News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 915 – 2nd March 2018
Top Story
With fibre connections to North and South America and Asia, Angola Cables is pitching itself as a global player
2 March 2018
Data demand in Africa continues to grow strongly through a combination of reduced wholesale and retail prices and new digital services. This demand is driving a third generation of cables to connect the continent. Russell Southwood spoke to Antonio Nunes, CEO, Angola Cables about one of the newest entrants, the SACS cable. Africa’s first generation international fibre cable was SAT3. It opened the door for the second generation with Main One, Glo One, WACS, ACE, Seacom, Eassy LION and all the rest. The third generation cables are the multiple projects wanting to build on the east coast of the continent…
Telecoms
ZTE and MTN to roll out 5G network in Africa
2 March 2018
ZTE Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding with the MTN group to collaborate on 5G network architecture, and for its introduction to the African continent. Drawing on their existing cooperation,…
Telecoms
Uganda cracks down on illegal SIMs
2 March 2018
The government of Uganda has ordered the country’s telecoms regulator, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), to investigate the continued use of illegal unregistered mobile SIM cards, The Independent reports. Minister…
Telecoms
ATU & Huawei Jointly Release White Paper on Rural Coverage in Africa
2 March 2018
BARCELONA -- On February 25, African Telecommunication Union (ATU) and Huawei jointly released White Paper on Rural Coverage in Africa. The white paper appeals to the stakeholders to improve African…
Telecoms
Blocking out-of-bundle data usage is unlawful – Vodacom
2 March 2018
Vodacom has argued that attempts by ICASA to block automatic out-of-bundle data usage is unlawful. It has also taken exception to the regulator’s proposal that the expiry date of prepaid…
Telecoms
Africa’s Mara Corporation set to introduce Mara X, an Android One phone in partnership with Google
2 March 2018
MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, Spain, March 1, 2018/ -- In partnership with Google, Mara Corporation Limited (MC) (https://Mara.com) is set to release the Mara X for the African market in the…
Telecoms
Confirmed – MTN has the best network in South Africa
2 March 2018
New research by P3 Communications shows that MTN has the best network in South Africa, outperforming its rivals in telephony and data services. P3 Communications is a German-based company…
Telecoms
Mozilla and the NSF Hand Out $400,000 in Prize Money for First Phase of Wireless Innovation Challenge
2 March 2018
Keychains that can network themselves for disaster response and wireless broadband relays connecting underserved neighborhoods win top honors Last year, Mozilla and the National Science Foundation offered $2 million in…
Internet
AfDB supports Gabon's fibre backbone project
2 March 2018
The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Gabonese National Agency for Numerical Infrastructure and Frequency (ANINF) have signed agreements for a feasibility study for the country's component of the Central…
Internet
#WeAreNigerianCreatives Is the Incredible Viral Celebration Taking Over Twitter
2 March 2018
Nigerian artists of all mediums—artists, photographers, writers and more— have taken to Twitter throughout the past week to share their incredible work, using the hashtag #WeAreNigerianCreatives. It's yet another, much…
Internet
In brief
2 March 2018
Orange Morocco (previously Meditel) has launched LTE-A services, marketed as 4G+, in partnership with equipment vendor Huawei. Domestic news source Maghreb Post writes that the network utilises carrier aggregation (CA)…
Computing
Vodafone to track users in Ghana to halt spread of epidemics
2 March 2018
Vodafone is partnering with the government of Ghana to share the movements of its customers to help track and contain the spread of epidemics such as the Ebola virus. The…
Computing
Microsoft sends African teacher computer after photo goes viral
2 March 2018
An ICT teacher in Ghana who demonstrated Microsoft Word to his students using a blackboard has become an international sensation. A photo of his decidedly old-fashioned classroom set-up, which was…
Computing
Geekulcha introduces council of ICT advisors
2 March 2018
Geekulcha has introduced a council of advisors who will help the ICT youth organisation collaborate on projects and share knowledge on ICT-related issues. Geekulcha, which has almost 10 000 student…
Computing
Ghana: 2,400 Public Buildings Tagged With GPS Address
2 March 2018
About 2,400 out of the 4,000 earmarked public buildings and institutions have been tagged with a generated Ghana Post GPS address. The seat of government, Flagstaff House, hospitals, ministries and…
Computing
Tech dream team to produce Kenya's blockchain roadmap
2 March 2018
Dr Bitange Ndemo has been appointed chairman of a government taskforce that will explore the use of distributed ledger technology and artificial intelligence for development in Kenya. The 11-member team,…
Computing
Google launches new job search features for South Africa
2 March 2018
Google has announced a new job search ‘experience’, aimed at helping job-seekers find employment opportunities in South Africa. Users will able to view at-a-glance details about the posting, such as…
Computing
In brief
2 March 2018
Togo has a new broadband access provider following the news that TEOLIS, a wholly owned Togolese venture, officially launched on 22 February 2018, with plans to extend its footprint countrywide.
