In just over a year since being licensed on January 10, 2011, Viettel has built 12,600 kilometres of fiber optic cable and 1,800 mobile stations in Mozambique. This network represents 70% of the total Mozambique’s fiber optic cable network and 50% of the country’s mobile stations. The system has helped triple the density of Mozambique’s telecom infrastructure (increasing the length of fiber optic cable network and number of mobile stations per one million inhabitants in Mozambique by 2-3 times), making it one of the world’s fastest growing telecommunications networks and placing the country among the top three nations in Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of fiber optic cable systems.

With the country’s largest network right at the launch date, Viettel’s Movitel network is the first mobile network operator in Mozambique to have doubled the network coverage level committed in its proposal for the license. In addition to expanding the network, Viettel also recruits one to two local people to provide services door-to-door in their own localities.

At the launch ceremony, Viettel also officially announced its project of connecting and providing free internet for 4,200 schools as part of the group’s pledge to the Mozambican Government. At present, more than 500 schools have been connected thanks to this project.

“The Mozambican Government highly appreciates Viettel’s serious investment and commitment to social responsibility. This is the first time many areas will have had access to telecom services, so the company has made a major contribution to the implementation of Mozambique’s socio-economic development and poverty reduction strategy,” said Mozambican President Armano Emilio Guebuza.

Viettel has successfully developed and popularised telecom services in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Haiti, Mozambique and Peru.

“Mozambique is Viettel’s first market in Africa. Viettel is seeking for new opportunities to expand its investment in other African countries.” a Viettel representative stressed.

On entering new markets Viettel companies have consistently become the leading telecommunications player within just two years, contributing from 1-2% to a country’s national GDP; increasing national telecom network coverage by between 50% to 80% and jointly increasing telecom network density by 3 to 3.5 times more than the international average. Most local residents now have the opportunity to access telecom services, including 95% of people living in rural areas. Tens of thousands of jobs have been generated for rural people through the Viettel sales network. Free internet services are provided in all schools.

These efforts have helped narrow the digital gap between rural and urban areas, and rich and poor.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Viettel Group.

Independent tests in Dar Es Salaam’s mobile networks have shown significant differences in QoS between Tanzanian mobile operators. Omnitele, a Finnish telecommunications engineering and consulting company, conducted city wide service benchmark tests on Zantel, Tigo, Vodacom and Airtel mobile networks in March 2012.

The main purpose of the benchmark testing was to provide Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) with an understanding of capital’s mobile networks service quality among local competition and against international standards.

The Omnitele tests covered both voice and data QoS measurements in Dar Es Salaam in all four networks. All networks were measured simultaneously.

Omnitele tests showed that there are significant differences between operators. For example call setup success rate varied from best being 97,2 % and worst being only 86,5 %. In average data download throughput speeds, the variation was from 543 kbit/s to 1322 kbit/s, i.e. the best network offers more than double the speed compared to the slowest network.

The results suggest that KPI requirements set by TCRA are not fully met by all operators. Although the QoS in general is on an acceptable level in Dar Es Salaam networks, TCRA will continue monitoring the development of QoS and take corrective actions when required.

TCRA Director General, Professor John S. Nkoma stated that the research gives TCRA real data with numbers about the QoS in the networks and will form a good basis for TCRA to start monitoring the operators performance continuously.

For more information, please contact:

Johanna Hurmerinta, Marketing and Communications Manager, Omnitele Ltd., tel. +358 44 767 1387, email: johanna.hurmerinta@omnitele.com

John S. Nkoma, Director General, TCRA, tel. +255 22 2199760 – 8, email: dg@tcra.go.tz

WACS Map {WACSCable.com}

It’s as though we are no longer penned in.” – Wessel van der Vyver, managing director for international services at Telecom Namibia

It will be capable of carrying the equivalent traffic of Seacom, Eassy and SAT-3/WASC/SAFE cable systems combined. Wacs will meet the demand for capacity well into the first quarter of the 21st century.” – Neotel CTO and co-chairman of the Wacs management committee, Angus Hay

It’s unclear exactly if any ISPs are immediately utilizing the new capacity, but the launch is over three years (and US$650 million) in the making. Activation of the cable comes over a year since the cable first landed in South Africa. WACS is also the first direct submarine cable to link Europe, West Africa, and South Africa in over ten years. Political stability and economic planning have certainly come a long way since the SAT-3 cable last connected many West African nations, but what does WACS bring to Africa’s broadband environment?

