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ISSUE NO 334

TOP STORY:

Battle for the cheap education computer hots up

The holy grail of cheap computers for emerging markets is producing a sub-$100 laptop for education purposes. One Lap Top Per Child, the initiative launched by MIT’s tech showman Nicholas Negroponte took a step nearer last week with its first test production run. But it has a competitor in the shape of a Canadian company producing a similar if more expensive laptop product called Ink. The road to the holy grail is already littered with the failure of the Brazilian Volks and the Indian Simputer. The Volks never made it into production and the Simputer is under-specified and over-priced. It has had low sales in India and its African distributor closed up shop some while ago. Russell Southwood looks to see whether the latest contenders will overcome the scale of challenges involved in succeeding with low-price computing.

According to the One Laptop Per Child initiative (OLPC), Quanta Computer has produced the first thousand units of its device. Quanta Computer is a Chinese company specialising in PC assembly that according to its web site has a “diverse client base which includes nearly all of the world's top global PC vendors”.

According to sources familiar with the project, OLPC has bet its final price on being able to use a new screen technology. This will allow it to bring the ultimate price of the laptop down to the pre-announced $100 mark. What is not clear is whether the final $100 machine will have a black and white or colour screen.

The screen is currently one of the most expensive parts of a laptop build. For instance, Intel’s cheap laptop for emerging markets is planned to go on sale for around US$400 but it will have a proper full-scale screen.

Nicholas Negroponte’s response to scepticism about the final price is to simply say OPLC will go into production but this may simply be putting off the day when the $100 question is finally answered. But for now “we have to test, test, test this machine under conditions of extreme cold, extreme heat, mud, dust, jungle and daily abuse by kids.” The OPLC web site says that the organisation has orders for millions of it laptop but these are almost certainly “soft orders” until a working production prototype has been seen by potential clients. The moment of truth will be when the first cheque has to be signed.

By contrast with all high-tilt hoopla of OPLC, Ink seems in profile terms to be very modest but it has chosen a strategy of doing things first and talking about them afterwards. Its founder Canadian Jerry Morgan produced software for schools and the inspiration for the project came from an 11-month stay with Schoolnet in India. During this trip he noticed how conventional PCs in the classroom suffered from overheating, hard disk failure and viruses. He came back determined to build a machine that would overcome these drawbacks.

So he set out to build the “Volkswagen of the computer world” that would function with a minimum of moving parts and without the need for cooling fans. The solution is a ROM-based PC that runs cut-down versions of Open office and a suite of other software including a Firefox web browser, an e-mail browser and a VoIP client. As Vice President – Education Strategy James Renaudon-Smith told us:”This is not meant to be a top-end computer but one that deals with 90% of the needs of the intended users.” It will also include wireless capability.

It has a 7.8 inch screen, making it about the same size as a Toshiba Libretto and can boot up in 15 seconds and like a Palm handheld, it can be switched on and off rapidly without affecting its contents. Memory is provided by plug-in USB memory sticks or if required, an external hard drive. It has a 5-8 hour battery life and its chip set is being produced by Freescale, a spin-off from Motorola. The machine weighs under 1 kg. Once the Ink laptop is in production, it wants to produce a small desktop version.

Ink will be going into production in February with the Chinese company Brio (which is closely associated with the Government) and it has a production capacity of 25,000 units a week. However, it wants in the medium-term to spread its assembly to other partner-countries.

The current price tag is US$250 but it believes that with volume runs this will come down nearer to $200. This is twice the price of the OPLC machine but it may well turn out to be the more accurately priced machine. At present, Renaudon-Smith says it has 5,000 “hard” orders and 4.5 million “soft” orders subject to seeing a workable prototype.

The company is looking for African dealers for the machine and assembly companies that would be interested in getting involved in production on the continent. If you are interested in pursuing either of these options, please send your name and details to info@balancingact-africa.com.

Producing a machine of a certain spec to a certain price is immensely difficult. And if we exude a certain scepticism it is only because the distance between noisy pre-announcement and delivered product is usually the significant distance that breaks the hopeful even before they reach the starting line.

But let’s imagine the hopeful get to the starting line in Africa. Then Governments will spend millions of dollars buying the machines. And what often happens with multi-million dollar Government contracts in say Nigeria or Kenya? OK, let’s imagine this doesn’t happen. How many schools have trained school teachers who will be able to instruct their pupils in how to use their new machines?

Both Ink and OPLC talking of creating education content. OPLC has involved veteran computer education guru Seymour Papert. But even with all of this effort, it is not immediately apparent that a laptop will be the transformative educational device unless a great deal more groundwork is carried out before it arrives.

NAMIBIA TELECOM'S FIXED WIRELESS SOLUTION IS ACTUALLY MOBILE, SAYS NCC

Telecom Namibia last week launched its Switch mobile phone system surrounded by growing controversy about whether the company is entitled to offer the service or not.

Chairman of the Namibia Communications Commission (NCC), David Imbili, last Thursday disclosed that the day before, the NCC sent Telecom a letter revoking the radio frequencies it allocated to the company to operate Switch.

"Telecom Namibia actually conned us because they said they were introducing fixed-wireless services mainly for rural areas, but a 30-kilometre range is a mobile phone service," Imbili said angrily.

According to Imibili, under present legislation Telecom Namibia does not need a licence from the NCC to offer particular telecommunications services. Telecom Namibia, he said, does however need authority from the NCC to use frequency bands over which the NCC has statutory control.

He stressed that only recently Namibia had made great efforts to attract Powercom to Namibia as the second mobile phone operator, with the company committing to invest large sums of money in the country.

The NCC, as the regulator, did not want to see a third mobile phone operator in the country at this stage."This does not augur well for competition, because Namibia Post and Telecom Holdings still own 66% of MTC and 100% of Telecom Namibia.

Imbili was adamant that the NCC would not allocate any frequencies for Telecom's new Switch mobile phone service. Government, he added, also needed to make up its mind about whether it wants to attract foreign investors or not, because it would not be possible to attract investors if they are undermined.

At a media briefing Thursday, Telecom Namibia was equally adamant that it was acting within the parameters of Namibian law. Telecom says it applied for a frequency allocation for the provision of CDMA service in 2004, which it obtained in the 450 and 800 MHz bands in February 2005. It, however, accuses NCC of trying to limit the scope of the service to be rendered by Telecom in subsequent correspondence.

"Telecom Namibia has placed its position on record with the NCC that the company will continue to utilize such frequency bands as were duly allocated to it by the NCC," the Corporation said in a statement read by Acting MD, Robert Offner.

Senior Manager for Product Research at Telecom, Armando Perny, said the main advantage of Switch is that it offers high-speed Internet connectivity. This will allow users to connect to the Internet at speeds of up to 153 kilobits per second on mobile handsets, and as high as 2.4 megabits a second for the broadband option.

(SOURCE: New Era)

SIERRATEL TRIES TO CRACK DOWN ON GREY MARKET

With the passing of the Telecommunication Act by Parliament and signed into law by President Kabbah, the management of Sierratel has employed the services of California based IDENTITEL to stop illegal calls or illegal by-pass traffic coming into Sierra Leone using a technology called Channel Bank or GMS gateway/PBX gateway.

Last year, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Sierratel lost about 47% of revenue due to this illegal traffic commonly called 'grey area traffic.' This together with the gateway right given prompted management to seek the expertise of the Americans.

Identitel will be working together with their West African representatives, Traustech international, to complete the setting-up stage. A member of Identitel Inc jetted into Freetown recently to sign a contract on the execution at this exercise.

According to a top management at Sierratel, the Parastatal is putting modalities in place for a heavy fine should any company or individual is caught bringing in such calls. The voice Intrusion Detection System (VIDS) is capable of detecting illegal routing within 48 hours or so after setting-up.

(SOURCE:  Concord Times)

FRANCE TELECOM’S SENEGAL AND MALI OPERATIONS REBRAND AS ORANGE

"The commercial marks of Alizé, Sentoo and Keurgui TV in Senegal and the Sonatel department in Mali are to adopt a joint name: Orange," according to statements by the General Director of Senegal's Sonatel company. The name is part of a broader global rebranding exercise being conducted by the companies’ main shareholder France Telecom.

