News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 958 – 11 January 2019
Top Story
Getting a head on the 5G business case for Africa – looking beyond the vendor hype for real revenues
11 January 2019
Like all new technologies, 5G has been accompanied by a gassy wave of hype. It’s now at the moment when the hype has to convert into actual business cases. Russell Southwood spoke to Dr John Naylon, CTO and Founder of CBNL and a member of the Advisory Board of UK5G about the timelines for Africa and what revenue case might work best. In January 2018, MTN announced that it had conducted a 5G trial in South Africa based on commercially available baseband hardware in lab conditions. According to Tech Central, the 5G trial achieved download speeds of more than 20Gbit/s…
Telecoms
Fresh Woes for 9Mobile As Owner Teleology Pulls Out
11 January 2019
Teleology Holdings, the new owners of 9mobile, have withdrawn from further participation in the 9mobile project, SaharaReporters can exclusively report. Teleology acquired 9mobile, known then as Etisalat, in November 2018…
Telecoms
Nigeria: 9Mobile Faults Teleology Holdings, Adrian Wood's Claims
11 January 2019
The management of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Ltd. trading as 9mobile in Nigeria has faulted claims by Teleology Holdings and its leading promoter, Adrian Wood, over claims that the 9Mobile…
Telecoms
Ghana: Whatsapp Groups Driving Smartphone Sales
11 January 2019
Increase in Whatsapp groups is contributing to high demand of smart phones, the General Manager of Techno Mobile, Mr Daniel Glover has said. Mr Daniel Glover, who said this in…
Telecoms
Airtel Uganda faces higher running costs in policy changes
11 January 2019
The activities of Indian telecommunication giant Bharti Airtel’s Ugandan unit could come under increasing scrutiny in the coming months as authorities move to align the telecommunications sector policy with new…
Telecoms
In brief
11 January 2019
Mauritanian mobile operators Mauritel, Mattel and Chinguitel are once again being fined for failing to provide adequate quality of service (QoS) on their networks. A report from Agence Ecofin says…
Internet
Bluetown Announces Partnership with Microsoft to Close the Digital Divide
11 January 2019
COPENHAGEN, Denmark--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Denmark based Bluetown has announced a new agreement with Microsoft Corp. that will provide broadband internet access to approximately 800,000 unserved people in the eastern part of Ghana.…
Internet
Liquid Telecom to develop 4G network in South Africa
11 January 2019
The South African division of Liquid Telecom has announced plans to establish a 4G network in the nation. Liquid Telecom South Africa will offer wholesale roaming services across its network…
Internet
Vodafone ready for Q2 4G rollout in Ghana
11 January 2019
Following its successful bid for Ghana's second 4G license, Vodafone has announced plans to roll out 4G services across the country in the second quarter of 2019. This pitches the…
Internet
Ethio Telecom looking to acquire own satellite
11 January 2019
Ethio Telecom, Ethiopia’s incumbent telecoms provider, is reportedly planning to acquire a telecommunications satellite with a view to extending its network coverage to remote areas of the country. According to…
Internet
Congo-Kinshasa: Web Shutdowns As Escalating Government Tactic
11 January 2019
Kinshasa — The restive Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are the latest African countries to shut down internet and broadcasting services to stifle dissent. Such trends make it…
Computing
Microsoft misses deadline to launch South African data centres
11 January 2019
Microsoft has missed a self-imposed deadline to launch two Azure cloud data centres in South Africa, one in Johannesburg and the other in Cape Town. But the company has promised…
Computing
Kenyan police officers now required to undergo a 6-month compulsory ICT training
11 January 2019
In line with its vision to digitise the Kenyan Police Service, the government wants its police officers to undergo a compulsory ICT training for a maximum of six months. The…
Computing
Rwanda Gets First Public Coding School
11 January 2019
Sixty young bright students have already been selected across the country to join the first cohort of the inaugural software programming school, adding impetus to the country's efforts to become…
Money Transfer
SOL Wallet mobile and web service enters South Africa
11 January 2019
SOL Wallet is launching a service in South Africa enabling retail customers to deposit money, save, invest, make payments and manage their expenses via mobile and web apps. They can…
Money Transfer
Safaricom rolls out M-Pesa overdraft facility to all its users
11 January 2019
M-Pesa users can now send money or pay for goods and services when they have insufficient balance in their accounts after Safaricom #ticker:SCOM rolled out Fuliza to all subscribers on…
Money Transfer
Money transfer service sings the blues
11 January 2019
“Zimpost’s money transfer service, Zipcash, has not experienced growth to the levels that had been anticipated, mainly because the South African corridor has not been performing well,” Moyo said in…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Millicom seeks approval for Zantel stake increase
11 January 2019
Tanzania’s Fair Competition Commission (FCC) says it has received a notification from Millicom Tanzania, which operates under the Tigo brand, that it intends to increase its shareholding in Zanzibar Telecommunication…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
East Africa’s Oxygen 8 ICT Director embroiled in Ksh1bn tax evasion allegations
11 January 2019
Brian Waluchio, a co-director of Oxygen 8 East Africa, an establishment embroiled in Ksh1 billion tax evasion probe has been barred from travelling outside the country. According to Waluchio, both…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
In brief
11 January 2019
Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) says it registered a profit of BWP86 million (USD7.9 million) for the first half of its 2018/19 financial year, down 12% from the year-earlier period. According…
Digital Content
Food bloggers bringing Africa's rich cuisines to the world
11 January 2019
NGAPAROU, SENEGAL - In the quiet hours before lunch, two women worked side by side in an airy kitchen. One, a chef, cleaned fresh red snapper filets with a sharp…
Digital Content
Nigeria’s digital publishing company, Publiseer partners with Google Play Books, expands to Egypt
11 January 2019
Nigeria’s digital publishing company, Publiseer, is set to partner with Google Play Books, to support Google’s digital book distribution service in fulfilling the publishing requests it receives in Africa. In…
Digital Content
Malawi: 500 000 People Verify in Voters Roll Through Phones
11 January 2019
Pollster, the Malawi Electoral Commission says over 500, 000 people have verified their names through their mobile, a move the MEC chairperson Jane Ansah described as historical. "This shows that…
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People
11 January 2019
The former Director of Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Tony Ojobo has been appointed president of African ICT Foundation. This follows the appointment of a new Board of…
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Opportunities
11 January 2019
World Bank launches data privacy innovation challenge The World Bank Group’s Identification for Development (ID4D) initiative has launched the Mission Billion Challenge, which is aimed at innovators helping to make…
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Events
11 January 2019
Africa Tech SummitKigaliFebruary 13th-15th 2019 The Summit will once again provide unrivaled insight, networking and business opportunities for African and international tech leaders and investors who want to business in…
