On Monday 07 June 2004 08:30, Simon Vass wrote: > So with the pause on issuing Radio licenses, what are those guys at UCC > actually up to these days. "Tea anyone...."
But this will depend on the frequency spectrum available, so I wouldn't really bug them too much on this one, unless of course someone in UG starts doing DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast). Mark. > > > > _____ > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kiggundu > Mukasa > Sent: 07 June 2004 08:48 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: lug_: Fwd: Issue 210: Nigeria's Vee Network: the transaction that > sunk a deal and cost two senior people their jobs > > > I am without-a-doubt in the wrong business! Read below, How can you make a > Profit of Nira 24.6 BILLION for last 6 months of 2003. > > Not revenue, PROFIT and for only SIX MONTHS! > > Just in case you were wondering, that works out to $31Million PROFIT PER > MONTH for the last 6 months of 2003 > > This has to be better than selling cocain. If I offer BOTH my testicles, > can I be cut into the action. I am serious. BOTH > > Just incase you miss the story in the email below, click on the last link > at the bottom for a separate site with the same story > > Begin forwarded message: > > > > From: Russell Southwood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: June 6, 2004 22:03:07 GMT+03:00 > To: Multiple recipients of NewsUpdate - Sent by > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Issue 210: Nigeria's Vee Network: the transaction that sunk a deal > and cost two senior people their jobs > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Balancing Act's News Update 210 (6 June 2004) > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ Coming soon: Energy sources for remote locations and the mobile market in > Liberia > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ IN THIS ISSUE: > > Top Story > > - NIGERIA'S VEE NETWORK: THE TRANSACTION THAT SUNK A DEAL AND COST TWO > SENIOR PEOPLE THEIR JOBS > > Telecom News > > - STRIKES THREATEN PRIVATISATION OF NIGER'S SONITEL > > - GHANA TELECOM LOSING USD5 MILLION MONTHLY DUE TO VOIP AND STAFF FREE USE > OF SERVICES > > - MALI'S SOTELMA TO PUT FCFA25 BILLION INTO NETWORK UPGRADE > PRE-PRIVATISATION > > - ZANTEL TO OPERATE ON MAINLAND TANZANIA NEXT FEBRUARY > > - MOZAMBIQUE'S MCEL SIGNS FRAME AGREEMENT WITH ERICSSON > > Internet News > > - INTERNET BANK 20TWENTY GEARS UP FOR RELAUNCH > > - ZIMBABWE SET TO FORCE ISPS TO DISCLOSE "OFFENSIVE OR DANGEROUS" MESSAGES > > - TISCALI WANTS R300M FOR ITS SA OPERATIONS > > Computer News > > - GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT AWARDS CONTRACTS FOR REGIONAL ICT CENTRES > > - ZAMBIAN COMPUTER SOCIETY PRESIDENT RECOMMENDS COMPUTER REGISTRATION > > - MICROSOFT INVESTS N20M IN LAGOS DIGITAL VILLAGE > > On the Money > > - TELECEL PLANS TO LIST ON THE LUSAKA STOCK EXCHANGE > > - THE CELTEL PURCHASE OF KENCELL - THE STORY BEHIND THE DEAL > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > TO SUBSCRIBE: > > Balancing ActÂs News Update covers connectivity developments in Africa and > this week goes out to 7166 subscribers in government, the private > sector, civil society and education. It has subscribers in almost all > African countries and this web site last month recorded 10,000 > individual visits. > > If you want to subscribe to News Update, simply send a message saying I > want to subscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Also if you no longer > wish to subscribe, simply send a message saying I no longer want to > subscribe to the same address. > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ TO CONTACT US: > Russell Southwood, Balancing Act, 71 Crescent Lane, London SW4 9PT > Tel/fax: + 44 20 7720 5993 Cell: + 44 7973 561987 E-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > - > WEEKLY PUBLICATION DEADLINE: 12 pm GMT Sunday > > - > PAID FOR ADS? MAIL US FOR A RATE CARD: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Advertisement: > > IP Planet; Connect yourself to the world!! > > Through its wide range of IP services, IP Planet offers direct US or > European connection to multiple POPs from 32Kbps shared to 60Mbps dedicated > service to multiple satellite transponders and provide backbone services to > ISPs, PTTs, corporate customers and Cyber-Cafes connected to local ISPs. > > Our products are: > Dedicated satellite backbone connectivity. > VipSATTM managed VSAT/Hub, C Band 1.8 and 2.4m antenna remote terminals > connected to a hub in the US for direct small links connection to the > backbone. > > SAT3 connectivity products. > > If you are in need for professional and cost-effective Internet > connectivity services anywhere in Africa, you can reach the IP Planet team, > 24 hours a day, through any of the following options: > > - Web Site: www.ipplanet.com > - Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - ICQ#: 79517452 > - MSN Messenger: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - NOC Tel: +972 3 