News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 967 – 15 March 2019
Top Story
Freeconferencecall.com looks to expand its footprint in Africa and can offer broadcast calls to 5,000 people
15 March 2019
As telecoms moves to over-the-top data services it’s interesting to see how legacy interconnect arrangements have been used to build a free conference calling service. Russell Southwood talked to Bertrand Daumalle, Managing Director, International Operations, Freeconferencecall.com about its operations in Africa. Freeconferencecall.com was started in 2001 by David Erickson out of his apartment. According to Inc in 2016., Erikson sunk time and effort into building a service to let users conduct screen sharing and videoconferencing, but then a rival company began offering a similar service for free. So, he decided to get into the free business model himself and launched…
Telecoms
Vodafone fast tracks launch of 4G service in Ghana
15 March 2019
Vodafone Ghana is set for an early launch of commercial services for its 4G network across major cities in the country. This will take place on March 19 2019. The…
Telecoms
AfricaCom Introduces new show event - AfricaTech
15 March 2019
AfricaCom, Africa’s largest telecoms and technology event, has announced the launch of AfricaTech - a new event brand dedicated to propelling Africa towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Recent years have…
Telecoms
Vodacom first to launch eSIM support in South Africa
15 March 2019
Mobile operator Vodacom has launched support for eSIM devices in South Africa along with a new accompanying service, called OneNumber, that allows users to use a single mobile phone number…
Telecoms
Nigeria: MTN IPO to Be Executed in Two Phases Amid Row With Govt
15 March 2019
The long-awaited listing of the shares of South Africa-based, mobile network provider, MTN, will now be executed in two phases for better value, which will commence at the end of…
Telecoms
In brief
15 March 2019
Telkom has received a new number range for its mobile service. Telkom has sent a mail to its business partners detailing the new number range, which forms part of the…
Internet
Nigeria: NBS report shows growth in broadband, subscribers’ penetration
15 March 2019
The latest report from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics indicates that there are an increase in broadband penetration and the number of subscribers in the country’s telecom industry. The report…
Internet
Dar al-Ifta Warns Against Wireless Mooching in Egypt
15 March 2019
Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta has cautioned against using someone else’s wireless network without permission to surf the Internet. The practice has been fuelled by the rapid growth of wireless broadband in…
Internet
Zimbabwe: ED commissions Us$23.6m Internet link between Beitbridge and Bulawayo
15 March 2019
President Mnangagwa has commissioned the US$23,6 million National Backbone Fibre Link in Beitbridge set to boost the country' Information Communication Technology capacity and status as a regional communications hub. The…
Computing
Liquid Telecom expands Azure stack to its entire pan-African network
15 March 2019
Following the announcement of Microsoft’s Azure data centres going live locally, service provider Liquid Telecom has confirmed that it will be utilising its own pan-African infrastructure in order to make…
Computing
Africa: Kagame Makes Case for Digital Identity
15 March 2019
President Paul Kagame has backed the on-going efforts by the African Union (AU) to further accelerate the adoption of digital identities, saying this would shore up citizen inclusion in the…
Money Transfer
Safaricom, Alibaba Unit Agree Mobile-Payments Partnership
15 March 2019
Safaricom Plc, Kenya’s biggest mobile operator, agreed a partnership with a unit of Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd. that will facilitate electronic payments. The deal extends Safaricom customers’ ability to use…
Money Transfer
Customer behaviour triggered Standard Bank move to close 91 branches
15 March 2019
JOHANNESBURG – Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank by assets, yesterday said that more than 1 000 jobs were on the line as the group contemplates closing down nearly 100 branches…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Maroc Telecom to acquire Tigo Chad from Millicom
15 March 2019
Maroc Telecom has signed an agreement with Millicom to acquire 100 percent of the shares of its subsidiary Tigo Chad. The acquisition aims to consolidate the presence of Maroc Telecom…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Angola Telecom tries to recoup unpaid bills in preparation for privatisation
15 March 2019
A member of Angola Telecom’s (AT’s) management committee was quoted by Angop news agency as saying that the state-owned fixed line telco is attempting to recover outstanding debts from customers…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
In brief
15 March 2019
Zambia’s Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba has revealed that the nation’s fourth mobile network operator (MNO), UZI Zambia Mobile, has been granted additional time to launch. According to the…
Digital Content
Google launches YouTube Premium in South Africa but there's a catch
15 March 2019
Cape Town – Google has launched YouTube Premium in South Africa with a primary focus on YouTube Music Premium, while premium TV content on YouTube Premium remains inaccessible. YouTube Red…
Digital Content
Boomplay has signed a licensing agreement with Warner Music
15 March 2019
Boomplay, the largest music streaming and downloading service in Africa has signed a deal with Warner Music to bring record company’s closer to the region. The partnership will allow Boomplay…
Digital Content
Mobile app identifies approved medicines, drugstores
15 March 2019
[NAIROBI] A mobile phone application for identifying approved medicines and drugstores is helping Kenya to fight counterfeit and substandard medicines. According to the World Health Organisation, one in ten medical…
Digital Content
Chad must end its year-long blackout of social media
15 March 2019
A version of this letter was also addressed to David Kaye, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression. Commissioner Lawrence MuteOffice of the AU Special RapporteurFreedom of Expression and…
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People
15 March 2019
Ayotunde Coker, Managing Director of Rack Centre selected as a member of Data Economy Power list of 200 Individuals affecting the Data Centre world Data Economy, one of the world’s…
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Opportunities
15 March 2019
MONROVIA – The 4th of March is the start of the registration of the 9th edition of the Orange Social Venture Prize in Africa and the Middle East. Until May…
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Events
15 March 2019
Africa Pay & ID ExpoMarrakech, Morocco29th - 30th March Africa’s largest payment and identification eventAPIDE 2019, through its 3000 m2 exhibition area, is a great opportunity to network, discover the…