General Director Cheikh Tidiane Mbaye on Wednesday told the Senegalese press in Dakar that many of the formerly state-owned company's operations would change its branding to "Orange". He announced the "change of visual identity of all the activities within the sector of mobiles, Internet and broadcasting" where Sonatel is engaged in Mali and Senegal.

Mbaye said it was necessary to "unite into an international brand to strengthen its commercial potentials" and considered Orange being a brand of "international reference present in 166 countries with an ample fame." The Sonatel DG added that the decision had only been taken following a large number of debates (it was opposed by the company’s union) and almost 18 months of feasibility studies.

The Sonatel chief however also recognised that the current level of services offered by his company did not meet expectations of either its custumers or of Sonatel itself. But he assured that from today, with the rights to the brand Orange being granted by itsmajority shareholder France Télécom to Sonatel, "essential parts of our efforts will focus on an improvement of the quality of the networks."

The Senegal-based company during the last year has presented quarterly revenue reports around 75 billion franc CFA (euro 114 million). At this stage, therefore, Sonatel's objectives were to offer its clients "a new generation of services" based on convergences that already were technologically possible, including fixed lines, mobile networks, the Internet and broadcasting. But according to Mr Mbaye, "only one global telecom operator can offer all these perspectives of evolution to its clients."

Asked about the costs of this new move, the director did not want to go into details and limited himself to emphasise that shareholder France Télécom had supported the change of brand in several ways, including financially. He added that Sonatel was investing in this transformation to increase its revenues.

Being the dominant market leader in Senegal and holding around 75 percent of national subscribers, Sonatel hopes to be able to increase the customer basis even more by this change of branding. In Mali, Sonatel is the most important private player on the telecom market where it owns Ikatel. It challenges the state company Sotelma but claims to have 85% of the all-important mobile market. All Ikatel operations will change their name to Orange.

In Senegal, however, the mother company will not change its name and Sonatel "remains the brand of the company," Mr Mbaye underlined. No legal changes for employees or regional offices therefore would have to be implemented, he explained.

(SOURCE: afrol News / Le Quotidien)

NITEL’S WORKERS SHORT CHANGED ON PENSIONS AGREEMENT

A meeting between the federal government and telecommunication workers unions over the payment of a N46.7 billion severance package ended last weekin deadlock.

Report said the Minister of Communications, Engineer Obafemi Anibaba, walked out from the meeting after the union demanded the presence of Labour and Productivity Minister, Dr. Hassan Lawan, at the venue of the meeting.

  National secretary of the Staff Association of Utilities, Statutory Corporations and Management Companies (SSAUSCGOC), Comrade Emmanuel Ibah, Mtel branch, said the absence of the Labour Minister at yesterday's meeting is one of the reasons why the union refused to honour the meeting.

He said Dr. Lawan is the person appointed by the federal government to chair the presidential committee on NITEL/MTEL labour restructuring, but just of a sudden, he disappeared without any reason for his absence or representation in two consecutive meetings.

He said the union demanded to see the minister for two reasons. One, he chaired the meeting in July when both the union and government officials agreed on 5 years pension pay off and secondly, he is the right person assigned by the presidency to handle their cases.

The new resolution made available to Daily Trust titled "Summary of Benefits Payable," government agreed to pay 4 years pension payout to staff between 30-35 years, 3.5 years for 25-30 years, 20-25 to get 3 years, 15-20 to get 2.5years and 10-15 to get 2 years.

But the labour union rejected the new package saying that it is in contrast with earlier agreement reached by the negotiation committee set up by the federal government before the sale of the telecommunication giant.

The change of decision by the federal government, Daily Trust learnt that the amount to pay the 7,558 exiting staff of the telecoms company represents about 75 percent of the sum paid by the Transnational Corporation, the new owners of the companies.

 (SOURCE: Daily Trust)

ZDF BLASTS POTRAZ IN ZIMBABWE AND CLAIMS SINGLE GATEWAY ONLY WAY TO CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE

Just when you thought it could not get any worse, Zimbabwe always seems to go one step further. This week the armed forces came to Parliament to support the Government’s attempts to re-impose a single international gateway. Their argument? Surveillance would be impossible if there was more than one gateway and in the process they sought to bully the country’s regulator.

The  Zimbabwe Defence Forces has blasted the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) for issuing licences to three mobile telephone service providers on the basis of a wrong statute of the law.

As a result, this has inhibited the State from monitoring international calls made through the three telecommunication players, thereby compromising State security, said a ZDF senior official.

  ZDF director in charge of communications (signal) Colonel Livingstone Chineka said this while giving oral evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Communication on the Interception of Communication Bill.

Col Chineka said Telecel, Econet and NetOne got their licences in accordance with Section 34 of the Postal and Telecommunication Act which deals with fixed telephony instead of section 31 that deals with mobile service providers.

"Section 31 provides for licensing of mobile service providers and requires them to link their base stations with TelOne for their gateways or backbone in making international calls and this could have enabled the State to police conversations in the interest of State security," said Col Chineka.

"Section 34 provides for licensing of fixed telephony, like Internet and satellite, and it provides for the setting-up of their own base stations. In my view, this was deliberate by Potraz to cause confusion."

Col Chineka said section 31 also provides that mobile service providers buy and instal their own equipment before they surrender ownership to the State.

"Section 31 provides that these operators build, operate and transfer (BOT system) to the State the ownership of the equipment but Potraz has never followed up this," he said.

"The mobile service providers have their own international gateway system; and, from a security point of view, this is dangerous to the State because we need to monitor traffic coming in and outside but at the moment we cannot."

He said the Ministry of Transport and Communication should have a fully-fledged communication department with a think-tank handling communication matters and monitoring of telecommunication traffic.

Asked what remedy he thought should be implemented, Col Chineka said mobile service providers should be given a grace period to realign their equipment and link up with TelOne to allow the State to monitor traffic movement and in accordance with the relevant section of the legal statute.

"The remedy we have is that because we have excessive capacity on the international gateway, that is at Mazowe, we should give the service providers time, say a month, to link through TelOne, providing a single gateway and by doing this, we will be complying with the Act," he said.

Col Chineka said security laws that allowed the State to monitor traffic coming in and out of the country were not unique to Zimbabwe as even countries like the United States had such laws which, he said, were meant to protect citizens from people with malicious agendas.

Asked what he thought about the Interception of Communications Bill, Col Chineka said the security forces had not had sight of the Bill and indicated that it was critical that they were consulted so that their input was taken into account before such legislation was passed.

Chairperson of the committee Leo Mugabe asked ZDF to make representations within a week on the Bill and on other legislation that relate to State security.

(SOURCE: The Herald)

TELKOM SOUTH AFRICA TO INTERCONNECT WITH LOCAL VOIP PROVIDERS

  Telkom has come down from the hill. The telecommunication giant’s initial reluctance to interconnect with companies that provide cheaper calls over the Internet has come to an end.

The telecom operator has over the past few weeks reached agreements with several voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers and is testing how well their networks are interconnecting.

Reaching an interconnection deal with Telkom legitimises VoIP operators, as they are still struggling to convince some business people that they can deliver cheap calls of good quality.

“VoIP is still viewed with scepticism by corporate customers,” says DataPro CEO Douglas Reed. The deal with Telkom assures the quality of the call as there is no delay in hearing what the parties are saying. Other details have also been ironed out: calls terminated on a VoIP provider’s network have to be allowed on to Telkom’s network and there is a clear understanding of how to bill the call.

“It has taken us quite a while to get to this point,” says Jaco Voigt, MD of Voxtelecom, the specialist voice division of DataPro.  In the next few weeks, the parties will test how well their networks connect with each other.

Voigt is pleased with the technical co operation he is getting from Telkom, but he’s not happy with the interconnection fee. This is understood to be 28c/minute, but few VoIP providers want to speak about the specifics of the rate because of the confidential nature of the agreements they have signed with Telkom.