Perhaps little in the next few months, but great things in the next couple of years:

• 500 Gb/s initial capacity upgradable to 5.12 Tb/s – the most of any undersea cable landing in Africa to date. Which is actually too much capacity for coastal areas with direct access. Infrastructure providers will hopefully rush to bring capacity inland, however.
• In most of the nations served by the WACS cable, mobile broadband will become a reality. 4G and LTE will truly be possible. Still, as Vodacom CTO Andries Delport reminds us, “international connectivity is actually a pretty small part of the overall cost of delivering a megabyte of data via mobile.”
• Nations like Namibia, Angola, DRC, Congo, and Togo will have direct international access for the first time. Soon these countries will be able to sell extra capacity to neighboring nations.
• Open access policy will boost international broadband competition which will benefit the consumer. For example, smaller operators in large markets like Nigeria can acquire direct capacity instead of securing it through larger operators.
• South Africa’s government, as a pioneering partner on WACS through Broadband Infraco, can hopefully fulfill a 2020 vision of broadband for all.
• Reduced broadband delivery costs: TEAMs and EASSy have partially contributed to 50% lower costs in parts of East Africa.
• In the long term: lower prices will mean greater local content to address poverty and unemployment. Improved e-agriculture, e-commerce, e-learning, m-banking, and m-health will result indirectly from WACS.
• Challenges remain around terrestrial connectivity, competition in respective markets, and wholesale pricing and consumer access.
• Also, political roadblocks exist in at least the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although the DRC’s link to Monhoul Beach, the nation’s landing station for WACS, could be completed in less than two months it appears unlikely that the project will receive the go-ahead anytime soon.

When do you expect to see benefits from WACS? We’d be curious to know of any traceroutes that prove WACS operation in any of the respective countries.

WACS is operated by a consortium of 14 companies: Angola Cables, Broadband Infraco, Cable & Wireless, Congo Telecom, MTN, Office Congolais des Postes et Télécommunications, Portugal Telecom/Cabo Verde Telecom, Neotel, Telecom Namibia, Internet Solutions (IS), Telkom SA, Togo Telecom and Vodacom. The cable has landing stations in Namibia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, the Canary Islands, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

Government is dissatisfied with the rate and level of internet penetration in the country, hence the need to invest and expand infrastructure to address the situation.” – Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Communications, Ghana

I have reviewed the consultant’s report and I must say I was shocked by the enormous tasks and challenges that confront us in making e-commerce a reality in our region.” - Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum, Minister of ICT, Mauritius, on the findings of a recent South African Development Community e-commerce readiness study

Yes, the cables have landed but we still require huge levels of investment in infrastructure for Nigerians to enjoy the benefits of broadband internet services.” – Tony Ojobo, director of public affairs, NCC

There are no precise statistics when it comes to the exact number of Internet users in Somalia.” – Abdisalam Mohammed, marketing director for Global Internet Company, an ISP operating in Somalia

Africa is fast realising that ICT is an enabler of future economic growth.” – Johnny Aucamp, GM of strategic relations and business development Africa at MTN Business

Countries need to create a separate company just for managing the fibre. It needs to be that company’s job to sell and market all the services that fibre can bring, including selling capacity to surrounding countries.” – David O’Reilly, Sales Director for Africa at FTS

The problem with ICT use in Africa is that most people just know the basics to apply ICT knowledge and its related gadgets such as computers, smart phones and the internet.” – Mark Orwiru, ICT consultant and trainer

Note: All quotations include a link to the source that originally cited the speaker.

We now have a vibrant ecosystem and people with very innovative ideas.” – Simon Ouattara, Microsoft general manager for Francophone west and central Africa on the region’s IT industry

Information technology has opened a path for achieving remarkable improvements in transparency and also in governance.” – World Bank Country Director for Kenya Johannes Zutt

At least three or four” – Libyan Communications Minister Anwar El-Feitori, on the number of foreign operators that have expressed interest in entering the Libyan telecoms industry

We want to make sure that there is sufficient and affordable internet capacity on the Rwandan market so that we get to a point where internet bandwidth is a commodity.” – Patrick Nyirishema, Head of Information and Communication Technology department at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) upon signing a contract with Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited to provide international internet bandwidth