918 6666 > - Facsimile: +972 3 918 6660 > > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ NIGERIA'S VEE NETWORK: THE TRANSACTION THAT SUNK A DEAL AND COST TWO > SENIOR PEOPLE THEIR JOBS > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ > > All over the world business gets very rough-and-tumble, especially at the > point when the ownership of companies changes hands. In Africa this > rough-and-tumble frequently occurs without reliable external referees like > courts and with few regulatory "ground rules" limiting what might happen. > But Africa's "freestyle" way of doing business came up against nervous > developed world institutional investors, conscious of the cost of breaking > the rules. In a surprise move this week the continent's largest mobile > player Vodacom pulled out of its management contract with Nigeria's > V-Network, a move that cost two of its most senior management their jobs. > News Update seeks to put the spotlight on the transaction that caused the > collapse of the deal. > > Vodacom first intended to buy a majority stake in Econet Nigeria in a deal > worth some USD150 million in equity and another USD100 million in > operational loans but Econet Wireless International had contested the deal > in the Nigerian High Court. It sued Vodacom for what it describes as > "inducement to breach of contract". Vodacom subsequently signed a > management contract with Econet Nigeria which changed its name to Vee > Network and Vodacom appointed its own CEO to run it. > > According to the Financial Times (London), Vodacom's surprise decision to > pull out of Nigeria was due to a "breach of trust" between Africa's largest > mobile phone operator and its Nigerian partner, Vodacom's Chief Executive > Alan Knott-Craig said last week. "The decision to withdraw from Nigeria is > a blow to our expansion plans, but there was a breach of trust and I > decided we could not expose the company any further," Knott-Craig told the > FT. > > The alleged "breach of trust" centres on Vee's decision in March to approve > payments totalling just under USD 3million to three brokerage companies. > Vee directors held directorships in two of the companies. Vodacom had > conducted extensive due diligence and found that earlier payments, which > were negotiated in 2002, to brokers that had helped Vee raise capital from > Nigerian state governments, were not illegal. However, Mr Knott-Craig said > he specifically requested that no more money be paid out. On March 22, just > over a week before the management agreement with Vodacom started, Oba > Otudeko, Vee's chairman, approved the later payments, according to a letter > Seen by the FT. > > "We had a clear understanding, but Vee chose to pay without telling us," Mr > Knott-Craig said. "When we discovered they had signed the management deal > after making those payments, it was the trigger for us to leave Nigeria. We > shall not be going back there for the foreseeable future." > > Knott-Craig said earlier this year that two of its shareholders - Vodafone, > which owns a 35 percent stake, and SBC Communications, which has an > indirect stake in Vodacom through Telkom - were concerned about compliance > with the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The law, which threatens fines > and jail terms, is designed to stop US multinationals and corporates and > those companies with business in the US from engaging in corrupt practices. > "If it were not for that, we would be operating in Nigeria now," > Knott-Craig told Moneyweb earlier this year. > > According to This Day "brokerage or finder's" fees were paid to Oceanic > Securities Limited, Bromley Asset Management Ltd and Empee Ventures > Limited, companies which had approached, Lagos, Delta and Akwa Ibom state > governments respectively and convinced them to make investments in the > former EWN. The companies had asked for 10 per cent of the investments made > by the State Governments. > > Oceanic Securities and Bromley were paid N71.4 million each through a > Universal Trust Bank cheque and Intercontinental Bank cheque respectively > while Empee was paid a total of N229 million through Lead Bank and National > Bank of Nigeria cheques. > > According to Business Day Vodacom had already been warned of issues likely > to make a potential investor wary. Those warnings came from Econet Wireless > International, which holds 5% of the Nigerian company and has instigated > legal action to prevent Vodacom from taking over, claiming a pre-emptive > right to buy any of the Nigerian shares put up for sale. > > "We don't know what Vodacom found but we alerted Mthembu to issues > pertinent to any operator seeking to run an aboveboard operation in > Nigeria," said Econet Wireless International executive Kevin Kachidza. "We > believe we can manage those issues because we were the whistle-blower in > the first place," he said. > > Deputy CEO Andrew Mthembu, Vodacom who headed its international operations, > has had his contract terminated and Strategy Director