[UgaBYTES] WEEKLY NEWS ROUND UP-AFRICA (WEEK 13)

Fri Mar 27 15:15:25 GMT 2009

*Rural schools need Internet, Ugandan government told*

24th March 2009

The Government should set up infrastructure to enable Internet connections
in rural schools, the headmaster of Bugema Adventist Secondary School,
Mesusera Mugumya has said.  “Schools in rural areas should access the
Internet at an affordable cost,” he said. Mugumya said the trading centres
where Internet facilities are available, are too expensive for the students
and the schools.

He said with an Internet facility in place, students would be able to
acquire research skills and knowledge. Mugumya was on Saturday addressing
students and parents during the thanksgiving service for the excellent
performance of students in last year’s O’level and A’level examinations.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/19/675758?highlight&q=Bugema%20Adventist

*South Africa falls in global technology rankings *

27th March 2009

FOR the sixth year running, SA has slid down the rankings of the world’s
most technology-savvy countries, with a lack of government commitment to
technology blamed for the deterioration.

The government must concentrate on education and do more to encourage the
creation of technology and telecommunications infrastructure, says the World
Economic Forum (WEF). SA now ranks 52nd out of 134 countries in the WEF’s
Global Information Technology Report, down from 51st last year. The report
assesses how well countries are using information and communications
technologies by studying the business, regulatory and infrastructure
environments.

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A968251

*Angola’s IT minister announces telecommunications network expansion*

24th March 2009

The Angolan Telecommunications and Information Technologies minister, José
Carvalho da Rocha, announced over the weekend in the northern Bengo
Province, that his sector expects to expand the telecommunications network
and improve the meteorology services countrywide. The official, who said
this during a visit to learn about the functioning of some structures of his
sector, also emphasised that his department intends to turn the post office
in Bengo Province into a multifunctional and modern system, in order to
provide good services to the population. The official, who said this during
a visit to learn about the functioning of some structures of his sector,
also emphasized that his department intends to turn the post office in Bengo
Province into a multifunctional and modern system, in order to provide good
services to the population.

The travel of José Carvalho da Rocha to Bengo Province is part of a
programme of visits that his department is carrying throughout the country.
The travel of José Carvalho da Rocha to Bengo Province is part of a program
of visits that his department is carrying throughout the country.

http://www.portalangop.co.ao/motix/en_us/noticias/ciencia-e-tecnologia/minister-announces-telecommunications-network-expansion,4ce1a51d-f8c6-489d-84d9-25c6bf129da5.html

*East and Southern Africa Telecommunications Report Q1 2009*

The latest update on the telecommunications markets of East and Southern
Africa contains revised mobile market growth forecasts for all eight of the
countries surveyed. In each case, we have also extended our forecasts to the
end of 2013. Our new forecasts are based on an assessment of Q308 subscriber
data published by the region’s telecoms regulators and by its various mobile
operators.

In our last update, we noted the arrival of a third mobile operator in
Botswana and the launch of services by Orange Kenya, the new name for
Kenya’s incumbent operator, in which France Telecom now has a 51% stake. At
the end of November 2008, Kenya saw the arrival of fourth GSM network when
Econet Wireless Kenya (EWK) launched commercial services, almost five years
after it was first granted a licence. Econet reportedly has Essar of India
as a major financial backer.

The past few months have also seen the arrival of additional competition in
Uganda, which followed the acquisition by France Telecom of a 53% stake in
HITS Telecom Uganda. The company subsequently rebranded as Orange Uganda and
revealed plans to launch services under the Orange brand in the coming
months. The launch of commercial services by Orange Uganda will raise the
total number of Ugandan mobile operators to five. Meanwhile, Tanzania
already has five mobile operators and a sixth is expected to launch. The
high level of competition in these markets is expected to bring about
impressive growth over the next five years.

http://www.companiesandmarkets.com/Summary-Market-Report/East-and-Southern-Africa-Telecommunications-Report-Q1-2009-68724.asp

*E–Gov forum calls for more investments in ICT*

27th March 2009

Despite a remarkable growth in the use of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) in Africa, more investments in the sector are needed for
improved and sustainable services.

This was highlighted at the start of the three-day ‘3rd annual African
e-government Forum 2009’ that is taking place in Kigali since yesterday.

Delegates at the conference maintained that the use of telecommunications is
progressing on the African continent but called for more initiatives to
promote it.

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=13845&article=14468

*Interview: Tata to Bring IP Services to East Africa via SEACOM Undersea
Cable*

17th March 2009

Tata Communications has earned the right to serve as anchor tenant on an
undersea fiber-optic cable that’s 9,320 miles long and is poised to connect
much of the east African coast. With massive cable operations linking
continents, the company has one of the largest undersea global footprints in
the world. Tata Communications recently launched a system that connects
Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan, and adds that
network to similar lines in the Pacific, Atlantic and Eurasian markets.

http://businessvoip.tmcnet.com/topics/trends/articles/52400-interview-tata-bring-ip-services-east-africa-via.htm

 -
Francis Mwathi
Support Community Facilitator
UgaBYTES Initiatives (www.ugabytes.org)
Telecentr.org (www.telecentrecommunity.ning.com)
Tel: +256 414 370163
Mob: +256 752 995063
Skype: francis.mwathi
E-Mail: mfrancis at ugabytes.org