Let us not wait another century to recognise that broadband was another missed opportunity for Africa.” – Rwandan President Paul Kagame at a recent ITU meeting

I see my son and his friends using the MXit but I don’t know what they do there. They are always on their phones. I don’t have time for that, to be always on the phone… I use my phone to make and receive phone calls and SMS.” – Paul, a typical 49 year-old South African from a semi-rural area, highlighting the lack of connectivity outside of cities

This is not a viable alternative to paid-for Internet services.” – MXit CEO Alan Knott-Craig, on Stellenbosch, South Africa, the first African city to boast free wireless for all citizens

Our results suggest that the internet can’t plant the seed of democracy in a country. However, the internet may help democracy flourish if it has already started to grow.” – Erik Nisbet, lead author of an Ohio State University study on the role of the Internet promoting fundamental political change

Capital is a big problem here, but nobody’s really talking about it.” – Mark Davies, British entrepreneur working in Ghana for the past 12 years on the innovative Ghanaian spirit despite lack of funding

Kenyan prices are ridiculously high, if the relative cost were the same in the US, 1mbps would cost 37,000 Euro per year.” – Nikolai Barnwell of 88mph and Startup Garage Nairobi, on decent broadband pricing

We want Kenya to be among the top 10 ICT hubs in the world.” – Kenya ICT Board chief executive Paul Kukubo

Mettez le drapeau du Mali sur votre profil pour soutenir son unicité” – Oumar Maigar, member of the Facebook group of ‘Collectif des Ressortissants du Nord’ in Mali, on urging members to change their profile pictures as a sign of solidarity

Submarine cables and terrestrial fibre will fuel the demand for satellite rather than the other way around.” – Ibrahima Guimba-Saidou, GM for Africa at satellite services company SES

I try to send sometimes 60 pages. That might take you anything up to 18, 20 hours, which means that sometimes at night you set it up and you keep your fingers crossed that sometime in the middle of the night it will not just stop working.” – Patricia Oben, a consultant in Douala, Cameroon, on slow Internet connections

A negative image of Ethiopia still prevails in different countries and in the minds of potential tourists. We hope that this website will provide accurate and useful information and contribute to the closing of the information gap.” – Bedilu Shegen, Chief of Party of the Ethiopian Sustainable Tourism Alliance (ESTA)

There is something about the internet that gives people boldness to speak their mind – people are connecting, sharing stories and ideas. Others who have suffered in silence speak out.” – Frederick Bvalani, co-founder of Malawi Fuel Watch Facebook group

We are being left seriously behind by Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria in terms of attracting investment and industry with technology. They will become the economic engines of the continent.” – Adrian Schofield, president of the Computer Society South Africa, on the lack of a national South African ICT policy

I believe we have only scratched the surface of what IXPN will be able to do for the growth of the Internet in Africa.”- Muhammed Rudman, chief executive officer of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) on the potential for IXPs to boost affordable access

Note: All quotations include a link to the source that originally cited the speaker.

Algeria

• Presidential Party (FLN) Invites Internet… {Echoro UK Online}

Angola

• High-speed Internet: Angola’s big 4G leap {Africa Review}
• World Health Organization Reports Conundrum for eHealth Evaluation {Huffington Post}

Botswana

• FibreCo to expand north of SA {TechCentral}
• Free Internet for Schools in Botswana {TechTalkAfrica}

Cameroon

• Open Collaboration for African Techies {Global Voices}
• E-learning gain grounds in Cameroon {CRTV}

Cote d’Ivoire

• MTN urges government to allocate spectrum {BusinessLIVE}
• Reopening of Parliament Sparks Buzz Across the Web {Global Voices}
• Un important marché TIC en perspective {ConnectionIvoirienne.net}

Ethiopia

• Leading Weekly’s Website Blocked for Past Six Weeks {EthioSun}

Ghana

• Glo Hits Road {Daily Guide}

Kenya

• Internet-enabled Mobile Phones Boost Health in Kenya {JacobLangvad.com}
• Kenya: The Bake Blog Awards 2012 {Global Voices}
• Companies develop technologies to ease traffic congestion {Business Daily Africa}
• TEAMS to sue KPA over cable cut {Bikya Masr}

Liberia

• Liberia to get High Speed GSM network {IT News Africa}
• Liberia: Will Social Media Increase Civic Engagement? {Global Voices}