Money Transfer
FarEye To Benefit 175 Million Online Shoppers of Africa With Its Parcel Shop Technology - 'Drop&Pick'
2 March 2018
FarEye, a digital logistics platform, is pleased to announce the successful introduction of its new parcel shop technology - 'Drop&Pick'. Launched in January 2017 the technology is already being incorporated…
Money Transfer
US-based PayJoy Wants to Tackle Africa’s Smartphone Payment Market
2 March 2018
PayJoy, a US-based smartphone payment solutions provider, wants to tackle the African market in partnership with South African-based Allied Mobile. The US and Mexico-based firm wants to bring affordable smartphone…
Money Transfer
Mastercard offers Facebook Messenger payment service to small merchants in Africa and Asia
2 March 2018
Mastercard has announced that it will use Facebook Messenger to provide small businesses in Africa and Asia with affordable acceptance of electronic and mobile payments. The Messenger service will launch…
Money Transfer
Google enables M-Pesa payments on its app store
2 March 2018
Safaricom has partnered with mobile commerce enabler, DOCOMO, to enable customers to buy content on the Google Play store using M-PESA. The integration is powered by DOCOMO’s digital mobile commerce…
Money Transfer
Mastercard and M-KOPA Solar Partner to Light Up Homes and Businesses in Africa
2 March 2018
BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At Mobile World Congress, Mastercard and M-KOPA today announced a partnership that will provide Africans living without electricity a simple way to light up their homes and businesses.…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Zimbabwe: Didg Eyes Netone
2 March 2018
The Diaspora Infrastructure Development Group (DIDG) is looking at the possibilities of investing into the State-owned telecommunications company, NetOne. DIDG executive chairman Donovan Chimhandamba said this in an interview in…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Cell C to list on the stock market by 2020
2 March 2018
South African wireless operator Cell C is planning to stage an IPO on the stock market within 24 months. TechCentral cites CEO Jose Dos Santos as saying that the company…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Teleology emerges as preferred 9mobile buyer, report says
2 March 2018
Teleology Holdings has emerged as the preferred bidder for Nigerian wireless operator 9mobile, which was known as Etisalat Nigeria until July 2017, according to Reuters, citing two sources with knowledge…
Digital Content
Orange and Apigate will join forces to launch digital Application Programming Interface (API) hub in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa
2 March 2018
BARCELONA, Spain, February 26, 2018/ -- Orange (www.Orange.com), one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators, and Apigate, a subsidiary of Axiata Digital (www.AxiataDigital.com), announced a new partnership to strengthen their…
Digital Content
Thesha tackles youth entrepreneurship in modern day South Africa
2 March 2018
An official selection at the Vancouver Web Festival 2018, Thesha – a colloquial, township term meaning ‘work’ – is a new, hard-hitting web series that confronts the subject of youth…
Digital Content
Guinean Blogger Sally Bilaly Sow: “Accountability Must Be in the Minds of Every Citizen”
2 March 2018
The history of Guinea is peppered with violence against journalists, media workers, and private radio closures by the government. However, there has been no recorded case of bloggers being harassed…
Digital Content
Evidence patchy on value of mobile apps for farmers
2 March 2018
A review of research on how information services based on mobile phone technology can improve the lives of farmers has found only patchy evidence of success. The review, which looked…
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People
2 March 2018
Grant Walker quits as chairman of Carlyle’s CMC Networks Grant Walker has stepped down as chairman of CMC Networks, just over a year after the largest private equity company in…
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Opportunities
2 March 2018
Applications are now open for the 8th Orange Social Venture Prize in Africa and the Middle East The call for applications for the 8th Orange (www.Orange.com) Social Venture Prize in…
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Events
2 March 2018
Africa Tech Summit Kigali - 2018Following the success of Africa Tech Summit London which will return in May 2018, we are delighted to welcome you to Africa Tech Summit Kigali…