Robert Pasley has > resigned. Willem Swart, put in as CEO, has resigned from Vodacom, but will > remain with Vee Networks as its CEO. > > According to This Day Mthembu and Pasley are said to have been in breach of > Vodacom's corporate governance principles by providing a "side agreement" > which had served as a "letter of comfort" to the former EWN without the > knowledge or ratification by the board before the Management Agreement was > signed. The Vodacom board had included some clauses in the provisional > agreement and had expected Vee Network (formerly EWN) to fulfil them. > > Vee Networks Public Relations Manager, Emeka Opara, said last week that > "Vodacom had last week issued a statement in South Africa to the effect > that it did not find any evidence of corruption in Vee Networks after a > thorough due diligence." > > According to Opara, the Vodacom's statement stated inter alia: "Whilst > Vodacom has a management agreement to manage Vee Networks previously known > as EWN [Econet Wireless Nigeria] as from 1 April 2004, no decision has been > made to conclude a transaction whereby Vodacom will acquire equity in any > company effectively controlling Vee Networks. > > "The previous management of EWN paid approximately 50% of brokerage fees, > as approved by the Board of EWN in 2002, during the course of 2003. These > brokerage fees were for raising equity in EWN". > > "After receiving allegations that the monies so paid in 2003 were improper, > Vodacom engaged the services of expert legal counsel to do a due diligence > in order to ascertain whether those allegations were true. > > "As a result of the ensuing due diligence legal counsel concluded that no > evidence could be found to suggest that they were improper. The balance, > approximately 50%, of the brokerage fees is still outstanding." > > According to This Day, in a post pull-out agreement with the Board of Vee > Network, both parties agreed that personnel could transfer without > statutory notice periods and loss of benefits. Vee Network would be allowed > to trade with the Vee Network brand name for only three months ending > September 1, 2004 or until the Nigerian company finds another partner or > change names but within the three-month period. It was also agreed that > Vodacom in all its correspondences and statements about the pullout from > Nigeria will desist from alleging that it was because of corruption as Vee > Network insisted the brokerage payments were not bribes. > > > Advertisement: > > GATEWAY COMMUNICATIONS: Increasing Profitability for African PTT's, GSM > Service Providers and Competitive Carriers through Improved International > Services > > Gateway Communication's portfolio of international services can provide > your operation with the following: > - Increased revenue and profitability on international voice services > - Lower bad debt and improved cash flow > - Enhanced international service quality > - New data and electronic commerce services > - Advanced infrastructure, expertise and training > - Minimal capital investment and risk-free implementation > > Web Site: www.gatewaycomms.com; E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Contact: Carrier Relations +44 20 7493 0099. > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ TELECOM NEWS > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ > > * STRIKES THREATEN PRIVATISATION OF NIGER'S SONITEL > > Staff at Niger's Sonitel - which has been in the hands of a Sino-Libyan > consortium since last year - have decided to mount a series of strikes to > try and have the company renationalised by the Government. > > Local reports say that there has been some surprise that the company was > sold to a pair of companies that had no experience of operating a telco in > sub-Sharan Africa or any familiarity with Niger culture. Others were > surprised that Sonatel was passed over as a bidder as it seems to have > purchased more or less any other incumbent telco in francophone countries. > > More seriously the strikers believe that it was a serious psychological > error to appoint a Chinese women as Financial Controller. "La Chinoise" as > she is apparently referred to by staff wields more authority than the > senior Niger managers. This situation led to the Administrative Director > writing an Open Letter to the Government and the Conseil d'Administration. > Subsequently the unfortunate Controller was sent back to China and the > complaining Administrative Director found himself sent to a more junior > post in the interior of Niger. > > The Conseil d'Administration has also refused to honour FCFA million of > salary increases which staff believe were agreed as part of the sale. > Incredibly these include 20% salary increases for those with 0 to 5 years > service, 30% for those with 6-10 years service and only 3% for those with > over 10 years service. On this basis it's hardly surprising that the > company is refusing to pay the salary increases. > (SOURCE: Altervision) > LIRE EN FRANCAIS APRES 15.00 