News & Views

Content posted in November 2017

Angola to Get New Operator, Part Privatize Incumbent

Connecting Africa News
11/29/2017

Angolan government is set to award a license for a new mobile, fixed line and TV services operator and part privatize fixed line incumbent Angola Telecom.

Sub-Saharan Africa to Have 310 Million 4G Users by 2023 – Ericsson

Ray Le Maistre
11/28/2017

Mobile network equipment vendor's annual Mobility Report suggests 4G subscription numbers will grow from just 30 million this year to 310 million within six years.

Econet Preps London IPO, Plans More M&A

Ray Le Maistre
11/27/2017

With multiple acquisitions already under its belt, Econet is now planning to raise money by listing its shares on the London and possibly also Johannesburg stock exchanges as it eyes up further expansion.

Egyptian Operators Settle Their Differences

Connecting Africa News
11/24/2017

Telecom Egypt and Orange Egypt have settled their numerous disputes related to network interconnection.

Liquid Telecom Revamps Data Centers in Major Cloud Expansion

Iain Morris
11/22/2017

The pan-African operator has already made a name for itself in the continent's fiber markets. Its new focus is the cloud.

Kontron on SDN in developing markets

Sponsored Video
11/22/2017

SPONSORED VIDEO: Kontron’s Luc-Yves Pagal Vinette discusses software-defined networking (SDN) in developing markets and how Kontron is facilitating a fast transformation to SDN/NFV for service providers in Africa.

AfricaCom Day Two: The Technology Paradox

Connecting Africa News
11/22/2017

From satellite to balloon connectivity – how African governments and tech giants are bridging the digital divide.

Safaricom Opens Its Digital Market

Ray Le Maistre
11/21/2017

Kenyan operator launches e-commerce platform, Masoko.

Bidders Line Up for Nigeria's 9Mobile: Reports

Ray Le Maistre
11/20/2017

Nigerian mobile operator has attracted multiple bidders keen to play a role in one of Africa's biggest markets, according to local media reports.

Fintech Innovation a Key Trend as Africa's Economy Rebounds: Report

Connecting Africa News
11/17/2017

Ecobank Group Research provides a positive outlook for Africa's economy and cites fintech innovation as a key trend.

Bharti Airtel, Millicom Combine Operations in Ghana

Connecting Africa News
11/15/2017

Bharti Airtel and Millicom, which operates under the Tigo brand, have combined their operations in Ghana to form the country's second largest operator.

MTN to Trial 5G in South Africa with Ericsson

Connecting Africa News
11/15/2017

Mobile operator starts exploring the next generation of mobile broadband technology with Swedish vendor.

Connecting Africa Through Satellite Communications

Connecting Africa News
11/15/2017

At AfricaCom 2017, South Africa's Telecommunications and Postal Services Deputy Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams highlighted the role that satellite communications can play in bridging the digital divide.

Vodafone in Firing Line Over African Growth Strategy

Ray Le Maistre
11/14/2017

Investigation into Vodafone's growth across Africa suggests that deals were not as ethical and transparent as they could have been and have lined the pockets of the continent's political elite.

Vodacom Boasts Growth as Data Revenues Overtake Voice in South Africa

Ray Le Maistre
11/13/2017

Mobile operator registered growth in revenues, customer numbers and net profit during the first half of its fiscal year, during which data revenues outstripped voice revenues for the first time in its core market of South Africa.

Vodacom: Future Telcos Will Be Invisible to Consumers

Iain Morris
11/9/2017

Vodacom executive foresees a radical overhaul of the business model for mobile network operators in the next five years.

Automation Anxiety Grips Africa

Iain Morris
11/9/2017

Automation in the workplace is a worrying prospect in a region with an acute skills shortage.

Safaricom CIO: I'm a Terrible Capitalist, Not a Greedy Coward

Iain Morris
11/8/2017

Senior executive at Kenyan operator accepts some of the blame for Africa's affordability crisis.

