- lastest news
- most viewed
- comments
- submit news
|
TFTS Medium Logo Symbian Mobile OS To Go Open Source [Nokia To Hold Developer's ... |
| While it doesn’t have the glamour of an iPad or Nexus One reveal, the
following bit of news probably won’t get much excitement in the tech
press, despite the huge impact it will have on the mobile phone space.
Symbian, Nokia’s mobile phone OS, will have it’s source code revealed
on Thursday, making it fully open source. While Symbian has been given
less than favorable reviews lately (myself included), especially when
compared to Andorid or the iPhone OS, this is a huge move for the
world’s most popular mobile OS. Read more...
|
| |
Source: nexus |
|
|
|
EA mobile phone market to experience a period of growth |
The East African mobile phone market is set for a period of growth as operators tap into the largely unexploited masses.
Experts estimate that out of the total population of 121.9 million only 37.6 million or 30.8 per cent are active subscribers. However,
as operators widen the net to capture the mass market, the average
revenue generated per user is expected to fall forcing these firms to
expand their Internet data offeri Read more...
|
| |
Source: theeastafrican |
|
|
|
Indigenous operators tackle Nigeria’s broadband challenge |
Lucas Ajanaku writes that private operators like Globacom and Main
One Cable Company are braving the odds to link the country with the
rest of the world through the provision of undersea cables that will
avail the nation with the desired broadband that will ensure cheap and
seamless connectivity
At the twilight of last year, one historical milestone was achieved
in Nigeria’s quest for cheap, quick and dependable voice, data, video
and internet services. It was the arrival in Lagos, of the first Read more...
|
| |
Source: compassnews |
|
|
|
Africa telecom investment to exceed $70 bln by '12 |
| Africa's telecom sector will have private investments of more $70
billion by 2012, surpassing the $55 billion promised by investors at a
U.N.-backed meeting in 2007, the head of the U.N. telecoms agency said.
Keen on getting a piece of the
action in one of the continent's fastest growing sectors, investors at
a U.N.-backed African telecoms meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, in late 2007
had committed to put $55 billion into the information and communication
tech Read more...
|
| |
Source: reuters |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Warid buyer to pump Ush 350bn into network |
Warid Uganda could
have been sold by the end of the week if everything went according to
plan. Essar Group, one of the largest Telecommunication industries in
India is the intending buyer.
The Dhabi Group, which owns Warid, announced it had agreed to enter
into exclusive discussions in relation to an investment by Essar Group
into the telecommunications portfolio of the Dhabi Group’s African
assets. A statement from Essar Telecom said the transaction will
involve an equity infusion into these businesses as growth capital and
will be the basis of a partnership to create a significant presence in
Africa. The Dhabi group offers telecom services in African countries
under the brand name Warid Telecom.
Essar is seeking to merge its
telecoms licence in Uganda with the operations of Warid Telecom. The
group had outlined a $200 million (approx. Ush 350 billion) investment
when it bagged an operational licence for Uganda in June 2009, and said
it was in exclusive talks to invest in the Dhabi group’s telecom
operations in Africa.
“A large part of that will now be used for
buying into Warid Uganda. It will give Essar immediate access to over
1.5 million users and a share in one of the fastest growing operators
in the region,” a source close to the deal said.
Warid would be a
good buy. It has been posting impressive subscriber growth since its
launch in February 2008 as a fourth telecom operator in the country. It
hit 1.2 million subscribers in April 2009.
Warid has shaken up the
Uganda telecom scene since its entry. MTN, which is the dominant
operator according to subscriber numbers, cut its tariffs by 14% prior
to Warid’s launch. Even then, Warid entered the market with even lower
rates. Through 36 customer centres, Prepaid starter kits were sold for
Ush 3,000 and international calls were offered at the rate of a local
call for a three months promotional period. Its recent promotion, the
Pakalast, which enables callers to load only Ush 1000 (about US$ 0.5)
and call for 24 hours, has been very popular. Over the same period
Average Revenue per User has continued to slide. While MTN has an ARPU
of US$ 12 per month (About Ush 25,000) in 2006, it has dropped to Ush
13,000 in April 2009. Zain, which had an ARPU of US$ 12 in 2006, had
dropped to US$ 4 (about Ush 7,500) in 2009.
Difficult operating
conditions in the country are likely to ensure that rates do not drop
further. Most network operators depend on diesel generator power for
more than 40% of their sites, according to a new independent survey of
the sector. As the number of antenna towers dotting the country’s
landscape increases, the government is working on regulations to
encourage infrastructure sharing among the networks.
Essar has
significant interests in telecommunications services, including mobile
telephony in an Indian joint venture with Vodafone, telecom tower
infrastructure, telecom retail and IT/telecom enabled services.
On
January 19, 2009, Warid Telecom won the Investor of the Year Award for
investing over US$200m since it was licensed by the Uganda Investment
Authority. But, with the current six operators, industry players have
admitted tight competition, and increasing costs of operation, even as
the telecommunications industry in Africa presents a bright future.
Despite this, Uganda’s teledensity stands at around 30%, indicating a
market with potential.
Essar had earlier paid US$ 3 million in
license fees to receive Uganda’s sixth mobile licence in May 2009 and
plans were in high gear for a launch of its services.
|
|
|
|
| |
UK OFFICE
|
LAGOS OFFICE |
140 Abbots Drive
Stanford Le Hope
Essex, SS17 7BP
UNITED KINGDOM |
14 Wright Street
Adekunle
Ebute Metta
NIGERIA. |
|
M: +234-1-4334383
M: 070 2617 7586 |
| GHANA OFFICE |
KENYAN OFFICE |
14 Kaale Street
Dansoman Road
Accra, GHANA
|
P. O. Box 28936
City Sqaure 00200
Nairobi, KENYA |
| M: +233 2449 37935 |
M: +254 723 437 489
T: +254 203 536 212 |
|
|
|
|
