News update Telecoms and ICT in Africa - Issue no 936 – 27 July 2018
Two new Africa-South America Undersea Cables will open in Q3, 2018 adding to downward pressures on international wholesale prices
By this autumn, two new undersea cables – SACS and SAIL - will connect Africa to South America and the USA. Whilst all new fibre capacity to the continent is to be welcomed, these routes will need to find something more than just national demand to be feasible. Russell Southwood looks at what each cable promises and the likely downward pressure on international wholesale prices. As we reported earlier this year, the SACS cable has landed in Fortaleza in Brazil from Luanda where it connects to the MONET Cable that goes from Praia and Fortaleza in Brazil to Boca Raton…
10 million Nigerians have activated DND short code – NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), today said about 10 million Nigerians have activated the 'Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442 short code. This is huge compared to less than a million before the…
NCC backs telcos over '145 right-of-way tax
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has defended telecoms companies (telcos) over the'145 per square metre right-of-way tax urging tiers of government to abide by the harmonised rate. Professor Umar Garba…
Applus plans to launch 5G in Congo
Matt Stead, Business and Development Africa Manager of Applus, a company specializing in testing, inspection and certification was received in audience on 16 July 2016 by Congolese Minister of Posts…
Maroc Telecom's user base passes the 60m mark in 1H18
Maroc Telecom (IAM) has published its financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2018, reporting a 3.3% increase in revenues, from MAD17.09 billion (USD1.80 billion) to MAD17.94 billion.…
Vodacom Tanzania : formally receives 700MHz licence
The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has formally handed over the 700MHz mobile spectrum licence won at auction by Vodacom Tanzania, reports Daily News. Last month the South Africa-based cellco…
Tech firm China Unicom confidently enters Africa
Global ICT and connectivity services provider China Unicom has officially entered the African telecoms space and set up operations in South Africa. The company hosted a launch ceremony in Johannesburg…
Residents of Hullugho in Garissa County along the border with Somalia have said that a poor communication network has made their lives difficult for many years now. The situation has…
Google outdoors Africa's first free Wi-Fi hotspot in Nigeria
Google launched a network of free Wi-Fi hotspots in Nigeria on Thursday, part of its effort to increase its presence in Africa's most populous nation. The U.S. technology firm owned…
Liquid Telecom and Telecom Egypt seal Cape to Cairo fibre optic network deal
Telecom Egypt and Liquid Telecom sign MoU to complete Cape Town to Cairo Fibre Optic Network The Econet Group and Telecom Egypt have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that…
Wits aeronautical engineers win $10 000 prize in travel innovation challenge
Three Wits aeronautical engineering students Jules Ntumba, Tso Mello and Fiona Ndlovu have clinched a $10 000 prize in a travel innovation challenge run by UK-based SITA Air Transport Community…
Gebeya acquires Coders4Africa to expand African developer base
Gebeya has announced that it has acquired Coders4Africa Inc. (C4A) to further accelerate its growth and fuel its developer talent pool into its marketplace. Headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Gebeya…
Andela Launches Tech Hub In Rwanda
The pan-African tech firm, which develops software engineers, already has hubs in Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda. To fuel the expansion, Andela is partnering with the Government of Rwanda through the…
KT completes construction of 'Electronic Resident Registration Data Center' in Tanzania
KT has completed the construction of the 'Electronic Resident Registration Data Center (DC)' in Tanzania. KT has completed the construction of the 'Electronic Resident Registration Data Center (DC)' in Tanzania.…
South African startup uses AI to help farmers
South African startup, Aerobotics, recently announced that they successfully closed its Series A funding round with a raise of approximately $2 million. The data analytics company uses aerial imagery and…
Zeepay partners Small World Money Transfer to offer remittance direct to mobile wallets
Zeepay, the leading fintech in Ghana and the fastest growing mobile financial services company in Africa, has partnered with Small World Money Transfer International to enable international remittances to be…
GSMA, Uganda to meet over mobile-money tax plan
GSMA, the body that oversees the telecoms industry globally, has announced that it will meet with the Ugandan government in October to discuss the recently imposed mobile money taxes. Last…
UAE Exchange Rebrands its Uganda Operations as Unimoni
UAE Exchange, a leading global money transfer, foreign exchange and payment solutions brand, announced the rebranding of its Uganda operations as "Unimoni"(www.Unimoni.com). The announcement was made by Promoth Manghat, Executive…
UBA Group unveils Facebook Messenger banking in Kenya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 25 – UBA Group has unveiled chat banking in Kenya that enables customers to sign up for accounts, request for a mini statement, fund transfers and check…
Rwanda's mobile network operators (MNOs) – MTN, Airtel and Tigo – have agreed to allow cross-network transfers on their respective mobile money services. Airtel and Tigo, which are both now…
Certificate in Frontiers in Digital Government This LINK Centre Certificate programme focuses on digital government formation in Africa, drawing on experiences and cases from across the continent. The programme is…
NCC holds back approval for 9mobile takeover
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is yet to grant regulatory approval for the finalisation of 9mobile takeover by teleology holdings limited, even after the company says it has successfully raised…
Mauritius Telecom leads race for UTL stake
The Ugandan government is thought to favour a bid from Mauritius Telecom (MT) as it seeks to secure an investor for struggling state-owned fixed and mobile operator Uganda Telecom Ltd…
Silicon Valley VC model doesn't work in Africa, argues Silvertree Holdings man
The Silicon Valley venture capital (VC) model doesn't work in Africa and other emerging markets, argues Manuel Koser, the managing director and co-founder of Silvertree Internet Holdings. The funder likes…
Ghanaians challenge their government over a telco monitoring program, claiming privacy violations
Ghanaian citizens and political advocates took their government to court over plans to implement a so-called "Common Platform", a technical system that would allow regulators to monitor revenues accrued by…
Eritreans use Twitter to demand reforms after Ethiopia peace deal
Following the historic peace deal between Eritrea and Ethiopia that saw the leaders of the two countries end a two decade 'state of war', Eritreans have taken to social media…
Ethiopia's state-run telecommunications company, Ethio Telecom, has a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the person of Frehiwot Tamiru, the Capital Ethiopia has reported. Frehiwot had previously worked in different…
Miss.Africa announces winners of seed funding DotConnectAfrica (DCA) has announced the winners of its 2018 Miss.Africa Digital Seed Funding for STEM programmes, awarding cash grants to initiatives in Ghana, Tunisia…