Free International Fund Transfers Skype & Paypal

Remember the days when sending money overseas meant traipsing over to a Western Union office and paying a transfer fee?

Then came the Internet and companies like eBay embarked on the painstaking process of creating an online payment system that could connect banks and computers all over the world.

On Wednesday, eBay took another step, announcing that online payments can now be set in motion from eBay's Skype calling service.

With a few clicks, a parent will be able to send money to an exchange student in France, a gambler will be able to settle a bet with a soccer fan in Germany, and a language student will be able to pay an online tutor in Italy - all without pausing their conversations.

Individuals will need a PayPal account, but the service will be free.

Read the Rest from Mercury News

Telmig Press Release

Telmig is renegotiating a 2009 Note? read the press release from PR Newswire

Telemig is the leading provider of cellular telecommunications servicesin the State of Minas Gerais in Brazil. Amazonia provides services in a region covering the States of Para,Amazonas, Maranhao, Amapa, and Roraima in the north and northeast ofBrazil.

SES (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) wholly owns three market-leading

SES (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) wholly owns three market-leadingsatellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, SES AMERICOM in NorthAmerica, and SES NEW SKIES, which provide global coverage andconnectivity. The Company also holds strategic participations in SESSirius in Europe, Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in Mexico. SES providesoutstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 36satellites in 25 orbital positions around the globe. Additional information on SES

The Rest

MTN Claims 40 Million Subscribers in 2006

HIGHLIGHTS OF RESULTS for the 12-month period ended 31 December 2006
Group subscribers up 73% to 40 million
Revenue up 49% to R52 billion*
EBITDA up 53% to R22 billion*
EBITDA margin of 43.4%, up from 42.4%* driven by operational efficiency improvements
PAT of R12 billion up from R7 billion for the previous nine-month period
Adjusted HEPS of 584.7 cents from 338.2 cents for the previous nine-month period
Acquisition of Investcom LLC concluded, effective July 2006


Read the full report from Mobil Africa

TELECOM Fiji chief operating officer Taito Tabaleka is the company's acting chief executive.

A Telecom spokesperson said the board unanimously appointed Mr Tabaleka to the position following the resignation of managing director Joe Mar.
Mr Tabaleka's appointment is effective from May 1.

Telecom chairman Felix Anthony said Mr Tabaleka brought with him a wealth of experience after working in the telecommunication industry for more than 23 years.

The Rest from Fiji Times

East Africa Marine Systems Fiber Survey Complete

The fibre optic sub-marine cable project spearheaded by the Government has gone a notch higher following the completion of a route survey.The East Africa Marine Systems (Teams) undersea cable should be operational in three years, Information and Communications Permanent Secretary, Dr Bitange Ndemo has said.

"This occasion marks a momentous milestone for Telkom Kenya and the country at large as it takes us nearer to our cherished dream of commissioning a fibre optic backbone network in the next three years," he said. Ndemo spoke on Thursday when he received a route survey report presented to him by the project scientists, whose ship docked at the port of Mombasa.

The survey started in Fujaira in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ended in Mombasa, covering a distance of 4,726 km, said project manager, Mr Boris Shirokozhukhov.

There is much more here by Kenya News-Blogspot

GLO-1 Calhbe path, for the record

Globacom has made the final preparations to roll out its submarine cable Glo-1. The new submarine cable will connect around 16 African countries. The submarine cable network will extend from Lagos to London. In
addition, the network will be connecting the US via a dedicated link on Apollo 2.

According to Globacom officials, the network will help in meeting the increasing bandwidth demand in Nigeria and West Africa. They stated that the successful completion of the submarine project will completely transform
the communication sector of Africa.

The submarine cable will connect
Nigeria (Lagos) and the UK (Bude), and has sub-divisions in:

• Spain (Vigo),
• Portugal (Simsimbra),
• Morocco (Casablanca),
• Senegal (Dakar),
• Mauritania (Nouakchott),
• Sierra Leone (Freetown),
• Liberia (Monrovia),
• Togo (Lome),
• Cape Verde (Praia),
• Gambia (Bamjul),
• Guinea Bisau (Bisau),
• Guinea (Conakry)
• Cote d'Ivoire (Abidjan),
• Benin Republic (Cotonou),
• Ghana (Accra)
• and Nigeria (Bonny).
  
• The new cable will be able to manage a capacity of 32 channels with each channel capable of supporting speed of up to 10 Gbps or STM 64. The cable will also enable Globacom to offer triple-play services to its
  customers.

• At present, Nigeria has a submarine cable that can support speed of up to STM 2 and is utilised by 32 members and 16 African countries.
  
• The Glo-1 submarine project is managed by Alcatel Submarine networks and will link West Africa with the UK. For further information about Globacom

CELTEL claims no relationship with Ghana President

CELTEL TELECOM has confirmed that it does not have any business relationship with His Excellency, President John Agyekum Kufuor or his family.
Celtel was reacting to media reports that President Kufuor has interest in the Western Telesystems (Westel) deal because his eldest son is involved with Celtel and could influence the decision of the process of selecting a telecom company to takeover majority shares in Westel.

