Telecommunications – Africa Tech Digest

With its massive subsea Internet cable, Google says it’s playing the long game in Africa

7Oct

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Africa, Telecommunications

With its massive subsea Internet cable, Google says it’s playing the long game in Africa

At the first Google for Africa event held today, October 6, 2021, global Internet giant, Google, has announced significant initiatives for the African continent. They include a $50 million venture fund for black-led African startups, small business loans, grants for non-profits, and most importantly, the launch of Equiano, a subsea Internet cable to increase Africa’s Internet capacity In partnership with Safaricom, Google will also be kick-starting a device financing plan to ensure people actually have smartphones and other Internet-enabled devices to access the Internet. A little over a year ago, Google announced similar initiatives and affirmed plans to deepen Internet access in Africa and contribute to the continent’s digital transformation. While we could open discussions about ...

ICASA Sets New Deadline for Controversial Spectrum Auction

1Oct

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Mobile, Telecommunications

ICASA Sets New Deadline for Controversial Spectrum Auction

Last month, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), the country’s communications regulator, announced that it would not be publishing invitations to apply (ITA) to participate in the highly anticipated auction of high-demand spectrum in South Africa, effectively postponing the auction. ICASA said that the move was made to avoid lengthy court battles against several litigators that had issues with how ICASA was handling the auction. The regulator likewise withdrew an ITA for the licensing of the planned wholesale open-access network (WOAN). Now, following more than a decade of delays and legal issues, ICASA has announced a new timetable for the auction of its high-demand spectrum in the country. According to Media24, SA’s high data prices (some of the hig...

Liquid Intelligent Technologies launches OneVoice for Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, introducing seamless Voice calls

28Sep

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Africa, Telecommunications

Liquid Intelligent Technologies launches OneVoice for Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, introducing seamless Voice calls

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 28, 2021/APO Group/ -- Liquid Intelligent Technologies (www.Liquid.Tech), a leading pan-African technology group, is excited to have been announced as a launch partner for Microsoft’s new Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams. Through its OneVoice platform, Liquid enables Microsoft customers worldwide to seamlessly integrate regulatory-compliant calling plans in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda – initiated from the Microsoft Teams Admin Centre. Operator Connect enables seamless PSTN phone services in Teams. With OneVoice for Operator Connect, businesses will benefit from the seamless integration of voice telephony directly into their existing Teams install base. In addition, Liquid’s flat-rate calling plans save mone...

China plans to deploy digital satellite TVs in 200 Togolese villages

28Sep

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Africa, Telecommunications

China plans to deploy digital satellite TVs in 200 Togolese villages

The Chinese government plans to distribute digital satellite television and hardware in 200 villages across Togo, speeding up the West African country’s plans to switch to digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting. DTT, which will replace analog television, is a technology that improves image quality and reduces operating costs inherent in broadcasting. In October 2019, the Togolese parliament passed a law authorising the DTT migration, a process that began a few years before the regulation was approved. The project was expected to kick off with the construction of nine digital television signal transmission sites. However, it has stalled as DTT coverage in the French-speaking country remains low, and non-existent in rural areas. On paper, the Chinese interventio...

Capitec Mobile Banking App Down in South Africa

28Sep

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Southern Africa, Telecommunications

Capitec Mobile Banking App Down in South Africa

Scores of South African users online have turned to social media to report that they are having issues connecting and using the Capitec Mobile Banking app. Many users are saying that they can’t seem to log into the app. Some users are claiming that they are unable to access the app because it is rejecting their pin codes. According to DownDetector.com, a website where users can report certain outages and problems with internet services, Capitec began having issues with its app from 7 am this morning, which coincides with the users who have been claiming they have been struggling to connect since early morning. It seems the lender has noticed its outage issue and has begun sending out SMSs to make its customers aware. Continue reading Image: Capitec

Yabx Expands its Operations and Service Offerings as Digital Lending Gains Momentum in Africa Region

23Sep

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Telecommunications

Yabx Expands its Operations and Service Offerings as Digital Lending Gains Momentum in Africa Region

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 22, 2021/APO Group/ -- Appoints Telecom Industry Expert Eunice R. Gatama as Director for Africa Business; aims for continued growth as digital lending services are projected to grow rapidly in Africa. Yabx (Yabx.co), a fintech venture offering credit products across 12 countries in Africa, today announced the appointment of Eunice R. Gatama as Director for Africa Business. This comes as a strategic decision by the company which is aggressively expanding its market share in the digital lending space in Africa. Delivering some of the best performing portfolio returns for its partner banks, Yabx has witnessed significant momentum in its existing lending portfolios. With partnership agreements signed with leading Banks and Wallet Operators in several East, West...

Safaricom Announces Launch Date for Commercial 5G Network

23Sep

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5G, Mobile, Telecommunications

Safaricom Announces Launch Date for Commercial 5G Network

Safaricom has announced that it will increase its 5G sites by 200 by the end of 2021, and launch a commercialised version of its 5G services in 2022. Kenya’s leading telco launched 5G technology for the first time in the country in March, starting with 15 sites. Now the telco says it wants to take the supremely high-speed internet to additional towns. Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom CEO said Wednesday that the company would use up to 200 sites for testing the upgraded network as it seeks to capitalise on the country’s nascent Internet use which is slowly growing. Safaricom’s 5G service is also hoped to be a central key of its attempts to further expand its data business in order to counter the slow growth in voice calls revenue. Continue reading Image: TechWeez

Safaricom to Bank $481-Million from Kenya Power Meter Deal

18Sep

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Africa, Telecommunications

Safaricom to Bank $481-Million from Kenya Power Meter Deal

Kenya’s top telecom is set to make $481-million (Ksh53.5-billion) for installing smart electricity meters to Kenya Power’s largest consumers in a new deal meant to curb power theft, and electricity leakages while also fixing significant weaknesses on the utility firm’s transmission network, reports Business Daily. Safaricom is planning on spending $281-million to install an intelligent system that will connect 333,300 electricity meters to a central location and track electricity use, power outages and load on transformers. The system will allow the reading of the meters remotely, as well. The system will help bring down the share of electricity bought from generator firms like KenGen that does not reach homes and businesses, known as system losses, from 23.93% to around 8%, which w...

MTN, Airtel dominance forces another telecom operator out of Uganda

17Sep

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Telecommunications

MTN, Airtel dominance forces another telecom operator out of Uganda

On September 7, Africell announced its decision to leave Uganda after operating in the East African country for seven years. The decision saw the U.S-owned company become the latest network operator to throw in the towel and exit a market dominated by two pan-African telecom behemoths. A statement issued by Africell blames tough competition from the local units of MTN and Bharti Airtel, both of which account for more than 90% of the market share. The remaining 10% is split between three or four other nationwide operators including Africell and Uganda Telecom. South Africa-based MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecoms operator, entered Uganda in 1998 and has since established dominance in the market; largely due to first-mover advantage and significant investments the business has made ...

Vodacom SA Launches Coding Programme to Inspire More Women in STEM

17Sep

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Southern Africa, Telecommunications

Vodacom SA Launches Coding Programme to Inspire More Women in STEM

One of South Africa’s big 4 telecoms, Vodacom, has announced the launch of a programme that will see over 600 young girls between the ages of 14 and 18 receive coding training virtually from 4-7 October 2021. The initiative is called the #CodeLikeAGirl programme and aims to encourage more girls to explore careers that require coding skills to help them get a start in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and industries. Women in STEM Female participation is lagging in a field that is expanding globally and men continue to dominate the number of STEM graduates in most countries. Continue reading Image: itnewsafrica