GMT, 7 JUNE: > http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/french.html > > Advertisement: ISPeed Your World with http://www.GilatSatcom.com > > > * GHANA TELECOM LOSING USD5 MILLION MONTHLY DUE TO VOIP AND STAFF FREE USE > OF SERVICES > > According to Ministry of Communications sources a committee set up by the > Auditor-General to investigate monthly losses of USD5.1 million at Ghana > Telecom has found two main sources. It believes that leakage of > international traffic worth Â45 billion via VOIP terminations in the grey > market is one cause. The other is the use of free phone calls by staff, > ex-staff and former Board Members worth Â250 million a month. > > A report in the Daily Dispatch identified a a call diversion scam (similar > to the one found at Kenya Telkom) where employees divert calls so that they > can sell them outside of Ghana Telecom and pocket the money. Apparently the > Committee's findings mention contract personnel on attachment to the > Engineering Section Installation, Survey, Customer Services Point and Test > Room as where illegal connections might be happening. Also, code numbers > usually known to only the GT technical staff for operational purposes are > identified and access gained for free telephone calls. > (SOURCE: Ghana Web) > > > * MALI'S SOTELMA TO PUT FCFA25 BILLION INTO NETWORK UPGRADE > PRE-PRIVATISATION > > > Sotelma is to spend FCFA25 billion to rehabilitate its network before > privatisation. It signed a finance agreement last week at a meeting > attended by the Minister of Communications Gaoussou Drabo in Hotel Salam. > The financial partners underwriting the loans for the upgrade included > BIM-SA, Belgolaise, CCIM and Ecobank. Also in attendance was equipment > vendor Siemens in the person of Bob Van der Linden. BIM-SA is the principal > financial partner who helped raise the funds from other consortium members. > Belgolaise described itself as a financial and strategic partner of > Siemens. > > The PDG of Sotelma Cheick Sidi Mohamed Nimaga said he believed that the > financing of the upgrade would reinforce the incumbent's leadership in the > sub-region and would guarantee the success of the privatisation. No > specific plans have yet been announced. > (SOURCE: Info Matin) > LIRE EN FRANCAIS APRES 15.00 GMT, 7 JUNE: > http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/french.html > > > * ZANTEL TO OPERATE ON MAINLAND TANZANIA NEXT FEBRUARY > > Zanzibar-based mobile phone company ZANTEL will start operations in > Tanzania Mainland next February, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory > Authority (TCRA) has announced. > > The TCRA Public Relations Manager, Isaac Mruma, said ZANTEL, which has been > struggling for years to expand its services to the Mainland, would be free > to do so when the monopoly over use of communications links that the > Tanzania Telecommunication Company Limited (TTCL) enjoys expires. > > Mruma said one of the conditions in the lease agreement of TTCL was that > all other mobile phone companies had to use its satellite centre at Mwenge > in Dar es Salaam as their gateway. He said presently, ZANTEL is barred from > using its devices because of that legal agreement which is still in force > until February next year. > > "From February next year each mobile phone service provider will be free to > provide services countrywide without using the TTCL's facilities," he said. > ZANTEL rejected to use the TTCL gateway because it has its own gateway for > both local and international calls located at Amani in Zanzibar. > (SOURCE: Guardian) > > > * MOZAMBIQUE'S MCEL SIGNS FRAME AGREEMENT WITH ERICSSON > > Ericsson SA has entered into a frame agreement with mCel, MozambiqueÂs > leading cellular provider, that will be worth US$10 million over three > years.The agreement was set in place to allow mCel to cater for the > expected expansion of its mobile GSM network. Under the terms of the deal, > Ericsson will initially supply the Microwave transmission equipment for > mCel as well as support services. The first purchase order comprises the > supply of Mini Link transmission equipment to the value of MUSD 1,7. > > > * IN BRIEF > > - The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has given mobile telephone > operator, M-Tel until next Tuesday to pull down a mast said to have been > illegally erected in Zaria > > - Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has upgraded its Service Node Prepaid platform > to Comverse's Real-Time Billing Solution. Seen as one of the strategic > partners of Comverse in Africa, Econet has deployed value-added services > from Comverse since 1999. > > - The growth in Botswana's mobile phone teledensity has outstripped that > of fixed lines by 27 percent since 1996, aBotswana Telecommunications > Authority (BTA) official said last week. Addressing Gaborone councillors at > a full council meeting, Aron Nyeledzi said that the growth in mobile lines > grew from zero in 1996 to 518,013 as at the end of