News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 992 – 6 September 2019
Top Story
Kymeta targets Africa’s ‘on the move’ and remote business cases with its mobile satellite antenna
6 September 2019
Kymeta has produced satellite-based based products that will create both voice and data connectivity “on the move” and in remote places. It’s a niche product but one that will have several interesting business cases in a continent not short of remote places. Russell Southwood spoke to Rash Jhanjee, Vice President EMEA & Indian Subcontinent, Kymeta Corporation. Kymeta’s first CEO Nathan Kundtz developed the technology behind the company’s products while doing a PhD at Duke University in 2012, involving metamaterials research. It was then incubated at Intellectual Ventures, during which time the first prototype of the reconfigurable metasurface antenna was created.…
Telecoms
Hisense wants to make smartphones in South Africa
6 September 2019
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Thembi Siweya has welcomed the impact the Hisense factory in Atlantis, Western Cape, has had on jobs, saying further investments will improve the lives of…
Telecoms
From a borrowed line to one billion worth of transactions
6 September 2019
Having started his journey to the top with a borrowed phone line from his neighbour in 2014, Said Issa Khatib is currently one of the biggest Tigo Pesa agents in…
Telecoms
'Chaotic, incoherent': Telkom CEO slams Mboweni’s growth plan
6 September 2019
In an opinion piece, Telkom Group CEO Sipho Maseko has slammed Treasury's proposed reforms for the ICT sector, particularly plans related to the rollout of spectrum, as being "ill-thought-out". Maseko…
Telecoms
Ghana: GSMA Calls On African Governments To Stop Extra Taxation On Telecoms Sector -Reports
6 September 2019
Akinwale Goodluck, the Head of GSMA Sub-Saharan Africa, has reiterated calls on African governments to stop imposing extra taxes on the telecoms sectors. According to him singling out the telecoms…
Telecoms
In brief
6 September 2019
The government of Mozambique says that telecoms services are now available to 85% of the population, up from 65% in 2014. A report from Weetracker cites Pedro Ingles, Permanent Secretary…
Internet
Nigeria: NCC Assures of Pervasive Broadband Penetration
6 September 2019
Conscious of the pivotal role pervasive broadband penetration will play in actualizing deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and smart services in any economy, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)…
Internet
Ethio Telecom plans to install 4G
6 September 2019
Ethio Telecom plans to install a 4G network in the capital and other regions and to upgrade other network services, as the government prepares to open up the sector to…
Internet
The 25TB man – South Africa’s biggest bandwidth hog
6 September 2019
South Africa is in the midst of a fibre revolution,with consumers dumping DSL in preference of fast and affordable uncapped fibre-to-the-home. The recent MyBroadband fibre survey revealed that 60% of…
Internet
Cisco invests ZAR 140 mln towards digitising South Africa
6 September 2019
Cisco has announced a ZAR 140 million investment in South Africa, aimed at job creation through incubation centres, skills development, and national cyber security. Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies…
Internet
UNICEF poll: More than a third of young people in 30 countries report being a victim of online bullying
6 September 2019
One in three young people in 30 countries said they have been a victim of online bullying, with one in five reporting having skipped school due to cyberbullying and violence,…
Computing
Tanzania: World Bank Gives 37bn/ - to DIT for Construction of ICT Centre
6 September 2019
THE World Bank (WB) has disbursed over 16 million US dollars (about 37bn/-) to Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) for construction of regional flagship Information and Communication Technology…
Computing
Ikeja Computer Village Expo 2019 To Hold In December
6 September 2019
Nigeria’s largest technology market hub, Ikeja Computer Village, would treat consumer technology lovers to five exciting days of cutting-edge technology innovation showcase at the Computer Village Expo 2019 (#CVE2019) holding…
Computing
Nedbank migrates IT infrastructure to Microsoft cloud
6 September 2019
Nedbank has partnered with Microsoft to migrate components of its IT infrastructure to the cloud. The bank says the move makes it the first bank in the country to run…
Computing
Kenyan ICT provider first in Africa to embrace Open Compute Project
6 September 2019
Kenyan-based ICT services provider Atlancis Technologies says it has become the first ICT provider in Africa to embrace the Open Compute Project (OCP). The Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP) was…
Money Transfer
Nigeria: MTN Launches Super Agent Service
6 September 2019
MTN Nigeria through its subsidiary, Yello Digital Financial Services Limited (YDFS), will today launch its full super-agent application at congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. The Super-Agent called, MoMo Agent service,…
Money Transfer
SF-based African fintech startup Chipper Cash expands to Nigeria
6 September 2019
The African no-fee, cross-border payment startup Chipper Cash has expanded to Nigeria. The San Francisco-based startup, with offices in Ghana and Kenya, will offer its P2P payment service and app…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Kenya: Safaricom Calls For Level Playing Field In Airtel-Telkom Merger
6 September 2019
Kenya's telco Safaricom has vehemently denied claims that it is out to interrupt the impending merger of Telkom Kenya and Airtel. In a letter sent to the media, the telecoms…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Vox investors to buy out Investec in R2bn deal
6 September 2019
Vox Telecom SA shareholders including FirstRand’s RMB agreed to buy out fellow investor Investec as part of a R2 billion recapitalisation of the South African fibre-network operator. Metier Private Equity…
Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Results
Nimbus seeks to increase stake in Paratus Namibia to 100%
6 September 2019
Nimbus Infrastructure Limited has announced a proposed share swap transaction with Paratus Group Holdings to increase its stake in Paratus Telecom Namibia from 51.4% to 100%. In return for acquiring…
Digital Content
Uber is working on plans to bring its bus system to Lagos
6 September 2019
Uber is planning to expand its imprint on public transpiration in Africa’s largest city. The ride-hailing firm is working on plans to introduce a bus system in Lagos, a gridlocked…
Digital Content
FIFA.com and YouTube to stream African qualifiers for 2022 World Cup
6 September 2019
Football fans around the world will be able to watch the preliminary round of the CAF qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar. FIFA plans…
Digital Content
Kenya: Govt Finalises Plans To Tax Netflix, YouTube
6 September 2019
The Kenyan ICT ministry is in the final stages of laying down a framework that will be used to tax foreign online video streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube.…
Digital Content
Canadian university to Support Bidi Bidi refugees with ICT Innovations
6 September 2019
The University of Toronto is developing an app that will help adolescent refugees in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement in West Nile to share Information on gender based violence among other…
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People
6 September 2019
Nexans Appoints New Managing Director for Middle East and Africa In his new role, Arafat Yousef will be responsible for growing Nexans Cabling Solutions’ business and market share in the…
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Events
6 September 2019
The FTTX Council Africa 2019 conference 7-9 October 2019 Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South AfricaIn 2018 the conference attracted more than 1000 delegates, firmly establishing this event as the number one…