"Celtel does not have any business relationship with His Excellency, President Kufuor or his family but the most successful pan-African mobile network, offering telecommunications services to more people in Africa than any other network," Mr. Mwambu Wanendeya, Group Marketing and Communications Manager told the Business Chronicle.

Celtel has bidded for the 66.67% shares in Westel, which was acquired by the government of Ghana from A.C.G. Westel Systems last year.

Read the Rest from AllAfrica.com

Malawi Telecom Sector: New Report

Malawi’s telecommunications sector is among the least developed in Africa with a fixed-line penetration rate below 1%, despite more than doubling the number of fixed-line connections in the past five years.

The mobile sector has grown more than nine-fold during the same period since competition was introduced, but market penetration is still very low in this sub-sector as well, at under 3%. 2005 saw a renewed failed attempt at privatisation of the national carrier, MTL, the revocation of the third mobile licence and the firing of the Board of the independent telecoms regulator, MACRA.

All of these events should create new opportunities in 2006, as should the licensing of a second national operator (SNO) and the legalisation of Internet telephony which are both planned in the near to mid-term.

Read the Rest from Budde.com

Drive-by Internet Access for Rural Businesses

The vehicles can effectively send and receive emails from villagersBuses equipped with wi-fi are being used to deliver web content to remote rural villages in the developing world.

In rural India and parts of Rwanda, Cambodia and Paraguay, the vehicles offer web content to computers with no internet connection.
The buses and a fleet of motorcycles update their pages in cities before visiting the hard-to-reach communities.

As well as offering popular pages, the United Villages project also allows users to request specific information. The buses and a fleet of motorcycles update their pages in cities before visiting the hard-to-reach communities. Then a small box, with an antennae, on board the vehicle communicates with these rural computers.

Local business
In many parts of the developing world it is too expensive to lay the fibres and copper cable to deliver a standard internet connection. Wireless technologies also do not reach many remote places.

The founder of the United Villages initiative Amir Hassan said the company had been set up to give those people in these areas a slice of the web for a fee.

They want to know the cricket scores, they want to see the new Aishwarya Rai photos, and they want to hear a sample of the latest Bollywood tunes

Amir HassanUnited Villages "There's only 0.003% percent of the web that rural India cares about," he told BBC News. "They want to know the cricket scores, they want to see the new Aishwarya Rai photos, and they want to hear a sample of the latest Bollywood tunes." The village computer was often in the local store, he added. Every time the wi-fi bus rolled by the village - up to six times a day - the pages were updated, he said.

Britney requests
As well as this regular content users can make special requests for a few additional rupees.

Q&A: Wi-fi explained
For example, if there was no information about Britney Spears on the village computer, a fee could be paid to get hold of such information.
The bus would then go back to the city and communicate with an internet server.

The box on the bus would be updated with the requested information and, a few hours later, the bus would arrive back at the village to zap the Britney Spears pages to the computer. The wi-fi vehicles also deliver and collect e-mails from the villagers.

Product catalogue
The system also made it easier for villagers to buy essential products such as fertilisers, pesticides, books and medicines, Mr Hassan added.

"What we've done is created a catalogue of those products that they can order at the kiosk and get them delivered the next day via the bus," he said.
"We're bringing e-commerce to rural India." Right now, more and more people are asking me about what can be done on the PC and internet

Raj Kishor SwainSatasankha
Because many people in rural communities cannot read, and because the majority of the web is in English, villagers often rely on the person who operates the local computer to help them. Raj Kishor Swain, who runs the computer in the village of Satasankha, said he is now a popular man. "Right now, more and more people are asking me about what can be done on the PC and internet," he said.

"My objective is to show to the village youth that having a PC with connectivity is a viable business so that more and more unemployed youth can take up this as a self-employment opportunity."

Read From the BBC

TELECOM Fiji managing director Joe Mar Resigns

TELECOM Fiji managing director Joe Mar has resigned from his position, citing personal reasons.

Mr Mar said he had wanted to resign some time ago.
"Two years ago I was going to do that, try and spend time with my family," he said.

"The board of ATH (Amalgamated Telecom Holdings) and TFL asked me to conduct the changes that were needed here. "I'm extremely sad that I will leave this organisation but it's the choice I've made."I want to go and spend more time with my family. They've suffered."

Read the Rest from the Fiji Times

Telecom Intrigue in BA, Fiji

This is a bit old but interesting: From August 2006

What should have been a simple and straightforward process of either refusing or awarding mobile telephony licences to interested operators instead turned out to be an intricate web of backhanded politics, clandestine lobbying and propaganda against Ba Holdings Ltd and its mobile operator partner, Digicel (Fiji) Ltd, the local subsidiary of Jamaica-based Digicel.

This running game of furtive manoeuvres has its roots in the now lucrative mobile telephony market within which reigns Vodafone Fiji Ltd, the joint venture between Telecom Fiji Ltd (TFL) and the European-based Vodafone International Holding BV.

