Kasolo the ‘digital Strategist’

I think Zambia is actually doing fine when it comes to its internet connection at the Lusaka International Airport (LIA). A couple of months ago I was visiting South Africa and when I got to LIA I still found FREE internet access being provided by iconnect.zm in the depature lounge!

Well if you have 2 hours of waiting before you board the aircraft well you can actually surf web free of charge. I got shocked as usual when I arrived at OR Tambo in Jobrurg South Africa I found that for you get internet access you need to buy.

Either from mweb etc…I find it rather fascinating because I thought that it was suppose to be FREE INTERNET!

* Globacom and Acision - Nigeria
Globacom, Nigeria’s National Operator, has selected Acision, a leading messaging company, to provide Value Added Services (VAS) for its new mobile network in Ghana. The products deployment will include the Acision SMSC, Acision MMSC, Acision Voicemail, Acision High Speed Proxy for mobile data services and Acision Prepaid System will allow Glo Mobile Ghana to provide compelling value-added services in an increasingly competitive market.

* IMX Software and Travelex – South Africa
Travelex Retail Foreign Exchange South Africa, operated by FX Africa locally, (Travelex) has selected the Travel Money Exchange (TMX) online solution, developed by IMX Software and implemented by Business Edge, to manage its retail foreign exchange outlets throughout South Africa.

* Warid Telecom and Aircom - Uganda
Aircom International has been chosen by Uganda’s Warid Telecom to provide network planning and optimisation support for its GSM and WiMAX networks. Warid will use Aircom’s ASSET network planning and optimisation tool to enhance the design, management and performance of both networks, providing improved quality of service to customers while significantly reducing network costs through professional network planning.

* Orascom Telecom and Nokia Siemens Networks - Algeria
Algeria’s leading mobile operator Orascom Telecom Algeria (OTA) has announced that Nokia Siemens Networks will be the provider of its Home Location Register (HLR) solution. The Subscriber Data Management Solution from Nokia Siemens Networks will enable OTA to develop a single database for subscriber information, unifying data that is currently fragmented and thereby modernising OTA’s installed base of 17 million subscribers, as well as providing additional capacity of 3 million.

* SNCFT and Nokia Siemens Networks - Tunisia
Nokia Siemens Networks has won a GSM-R contract from the Tunisian national railway service, SNCFT. ­Under this turnkey contract, Nokia Siemens Networks will supply an end to end GSM-R solution, including hardware such as base stations, base station controllers, dispatcher equipment, and hand held devices. The project will commence in Q4 of 2008 and implementation will be completed by 2010.

The Internet Society (ISOC)  has announced that it is seeking applications for the next round of the ISOC Fellowship to the IETF  program. The program offers engineers from developing countries fellowships that fund the cost of attending an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) meeting.

Fellowships will be awarded through a competitive application process. The Internet Society is currently accepting fellowship applications for the next two IETF meetings:

- IETF 74 being held in San Francisco, USA, 22 - 27 March 2009
- IETF 75 being held in Stockholm, Sweden, 26 -31 July 2009

Up to five fellowships will be awarded for each IETF meeting.

Full details on the ISOC Fellowship to the IETF, including how to apply, are located on the ISOC website at : http://www.isoc.org/educpillar/fellowship

Well I could figure out when I was given a link to check on the several Zambia websites. I knew that Lusaka Times will one day take a lead in as far as the list is concerned.

I could not believe even beating the Post far way well I guess The Post, Times of Zambia, Daily- Mail need to improve to capture the readers eye…include stuff like blogging onto their sites…

As I saw it online ….Allied Technologies Limited (Altech) announced last week that The Minister of Communications’ urgent application to the Johannesburg High Court for a declarator, that its Notice of Application for Leave to Appeal suspended Altech’s entitlement to an I-ECNS licence, together with an interdict prohibiting the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) from issuing Altech with the licence, was dismissed by Judge Blieden.

Despite having lost the application for leave to appeal on Friday 7th of November at the Pretoria High Court, the Minister of Communications proceeded with the urgent application.  In handing down judgment, Judge Blieden stated that the existence of a live ‘Notice of Leave to Appeal’ was an essential aspect of the application that the application was doomed without it.  It was therefore dismissed with costs.

Altech’s counter-application requesting the court to order that ICASA issue Altech with its I-ECNS and I-ECS licences was however upheld.  Judge Blieden ordered ICASA to deliver the licences to Altech and ordered that the Minister of Communications pay the costs of both applications.

Altech’s Chief Executive Officer, Craig Venter commented “This is now the third court decision in a row, in two separate High Court jurisdictions, that have all emphatically supported the self provision principle.”  ‘

Venter added “We sincerely hope that the Minister of Communications is advised not to carry out this fight any further, and allows the industry and its regulator to get on with the business of lowering the South African consumer’s telecommunications tariffs”.

The Minister of Communications, however, still has the right to petition the Supreme Court of Appeals to grant Leave to Appeal the original judgment, although legal sources now believe that she has little chance in prevailing in this matter.

In the meantime Altech has called on ICASA to issue it with the licences, in accordance with the court order. Earlier last week, telecoms companies were celebrating when the bid by Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri to challenge a high court verdict allowing them to build their own networks was rejected.

