News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 947 19 October 2018
Top Story
Kirusa’s ‘make your life easier’ apps target changing how African MNOs get revenues from voicemail, roaming and enterprise calling
19 October 2018
There are apps that change your life and apps that make your life easier: both are needed. Kirusa’s apps have focused on changing how people use their phone in Africa and point towards a different future. Russell Southwood spoke to Kirusa’s CEO Inderpal Mumick about how it all works. Kirusa talks about “re-imagining voice in a data era” and is creating products that work across all of your phone experience and users rather things like WhatsApp that work as standalone apps. A cynical outsider might say that this is the sort of thing mobile operators should have done in response…
Telecoms
South Africa: Telkom takes steps to implement new Icasa regulations
19 October 2018
A month before communications regulator Icasa is due in court to defend itself against legal action over its new data-expiry rules, Telkom has begun to implement the regulations. The company…
Telecoms
NetOne negotiates with Telkom for a possible joint venture in Zimbabwe
19 October 2018
NetOne, the state-owned mobile operator has begun negotiations with South African telecom operator Telkom to form a new joint venture in Zimbabwe. NetOne is among the 35 state-owned enterprises that…
Telecoms
South Africa: Ayo to bid in spectrum auction
19 October 2018
18 October 2018, Cape Town – AYO Technology Solutions Limited, recognised as a fast growing and the largest Black Empowered JSE-listed ICT Group in the country, yesterday welcomed the announcement…
Telecoms
South Africa to start 4G spectrum auction by April 2019, says Cwele
19 October 2018
South Africa will hold a long-delayed auction of 4G mobile spectrum by April as the government seeks to extend high-speed internet to a greater portion of Africa’s most industrialized economy,…
Telecoms
In brief
19 October 2018
Almadar Aljaded (Al Madar Telecomm Company), Libya’s second largest mobile network operator (MNO) by subscribers, has announced it has launched a ‘4G+’ mobile internet service, writes Reuters. The LTE-A network…
Internet
Facebook inked deal with Airtel and BCS to deploy optical fiber in the north-west of Uganda
19 October 2018
The American company Facebook has returned to better feelings when it comes to investing in Uganda. The company that announced last August the halting of its ambitions, because of the…
Internet
South Africa: R2K Calls for Competitions Commission to Intervene On High Data
19 October 2018
Today R2K activists are appearing before the Competition Commission's public hearings on data costs. R2K's submission to the Competition Commission highlights how the outrageous cost of communication in South Africa…
Internet
Nigeria's Internet Exchange Point Grows Local Traffic By 10,000 Percent in Five Years
19 October 2018
The Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), has grown traffic on its network by over 10,000 per cent in the last five years, and currently exchanges over 110 gigabits per…
Internet
Liquid Telecom completes acquisition of CEC Liquid Telecom in Zambia to further strengthen its operations in Southern Africa
19 October 2018
Acquisition represents another major milestone on Liquid Telecom’s journey to build Africa’s digital future Lusaka, October 17, 2018, Leading pan-African telecoms group Liquid Telecom has completed the acquisition of the…
Internet
South Africa: Icasa withdraws 2016 spectrum invite
19 October 2018
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa announced the withdrawal of its invitation to apply for spectrum licences in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands, published in…
Internet
Why are African governments criminalising online speech? Because they fear its power.
19 October 2018
Africa’s landscape of online free speech and dissent is gradually, but consistently, being tightened. In legal and economic terms, the cost of speaking out is rapidly rising across the continent.…
Internet
Life at the bottom of the global league of internet access
19 October 2018
In Somalia, to be caught with a smartphone in the wrong place can mean death Somalia is not a place for web addicts. Even in the capital, Mogadishu, coverage is…
Computing
New Pan-African Data Centre Association launched in Morocco
19 October 2018
The Africa Data Centre Association (ADCA), a non-profit, Pan-African professional association, which will foster the development of the data centre industry in Africa, launched at BroadGroup’s inaugural Datacloud Africa Leadership…
Computing
Kenya: Audit Raises Eyebrows On Sh16 Billion for Tablets
19 October 2018
The ICT ministry cannot account for Sh16.3 billion spent on the digital literacy programme for Standard One pupils, according to Auditor-General Edward Ouko's report. The payment of Sh15.2 billion…
Money Transfer
Coinfirm, Africa Blockchain Lab and KAD ICT Hub to Launch the Cryptocurrency Anti Fraud System AMLT in the Heart of Africa
19 October 2018
Africa stands as a hub for online and digital fraud that is affecting the security of global markets as a whole. Coinfirm along with the Nigerian based KAD ICT Hub…
Money Transfer
FNB clients embracing In-App messaging for banking
19 October 2018
16 October 2018: FNB has recorded a 56% increase in the number of FNB Premier clients who used ‘Secure ChatTM’ between July 2017 and July 2018. ‘Secure Chat’ is FNB’s…
Money Transfer
Kenya: Mobile money firms transferred Sh1.9trn between April and June - report
19 October 2018
Kenyans are increasingly adopting a cashless system having used Sh1.43 trillion to pay for goods and services through their mobile phones between April and June this year, fresh official data…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Nigeria’s Teleology named as winning bidder in UTL privatisation
19 October 2018
The government of Uganda has decided to sell a majority interest in Uganda Telecom Ltd (UTL) to Nigeria-based private equity firm Teleology Holdings. The privatisation of UTL attracted seven bidders…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
SA’s Echo, Gondwana merge ISP assets in eight African countries
19 October 2018
South Africa’s Echo Service Provider has reached a deal to merge with the Internet service provider operations of Gondwana International Networks (GIN) in markets across Africa. Terms of the deal…
Digital Content
Startups among finalists for AppsAfrica Innovation Awards
19 October 2018
Startups from across Africa have been named as finalists for this year’s edition of the AppsAfrica Innovation Awards, which will offer winners industry recognition, global publicity, and networking opportunities with…
Digital Content
Gates Foundation backs self-checkup app's expansion in Africa
19 October 2018
A free app that lets patients do quick health checkups on themselves is the centerpiece of a Gates Foundation-backed project to bring better care to poor regions of Africa and…
Digital Content
Google Maps’ motorcycle navigation mode has come to Africa
19 October 2018
Google wants to help Africa’s motorcycles taxis navigate roads better. The company launched the motorcycle mode feature on Google Maps today (Oct. 15) in Kenya, a first in Africa. The…
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People
19 October 2018
Liquid Telecom appoints regional heads to streamline operations & cut costs Instead of having CEOs in each country, Liquid Telecom is appointing regional heads to lead four or more countries…
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Events
19 October 2018
7th Remittance Africa Expo 2018Oct 23- 24, 2018Lagos Oriental Hotel, NigeriaUnlocking the opportunities in Money Transfers and Payment systems in AfricaFind out more information here. Wits JCSE and LINK Centre…