Read more from Pierport

Wireless BroadBand Internet Access Under the Communications Act, says Court

Last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) declared that wireless broadband Internet access service is an information service under the Communications Act (Act). This action places wireless broadband Internet access service on the same regulatory footing as other broadband services, such as cable modem service, wireline broadband (DSL) Internet access service, and Broadband over Power Line (BPL)-enabled Internet access service. It thus ensures that wireless broadband Internet access services are similarly free from unnecessary regulatory burdens. Competition among all of these broadband services will provide consumers with more and better services at lower prices, said the FCC in a release.

Read More from Government Technology

Millicom buys out 3 Africa wireless firms

(this is from 2-06, but interesting news I did not know)

Millicom International Cellular has taken 100 percent ownership of a trio of African wireless companies after buying out their minority partners.
The Swedish firm announced Wednesday that it had completed the buyouts of its partners at Millicom Sierra Leone and MIC Tanzania and cancelled a call option involving Millicom

Ghana. Company President Marc Beuls said the buyouts were consistent with Millicom's strategy of gradually growing its stake in companies in developing nations and then buying out minority partners.

Millicom operates in seven African nations as well as Latin America and sees the African continent as fertile ground for wireless growth. "Africa has once again seen particularly strong growth, and given the relatively low mobile penetration rates in these markets compared to other regions of the world, we have every reason to expect that this will continue in the future," Beuls said in a news release.

read the rest from Pysorg

6 Billion $ 3 year Verizon Wireless Network Upgrade

Verizon plans to boost its wireless data network through a new three-year contract with Alcatel-Lucent that is expected to be worth $6 billion.

In addition to increasing the coverage and capacity of Verizon Wireless' existing CDMA2000 (Code Division Multiple Access) EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) Revision A broadband data network, Alcatel-Lucent will also supply technology to enable VoIP and video telephony services. The EV-DO Revision A network offers users a 300Kbps to 400Kbps upload data rate and 450Kbps to 800Kbps download speed.

The network update, part of Verizon Wireless' transition to an all-IP network, will also support other new multimedia services that combine voice, data and video, Verizon Wireless said. Many mobile operators are in the midst of moving to IP networks, which can efficiently handle data traffic and allow for new types of services.

The rest from infoWorld

The Use of Phones by Microentrepreneurs

Here is a terrific white Paper by Jonathan Donner of Microsoft Research India. It shows how microentrpreneuers in Rwanda and India are using wireless phones to do business. If you are using telecom to support small business and economic development, you have to read this.
It is posted by MIT Press Journals

Telecom Key to Business in Mexico

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Telecommunications in Mexico play a significant role in integrating businesses, residences, andpeople across the country, especially since expanding internationalcommerce is increasing economic dependence on telecommunications services. Broadband and Internet access services and mobile telephony services have particularly spurred growth of the telecommunications services in Mexico.

Read the Rest from PM Newswire

Telecom Inteligence Sources Africa, Oceana, Carribean

A listing of Oceana (south pacific) Telecom companies by Island Group
A listing of African Telecom companies by Country

Country
Executive Summary of the Status of South Africa, 8-2006

For a small island nation, Fiji has a reliable and efficient telecom system with access to the Southern Cross cable that links New Zealand, Australia and North America. The country's fast growing telecom industry is made up primarily of three major monopolies that are all currently protected through exclusivity licences. Telecom Fiji Ltd has the exclusive licence to provide domestic voice and data services; Vodafone Fiji Ltd is the sole provider of mobile services; and Fiji International Telecommunications Ltd (Fintel) has the monopoly on the supply of international voice and data services. In October 2005 Unwired Fiji launched the country's first privately owned broadband wireless network. In June 2006 in a protracted court battle, Vodafone Fiji, filed an injunction in an attempt to stop the government from awarding a licence to a new mobile operator.

Read the rest from Totel in Australia

VODAFONE SEEKS SETTLEMENT WITH FIJI GOVERNMENT

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, March 15) - The interim government is currently looking at a request by Vodafone Fiji for an out of court settlement over its exclusive license to operate a mobile telecommunications business in Fiji.
Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum did not say when Government will reply to Vodafone Fiji managing director Aslam Khan's letter on February 21, 2007.

The parties have until April 30, since the matter is set for mention in the High Court before Justice Jiten Singh.

Vodafone had challenged the State's issuance of provisional licenses to Digicel and Pacific Connex to operate in Fiji's lucrative mobile phone industry.
It is now pursuing a more convenient out of court of settlement due to the prolonged legal battle and costs.

Read the Rest from Pacific Island Report

Vodaphone Fiji

from 2005:

Vodafone has chosen Ericsson's (NASDAQ:ERICY) Mobile Softswitch to expand its network in Fiji. Ericsson will also introduce the first 3G network to the Pacific Ocean nation with a WCDMA upgrade.

Under the five-year agreement, Ericsson will also provide managed services. Vodafone will invest USD 15 million to modernize its core network and introduce a new 3G-radio network, including mobile softswitch.

Read the rest from Looksmart

First Annual Report to Congress On Statelite Services

Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted its First Annual Report to Congress on the state of competition in the communications satellite services industry. This inaugural report examines six wholesale and two retail satellite services markets for the period of 2000 through 2006.