I was very amazed when I was told that ‘our african’ under sea cable set has just started up in East Africa, mombasa to be specific. I think as Africa we are heading into the right direction….!

A team of engineers lay fibre optic cables, as part of a government project to provide internet and telephone services.

I was away from my usual blogging….bu now am back from some interesting issues to discuss….as I was checking some stuff on the net I bumped into this article.

Difficulties in rolling out fibre network will be overcome, says Angolan Official

he minister of Telecommunication and Information Technologies, José Carvalho da Rocha last week stressed the importance of working with other state institutions to overcome the obstacles experienced by Angola Telecom in rolling out its national fibre network.

Speaking to the press at the end of an assessment visit to Angola Telecom in Luanda, the Minister said he considered it essential to work in partnership with the Road Institute of Angola (INEA) and the National Inter-sectoral Commission of Demining and Humanitarian Assistance (CNIDAH), in order to solve the issues.

According to José Carvalho da Rocha, the Ministry will study the most appropriate mechanisms to overcome the difficulties found on the routes where the optical fibre lines will be trenched. Some routes pass through uncleared mine fields that will need to be cleared before work can begin.
(Source: Angola Press Agency)

By Timothy K Kasolo

In a continued drive to boost the computer literacy of South African educators the Internet Service Providers’ Association of SA (ISPA) conducted this year’s third round of computer skills training during the course of last week.

According to a release, Fifty educators from three schools in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape were the latest recipients of intermediate computer skills training held over five days during the school semester break.

“Information and communications technology (ICT) is an important catalyst for growing the economy. ISPA’s investment in education will ensure that knowledge gaps in the workplace begin to close,” said Jenny King, chairperson of ISPA’s Teacher Training Working Group.

Research commissioned by Dell and the Economist Intelligence Unit revealed that high cost is the foremost obstacle to companies obtaining the technology they need. Insufficient national and local infrastructure was another hindrance to better ICT use. Finally, a lack of adequate technology skills among employees prevented the effective use of ICT.

“With generous support from UniForum SA, the .co.za registry, it has been possible to overcome some of the barriers to ICT use. Greater interest and involvement from businesses will go a long way in benefiting underprivileged communities and ultimately society at large,” added Ms King.

COZA Cares is the social development arm of UniForum SA and is also funded by the organisation. UniForum SA’s partnership with ISPA has witnessed over 1 600 computers donated and over 1 500 educators trained since inception of the teacher training programme in December 2001.

The initiative has proved to be highly successful in more than 80 schools in 5 provinces across the country. Underprivileged communities are already benefiting from using the computers for teaching and learning.

Educators were trained on OpenOffice.org 2 by SETA (Sector Education & Training Authority) accredited facilitators provided by Avuxeni Computer Academy . NetDay Association was responsible for the installation of computers and educational content at the schools targeted for training.

Upon successful completion of the course, educators are presented with certificates as acknowledgement of their achievement and the credits obtained from the training will count towards a National Certificate in IT.

Details on www.ispa.org.za

The MTN Group chose this week to publicise its acquisition of Ivory Coast’s second fixed-line operator, Arobase Telecom, and Afnet, an ISP.

“The 100 percent acquisition of Arobase and Afnet reflects the progress MTN is making toward consolidating its business,” said Phuthuma Nhleko, MTN president and CEO. “Afnet and Arobase will add value to MTN and support our strategy to ensure that the group is well-positioned to benefit from a rapidly converged technology market.”

Arobase Telecom was incorporated in 2001 and signed a concession agreement with the state of Côte d’Ivoire that allows it to offer data services using fiber-optic, wireless local loop and CDMA technologies, Nhleko noted.

Established in 1997, Afnet is one of the leading ISPs in Ivory Coast and offers wireless broadband technology and data services to the public. With Afnet, MTN will benefit from a solid corporate subscriber base, Nhleko said.

The acquisitions follow similar acquisitions by MTN in Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa. The expansion, Nhleko explained, is in line with MTN’s strategy to provide integrated communications solutions in all of its markets.
(Source: IDG News Service)

Martin T. Mombeshora is announcing the launch of Afropreneur (www.afropreneur.com), a free access social networking site that caters exclusively for entrepreneurs. Afropreneur is a unique web combination of community and content, providing users with information relevant to their specific interests. The site is set to be the ultimate online destination for continental and diasporan entrepreneurs who wish to invest in Africa.

As entrepreneurs play a crucial role on the development of the continent, the comprehensive social networking site aims to aggregate Africa’s entrepreneurs from all walks of life and different disciplines on one platform. In turn, enabling members to offer support to each other. The site will also fill the void of a an online community focused on progress, enterprise and entrepreneurship.

The objective of afropreneur.com is to promote and aid the connection of enterprising individuals by providing the necessary tools. As well as allowing people to connect, the website allows the sharing of media such as photos, videos, blogs and pod casts.

Afropreneur.com is functional and has open registrations, however it is still in development. Additions will be made to the site as time progresses. Martin T. Mombeshora, the founder said, “We are continuously building the site with the development of functionality tailored specifically to our users changing needs and their feedback.”

Mombeshora, is also optimistic about the impact that the web site will have, “We hope that afropreneur.com will be fun, useful and will place users at the centre of their digital world.” he added.
To learn more about Afropreneur, please visit http://www.afropreneur.com