News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no. 863 - 10 February 2017
Top Story
Straws in the Wind – Africa’s mobile business model takes the slow road to change battered by financial circumstances
10 February 2017
Africa’s mobile industry is under significant financial pressure and this may yet be the forcing ground for wider changes. What the mobile operators are selling is changing from voice and SMS to data and this demands a different mindset. But it will also be a more challenging road than the super-profits of the mobile voice era. Russell Southwood looks at the straws in the wind that provide some clues to what’s happening. If I want to make call to an African colleagues, 80-90% are now either on Skype or What’s App. The latter is causing the most significant changes in…
Telecoms
China's Transsion phones outsell Samsung in Africa
10 February 2017
Transsion Holdings Ltd, a Shenzhen-based smartphone maker few Chinese have heard of, is securing the jewel in the crown of the mobile world－the African continent, one of the most promising…
Telecoms
Uganda Telecom, Airtel resolve interconnection dispute
10 February 2017
Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL) and Airtel have resolved an interconnection agreement over accumulated debts, which would have seen customers from either company unable to make calls to one another from…
Telecoms
Gloom hangs over Cell C rescue plan
10 February 2017
The downgrade of Cell C’s corporate credit rating to the junkiest of junk by S&P Global Rating is another blow to the telecommunications company’s brave ambition of reducing its crippling…
Telecoms
Regulator suspends Telecel interconnection amid XAF600m tax dispute
10 February 2017
Central African Republic-based mobile network operator (MNO) Telecel-RCA has had its international calling capacity suspended by the Agency of Telecommunications Regulation (Agence de Regulation des Telecommunications, ART), with the watchdog…
Telecoms
In brief
10 February 2017
The 2017 Guide to Surviving South African Twitter: If last year’s South African Twitter blaze was anything to go by, it’s quite clear that this year won’t be anything short…
Internet
In the fight against government-ordered internet blackouts, where are Africa’s mobile providers?
10 February 2017
It’s been more than two weeks since Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, roughly 20% of the country, had its internet access switched off. Cameroon’s government pressured local telcos to shut down access…
Internet
NIRA sets eligibility criteria for 2017 awards – “…help to make the Internet a more secure, open, accessible and rewarding experience for all”.
10 February 2017
The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) has outlined the eligibility criteria for its 2017 awards. NiRA President, Sunday Folayan who addressed the press at the NIRA Headquarters in Lagos said…
Internet
Nigeria leads the world in endorsing Internet affordability threshold proposed by A4AI
10 February 2017
Nigeria has become the first country to endorse the affordability threshold proposed by the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI). A4AI said Nigeria’s ministry for communications has officially endorsed the affordability…
Internet
Free VPNI connections now available at South Africa’s Internet Exchanges
10 February 2017
INX-ZA has announced that networks interconnecting through South Africa’s Internet Exchanges can now create free Virtual Private Network Interconnects to other networks. The free VPNI connections are available at all…
Internet
Vodacom and GIZ launch mobile technology solution for South African farmers
10 February 2017
Vodacom has partnered with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Government and Manstrat Agricultural Intelligence Solutions to launch a mobile technology solution to support…
Computing
Kenya: Cervical Cancer Screening Technology Wins Award
10 February 2017
Nairobi — SAP's Design and Co-Innovation Center together with Heidelberg University Hospital has optimized a cervical cancer screening test that combines applied medical research with the power of innovative SAP…
Computing
This Cape Town taxi map shows how beautiful big data can be
10 February 2017
Cape Town is a large, complex city, with a mountain in the middle of it, and an ocean encompassing it. As a result, travelling from point A to point B…
Money Transfer
Huduma Card Delivers Cashless Efficiency, Powered by Mastercard Technology
10 February 2017
NAIROBI, Kenya,7 February 2017,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Mastercard commits to supporting the roll-out of the Huduma Card in Kenya as the technology partner of choice for the local government organisation.…
Money Transfer
Cameroon: MTN and Orange in fierce competition over mobile money
10 February 2017
With a client base today estimated at 5.4 million, including 2.8 million for Orange and 2.6 million for its competitor MTN, the mobile money market in Cameroon is certainly expanding,…
Money Transfer
In brief
10 February 2017
The South African Reserve Bank will consider introducing a "blockchain based, digital version" of the South African Rand. This comes a few months after Senegal became the second country in…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Millicom agrees to sell Senegal unit for $129 mln
10 February 2017
DAKAR Feb 7 (Reuters) - Luxembourg-based Millicom International Cellular said on Tuesday it had signed an agreement to sell its Tigo Senegal subsidiary to the local Wari group for $129…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Update 1-Millicom sees higher growth in 2017 after Q4 profit beat
10 February 2017
Feb 8 Emerging markets telecoms and media group Millicom said on Wednesday it saw higher underlying revenue growth in 2017 versus last year, after posting fourth quarter profits above market…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Carlyle takes majority stake in CMC Networks
10 February 2017
Johannesburg, South Africa – CMC Networks (CMC), Africa’s largest managed connectivity provider, has announced that The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG), a Global Alternative Asset Manager, has acquired a majority shareholding…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Silvertreee acquires Nigerian price comparison site TopCheck
10 February 2017
Silvertree Internet Holdings, Africa’s leading Internet platform, has acquired Nigerian price comparison site TopCheck for an undisclosed amount. TopCheck is Nigeria’s leading price comparison site for financial services offering free…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Corruption agency ‘denounces’ Libercom mismanagement
10 February 2017
The Republic of Benin’s Front of National Organisations Against Corruption (Fonac) has made a public announcement to the press identifying failures in the management and performance of struggling state-owned mobile…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
In brief
10 February 2017
South Africa-based MTN Group will exchange its 51% interest in Nigeria Tower InterCo, the parent company of Nigerian tower operator INT Towers, for an additional shareholding in IHS Group, the…
Digital Content
Microsoft launches business-centric chat app in Kenya
10 February 2017
Following a successful launch and full testing in India over the past year, Microsoft has announced the launch of its productivity app Kaizala in Kenya. Created as a chat app,…
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Opportunities
10 February 2017
DEMO Africa applications open, 14 mini-events announced Applications are open for annual startups pitching event DEMO Africa, with the organisation also announcing an expanded series of mini-events to be held…
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Events
10 February 2017
CashlessAfrica Expo 2017:Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lagos – Nigeria, March 22 – 23, 2017.Industry thought leaders from more than 40 countries to address “The future of finance” The event is part…
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People
10 February 2017
Facebook names Uche Ofodile as Regional Head-Africa for Express Wifi Business leader, Uche Ofodile, has been named as Regional Head-Africa for Express Wifi by Facebook. Until her new appointment, Uche…
