Telecoms

Ghana’s Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation has officially launched a bilateral Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Free Roaming initiative between Ghana and Togo, as well as Ghana and Benin.

Ghana’s Minister of Communication has revealed that its delayed 5G network will be launched on November 1, 2024, despite previously stating that 5G would be operational in Ghana by September 2024.

Huawei reportedly plans to set up a data centre in Nigeria to meet data storage regulations and provide storage and computing resources for local businesses and sectors. The new facility, ‘cloud site’, is expected to go live on October 31, 2024.

Hours after the Nigerian Communications Commission said it’d sanction the SpaceX-operated satellite Internet service, Starlink, for increasing its subscription prices in Nigeria without regulatory approval, it has reversed its decision.

Old Mutual, a South African insurance company, has launched a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) on Cell C as the market reaches over 4.3 million, with a 51% annual growth rate by December 2023.

Egypt has granted 5G licences to three additional mobile operators — Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, and e& Egypt — ten months after awarding the first licence to Telecom Egypt.

Zambia and Burundi have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which will see the two countries connected through a fibre optic cable. This move will pave the way for improved access to Internet services, better communication, and an overall enhanced quality of life for the citizens.

MTN Congo claims that with the deployment of its 5G network in Congo, the country has become the first to launch 5G in Central Africa. This comes after MTN Congo launched a pilot-phase 5G network in Congo in October 2022.

Starlink has doubled its subscription prices in Nigeria, citing high inflation rates. Five days ago, the satellite Internet company unveiled an affordable monthly residential plan in Kenya.

SpaceX-owned Starlink has introduced a more affordable $30.87 monthly residential plan in Kenya following Safaricom’s recent fibre Internet speed upgrade.

Ethiopia’s state-owned telco, Ethio Telecom, has announced strategic talks with Shandong Hi-Speed Group, a Chinese enterprise, about building a hyperscale data centre. This comes as the telco aims for a 75% revenue boost.

The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) requests a two-week extension of the NIN-SIM linkage deadline to September 30, 2024. Moreover, telcos have begun disconnecting unlinked lines.

Telcos in Zimbabwe could now face fines of up to $5,000 for poor service amid inconsistent power supply and new competition from Starlink.

Nigeria’s telecom workers’ union has embarked on an indefinite strike action to protest their members’ unfair labour and working conditions, five months after its initial action in 2024.

Starlink, SpaceX’s Internet satellite service, has officially announced its availability in Zimbabwe with a monthly subscription fee starting from $50 for Standard and $30 for Mini. This follows its licence approval in May 2024.

The news:  Though the service was implemented in 2001, Makate has been embroiled in a legal battle since 2008 over compensation, demanding between 5% and 7.5% of the revenue generated from the service.  The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) recently ruled in his favour, ordering Vodacom to pay out at least R29 billion ($1.5 billion)…

Elon Musk, Starlink’s owner, has confirmed that the satellite Internet service is awaiting approval from the Independent Communications Authority (Icasa) to begin operation in South Africa.

MTN Cameroon has promised to continue operating in the Central African country amid the ongoing court-ordered seizure of its bank accounts facilitated by Cameroonian businessman Ahmadou Baba Danpullo.

Swiftnet leases spectrum on its mast and tower infrastructure to customers and provides wireless in-building solutions. It boasts owning close to 4,000 masts across the nation. In March 2024, Telkom reached an agreement with the consortium led by Actis to sell Swiftnet at an enterprise value of R6.75 billion (over $350 million), in a debt…

The fibre service unit of Airtel Nigeria,Telesonic Limited has obtained three telecom licences from the Nigeria Communication Commision, allowing it to expand its services to include Internet access and long-distance calls.