Read the Rest from Government Technology

First Annual Report to Congress On Statelite Services

Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted its First Annual Report to Congress on the state of competition in the communications satellite services industry. This inaugural report examines six wholesale and two retail satellite services markets for the period of 2000 through 2006.

Read the Rest from Government Technology

First Annual Report to Congress On Statelite Services

Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted its First Annual Report to Congress on the state of competition in the communications satellite services industry. This inaugural report examines six wholesale and two retail satellite services markets for the period of 2000 through 2006.

Read the Rest from Government Technology

Nokia N95 multimedia computer starts Nokia today announced that the Nokia N95 started shipping in key European, Asian and Middle Eastern markets, with expanded shipments to other markets in those regions in the coming weeks.

The Nokia N95 is an all-in-one multimedia computer with a unique 2-way slide design, integrated GPS functionality, a 5 megapixel camera and support for high-speed mobile networks, making it easier to watch and record videos, listen to songs, take high-quality photos, browse the internet, or catch up on email while on the move.

read the rest from Mobil Africa

Fiber Coming to American Samoa

Click here to read the AP Story at Fiji

Fixed Cellular Terminal Router in Ghana

News from Ghana
-Lee

A communications company, Meridian Infotel has launched its new product, fixed cellular terminal router. The product allows customers to channel all their mobile and international phone calls via a GSM gateway using an areeba corporate SIM card.

The total number of national mobile and fixed line subscribers is currently pegged at 4,300,000 and 330, 00 respectively, with companies’ monthly telephone bills predominantly recording landline to mobile phone calls, increasing expenditure.

With the introduction of the fixed cellular terminal router, expenditure can be reduced drastically and the efficiency of the mobile call network maintained.

Read more from Mobil Africa

Posted originally January 27th, 2007

The cost of acquiring international gateway licenses by private mobile service providers in Africa is likely to come down following the intervention by the United Nation Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), according to senior government officials....
.....
UNCTAD has also instructed Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon, Gabon, and Niger to immediately begin reviewing international gateway license fees, saying that the current fees prohibit the development of African information and communication technologies. >>>>>

Read the rest from Infoworld

Budde Communication 2006 Telecom Analysis

There is a useful 2006 Executive Summary of a 119 page analysis on African Telecom Infrastrcuture and Issues From Budde Communications.

Its worth a read.

-Lee

Kenya Starts Over to License a Second National Telecom

The tortuous process to
License a second national operator (SNO) is to start again.

Communication Commissions of Kenya (CCK) on Thursday ordered re-tendering after Reliance Consortium failed to formally apply for the licence as required

read the rest from the East African Standard at AllAfrica

Uganda Telecom Taxed Higher Than 218 Other Countries

A global trade association representing GSM mobile operators in 218 countries has released a study that shows Ugandan mobile users are one of the most taxed in the world.
In the same study they come to the conclusion that lowering excise duty on air time will lead to higher collections in the future as phone usage climbs.

The immediate shortfall in the excise duty will be more than bridged by improved corporate taxes by telecommunication companies. Uganda's excise tax on airtime is 12% compared to Kenya's 10% and Tanzania's 7%. In addition, 18% VAT is charged on airtime. Therefore, for every sh100 shillings of airtime we use, about sh30 goes into paying taxes.

Read the rest from the editorial in New Vision

New Satellite @4 degrees east-North Africa

The EUROBIRD™ 4* satellite of Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) has initiated commercial service at the Group’s 4 degrees East position. The satellite’s entry into service at 4 degrees East marks the opening of a new orbital location for Eutelsat, taking to 18 the number of positions currently used by the Group.

EUROBIRD™ 4 provides coverage from 4 degrees East of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and central Asia in Ku-band frequencies.
* HOT BIRD™ 3 during first commercial mission.

the Rest from Webwire

Mobil Phone Users in Uganda Now Get Stock Prices

MOBILE phone users can now get instant stock prices following the launch of an initiative by the Uganda Securities Exchange (USE) and SMS Media. Simon Rutega, the USE chief executive officer, said they want to make it easier for many people to get information about the exchange. “We want to bring this medium on board because many people have mobile phones. The information gets to a big number of people,” explained Rutega.


the rest from New Vision Uganda

TelKom dropped out of the UTL Bidding to Buy another PAn Africa ISP

Telkom apparently pulled out of the process, and in February announced that it had acquired the pan-African ISP Africa Online from the African Lakes Corporation.

More from Global Insight

Here is Africa Online's web page.

Here is their Uganda Page

This is a week old, but here it is for the record:
-Lee

LIBYA Africa Portfolio's (LAP) Green Com has acquired majority shares in Uganda Telecom (utl).

Sources revealed that the company, the investment arm of the Libyan government, acquired 51% shareholding in utl after buying out UCOM.