February 2004. This > represents a teledensity of 31 percent or 31 lines for every hundred > people. On the other hand there were four lines per 100 people in Botswana > by February 2004 after a growth of four percent since 1996 which translates > to 133,740. In 1996, the fixed telephone teledensity stood at four percent. > > - Kenya's Safaricom subscribers went without mobile phone services after > the network collapsed for the better part of a day last week. The network > pointed accusing fingers at TelKom Kenya for failing to provide the > necessary links. The hitch disabled Safaricom subscribers as they could > neither make or receive calls nor send short text messages. > > ADVERTISEMENT > Give your business a global edge and expand your service to underserved > and remote areas easily, without escalating infrastructure costs. We > combine our fleet of satellites with a state-of-the-art ground network for > end-to-end data, voice, Internet and video solutions à anywhere, anytime, > efficiently and with ease. Whether you are developing new network > requirements or looking to expand your existing network, the rapid > deployment, flexibility and reliability of Intelsat's GlobalConnex network > allows you to support domestic and international last-mile applications, > including VoIP and Internet trunking. Go further with Intelsat. Connect > with us at +27 11 535-4700 or visit www.intelsat.com > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ TELECOM RATES, OFFERS AND COVERAGE > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ > > - Celtel Uganda plans a major rollout programme to cover key centres in > the country. The move is part of the mobile phone service provider's > strategy to bring services nearer to its. "Vital to the new network rollout > is Celtel's strategy to have network coverage available wherever its > customers live, work or travel," Celtel's marketing operations manager, Ms > Jackie Namara said last week. > > - Last week saw the launch of a tripartite partnership between > Interbancaria de serviÃos (EMIS), AngolaTelecom and Movicel to offer > pre-paid top-ups and bill payment. > > - Millicom Sierra Leone will introduce Buzz-top-up cards denominated in > Leones. The cards available will be in Le5,000, Le10,000, Le25,000 and > Le150,000 pieces. The company made this decision after questioning a number > of subscribers who said that they preferred a Leone based system. > > - Nitel is to roll-out fixed wireless access to Onitsha, Abambra State, > Enugu, Abuja and Lagos in the third quarter of this year. He also said the > tendering process for the provision of 250,000 digital lines in Lagos has > been concluded with the signing of the supply contract agreement by NITEL > and two suppliers, namely Siemens Limited and Huawei Technologies Limited. > He stressed that the organization was in the process of concluding the > financing arrangement. > > Advertisement > Focal Communications - PAYPHONE & TELECOM SOLUTIONS FOR AFRICA > > We specialise in payphone solutions, from single to multiline systems, > fixed line or GSM wireless. We have PC based phone bureaus, giving you full > control of costs and income. Check out the the amazing Bilwiz telephone > meter. The Bilwiz is ideal for small shops,restaurants, hotels, pubs & > homes. It is a simple plug and play device that connects to a fixed line or > GSM router. We also stock a range of telecom equipment, including small > PABX's, headsets, variety of phones, voice loggers, GSM cell routers & > phone management systems. Contact us to become a reseller or buyer of our > products. Contact: Henri Tel: +27-11-7083521; > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ; Web: www.pabxbuy.com > <http://www.pabxbuy.com> or www.focalcom.co.za <http://www.focalcom.co.za> > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ INTERNET NEWS > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ > > * INTERNET BANK 20TWENTY GEARS UP FOR RELAUNCH > > Internet bank 20twenty is gearing up to re-enter the South African market > next week.The bank was bought by emerging market heavyweight Standard > Chartered Bank last year for about 10m after it was placed under > curatorship with former parent group Saambou early in 2002. > > Despite the problems the bank faced, it said only 6% of its 40,000 > customers closed their accounts, and about half of the remaining customers > had remained active, despite scaled-back services during its curatorship. > > CEO Christo Davel said last week that the bank aimed to grow its customer > base to 300,000 over the next five years, based on the assumption that > online banking customers would number about 3-million by then. > > Apart from new features when it relaunched, 20twenty's offering would be > expanded to include mortgage and vehicle finance by year-end, said Davel. > (SOURCE: Business Day) > > * ZIMBABWE SET TO FORCE ISPS TO DISCLOSE "OFFENSIVE OR DANGEROUS" MESSAGES > > The Zimbabwean government has proposed obliging its internet service > providers