Digital Content
Nigeria: Radio Biafra Back On Air
The Nigerian 'rebel radio', known as Radio Biafra has resumed transmission despite claims by the government that its signals have been jammed. The controversial pirate channel began broadcasting pro-Biafra Programme…
Digital Content
Browse, Pay and Pick Up with PriceCheck
Mobile commerce is the future of product discovery and purchasing in South Africa and PriceCheck, together with SnapScan and Pargo, are leading the way. By combining these services, PriceCheck now…
Digital Content
This 'made-in-Nigeria' app will let you order diesel online
Yuzah won the one million naira prize money in the Airtel catapult-a-startup competition held earlier in the year. Leading telecommunications operator, Airtel Nigeria, has launched a mobile app aimed at…
More
Opportunities
USIU & Tech Republic Launch Innovation Boot Camp to Equip Teens with Coding Skills Africa Tech Republic Africa Innovation BootcampNairobi-based United States International University-Africa and Tech Republic have launched an…
More
People
Millicom Appoints Cynthia Gordon as EVP, CEO Africa Division Millicom has announced the appointment of Cynthia Gordon as its Executive Vice President, CEO Africa Division. She takes up the role…
More
Events
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Forum 14-16 September 2015Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, KenyaThe Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Forum is an annual three-day conference and exhibition which brings together government ministers and senior officials,…