Telkom declined to be drawn on whether the rate it is charging is fair. “Interconnection agreements between Telkom and VoIP operators are bound by confidentiality clauses which cannot be publicly shared,” says Lulu Letlape, the company’s corporate communication executive.

“It’s not at a level where we believe it should be,” Voigt says. He is not alone in his criticism. “It’s three times more than it should be,” says Greg Hatfield, GM for voice solutions at Dimension Data subsidiary Internet Solutions He says the fee “can’t be justified” on any basis and that Internet Solutions is looking at how it can reduce the rate.

He can expect some assistance from the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa), the sector’s regulator. It held a hearing into interconnection earlier this year and is considering ways to cut the cost.  “We will definitely be intervening on interconnection,” says Icasa councillor Tracy Cohen, who chaired the hearing.

She says Icasa is unlikely to stop working on this until the rate is “in line with the real costs of providing interconnection”.

The recently promulgated Electronic Communications Act gives Icasa the power to intervene where it finds any abuse of market dominance. The regulator is laying a strong base for this kind of intervention. It is compiling an economic analysis that splits the telecom sector into specific markets and names the dominant players in these markets. Icasa will be publishing various documents by January, at the latest, says Cohen. Icasa will also be publishing revised interconnection regulations in the first quarter of next year.

  (SOURCE: MyADSL)

 IN BRIEF:

- Vivendi’s 51%-owned Moroccan subsidiary Maroc Télécom has revealed it is launching a new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in France, called Mobisud, on 1 December 2006, aiming the service at people of North African origin who regularly make calls to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Other shareholders in Mobisud include Saham (18%) and French network operator SFR (16%), whose GSM infrastructure it will use.

- Egyptian Telephone Company (ETC) has bought a 70 percent stake in Kenya's telephony gadgets assembling firm, Gilgil Telecommunications Industries, in a US$24 million deal, officials confirmed.

- It appears  that the controversy surrounding the aftermath of the Malawi Telecommunications Limited’s (MTL) privatisation refuses to die. MTL employees are angry over what they have described as the company’s delaying tactics to give them their pension money and are demanding urgent payment. Representatives of the company’s workers made the demands on Tuesday during a meeting with MTL management in Blantyre. The incumbent has 2,400 employees.

TELECOMS, RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE

- Nigerian CDMA2000 1x fixed wireless access (FWA) operator Starcomms, which claims over 400,000 subscribers nationwide, has launched services in the city of Ibadan.

- The recent release of prepaid lines by Econet (twice) and NetOne in Zimbabwe has increased network congestion. While it used to take less than a minute to get through, it now takes anything between an hour, a day to a week for one to successfully complete a call due to the congestion.

DRC SIGNS NEPAD EASSY PROTOCOL, ZAMBIA TO FOLLOW

An African broadband protocol would help the continent bridge the digital divide, the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) ambassador to South Africa said ahead of it signing on behalf of his country.

"This is quite a major initiative because it will help us move forward in terms of narrowing the digital divide, because Africa is still lagging behind in terms of communication," Bene M'Poko told reporters ahead of signing the New Economic Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Information and Communication Technology protocol Wednesday. Mr Bene M'Poko said it is high time African countries caught-up with the rest of the world in terms of improved ICT.

The signing of the protocol by affected countries will provide for speedy implementation of the project which involves the construction of a 9900 km long Eastern African Sub-Marine System (EASSy) cable from Mtunzini in South Africa to Sudan.

Wednesday's signing by the DRC made the newly democratic country the 11th of a total of 23 Eastern and Southern African countries that participate in the project.

This network would then have all participatory countries linked up among them before being linked to the rest of the world, thereby integrating Africa's communication by harmonizing ICT infrastructure initiatives.

It is expected that, once in operation, the initiative will see communication costs in the continent decreasing.

The inaugural signing of the protocol was held in Kigali, Rwanda in August, where seven countries including South Africa signed.

These were followed by Botswana and Zimbabwe who signed last month in Cape Town and Mauritius which signed last week Monday.

According to Dr Henry Chaisa, the Executive Deputy Chairperson for the e-Africa Commission - a body established to manage the structured development of the ICT sector in Africa in the context of Nepad - Zambia was to sign the protocol on Thursday in Lusaka.

Countries that are yet to sign are Angola, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, Sudan and Swaziland. Dr Chaisa said the process of implementing the protocol would not wait for all the remaining countries to sign before it could be rolled-out. "We are going to make a start as soon as we have a critical mass [majority of signatory countries," he said.

"We don't have to wait until all the 23 [countries] have signed, we will start as soon as the one(s) that have to sign tomorrow [Thursday] have signed." He added that all the countries that had already signed had the "necessary economic muscle to be able to sustain this kind of a project."

(SOURCE: BuaNews)

SA VANS LICENSE DELAYS ADVERSELY AFFECT 2010 INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS

  The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has informed the Internet Service Providers’ Association of SA (ISPA) that VANS (Value-Added Network Services) licence applications submitted to the Regulator from 19 July 2006 may not be processed for up to 24 months.

  “The delay means that South African VANS providers planning to invest in infrastructure to help make the 2010 Soccer World Cup a success, will only be able to start implementing their plans 18 months before the event kicks off,” said Ant Brooks, general manager of ISPA.

Already suffering from an unfortunate lack of resources and funding, the Regulator of an industry key to South Africa’s Soccer World Cup plans has attributed this specific delay to delays in finalising some regulatory provisions relating to the new Electronic Communications Act (EC Act), and to an unwillingness to create confusion between licences issued under the old Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the EC Act.

While the move to the new Electronic Communications Act has been lauded by industry, there is no tie-over regulatory process that can keep the cogs of commerce turning in the meantime. “VANS service providers with pending VANS licence applications will be unable to enter into interconnection and facilities leasing agreements with Telkom until they are issued licences,” said Mr Brooks.

Telkom ultimately provides a right of passage to legitimate interconnection and facilities leasing services. Without an agreement with Telkom, service providers cannot offer the benefits of premium and reliable electronic communication services to their customers.

They will also not be able to apply for numbers from ICASA, which will further prevent them from offering VoIP services.

The EC Act seems clear as to the preservation of existing regulations, such as VANS regulations, passed under the former Telecommunications Act. Section 95 (2) of the EC Act holds that ICASA may repeal or amend specific regulations and that these remain in force until they are amended or repealed in terms of the new Act.

“To the best of our knowledge, the regulations relevant to VANS licence applications and the terms and conditions applicable to VANS licences have not been repealed or amended and accordingly, remain in full force and effect,” said Mr Brooks.

ICASA’s current hold on processing VANS licences arises from the confusion caused by section 92 (7) of the EC Act. The clause states that licence application submissions that coincide with the EC Act coming into effect must be considered in accordance with the new Act. ISPA has called on ICASA to resolve this conflict in favour of the preservation of existing regulations set out in section 95 (2) of the EC Act.

Mr Brooks said, “ISPA is concerned that new licence categories and procedures determined by the EC Act may take up to 18 to 24 months to be finalised. If the current hold on processing licence applications continues, no new licences will be issued to potential industry players for this entire period.”

ISPA has noted the same difficulties with regard to applications for Private Telecommunication Network (PTN) licences. ISPA has appealed to ICASA to consider that industry received no prior warning that the EC Act would come into effect on 19 July 2006 and that it would subsequently put an indefinite hold on the issuing of VANS licences.

(SOURCE: ISPA)

VODACOM GOES WIRELESS G

Vodacom Ventures, a subsidiary of the Vodacom Group, has signed a deal with G-Mobile Holdings - the holding company of WirelessG, a local provider of global broadband Internet access. This is the second wireless acquisition by the mobile provider, its first being its recent purchase of a stake in iBurst.

This deal, which will effectively gives Vodacom a 26% stake in G-Mobile Holdings, is structured into two separate transactions – 10% of which is effective immediately and the remaining 16% to follow shortly.

WirelessG develops and deploys technologies and business models which facilitate fixed mobile convergence solutions. With its skills in the broadband wireless technology arena and capabilities to drive these services through an integrated wholesale model, WirelessG aims to offer integrated WiFi broadband services that are bundled with other connectivity services.