to divulge details of e-mails deemed offensive or dangerous. > Zispa, the local ISP association, has asked the government to clarify its > proposed addendum to providers' franchise contracts. One ISP told BBC News > Online it was not a provider's duty to police the net. > President Robert Mugabe has suggested the internet, widely developed in > Zimbabwe, is a tool of colonialists. > > For the rest of this story, go to: > http://www.balancingact-africa.com > After 1500 hours GMT, Monday 7 June > > * TISCALI WANTS R300M FOR ITS SA OPERATIONS > > Internet communications group Tiscali International's SA operations are in > the throes of a bidding process that has been narrowed to five possible > buyers. There is speculation is that the asking price is more than R300 > million. > > Sources familiar with Tiscali South Africa say that the final list of five > bidders has been selected, and that due diligence investigations are now > underway. They expect the winner to be announced within the next two weeks. > > > While the identities of the final five bidders have been kept a closely > guarded secret, there is considerable speculation that at least two of the > country's top four Internet service providers (ISPs), namely Telkom and > M-Web are in the running. > > Currently Tiscali is rated as the second largest ISP in South Africa's > dial-up market with around 100,000 subscribers. M-Web is the largest with > around 250 000 and Telkom Internet and Absa Internet run close in third and > fourth place. > (SOURCE: IT Web) > > * IN BRIEF > > - The Ugandan regulator UCC has decided to scrap the licensing of ISPs and > declare 802.11b free spectrum to encorage internet take-up. > > - SA's Telkom has launched a new version of its TelkomInternet ADSL > offering, which will provide niche customers with unshaped international > bandwidth with a 4GB monthly cap. The new offering is aimed at users in the > high end of the market who require quick response times, notably traders, > stockbrokers and gamers, who constitute about 7% of the market. > > - Concerns have been raised about the draft Nigerian Cybercrime Act that > states that all service providers should keep "transactional records of > operations generated in their systems and networks for a minimum of five > years." There is no definition given for "transactional records" which > could cover an enormous range of items and intrude on the individual > privacy of Nigerian citizens. > > > ADVERTISEMENT > Bypass network congestion, reach new markets and offer top quality, > high-speed Internet access with one provider: Intelsat. Our Internet > Trunking Service is a turnkey, end-to-end solution providing direct, > high-speed Internet access to small and medium-sized ISPs. We offer fully > redundant, multi-homed connectivity to the Internet backbone with rapid, > responsive deployment to terrestrially underserved areas. With our diverse > and scalable solutions you can capture more market share and give customers > the access and bandwidth they want. Go further with Intelsat. Connect with > us at +27 11 535-4700 or visit www.intelsat.com > _________________________________________________________________________ > COMPUTER NEWS > _________________________________________________________________________ > > * GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT AWARDS CONTRACTS FOR REGIONAL ICT CENTRES > > The Ghanaian Government has awarded contracts to the tune of one billion > cedis for the provision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) > centres in all districts of the Upper West Region, Sahanun Mogtari, the > Regional Minister announced at Wa last Wednesday. When completed, he said, > these centres would be equipped with satellite facilities to enable more > people in the region to access the Internet and its related facilities. > Source: GNA > > > * ZAMBIAN COMPUTER SOCIETY PRESIDENT RECOMMENDS COMPUTER REGISTRATION > > Computer Society of Zambia President Milner Makuni is proposing an > amendement to the Computer Bill that would register all computers when they > bought, writes Balancing Act's Zambian Correspondent Timothy Kasolo. > The Computer Bill's objectives are to provide for the registration of > computers and to prohibit the unauthorized access, access or modification > of data stored in a computer.When amending the bill Makuni explained that > the government would want all the computers purchased to be registered and > all the details recorded by the computer registrar. > > Registration would cost users a fee and they would be fined if they did not > comply. However members of the Society concluded their debate on the issue > by saying that such a proposal would contravene the rights of individual > citizens and discourage the use of ICT. > > But CSZ secretary Collins Chinyama observed that the IT professionals > should come in force and contribute to the bill before it is enacted > Chinyama added that IT professionals must contribute to the bill so that > they do not come and