UCOM is the consortium that owned a 51% stake in utl. The remaining shares are owned by the government of Uganda.
"The deal is done. LAP Green Com has bought into utl. The process is being finalised and once concluded, it will be announced," a source explained.


more @ allAfrica.com

New Uganda Telecom -Saudi based Hits

A NEW telecom company, the Saudi-based Hits Telecom, has started operating in Uganda alongside MTN, Uganda telecom and Celtel. Its local partner is Veritus Communications. “Clearly, there is need to increase the network capacity in Uganda to meet the existing as well as the future demand of subscribers,” explained Edwin Rodwell, the company’s chief executive.

read the rest from New Vision

East Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) contract won by Alcatel-Lucent

Alcatel-Lucent, the French telecommunications giant, has won the US$240 million contract for the construction of the East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy). The announcement was made last week by a consortium of 23 operators (EASSy parties) from the countries involved in the project.

Kenya has opted to run its own Cable Project called TEAMs

(Much more detail than earlier blog post at this site)
read the rest from Tectonics

African Cell phone Growth Rate to Exceed 22% a year for The Next 5 Years

According to statistics recently published by Informa Telecoms & Media, the African cellular market´s annual growth rate over the next five years will exceed 22%, the highest of any world region.

The forecast for markets in East and Central Africa combined will be 27% over the same period. The region´s market now represents 15% of the continent´s mobile users and has grown by 58% over the past year to reach nearly 18 million subscriptions.

By the end of 2006, the East and Central Africa region will include 6 countries among the 15 largest African markets, with Kenya, DR Congo and Tanzania among the top ten.

Read the rest from Mobil Africa

Vonage Drops Prices in Several Countries

HOLMDEL, N.J., March 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In an effort to pass more savings to its customers, Vonage has dropped its already low-priced international calling rates to just one cent per minute in certain locations. The move means an even cheaper way for customers to keep in touch with family and friends in different countries.

Vonage's new international calling rates will be available for new and existing customers in the US and Canada. Areas include locations in Argentina, Australia, China, Mexico, Singapore, Israel, Poland, and Sweden. See chart below for details....

read the rest from earth news

New Fiber Being Laid into East Africa

PARIS -- Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU - message board) has signed a turnkey contract with the East Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) consortium to lay the first ever optical submarine cable network landing in East Africa। Based on Alcatel-Lucent’s submarine and terrestrial optical solutions, EASSy will provide connectivity across the continent to support the increase in local traffic from both traditional and new broadband services. Additionally, with interconnection to other submarine cable systems to the North and South, this project will provide an international gateway, crucial for the economic development of the region.

With completion scheduled by the end of 2008, the EASSy submarine network will deliver a regional capacity of 320 Gbit/s. Governments, public administrations and businesses will leverage advanced technology to support new applications such as remote medical diagnosis and international call centers. Consumers will benefit from accessible and affordable broadband Internet.


read more from

Telecom is an Economic Force-multiplier in Africa

Telecom is a major power for transformation in Africa.

In the military, there are certain weapons systems that make every other weapon system better, and can help a unit of one size operate as if it were much bigger than it really is. These systems are called force multipliers. fighter aircraft and attack helicopters are examples.

At this time in Africa, telecom is a force-multiplier for economic development in Africa because:

• The current hard wire structure is largely inadequate and of poor quality
• Tribal communities are "high communication" cultures, with social processes and institutions which are already highly inter-dependant, inclusive, and communication intense.
• There is opportunity to leapfrog past western small business practices

This is in fact already happening. You can see it when you look at the Kiva small business plans.

How does it work?

With mobil communications with internet in a low infrastructure environment, micro enterprise and small business business can:

• Conduct most banking transactions
• Order from vendors
• Receive orders
• Schedule deliveries
• Maintain mentoring relationships

All this can leverage economic growth.

-Lee

What follows is a summary from Telecom Magazine

Souheil Marine, the manager of the digital bridge project at Alcatel, believes that investing in telecom in Africa will help create wealth, rather than diverting limited funds from more valuable projects - though he did add that the African situation is quite different to that seen in, say, Europe.

He argues that networks should only be built when there is a clear demand for a relevant service. He also believes that new technologies such as WiMAX will allow many African countries to leapfrog the use of legacy infrastructure.

Read the rest

CELTEL PRomotion (Uganda)

CELTEL last week launched a new promotion dubbed 'Stock and win' to reward their stockists.
Dan Kaboyo, the marketing manager, consumer and payphone, told reporters in Kampala: "Stockists have been instrumental in ensuring that our customers access the products and services easily.

In more places, traditionally top up cards were only available in authorised dealer outlets which was not convenient for the majority of our customers."

Link Listing pf Uganda Telecoms

Afsat Communications Uganda Afsat is a communications company providing wireless telecommuication solutions for East Africa. Profile
Uganda Communications Commission UCC has a clear mission to comprehensively regulate and facilitate development of communication services in Uganda. Profile
Simba Telecom Uganda Simba Telecom is the biggest managed mobile phone dealer in Uganda Profile
Celtel Uganda Celtel was the first mobile operator and continues to grow at a rapid speed Profile
MTN Uganda MTN Uganda is the leading telecom operator in Uganda. Profile
MTN Village Phone MTN Village Phone extends telecommunications access to rural villages across Uganda and creates opportunities for poor rural individuals. Profile
Uganda Telecom Uganda Telecom is a leading communications company with a portfolio of services that includes landline, mobile, data and internet Profile
Yello Access A bright Yello World powered ny MTN Uganda. Profile
Beltic Send free SMS to Uganda and the whole world through Beltics SMS services. Profile
JAS SMS JAS SMS provides SMS Services in East and Central Africa. With a wealth of experience in the SMS department, JAS SMS is well placed to fulfill all your SMS needs. Profile

Latest News from Africa Mobil

Onetouch Charges Flat Rate For All Local Network Calls in Ghana
Monday, March 05, 2007, 5:20:44 AM
Onetouch, the mobile arm of state-owned Ghana Telecom now charges a flat rate for calls to all local networks.