Vodacom sees WiFi as an ideal complement to its 3G HSDPA mobile broadband services as it aims to provide an alternative means of connectivity. The seamless access to different network services offered through WirelessG is intended to enable greater flexibility for Vodacom customers and maintain high levels of service performance. 

 (SOURCE: ICT World)

NEW TOOL AIMS TO BYPASS INTERNET CENSORSHIP

A new tool aimed at circumventing Internet filters used by some governments was released Friday, offering hopes for freer access to information for activists, journalists and others.

  The "psiphon" software, developed at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, offers more potential for bypassing government censors than most other tools because it allows simple access and leaves no traces on the computers of people who use it, developers say.

Psiphon, released through the Open Net Initiative, a project of four universities in the United States, Canada and Britain, "operates on private social networks of trust," said Ronald Deibert, director of Citizen Lab.

Deibert said psiphon functions like a "virtual private network" used by many companies and organizations to securely transmit data, but without the cumbersome installation of VPNs.

"We've designed it to be very easy to use," Deibert said, noting that other software aimed at maintaining anonymity on the Internet can be complex to use.

"The user does not have to install anything. They connect to the software with a unique user name and password and website address."

Because the system relies on a connection through a proxy computer outside the country, "there is nothing authorities can block," Deibert said.

With psiphon, a user in a country such as China, which limits the information that can be seen on the Internet, connects to a proxy in another country that allows them to bypass restrictions. Even if authorities located someone using the bypass tool, they would only be able to shut down a single "node" or contact and this would not affect others.

And because the data is encrypted over the connection, he said authorities can only see there is a connection to another computer. To read the data, censors "would have to have sophisticated code-cracking technologies at their disposal, and it would take a long time."

The psiphon software itself is downloaded to a computer outside the repressive country, making it an access point. As a result, its benefits may be limited to people who have contacts outside their country.

Deibert said the small networks using this would likely include expatriate communities of Chinese, Iranians or others in the West. But it could also include journalists traveling to certain countries or people involved in non-governmental activist organizations.

Julien Pain of the human rights group Reporters Without Borders said psiphon is "a very good tool" for those seeking to bypass censorship in hardline regimes.

But Pain said psiphon might be limited to wealthier people who have family or friends outside the country.

"The everyday Internet user in China probably won't know anyone in the West," he said. "It's very innovative but no software can solve the censorship problem." Activists say Internet blocking has spread from a handful of countries like China and        Iran to as many as 40 governments, including in Africa. "Online censorship is spreading," Pain said.

Deibert said he expects thousands of people to begin using psiphon in countries such as China, where activists have been jailed for Internet activities, but also dozens of others which have some limits on the Web.

"Over the last five years, the Internet has been carved up, colonized and militarized and is losing the properties we associate as being an open forum of free expression," he said. "We are trying to restore the original promise."

(SOURCE: AFP)

JUDGE BANS ONLINE GAMBLING IN GAUTENG PROVINCE

Pretoria High Court judge Willie Hartzenberg this week granted the Gauteng Gambling Board a declaratory order, banning online gambling – other than bookmaking – in the province. But the position elsewhere is less clear, says ICT lawyer Lance Michalson.

“The judgment does not go so far as to say online gambling in the whole of SA is illegal. It only says online gambling in Gauteng is illegal unless the casino obtains a licence from the Gauteng Gambling Board,” Michalson says.

“Remember that each of the nine provinces have their own Acts in terms of which each provincial licensing authority has exclusive jurisdiction within its province to issue provincial licences in respect of casinos, gambling, etc.

“Only the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Acts deal explicitly with the concept of online, interactive or Internet gambling. There is currently no certainty with regard to the applicability of the remaining Provincial Acts to Internet gambling. That uncertainty remains, as does the status of online gambling in the other provinces which don't have provincial legislation.”

The Gauteng Gambling Board afterwards hailed the court's decision as “groundbreaking”. In a statement, the board warned gamblers, banks and Internet providers who advertised or facilitated online gambling that they can be prosecuted for contravening gambling laws. Anyone found guilty can be fined up to R10 million or imprisoned for not more than 10 years – or both.

Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA) regulatory advisor Michael Silber says the Gauteng Gambling Board may have issued too wide a threat. He says there is no law that requires ISPs to block, or otherwise restrict access to online gambling.

“Similarly, to date there has been no court judgment requiring ISPs to do so,” he says. In fact, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act specifically states there is no general obligation on an ISP to monitor the data which it transmits or stores, or to actively seek facts or circumstances indicating an unlawful activity.

“As such and until a court judgement or law states otherwise, there will not be any significant effect on ISPs,” he says.

Regarding advertising, Silber says online casinos, international lotteries and other Internet gambling operators have to date advertised with impunity. But the National Gambling Act provides that "a person must not advertise or promote...any gambling activity...that is unlawful in terms of this Act or applicable provincial law".

Similarly, the Gauteng Gambling Act provides: "No person shall, by way of advertisement or with intent to advertise, publish or otherwise disseminate or distribute any information concerning gambling in the province in respect of which a licence in terms of this Act is not in force."

Silber says it is unclear if these sections only prohibit the advertiser placing advertising, or if it covers both the advertiser and the advertising media (radio, print television or Internet).

“ISPA's view is that this provision of the National and Gauteng Gambling Acts must be interpreted restrictively, so as only to apply to the person or entity placing the advertising,” Silber adds.

“Nevertheless, some more cautious media organisations may choose to decline advertising for online gambling in the media under their control. There are a few ISPs that host an information portal for their subscribers and they may choose to decline future advertising of this nature from such a portal. ISPs cannot force their customers to remove such advertising from the customer's Web site without a court order.”

(SOURCE: ITWeb)

IN BRIEF:

- National operator Mauritius Telecom has been given approval by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority to cut its wholesale ADSL tariffs by 26%, writes online news portal lexpress.mu. If the country’s ISPs pass on the full effect of the price reduction, customers will be able to receive a 128kbps connection (note: this is below TeleGeography’s minimum 256kbps in one direction definition of a broadband line) for MRO700 (USD2.68) per month, instead of MRO950. The new prices should be published later this week.

- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced Thursday that it was giving $17.5 million in grants to improve Internet access in public libraries in Botswana, Latvia, and Lithuania. The grants were intended to fund free information technology services and training in libraries and reading rooms, according to the Seattle-based foundation established by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates and his wife. The foundation expected to invest a total of $328 million in as many as 15 countries through its Global Libraries Initiative over seven years.

DAR ES SALAAM STOCK EXCHANGE SET FOR ELECTRONIC TRADING

The Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) will go electronic as soon as the installation of the Automated Trading System (ATS) is complete.

According to Jonathan Njau, the chief executive of the project, which started mid this month, the installation is expected to be completed in the next three weeks, after which trials and training of the staff will commence. "As we speak, the contractor is on site working," said Njau.

The work includes installation of the automated system and the central depository system solutions the $1.5 million contract for which has been won by Sri Lankan firm Millennium Information Technology (MIT). MIT is the same firm that supplied both the ATS and central depository system for the Nairobi Stock Exchange and it is in the process of installing a similar one on the Uganda Securities Exchange. Tenders for installation of the facility were floated late last year by the Capital Markets and Securities Authority, the regulator of the capital markets in Tanzania.

In the tender description, the trading system is to be integrated with the Market Watch application software. It will include its support database management, operating system software, and integrating it to the Central Depository System at the Dar Stock Exchange. The current Cobol-based central depository system will be upgraded to a Windows-based environment. The payment settlement system for securities transactions and the government securities system for uploading bond transactions will also be installed.

Currently, trading is conducted at the DSE floor under the continuous open outcry trading system. The representatives of licensed dealing members converge at the trading floor and trade by shouting their orders to the board writer, who records the order. Trading is commenced and ended by the ringing of a bell.

Until recently, the Nairobi Stock Exchange, the most advanced bourse in East Africa, had been operating under the same open outcry auction trading system. The Nairobi's Stock Exchange's automated trading system was launched last month by President Mwai Kibaki. However, its central depository systems have been in existence since November 2004.