complain that the bill is not addressing most IT > issues. > > > * MICROSOFT INVESTS N20M IN LAGOS DIGITAL VILLAGE > > Microsoft will invest an estimated sum of N20 million in partnering the > recently commissioned Lagos Digital Village (LDV). The LDV, is the second > of its kind in the country partnered by Microsoft, after the Owerri Digital > Village (WDV). > > The centre, is to offer Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) > services to the citizenry, and has cyber cafe, computer literacy training > unit, virtual library facilities and video conferencing. Speaking to > newsmen at the commissioning of the centre located at Lagos Mainland > Library, Ebute-Meta, Yaba, country manager Microsoft Nigeria, Mr. Gerald > Ilukwe, said his firm's contribution financially amounts to an estimated > N20 million. (SOURCE: Daily Champion) > > > * IN BRIEF > > - Last week, a container of Macs left for Zambia sent by World Computer > Exchange. Programme Officer, Will Loving, contacted Mac users groups across > the States seeking parts and pieces that he and its partner thought would > be hard to purchase in Zambia and these were included in the container. > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > ON THE MONEY > ___________________________________________________________________________ > > For both of these stories, go to: > http://www.balancingact-africa.com > After 1500 hours GMT, Monday 7 June > > * TELECEL PLANS TO LIST ON THE LUSAKA STOCK EXCHANGE > > * THE CELTEL PURCHASE OF KENCELL - THE STORY BEHIND THE DEAL > > > * IN BRIEF > > - Vodafone-Egypt released audited FY04 results ending March, confirming > its preliminary announcement of LE1,078 million net profit, reflecting a > 111% increase over the LE511 million recorded in FY03. > > - Nigeria's mobile operator, MTN, has recorded a profit of N24.6 billion > for the half-year ended September 30, 2003. > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ WEB NEWS > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ > > * PINK AVIATION SAYS SITE'S ACCUSATIONS AGAINST GHANAIAN AIR FORCE ARE ALL > TRUE > > The Managing Director (MD) of Pink Aviation Services, Thomas Lewetz, has > stated categorically that the website www.ghanaairforce.com is neither > illegal nor fraudulent. He made this known to the Chronicle last Monday > through the electronic mail (e-mail) saying that Lawyers have examined the > site and found nothing illegal about it. He said he had been contacted two > times by Ghanaian government officials on the matter of the website and was > asked to put the site off line. > > According to Thomas Lewetz, he asked them to solve the problem which caused > the establishment of the site. "They could not tell me that anything on the > website was not true," he added. "Our airplanes are still seized by Ghana > Armed Forces without giving us any reason why. This appears to be illegal > and fraudulent. We have never been contacted because we did something > wrong," Mr. Lewetz continued. He said Pink Aviation had never had an answer > to several letters to Ghana Armed Forces requesting the release of the > airplanes. > > The MD held that his company had however been informed that there was a > problem inside Ghana Armed Forces and they had been asked to co -operate in > the matter. "There is still no co - operation from Ghana Armed Forces in > solving the problem of our fully paid property sitting in Takoradi," he > lamented. He said all statements on the website were true and they were the > facts. > > The Pink Aviation Boss further said that GAF had accepted their bid, > requested the payment, received full payment as requested, accepted to > start work on the airplanes but as the airplanes were ready for the ferry > flight, they just seized the airplanes without any reason. > > "We have to protect our property, since we are not in a position to leave > $100,000 and more in Ghana, without any compensation and we can not accept > that Ghana Armed Forces sold the airplanes to us, let us bring them back to > an airworthy condition and then tried to sell the same airplanes again to > another party. This is indecent and illegal." > > He concluded by saying that as soon as Ghana Armed Forces fulfilled the > obligations by accepting the company's bid by delivering the aircraft to > Pink Aviation Services as legal owners, the website would be off line. > (SOURCE: Ghanaian Chronicle) > > * IN BRIEF > > - Three Blind Mice Communications (TBM), a 75% black controlled media and > IT company, received the Runner Up Award in the "Organisations: SMME" > category of the National Science & Technology Forum (NSTF) 2003 Awards. A > Gala Awards Dinner was held on Friday evening, 28 May 2004 at Caesar's in > Gauteng. > > - SA's first ever online dating survey is being launched this week by > NETucation, an independent Internet marketing and research company. > According to Ramon Thomas, MD of NETucation, ÂOnline dating is one of the > secret success stories of the Internet, and we are aiming