[UgaBYTES] WEEKLY NEWS ROUND UP-AFRICA (WEEK 42)

[Mwathi Francis]

*Agra goes cyber with online auctions in Namibia*

13th October 2009

The Agra Cooperative has started a new Internet service by offering
livestock auctions online where bidders can buy animals at the click of a
mouse – a first for Namibia. The Agra e-Auction service was launched last
week and will save buyers and sellers time and money, not having to drive to
and from auctions.  Another advantage is that animals will not experience
the stress of being transported to and from auctions. “It also gives more
buying power, a wider choice and more competitive prices for whatever is
sold or bought, covering a much larger area than just an auction,” says Albé
Snyman, Communications Officer at Agra. “It gives the best deal for farmers
anytime, anywhere with a mouse click.”  The e-auction site offers diverse
products like game, commercial and stud animals, property and moveable
goods. Sellers register for free, give details of the product for sale and
indicate the reserve price.

http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=60538&no_cache=1<http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=60538&no_cache=1>



*African universities will buy 60 Gb of bandwidth and set up a continental
network*

9th October 2009

Almost unnoticed African universities have come together to sort out their
bandwidth problems in the new era of fibre. In April 2010, European NREN
Dante will start to implement with eastern Africa’s UbuntuNet Alliance, a
continental network to link up African universities with plentiful bandwidth
to their colleagues across the globe. On 1 November West and Central Africa
will set up its own network organisation to join the process. African
universities currently spend an estimated US$1.4 million and are destined to
become important players in network development. 15 million euros from the
European Commission will go via European National Research Network (NREN)
Dante to buy connectivity for African universities with a start date for
implementation of April 2010. A 25% contribution will either come from the
African Union or national Governments. According to UbuntuNet Alliance’s
Tusu Tusubira:”Dante will buy the cross-border connectivity and UbuntuNet
may get to operate it. UbuntuNet wants to be part of the implementation and
to develop the opportunity.”

http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/current1.html



*World Bank to Invest $215 Million to Boost Internet in Africa*

7th October 2009

The World Bank has announced a 10-year US$215 million fund to support the
countries of the Central African region in developing their high-speed
telecommunications backbone infrastructure to increase the availability of
high-speed Internet and reduce end-user prices. Three countries - Cameroon,
Chad and Central African Republic (CAR) - are participating in the initial
US$26.2 million phase of the Program. A further eight countries are also
eligible to participate in the Program - Republic of Congo, Equatorial
Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé
and Principe, and Sudan.

The Central African Backbone (CAB) Program is being supported through a
partnership between the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank
(AfDB). The program also aims to leverage an additional US$98 million from
the private sector.

http://www.cellular-news.com/story/39958.php



*Solar power transforms telephony*

15th October 2009

Watching his sons kick around a makeshift ball made from tightly bound
plastic bags, Ugandan handyman Jackson Mawa marvels at the way business has
improved since he bought a solar-powered mobile phone. "I am self-employed.
Sometimes people call me and they find my (cell) phone is off. I have been
having that problem a lot due to battery charging. So when (Uganda Telecom)
brought out the solar phones, since I got it, that very day, I have never
had any problem with my phone," said Mawa, clutching the device. It might
not sound like much but for Mawa and millions of people in Africa and Asia,
with no connection to electricity grids or unreliable and expensive power
access, these little solar-powered gadgets are proving to be revolutionary.

http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=14908



*Microsoft to curb software piracy by launching Pilot projects in four
countries*

14th October 2009

Software provider, Microsoft, is on the threshold of initiating an
anti-piracy campaign that could leave many small businesses that thrive on
pirated software out of business says the Microsoft anti-piracy manager for
East and Southern Africa, Mr Andrew Waititu .“The new approach is to
refocus, instead of the 14 countries in East and Southern Africa, we will
concentrate on four as a pilot, and if successful we will replicate it in
other countries,” he said. Piracy is estimated to have caused a $53 billion
loss for the computer industry in 2008. Software piracy was at 41 per cent
in 2008 compared to 38 per cent in 2007.

http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/-/1006/672094/-/ifanbdz/-/index.html














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Francis Mwathi
Support Community Facilitator
UgaBYTES Initiatives (www.ugabytes.org)
Telecentr.org (www.telecentrecommunity.ning.com)
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