Chris Mwebesa, the NSE chief executive said in a statement that with the implementation of ATS, trading hours have increased from two to three - providing for an extra five trading hours per week. He said the new system permits almost real time transfer of trading information relating to index movements and price and volume movements of traded securities.

With the new system, current information will become readily available to a wider constituency of stakeholders, facilitating the decision-making process and lowering the risk of participating in the markets. "As such, the Exchange sees a situation where it will soon have an opportunity to enhance its revenue streams through information vending to our stakeholders," said Mr Mwebesa.

(SOURCE: The East African)

MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES VISTA AVAILABLE FOR AFRICAN BUSINESS CUSTOMERS

 Reaffirming its commitment to markets across Africa as part of its global activities, Microsoft last announced the availability of Windows Vista, the 2007 Office System and Exchange 2007 for business customers across West, East and Central Africa (WECA) and the Indian Ocean Islands (IOI).

 Vista is the latest version of the company’s Windows operating system for desktop and notebook computers; the 2007 Office System is a complete set of desktop and server software solutions designed to help companies and people work with documents, and communicate and collaborate; and Exchange is the software that drives email, electronic calendars and other messaging tools.

The news marks the beginning of Microsoft’s most significant product launch to date, rivaled only by the joint release of Windows 95 and Office 95 more than a decade ago.

“The modern business environment in Africa demands that people have immediate access to information in a secure and efficient way. These same people are looking for technology to be easy to use, agile and scalable,” said Thomas Hansen, regional general manager for Microsoft in WECA and IOI.

“With the release of Windows Vista, the 2007 Office System and Exchange 2007, we believe we’re meeting and exceeding demands. We’re raising the bar on collaboration, security and integration and giving modern business users the tools they need to work in new ways … and to make existing work processes better.”

Organisations across the region that have a ‘volume license’ agreement with Microsoft – that is, a structured purchasing programme for the company’s software – will have access to the new products from 30 November. Consumers and all other organisations can buy the products from early February next year when they are formally launched to the mass-market worldwide.

Questions have been raised about the technology’s relevance in the region. When asked why customers should consider upgrading when the current versions of Windows and Office work well, Hansen said they offered the kind of innovation that evolving African businesses needed.

“Vista gives users a more intuitive interface, placing functionality where they would logically expect it to be and allowing them to navigate between features quickly. It also allows them to get to information faster, through a desktop-wide search feature and custom tools which reside in the new ‘sidebar’,” said Hansen.

“Office 2007’s new ‘ribbon interface’ predicts what users would like to do and presents them with the relevant options – as it is contextual it changes depending on the application and task at hand.

“Exchange 2007 brings new forms of communication into the mix, extending e-mail and calendaring into the realm of unified messaging – whereby voice, fax messages and all forms of electronic communication are placed right at users’ fingertips.”

Microsoft believes these iterations are the most stable and secure combination of solutions it has ever released. The company expects the new products to increase productivity, be easier to manage and to help reduce costs – and, of course, to provide users with an experience that is enjoyable.

KENYA WILL GET ELECTRONIC TAX RETURNS BY 2008

Next year could see the last gatherings of crowds as Kenya Revenue Authority employees gather their annual paper mountains.Taxpayers will be able to file their returns electronically by June 2008, Commissioner General, Michael Waweru has said. He said the authority has speeded up plans to go digital and would ensure the infrastructure needed was up and running within the next 18 months. "Once operational, businesses and individuals who already have computer systems in place will be able to submit their tax returns via the Internet and call up their tax file online whenever they want," he said.

Waweru said KRA would then expect a marked reduction in the long queues that form at its offices in June each year as people rush to file their annual tax returns. Also expected to fall substantially are queues seen in KRA halls on the 20th of every month as companies file their Value Added Tax (VAT) returns.

Waweru was speaking after opening a workshop in Nairobi on taxpayer's services and ruling regimes. The event is organised jointly by KRA and the International Monetary Fund's East African Technical Assistance Centre (IMF East AFRITAC). All the IMF East Afritac countries - Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Malawi and Eritrea - are attending the one-week workshop. Also present at the function was the IMF Afritac co-ordinator, Mr Justin Zake.

Waweru said KRA was also in discussion with ministry of Education to introduce lessons on taxation in the school curriculum as part of the tax reforms it started in 2003.

Since the reforms started the authority has reported improved revenue collections and companies are competing to win awards as leading taxpayers and advertise the same in the local media. For example, Government revenue in the first two months of the fiscal year 2006/07 amounted to Sh47.9 billion against a target of Sh58.2 billion, but way above the Sh39 billion realised in a similar period last year. This represented a revenue growth of Sh8.9 billion or 22.7 per cent, according last month's Central Bank of Kenya Monthly Economic Review.

(SOURCE: The East African Standard)

ANGOLA’S INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES STEERING PLAN COMES INTO EFFECT

The Cabinet Council's decree that approves the Government's Steering Plan on Information Technologies (ITs)aimed at the equipping of the organisms with technological means, improvement of the quality of services and modernization of the public administration, was recently published in the first series of the State Gazette.

Based on the document, which Angop had got access on Monday, in Luanda, the Government's paper considers that the information Technologies are key tools for the sustainable development of Angola, taking into account the deep transformational impact on the country's socio-economic sector.

The Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are on the basis of the globalisation process, being part of the strategic plan for the application of the Information and Communication Technologies in the development of Angola, as basis of the country's policies and a boost for the strategic planning process, reads the document.

(SOURCE: Angola Press Agency)

THE PROMISE AND PROBLEMS OF TELEMEDICINE

As the 11th annual conference of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth drew to a close Wednesday in Cape Town, South Africa, the ability of Africa to adopt and sustain telemedicine to improve delivery of health care in under-serviced rural areas came under discussion.

eHealth enables rural health clinics with no in-house specialist care to obtain expert consultation and diagnosis through various information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as video-conferencing, or the e-mailing of digital images of patients to specialists in urban referral hospitals.

However, telemedicine projects already operational in sub-Saharan Africa show that the region presents several challenges concerning the demands of eHealth technology.

ICTs central to telemedicine tend to be taken for granted in developed countries, but are often lacking in sub-Saharan Africa. Catharine Omaswa of the Ugandan National eHealth Committee noted, for instance, that her country might only have a modern ICT infrastructure by 2025.

A lack of computer skills on the part of health care personnel and limited understanding of the role of ICTs were also cited as pitfalls. All of this leads to a sobering question, said Maurice Mars of the Department of TeleHealth at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the South African coastal city of Durban: "Are the First World standards of telemedicine going to allow telemedicine to flourish in Africa?"

He also cautioned that telemedicine might not be Africa's answer to health problems because "we may be transferring the problem (of diagnosis and care) from one overburdened doctor to another overburdened doctor" -- this in reference to the shortage of medics across the continent.

Better news, however, emerged concerning Rwanda's telemedicine programme led by the only eHealth specialist in that country, Richard Gakuba. Since the implementation of the programme's pilot projects in 2003, "We have seen better expertise in eHealth service delivery and we have a task force firmly in place," he noted.

The programme is not without problems. But, Gakuba said success had come as a result of the government's strong commitment to the project, evident in the ICT systems installed in some hospitals.

Added Irma Velasquez of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) eHealth for Health Care Delivery Programme, "Telemedicine is impossible without the support of government."

Joanna Fursse of the Brunel Research Group for Health Technologies at Brunel University in the United Kingdom noted further that the sustainability of telemedicine had to be given thorough consideration before projects were started: "Consideration of sustainability factors during the planning stage can reduce the delay of a project."

Every initiative, she said, also needed someone to champion it -- a proponent of eHealth who could spread enthusiasm for telemedicine in the community, and amongst patients and care givers.

Successful implementation of eHealth policies would provide a boost to a continent that currently shoulders a substantial disease burden. Estimates from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the WHO show that two thirds of the approximately 40.3 million people in the world infected with the HI-virus live in sub-Saharan Africa.