to put the > spotlight on this and other new techno-centric dating trends. NETucation > estimates the size of this market to be about 100 000 to 150 000 active > users. This is a fraction of SA's more than 3,5m Internet users, and > substantially less than the one million Online Banking users, reported > earlier in 2004 by World Wide Worx. > The South African Online Dating Survey can be accessed at: > http://www.netucation.co.za/surveys/index.php?sid=1 > > Advertisment: > > Sky 2 Net LTD providing A-Z solution for Internet & VOIP via satellite > (C-Band) that covers all Africa and Asia. The solutions including > end-to-end Equipment of V-sat, wireless, VOIP, Bandwidth Management and > Anti-Spam (outgoing). Sky 2 Net provide Internet and International call > termination and generation for prepaid cards and regular operators. > - Web Site: www.sky2net.net > - E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - Tel: +972-54-233261 > __________________________________________________________________________ > PEOPLE > __________________________________________________________________________ > > * Zambia's Itezhi-Tezhi District Commissioner Godfrey Beene has cited the > lack of reliable communication infrastructure as negating development in > his area. Beene appealed to the government to facilitate enhanced > communication in the area to tap its tourism potential effectively. > "The tourism potential here is immense but there is a problem of > communication. We are requesting the government to provide us with a system > of phones for communication," he said. Beene disclosed that telephone lines > in the area had not been working for over a year. He said the only slight > improvement experienced last week when people were only able to receive > calls and not call out because the Vice-President was expected in the area. > "If one wants to send a message to Lusaka, they have to go to Zesco Limited > to use their radio system to contact Namwala. Namwala then relays the > message to Choma, where it is finally forwarded to Lusaka," he explained. > "Now, this is a very long process and this is why Zamtel should speedily > move to address the matter." > > * After 10 years with the CTO, Tim Eyres is leaving to join BT Telconsult >  the consultancy arm of the BT Group  as the Business Development > Manager, Middle East, to re-establish TelconsultÂs presence in the Region. > > * Several things you didn't know about Wananchi's Njeri Rionge. According > to an Eastern Standard Interview she studies three different university > courses without finishing any and was the consummate party animal. > Motherhood and her responsibilities as Wananchi's CEO have changed all > that. Her eventual goal? To become the CEO of the biggest Internet provider > in Africa. > __________________________________________________________________________ > EVENTS > __________________________________________________________________________ > > For details of these events, go to: > http://www.balancingact-africa.com > After 1500 hours GMT, Monday 7 June > > * ACT 2004, MAURITIUS (7-9 SEPTEMBER) > > * ARIN WILL HOLD AN AFRICAN REGIONAL MEETING IN DAR ES SALAAM, > > > Advertisement: For details of ACT 2004 in Mauritius: > http://www.aitecafrica.com > > __________________________________________________________________________ > JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES > __________________________________________________________________________ > > - A well known radio company is looking for Sudanese nationals who are > qualified Site Engineers and Transmission Engineers. Submit your resume at > www.delconsulting.com > > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ BACK NUMBERS - FINDING THE INFORMATION YOU NEED > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ If you need to find information in our back numbers, you can do this in > one of two ways. Either go to our full archive clicking on the link below: > http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/backindex.html > or use google just to search our site clicking on the link below: > http://www.balancingact-africa.com/search.html > ___________________________________________________________________________ > NEW 2004 RATE CARD AVAILABLE > ___________________________________________________________________________ > > To see a copy of our new rate card for 2004, e-mail a request to: > ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Don't get left behind. Be seen and known > through advertising in our e-letter and on our web-site. > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ All material printed in Balancing Act's News Update is subject to > copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the > express permission of the publisher. > ___________________________________________________________________________ >_ > > > > http://allafrica.com/stories/200406060092.html --------------------------------------------- This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