Nashua Mobile launches internet division
Monday, March 05, 2007, 5:06:44 AM
Nashua Mobile, the independent cellular service provider in the listed Reunert Group, on Tuesday signalled its intention to become a major player in South Africa's broadband and internet service-provider market by launching its new Nashua Mobile Internet division.

Glo Mobile pioneers Voice SMS in Nigeria
Monday, March 05, 2007, 5:00:44 AM
Glo Mobile has announced the introduction of Voice Messaging Service (Voice-SMS), a package which allows subscribers to record and send a voice message to a recipient. The service, the first of its kind in Nigeria, is a talk and listen messaging alternative to the regular type and read service provided by short messaging service (SMS).

Missed Call Notification feature for Cell C customers
Monday, March 05, 2007, 4:59:44 AM
Cell C subscribers will now be able to access details of callers who did not leave voicemail messages while their phones were switched off, thanks to a recently introduced Missed Call Notification feature.

Celtel wins brand of the year in Nigeria
Monday, March 05, 2007, 4:58:44 AM
Celtel, recently, reaffirmed its leadership position in the Nigerian telecommunications industry when it clinched the Brand of the Year Award at the 2007 Thisday Awards for Excellence and Good Governance.

Cell C Appoints Chief Corporate Officer
Monday, March 05, 2007, 4:00:00 AM
Motshabi will be returning to the company she helped launch in 2001 after an absence of four years. In that time Motshabi successfully led one of the country’s foremost advertising agencies, Lobedu Leo Burnett.

Ugandan President and MTC Managing Director discuss the way forward
Friday, March 02, 2007, 7:35:45 AM
Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni recently held a comprehensive meeting with MTC Group Managing Director Dr Saad Al Barrak in Kampala discussing a range of issues that covered the liberalization of the telecommunications industry; investment opportunities; incentives for foreign investment and recent free trade agreements that have been recently established in Uganda. President Museveni pointed out that such issues are relevant to the future economic prosperity of Uganda, and in return Dr Barrak provided assurances to the President of the commitment and role that MTC’s fully owned subsidiary Celtel Uganda will play in such an important arena.

MTN improves affordability and accessibility of broadband in South Africa through reduction of data rates
Wednesday, February 28, 2007, 5:25:45 AM
MTN has reduced rates on data contracts and data bundles by up to 20% and MTN customers can now also pay as little as 20c per MB when buying the 1GB data contract or data bundle.

Zi Corporation Launches Qix for Windows Mobile; Demo versions available on HTC Qtek 8300 handsets
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 2:09:33 PM
Zi Corporation (NASDAQ: ZICA) (TSX: ZIC), a leading provider of intelligent interface solutions, today announced a new version of its award-winning search and discovery engine, Qix™, launched at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, February 12 – 15. Qix for Windows Mobile 5 (WM5) is now available for operator deployment.

Zi Corporation Introduces QixLinks
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 9:17:34 AM
Zi Corporation (Nasdaq: ZICA) (TSX: ZIC), a leading provider of intelligent interface solutions, today announced the introduction of QixLinks™ and QixLinks Ads™, two radical new developments of its award-winning on-device search and discovery engine Qix™. These products will offer users direct access to portal content and advertisements, driving greater ARPU for operators.

First Hop Paves the Way for Advertising-Funded Mobile Content Services
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 9:04:44 AM
Today First Hop, the mobile service control company, announced the launch of its Mobile Advertising Solution. This will provide mobile operators and service providers with the infrastructure needed to support an ad-funded content business and enable them to attract additional revenue from advertisers looking to expand into mobile.

Rendez-vous in Paris: Nokia 7373 Special Edition meets Giambattista Valli
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 9:00:34 AM
Drawing upon the accolades of its highly regarded L'Amour Collection, Nokia has joined creative forces with talented fashion designer Giambattista Valli to craft the Nokia 7373 Special Edition. For this one-of-a-kind cooperation between a thriving creator of new designs and the pioneer in mobile fashion accessories, Nokia returns to the style capital of Paris during Fashion Week. Here the efforts to fuse fashion with mobility began in 1999 with the introduction of the Nokia 8210.

Roamware Dials Up The Future Of Mobile Content Sharing With Media Call
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:50:34 AM
Roamware, the global leader in roaming and mobile connectivity services, today announced the introduction of Roamware Media Call, a revolutionary media personalization and distribution service which aims to make sharing media by mobile phone as easy as making a phone call. The new service, set for launch in the second quarter of 2007, allows consumers to personalize their calling experience by sharing video, music, and other media content with each other before, during and after a mobile call.