The WHO further notes that malaria kills over a million people every year, 90 percent of them in sub-Saharan Africa.

(SOURCE: Inter Press Service)

IS INNOVATION HUB THE WAY FORWARD FOR BOTSWANA?

Speaking at a conference on the Botswana Innovation Hub in Gaborone, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning,  Baledzi Gaolathe, said the policy was central to the governments macroeconomic management, fiscal, monetary and exchange policies and more especially it has resonated in the more focused sectoral policies.

Despite the modest progress achieved in our drive to diversify the economy in the manufacturing, services and agricultural sectors, we continue to witness the dominance of the diamond sector as the major contributor to the GDP, export earnings and government revenues, he said.

Therefore, the nation continued to be vulnerable to fluctuation in the mining sector and said it had accentuated the need to come up with alternate strategies to make the economy more diversified and competitive.

Gaolathe said the concept of innovation hubs and a knowledge society was introduced into National Development Plan 9 in 2002. It was then referred to as a science and technology park.

Gaolathe said he was concerned about the levels of unemployment, especially among the youth, saying it was crucial that the country promote economic activities that lead to diversification and improved levels of employment.

The project we are considering here today, the proposal for an innovation hub, has the potential to contribute in addressing this important national issue, he said.

He said the consultants from Technopolis Finland were tasked to explore the feasibility of developing the Botswana Innovation Hub, and to develop a viable business plan that would stimulate joint participation by both the public and the private sector in the development of the hub.

The envisaged hub is viewed as place for the emergence processing, commercialisation and transfer of knowledge, he said.

The business plan would be judged by its ability to address its potential for attracting Foreign Direct Investment in high technology businesses such as Information and Communications Technologies, biotechnology and other internationally tradable goods and services.  It would also be judged by its ability to stimulate and support the start-up of innovative, high growth, technology based businesses with a focus on exports.

Gaolathe said the business plant would also be judged on its ability to accelerate growth of new and existing businesses by creating an environment of innovation, and helping businesses to commercialise their products, processes and services.

The business plan should also attract research and development activities of leading multinational corporations to set-up in Botswana as a choice investment destination.

Minister Gaolathe said another critical factor that needed to be addressed as the nation explored additional economic engines of growth was that a precondition for an enabling environment, especially for technology-based sectors, was a pool of adequately trained professionals.

He said the large budget allocated to education had resulted in a high quality education system that had produced school leavers who had fared well in tertiary education institutions all over the world.

We therefore have manpower with basic education on which we can leverage this investment to transform our economy into high technology manufacturing and service orientation, he said.

Gaolathe said the proposed innovation hub had the potential to be one of the vehicles to take the country forward considering the many information communication technology developments in schools, coupled with the new University for Science and Technology geared towards providing highly skilled human resource.

However, he said, we must realise that there will be a lead time for such a scenario to come to fruition, and as a result we will have to rely on foreign skills during the start-up phase.

The minister said already a number of information communication technology companies had approached the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) with interest to participate in the hub.

He said the government was to provide a venue with state-of-the-art telecommunications facilities and other incentives to make it easier for such companies to set up in Botswana.

Possible activities in the Hub included software development, high-tech manufacturing and other services such as call centres.

The hub business plan proposes to establish it as a public private partnership initiative with a company being set up in which initially government will be an investor with a substantial private sector participation.

(SOURCE: Botswana Press Agency )

IN BRIEF:

- A new satellite-based information system will allow poorer nations to gain cheap access to crop, health and climate data, enabling them to better prepare for natural disasters.Starting next year, the GEONETCast system will give countries access to data gathered by satellites and weather stations run largely by the world's richer nations. To receive the data, users must buy a receiver and a US$1,500 licence fee.

- Computer Based Systems (CBS) Ghana Limited, a local business integrator and solution provider, has joined forces with South Africa's based AccTech Systems. With this alliance, CBS Ghana now joins seven other African countries in the AccTech Alliance, which include Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

NAMIBIA BANK EXTENDS FINANCIAL GUARANTEE TO POWERCOM

The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has announced four new projects it is financing, to a total value N$36.75 million, with N$30.5 million of that amount going to new mobile phone operating company PowerCom.

The remaining N$6.25 million is to be divided between Edu-Loan Namibia (N$4.75 million), Enviro-Fill Namibia (N$1 million) and Wendjizuva Pharmacy (N$500 000).

Announcing the new loans DBN Chief Executive Officer, David Nuyoma, said the projects the DBN is funding are very diverse, but share features that makes the bank proud to be associated with them.

At a media briefing yesterday, he said DBN extended a six-month guarantee facility of N$30.5 million to enable PowerCom's bankers to provide letters of credit for the shipment of equipment.

Nuyoma said DBN is excited about the PowerCom project because, apart from creating 75 direct jobs, the mobile industry generates substantial economic benefits in terms of its contribution to GDP.

The mobile phone industry, he added, also generates employment and government revenue through payment of various taxes and increased competition in the telecommunications sector.

PowerCom was only recently granted a 15-year license to operate a mobile phone service in Namibia, which requires it to build a nation-wide network providing coverage to 95 percent of the populated areas of the country within a five-year period.

Managing Director of PowerCom, Mac Allman, said he was very excited about the company's collaboration with DBN, as the bank would become the first new source of funding for the company after the original shareholder capital.

Despite the shock-news that Telecom Namibia is surreptitiously entering the mobile phone market with its new Switch service, an upbeat Allman said he "absolutely still believes in the Namibian market".

He pointed out that original projections for the mobile phone market in South Africa were 25 per cent market penetration, but today market penetration for mobile telephony in South Africa stands at 75 percent.

Allman could not see why the same market penetration could not be achieved in Namibia, with PowerCom capturing a significant amount of the new market.

For the first time however, the PowerCom MD conceded that the company will not be able to roll out its new service as early as it planned.

He disclosed that the original planned launch of the service in early December would now be delayed until the actual start of the Christmas holiday period.

"It became clear to us that we need to make sure we are going to be able to have absolutely top quality service. We are not going to launch the system until I am sure the system is rock solid," he vowed.

(SOURCE: New Era)

AFRICA CELLULAR'S SHARES INCREASE 40 PERCENT ON ALTX DEBUT

Shares in Africa Cellular Towers, a manufacturer of steel communication towers, gained as much as 40% in their debut on AltX last week. The stock, which was privately sold for R1 a share began trading at R1,40, giving the company a market value of R322m.

By close of trade, the shares settled at R1,20 after 2798343 shares changed hands in 181 deals. The private placement of the shares before listing was about 10 times oversubscribed. A total of 105,8-million shares were offered, raising a total of R105,8m before expenses.

"We have great expectations for the company as a leading supplier of telecommunications solutions in Africa and other emerging markets. We definitely intend to acquire businesses which will form part of our supply chain to ensure we maintain these attractive margins," said CEO Chris Kruger.

The company's turnover for the year to February was R129,4m. This was expected to increase 21,5% to R157m at the end of next February. Turnkey solutions make up 60% of revenue and the balance is made up of components.

Mainly eyeing the growing global cellphone market, the company aims to expand into emerging markets and capture a larger share of telecommunications infrastructure business, especially in the Middle East and India.

Its main business includes the manufacturing and fabrication of steel communication towers, portal factories, solar structures and general steel engineering. It has also undertaken pioneering work in the construction of cellular towers in Africa. With operations in 24 African countries, it has undertaken more than 900 projects, which include about 3000 towers in rural and remote areas in Africa.

It also manages telecommunications network projects including global systems for mobile telecommunications, such as wireless local loop, fixed wireless and very small aperture terminal technology.

With offices in Johannesburg, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon and Sudan, the company has had its own manufacturing facility since 2004, with a capacity to produce 1200 tons of steel a month.

 (SOURCE: Business Day)

TELKOM STUNG BY COURT'S R1.5BN TELCORDIA RULING

Fixed-line operator Telkom was dealt a R1,5bn blow when the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) yesterday ruled against it in a long-running dispute with US computer software company Telcordia Technologies. The court's ruling ends a six-year dispute that led to Telcordia pulling out of SA.