AfricaCom Awards Winners for 2017 Announced

Connecting Africa News
11/8/2017

Who won what in Cape Town.

Liquid Strikes Microsoft Deal, Targets Cloud Dominance in Africa

Iain Morris
11/8/2017

The African fiber operator has just signed a new deal with Microsoft and has grand ambitions in Africa's cloud services market.

AfricaCom Day 1 Overview

Connecting Africa News
11/8/2017

The opening day of AfricaCom in Cape Town saw the emergence of several key themes.

Orange Botswana on Long Trek to 5G

Iain Morris
11/7/2017

Orange subsidiary in Botswana is already thinking about 5G, but it will have to overcome numerous obstacles before it can deploy the technology.

Mugabe's Man Bashes US & Asian Tech Firms

Iain Morris
11/7/2017

Zimbabwean minister of communications wants his country to become a software leader. There seems little chance it will happen.

Ericsson Forecasts Lackluster 5G Take-Up in Africa

Iain Morris
11/7/2017

Swedish equipment vendor unveils research that suggests 5G technology will not take off quickly in Africa.

Huawei, Telcos Clash With Policymakers in Cape Town

Iain Morris
11/7/2017

Private sector players continue to complain that shortsighted regulation is hindering the rollout and take-up of telecom services in Africa.

Safaricom Ramps H1 Revenues, Profits, Subs

Ray Le Maistre
11/5/2017

Kenyan operator's metrics are on the rise…

E-Health Emerges as Prominent Topic at AfricaCom 2017

Connecting Africa News
11/3/2017

A new digital health conference stream has been added to this year's AfricaCom agenda, while fintech is also a key topic.

The Future of the Connected TV Space: AfricaCom Interview With NAGRA's Guillaume Hallez

Amy Turner
11/2/2017

Ahead of AfricaCom, Connecting Africa spoke with NAGRA's Guillaume Hallez, to hear his thoughts on the future of the pay-TV market in Africa and more.

AfricaCom Awards Shortlists Highlight Innovation

Connecting Africa News
11/1/2017

The extensive shortlists for this year's AfricaCom Awards highlights the broad range of innovation underway across the continent's communications and ICT market.

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Innovation hub

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Google to open AI hub in Zambia, Malawi plans Smart Village Initiative

Tech giant Google is partnering with Zambia's government to set up an Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence at the University of Zambia. At the same time, Malawi's government has announced plans to launch a Smart Village Initiative in partnership with Huawei.

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Women in Tech: Spotlight on digital skills with Kreative Campus' Keitesi Aisha

Kreative Campus' operations and finance lead, Keitesi Aisha, talks to Connecting Africa as part of our Women in Tech series about how skills development can make Africa's tech ecosystem more inclusive.

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Africa Tech Perspectives

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Women in Tech: Spotlight on digital skills with Kreative Campus' Keitesi Aisha

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Uber's Marjorie Saint-Lot on inclusion and sustainability in Africa

Uber's Country Manager for Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, Marjorie Saint-Lot, shares how the ride-hailing company is approaching public-private partnerships, environmentally friendly initiatives and gender inclusion in Africa.

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The 100 most influential African leaders in 2023

A new report from Africa Tech Festival and Connecting Africa puts a spotlight on the top 100 African leaders in the telecoms and technology sector in 2023.

More Africa Tech perspectives

Guest Perspectives

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Understanding African fintech startup failures

By Chiti Mbizule Mutati

Connecting Africa correspondent Chiti Mbizule Mutati investigates the reasons behind the high failure rate of African fintech startups, citing the importance of funding, policy and regulation in the sector.

Story

Open banking's potential to foster innovation & harmonize financial services

By Francis Hook

As African banks look to digitize their services amid a growing fintech ecosystem, ICT analyst Francis Hook puts forward open banking's potential to foster service innovation and harmonize financial services in Africa.

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