Open-Plug to distribute Jataayu Software products as part of its ELIPS Application Suite
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:39:50 AM
Open-Plug a leading supplier of mass market software platforms for the handset industry, and Jataayu Software a leading vendor of mobile terminal and VAS infrastructure solutions, today announced the strengthening of their partnership by finalizing a license agreement. Jataayu’ software products, including browsing and messaging applications, will then be available to handset markers directly from Open-Plug as part of the leading-edge ELIPS open platform for mass market phones.

Research Predicts Seven out of Ten Mobile Professionals Will Use Mobile Email by Year End
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:39:49 AM
Visto Corporation, the partner company behind mobile email services from more than 30 of the world’s largest mobile service providers, today announced the findings of a survey the company commissioned to identify and target key drivers for mobile email adoption. Based on the research, Visto predicts that market penetration of mobile email could reach as high as 70 percent of mobile professionals by the end of 2007.

Roamware Technology Proven In New GSM Association Global Roaming Initiative
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:39:45 AM
Leading global roaming and mobile connectivity expert Roamware has successfully completed the GSM Association-led proof-of-concept trial for a new hub-based roaming structure for the mobile market. Once tested and installed, the hubs will provide a single point of contact for operators seeking roaming agreements, eliminating the time-consuming individual and bi-lateral agreement approach in use today.

‘Voice SMS’ Usage Grows Rapidly as Bubble Motion Announces Deal with Vodafone Egypt
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:37:45 AM
Bubble Motion the world’s first voice short messaging service (voice SMS) provider, today announced an agreement with Vodafone Egypt to launch its Mini Call BubbleTALK voice SMS to the operator’s subscribers. Voice SMS usage has been a recent messaging success story in the Asia-Pacific region with eight mobile operators offering the service to more than 100 million users to date.

Sonus Networks Partners With 3way Networks To Offer Complete System Solution For Its Low Powered GSM Offering
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:27:45 AM
Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), a leading supplier of service provider Voice over IP (VoIP) infrastructure solutions, announced today at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain that it has partnered with 3Way Networks to develop solutions to deliver voice services and multimedia applications to mobile handsets over an end-to-end low powered GSM network. 3Way Networks will provide femto cells, which enable existing and future 2G and 3G handsets to integrate with Sonus’ IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based network infrastructure. Together, the two companies are working to provide network operators with a complete Low Powered GSM (LP GSM) solution that provides new levels of operational efficiency with robust support for the delivery of next generation voice and multimedia services.

Omnifone Collaborates with Musiwave for MusicStation next generation mobile music service
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:17:45 AM
Omnifone, a UK-based mobile music company, today announced a collaboration with Musiwave, an Openwave company (NASDAQ: OPWV), the leading provider of mobile music entertainment services to operators and media companies worldwide, to distribute MusicStation, a revolutionary ‘all-you-can-eat’ mobile music service, that works on all major music handsets.

Visto advances simplicity on hot new mobile devices
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:07:45 AM
Visto, the leading global provider of easy-to-use mobile email, today announces the full availability of the Visto Mobile™ email services on the new handheld devices launched at this year’s 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona.

Sonus Networks And Ip.access Partner To Drive Fixed/Mobile Convergence Forward
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:07:45 AM
Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), a leading supplier of service provider Voice over IP (VoIP) infrastructure solutions, and ip.access, the creator of cellular picocell and femtocell technologies, announced today at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain that the two companies have entered into a partnership. Sonus, which recently unveiled its strategy to create new cost-efficient solutions designed to deliver fixed-mobile service over GSM spectrum, will work together with ip.access, which will provide in-building picocell and femtocell solutions. For ip.access, this relationship validates the Company’s IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) roadmap and allows ip.access to work closely with a leading provider of wireless and wireline IP-voice and multimedia infrastructure solutions.

ip.access announces successful further funding round
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 8:00:45 AM
ip.access, the market leader in cellular picocell technologies today announced a further funding round from Amadeus Capital Partners as well as their existing investors to fuel growth. Amadeus Capital Partners will work alongside ip.access’ management and the current VC team of Scottish Equity Partners, Rothschild & Cie Gestion, Intel Capital Corporation and Motorola Ventures to help the company grow its annual turnover from today’s $25m annual run-rate to the target of $100m+

Worldwide SMS revenues to hit $67bn by 2012
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 5:19:45 AM
A new report from Portio Research forecasts a healthy future for SMS, which continues to be the star of the data services show with traffic volumes and revenues that continue to confound predictions. Although the growth of SMS revenues will not be as aggressive as the growth of SMS volumes due to declining prices, by 2012 global SMS revenues are expected to reach 67bn USD, driven by 3.7 trillion messages. The report, ‘Mobile Messaging Futures 2007 – 2012’ outlines an exciting future for other mobile messaging technologies especially instant messaging and mobile e-mail amid continued strong worldwide subscriber growth.