Telkom will have to cough up up to R1,5bn at a time when its costs are rising to the extent that brokerage Merrill Lynch warned yesterday that it was "concerned" about Telkom's profit margins after expenses raced ahead of expectations. Partly as a response to concerns over rising expenses, Telkom's share price fell 3,3% yesterday on the JSE.

The Telcordia dispute began in 2000 when Telkom terminated its agreement with the company for the delivery of a "fully integrated end-to-end customer activation and assurance system". Telkom refused to pay certain money that Telcordia contended was due to it in terms of the agreement.

What makes the case even more damaging for Telkom is that it has not set aside anything as a contingent liability. Telkom CEO Papi Molotsane told Business Day last week that it had not set aside any money as it was "confident it would win" the case. Molotsane said that "if the case does go against us, then we would have to determine the amount, but we haven't provided for it".

Now that the merits of the case have been decided against Telkom, the company must go to arbitration with Telcordia to determine the amount of the payment.

Telcordia's attorneys said the company was claiming $200m-$220m. They expected the arbitration hearings to be decided "early next year". If Telcordia gets the highest amount of $220m (about R1,5bn), this would be more than 16% of Telkom's net profit for its past financial year. Telcordia's lawyer, Greg Nott, said "that in South African legal history, this would be one of the largest civil claims yet, running into the billions of rands".

In a long-winded legal process, Tecordia first got an arbitration in its favour, but Telkom appealed against this in the Pretoria High Court. The high court overturned the arbitrators' decision. Telcordia then approached the SCA.

The SCA said the high court, in setting aside the award by arbitrator Anthony Boswood, disregarded the principle of party autonomy in arbitration proceedings and failed to give due deference to an arbitral award, something the country's courts had done consistently since the early part of the 19th century.

Appeal Court Judge Louis Harms said Telcordia and Telkom had bound themselves to arbitration in terms of the Arbitration Act of 1965.

Harms said it was a fallacy to label a wrong interpretation of a contract a wrong perception or application of South African law, or an incorrect reliance on inadmissible evidence by the arbitrator as a transgression of the limits of his power

Telkom said last week it was studying the judgment and evaluating its options regarding the protection of its rights.

Anton Klopper, Telkom's group executive for legal services, said the arbitrator had made an interim award, which addressed only certain aspects of the case, which had been effectively upheld by the SCA judgment. "The remainder of the matter will be dealt with at the arbitration proceedings." Klopper said Telkom's legal team was considering other avenues.

(SOURCE: Business Day)

IN BRIEF:

- The European Union, Delegation of the European Commission in Ethiopia said on Tuesday that the Commission has signed a two million Euro agreement with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to strengthen the food security information systems in Ethiopia.

- Celtel Uganda has sold shares to permanent employees following the board’s decision to incorporate employees into the ownership of the firm. Only employees who have worked for the firm for a year and above, benefited.

- The Ohlthaver and List Group of Companies (O&L) has sold a controlling stake in its Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Holding to South Africa's Dimension Data. Its name has now changed to Dimension Data Namibia. O&L established ICT in 1999 as an in-house department to provide information technology services to the group.

BROTHERS LAUNCH TEXT MESSAGE CONTENDER IN SOUTH AFRICA

Brothers Sean and Donovan Bergsma, 20-somethings and owners of the R60m-a-year ComIT Technologies and Elite Mobile companies, have been catapulted into the mobile technology industry with the launch of their iTxt instant messaging service.

Sean is CEO of Durban-based ComIT Technologies and Elite Mobile, while Donovan is operations director. They employ more than 100 people and Elite Mobile is the biggest national dealer of Vodacom-specific direct sales products.

Instant messaging for cellphones in SA is dominated by the first entrant into the market, Stellenbosch-based MXit, which claims 1,87-million users.

Sean hopes iTxt will gain about 100000 users by February next year, using their Vodacom subscribers as a base from which to launch it. The instant messaging cellphone market was still in its infancy and nobody knew yet how big it would get, he said.

He said iTxt was the first instant messaging service with a desktop messaging offering, and offered a variety of ringtones, wallpapers, games and music downloads. It had protection features that blocked undesirable content that had plagued other mobile chat providers in recent months.

Sean started ComIT in April 2001 after graduating with a commerce and information systems degree at the age of 21.

"I've always been interested in business and high-volume consumer markets but I knew ultimately I wanted to be responsible for my own success and in control of my own decisions," he said.

The company initially provided telephone management systems to small businesses.

"Don worked part-time for R10 an hour loading airtime on payphone units when ComIT started working in the payphone sector in 2002," said Sean.

Elite Mobile was established after the Bergsma brothers took advantage of the opportunity to sell airtime and contracts for Vodacom through the ComIT network.

Sean said they were working hard to implement high-end security for users accessing services such as iTxt.

"Mobile technology is no longer just about communicating, it's about networking in an environment tailored to the user's requirements."

(SOURCE: Business Day)

NEW WEBSITE AFRICANHERITAGETRAVEL.COM PROVIDES FREE INFORMATION FOR TRAVELERS TO AFRICA

The new website AfricanHeritageTravel.com (www.africanheritagetravel.com) is the essential travel toolbox for travelers to Africa and the world. It is essentially a portal for world travel with hyper-links to travel information critical for the world traveler.

 From AfricanHeritageTravel.com the traveler can find detailed information about any country in the world, identify the locations of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, find travel warnings for every country in the world, find information about visa and entry requirements for every country in the world, find embassy and consulate information for every country in the world as well as custom African tours and domestic and international travel. Additionally the website gives you credible information on how to enter the travel industry.

AfricanHeritageTravel.com (www.africanheritagetravel.com) is the travel website for the novice and the experienced traveler because it puts valuable information at you fingertips for your journeys to Africa and the world.

(SOURCE: PRWeb)

CABO VERDE TELECOM TO ROLL OUT IPTV

Cabo Verde Telecom has signed a contract with Siemens Networks for the supply of an IPTV solution for TV via DSL broadband. Cabo Verde, the fixed and mobile services operator in CapeVerde  has plan to release this new service commercially in September 2006.

Cabo Verde Telecom has selected Siemens Networks to provide the IPTV (television via DSL broadband) solution, as well as all the transport (SDH) and access (ADSL2+) infrastructure for the installation of this new service via IP-based broadband in Cape Verde. The operator is expected to provide triple play services (television, phone and Internet) by the end of 2006.

António Pires Correia, CEO of Cabo Verde Telecom, said: “With this project we plan to reach 6,000 customers initially and our main goal is to cover the entire country within two years. “

With this solution the viewer will have the power to decide what to watch and when. Each television set can be customized through services like video on demand, personal video recorder and TV of yesterday. These are only a few of the services that are already available. In another step the operator will be able to profile its customers offering innovative services adjusted to the preferences and needs of its customers.

 NTV, KBC LINK TO 'THE DISH'

Multichoice of South Africa has linked up with two of Kenya's television stations which will now be available on DSTv. Private station NTV, operated by the Nation Media Group, and public broadcaster Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), were uplinked last week at a cost of $400,000.

Kenya becomes the latest country in Africa to join the DSTv channel after South Africa, Namibia, Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda.

  The link will enable subscribers in remote areas where television is not available to receive the two channels.

Multichoice business development manager Harry Pratt said in Limuru, where he switched on the link, that among the main beneficiaries of the partnership between the three broadcasters will be communities for whom the station is planning to set up centres where people can watch television.

The gesture, he said is part of the firm's corporate social responsibility. It is also an important step within the Millennium Development Goals of creating an informed society.

Multichoice has established resource centres in 20 schools across the country, where DSTv equipment and seven educational channels have been installed.

To hook up to DStv, Multichoice is offering a fully installed single-view unit at Ksh20,000 ($270). The equipment includes a properly installed decoder, smartcard and satellite dish to receive the signal.

Existing DStv subscribers will get the two local channels free in addition to their DStv subscription packages. Non-subscribers will have to purchase the DStv equipment and then pay a $25 annual access fee.

Other choices include the "premium bouquet," with access to comprehensive DSTv channels and programmes at a cost of Ksh5,000 ($67) per month and a limited choice of some 20 channels and programmes at Ksh2,000 ($33.5) per month.

The project heralds what could be the future of broadcasting as providers inch towards the general enhancement of telecasting through more efficient and guaranteed delivery of channels in digital quality. NTV is available on DSTv channel 111 while KBC is on 110.

The $400,000 has been invested to build a satellite uplink facility in Nairobi in order for the channels to be uplinked onto the Eutelsat W4 satellite that beams the DStv service to Kenya and also in additional satellite capacity in order to carry the channels on the satellite. The uplink facility is hosted by KBC at the Limuru site and is open to other channels that may wish to join the project, said Mr Pratt.

Due to restrictions on broadcasting rights, the uplinked local stations are only available in Kenya.

(SOURCE: The East African)

JUMP TV LAUNCHED IN UGANDA

Dubai based Internet Protocol Television, JumpTV, has established its Africa offices in Uganda.Jump TV, which delivers programmes to households through broadband connection, will enable Ugandans living in the Diaspora subscribe to both local TV and FM radio stations of their choice.

"This is part of our effort in reaching out to institutions and to share with them our vision and mission," said Douglas Ames, the General Manager for Africa and the Caribbean at the launch of the TV. Establishing a regional office will enable Ugandans communicate and participate in the development of their country.

Jump TV currently has over 200 channels from 65 countries including in Africa Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) and WBS, StarTV in Tanzania, Rwanda TV, KBC channel 1 and Family TV, and Ethiopia TV among others.

Subscribers pay $9.95 (Shs17, 950) per programme but affiliated stations deliver services at no cost. Subscribers who want to watch up to seven programmes pay $14.95 (Shs26, 910). Subscribers view channels on JumpTV via Internet.

(SOURCE: The Monitor)

GOVERNMENT RECEIVES REPORT ON SWITCH TO DIGITAL BROADCASTING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri received a report Wednesday with recommendations on how government could best manage the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.

The Digital Migration Working Group delivered the 350 page report, which now has to be considered by the communications department's management, before it can be tabled in Cabinet.

The plan to migrate the country's broadcasting system from analogue to digital will enable broadcasters to have better capacity to improve and diversify their services.

Other benefits include a large number of television channels that could be licensed, better video and sound quality and the transmission of an increased amount of data.

Dr Matsepe-Casaburri announced the establishment of the working group, which comprises government, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry players and civil society representatives, in her 2005/2006 budget speech.

Upon receiving the report, Dr Matsepe-Casaburri said government remained positive that the digitisation of broadcasting systems would contribute to the national goals of increasing the economy's competitiveness while broadening people's participation.

She explained that through technical transformation, digital broadcasting could deliver more benefits for the industry and the public, with reduced transmission costs in the long term.

"As government, we have an obligation to ensure that services reach every citizen of this country at an even more affordable rate," said the minister.

The strategy has to take into consideration that digital migration should be driven by the need to expand services to all South Africans, particularly the poor, while ensuring market growth and socio-economic development.

While digital migration promises many improvements within the broadcasting industry, transition will not be easy.

According to the department, almost all South African households are using analogue television sets, which are unable to receive digital broadcasting services or a digital signal.

For an analogue television set to be able to receive the digital signal, it will need a digital set top box (STB) decoder, says working group chairperson Lara Kantor.

The STB decoder is able to receive the digital signal and convert it into analogue signal.

Consumers would be expected to buy the decoders, which are currently estimated to be worth about R400 each, in order to receive digital broadcasting services.

"In South Africa, approximately 4.4 million television households will not be able to afford a basic STB decoder," Ms Kantor said, adding that the working group had recommended that government consider subsidizing the consumers in this regard.

It is expected that implementation of this digital migration process would start in 2008.

This will be in accordance with targets as set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an organisation within the United Nations, where governments and the private sector coordinate global telecom networks and services.

During its recent conference in Turkey, where the minister represented South Africa, the ITU set an international deadline for the African and European regions to have migrated to digital broadcasting by June 2015.

Broadcasters who will continue broadcasting on the old analogue technology would no longer be protected from harmful interference of their broadcasting services, resulting in picture distortions and the degradation of images to black.

(SOURCE: BuaNews)

PEOPLE

The MTN Group has announced that Group President and CEO, Phuthuma Nhleko, has been appointed to the new board of directors of the GSM Association (GSMA), the global trade association for mobile phone operators. The new board will serve a two-year term from January 2007.

* South African pay-TV pioneer Koos Bekker will be taking a year off to recharge his batteries for his final five-year stint as CE of media group Naspers.

* Henry Ferreira will replace Barry Holt as the head of Unisys Africa. He has worked for multinationals such as HP, Compaq and Nokia. He is returning to SA after being based in London as Nokia Networks' VP for the Africa region.

EVENTS

- WIRELESS BROADBAND AFRICA –WEST AFRICA

4-6 December 2006, Eko Meridien Hotel, Lagos, Nigieria

The West African Wireless Broadband Forums will provide a marketing and education platform to promote effective roll-out of wireless technology throughout Africa.

For full details, log on to www.aitecafrica.com

- BROADBAND SUMMIT 2007

26-27 February 2007, Southern Sun, Grayston, South Africa

South Africa faces a huge broadband demand, from all sides. However, the broadband access media and business strategies in South Africa still do not resemble the international standards. In order to reach these standards you as ISPs, mobile and/or fixed operators, need to assess the current and future potential of the African broadband market.

For further information visit http://www.iir-conferences.co.za/eventInfo.php?e=1202

- SMB ROADSHOW 2007 - MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

26th March 2007, Nile Hilton, Cairo, Egypt.

IDC's SMB Roadshow provides a comprehensive and trustworthy platform for discussing strategic IT issues directly impacting the SMB sector. Debate led by recognised experts and based on best practices and sound technology analysis provide objective and critical insights required by leaders in this sector. This event will target IT decision makers – by vertical industry sector - within SMBs across the region.

For further information visit http://www.idc-cema.com/events/smbeg07

- eLEARNING AFRICA 2007

28-30th May 2007, Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya

The subject is Building Infrastructures and Capacities to Reach out to the Whole of Africa, reflecting the significant efforts of African countries to set up their national and regional ICT infrastructures to create access to education, training and services for all.

For further information visit www.icwe.net or call +49-30-327 6140

JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES

* SYSTEM ENGINEER FOR WCDMA RAN OPTIMISATION – SOUTH AFRICA

The company is looking for a System engineer for WCDMA RAN Optimisation with the following skills: He must have WCDMA Radio Performance & Optimisation

The following would be an advantage, Ericsson WCDMA network nodes. We would also request the following: English/ Ability to perform On Job Training to local staff

The experience required is of 18 months recent Ericsson experience

For further information contact advertising@balancingact-africa.com

*CALL FOR PROJECT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT

The Commonwealth Secretariat is inviting governments, NGOs and academic institutions to submit project proposals that can help bridge the digital divide.

The call for projects comes on behalf of the Commonwealth Connects Programme, an initiative to improve information and communication technology (ICT) skills in the Commonwealth and use them as tools for development.

Projects can be submitted no later than 5 January 2007. For details and to download applications forms, visit http://www.commonwealthconnects.com/ and click on the 'Project Marketplace' link.

CONTRACTS: WHO'S SELLING WHAT TO WHOM?

* NAMIBIA TELECOM AND DIMENSION DATA - NAMIBIA

Telecom Namibia  signed a N$120-million contract for the acquisition of an IP/MPLS data backbone network from Dimension Data - the biggest ever in the history of the company. The deal will mean Telecom will switch from its present vertically integrated network with different components for mobile phones, fixed line phones, fixed and then wireless data networks.

The new horizontally integrated network is based on the Internet Protocol and Multiprotocol Label Switching. IP/MPLS will allow Telecom to become a single communications service provider for all the different telecommunications services using a single platform. Announcing the deal, Telecom's Managing Director said the N$120-million contract is for Dimension Data to supply, implement and support the IP/MPLS-based data backbone network.

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