Mobile television: the reality of rollout
Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 5:19:45 AM
For some exhibitors at this show, the business model for mobile TV is a lot simpler than for others. Take antenna systems specialist RFS, which, as Dave Thickett, RFS senior systems engineer, told the Show Daily, has experience in DVB-T, the terrestrial cousin of mobile broadcasting contender DVB-H.

Westel vows to revolutionize GSM service in Ghana
Tuesday, February 20, 2007, 12:54:45 AM
Frustrated Ghanaian mobile phone users who may be dissatisfied with the poor quality of service they receive from their network operators will soon have the luxury of choosing to use a new mobile phone network.

GSMA and MasterCard piloting a programme to make it far easier and cost-effective to transfer remittances globally
Monday, February 19, 2007, 7:13:39 AM
The GSM Association has launched a pilot programme aimed at tapping the ubiquity and ease-of-use of mobile communications to enable the world’s 200 million international migrant workers to easily and securely send remittances to their dependents, many of whom don’t have bank accounts. By exploiting the extensive reach of the mobile networks, the programme will complement existing local remittances channels and make transferring money internationally significantly more affordable.

GSM Association aims for global point of sale purchases by mobile phone
Monday, February 19, 2007, 6:53:39 AM
The worldwide use of mobile phones for payments at point of sale is the aim of a new initiative announced today by the GSM Association (GSMA), the global trade organization for mobile operators.

Mobile instant messaging needs instant action; Report warns of stalled take-off and threat to operators from Internet brands
Monday, February 19, 2007, 6:48:39 AM
The established mobile industry is in danger of missing the boat regarding mobile instant messaging (IM) and community networks warns an in-depth report from analysts BKI Media and fastmobile.

Nokia to expand its 3G radio access network sharing solution for up to four operators
Monday, February 19, 2007, 6:45:39 AM
Nokia will expand its 3G radio access multi-operator solution to enable the sharing of a radio access network (RAN) between as many as four operators. By sharing the base station and radio network controller hardware, the operators can significantly minimize the capital and operational expenditures of their 3G RAN networks and yet maintain control of their network.

Nokia and Vodafone announce key milestones in S60 software collaboration
Monday, February 19, 2007, 6:35:39 AM
Nokia and Vodafone recently announced a significant milestone in their collaboration on the development of S60 software on Symbian OS(TM), with the release of the first Vodafone specific software package to all S60 licensees.

Lowering mobile taxes boosts usage and fuels growth; Study shows 10% rise in mobile penetration adds 1.2% to economic growth
Monday, February 19, 2007, 6:35:39 AM
Usage of mobile communications is a powerful economic growth engine, which governments can fuel by lowering taxes on mobile services and handsets, according to a new study undertaken by Deloitte for the GSM Association. In a developing country, an increase of 10 percentage points in mobile penetration will lift that country’s annual economic growth rate by 1.2 percentage points, the study found. That represents a major uplift - if the proportion of people with a mobile phone in an economy, growing at 4% a year, rises from 10% to 20% that would boost the economic growth rate to 5.2% a year.

Will Cell Phone Internet access replace Internet Cafes in Africa?

TIGO’s IT Network and Operations manager, Dakshit Pandya, said, ”the service enables the mobile phone network customer to browse the Internet right on his palm handset and computers through their GPRS/EDGE platform”.

He told this paper during the launch of the new product in Dar es Salaam on Thursday that his company was not worried about international competition, but was more concerned about providing local customers with satisfactory service.

The term GPRS stands for General Pocket Radio Services, a standard for wireless communication, which runs at the speed of up to 115 kilobytes per second, compared to the current Circuit Switch Data (CSD) system that runs at a speed of 9.6 kilobytes per second.

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Mobil Internet Technology Dominates in Africa

Mobile Internet technologies play a very important role, in making Internet services available to many, in Africa. The role of cellular networks in Africa's telecommunications industry cannot be over-emphasized. In fact, cellular networks dominate in Africa, as a result of the fact that the number of mobile phone subscriptions far exceed those of their fixed-line counterparts. To do this end, it is only expedient that we at Mobile Africa share useful information, about the various Internet service offerings by the cellular networks in every African country where a form of data/Internet access exists, over a cellular network. We are starting the Mobile Internet series, with Ghana in celebration of the west African nation's 50th Independence Anniversary celebration.

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MS releases new VOIP Server Software Beta

Microsoft will release a public beta of new VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) server software by the end of this month.The software smoothly integrates with legacy phone networks and its Office application suite, the company said.

On the company's Web site, users can register to download the beta versions of Office Communications Server 2007, as well as Office Communicator 2007, a client application for mobiles and desktops that enables instant messaging, voice, and video.

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Vonage found guilty of Infringing on Verizon Patents

A federal jury Thursday found U.S. Internet-phone provider Vonage Holdings Corp. infringed on Verizon Communications Inc. patents.

The jury ordered Vonage to pay $58 million in damages to Verizon plus a 5.5 percent royalty on future sales.

Immediately following the verdict, attorneys for New York's Verizon requested a permanent injunction barring Vonage from further use of its patented technology, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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