Malawi

• MTL launches new wireless broadband internet service {BNL Times}

Mauritius

• Mobile Telephony and Internet: The 4G with a 40 Mbps Connection… {Mega.mu}

Morocco

• Haut débit et forte croissance {Reussir}

Niger

• Rétablissement de l’Internet haut débit après une panne de trois mois {lefaso.net}

Nigeria

• Nigeria’s ICT Measurement Report launched {UNECA}
• Nigeria Collaborates With Nokia To Improve ICT {Ventures Africa}
• ‘Broadband Internet not feasible until 2015′ {The Nation Newspaper}
• NCC to adopt ‘Open Access Model’ for broadband deployment {BusinessDay}
• Improving Nigeria’s internet presence for economic prosperity {BusinessDay}
• Cost of Internet Access in Nigeria April 2012 {Nigeria Technology Guide}
• Airtel Nigeria to showcase 3.75G network {IT News Africa}
• Nigeria works to revamp cybercrime enforcement {Computerworld Zambia}

Rwanda

• ICT Infrastructure Lies Idle in Rural Areas {AllAfrica.com}

Seychelles

• Seychelles now connected by fiber optic underwater cable from Tanzania {eTurboNews}

South Africa

• Free Net access hooks business {Independent Online}
• How the cloud is changing Gijima {BusinessTech}
• ISPA launches iCode to boost local cyber security {IT News Africa}
• 8.ta launches data plans for new iPad {IT News Africa}
• iPad 3 in South Africa: About 4G Connection {iPad USA}
• R5bn fibre optic cable between JHB and CT launched {BusinessLIVE}
• SA online shopping growing – survey {Sowetan}
• OK Computer: How the power of social media can make a change {IT News Africa}

Tanzania

• Costech set to link local and foreign research activities {The Citizen Daily}
• Here’s Our One Chance to Gain from ICT {The Citizen Daily}
• Tanzania to participate in e-learning forum {IPPmedia}
• Government’s National Backbone… {AllAfrica.com}

Togo

• High speed broadband available in June {Republic of Togo}

Tunisia

• Tunisiana Wins Bid for 3G License {Tunisia Live}
• Twitter’s role in Arab Spring exaggerated, experts find {The National}

Uganda

• My tab is faster than some laptops {The Observer (blog)}
• Top 500 most visited websites in Uganda named {Guide2Uganda}
• Solar-powered learning initiative takes off in Uganda {Developing Telecoms (press release)}
• Orange Uganda offers modems to support faster internet {Telecompaper (subscription)}

Zimbabwe

• Citizen journalism can help improve service delivery in Zimbabwe {The Kubatana (blog)}
• MISA bemoans new media crackdown {The Times Group (blog)}

General Africa

• Mobile broadband, key to meeting MDGs {CIO East Africa}
• Georgia Tech/Microsoft study shows bandwidth caps create user uncertainty… {Science Codex}
• African Internet Registry Meets in Banjul {Foroyaa online}
• Locals to Take Part in ITU Contest {AllAfrica.com}
• Africa unites to bolster IT across the continent {IT News Africa}
• How some western entrepreneurs are abandoning Silicon Valley for Africa {How we made it in Africa}
• Airtel to increase Africa revenues in 2013 (Africa, India) {Wireless Federation}
• Bonjour Google! Gmail adds auto-translation {CNN}
• Harnessing the African Information Renaissance {AllAfrica.com}
• African ICT Industry Inaugurates Africa ICT Alliance {Tekedia}
• Bandwidth Cost To Drop As $650m Undersea Cable Goes Live {Leadership Newspapers}
• Opera Mini Now Has 169 Million Users, 56% Of Them Only Use The Mobile Web {TechCrunch}
• The New African Democracy – connectivity for… {Demdigest}
• The inside story of the $1,5bn Brics cable {TechCentral}
• Quick Hits Around African Tech (May 2012) {WhiteAfrican}
• Why the West is Ignoring Africa 2.0 {The Mark}
• Cost, not security, the problem with m-banking {ITWeb}
• New Internet tool for Africa {BusinessTech}
• Akamai Releases Fourth Quarter 2011 ‘State of the Internet’ Report {MarketWatch (press release)}
• The Top 5 Startup Trends In Africa {Techy Thoughts Under the African Sun}

Angola

• Mobile phone company Movicel launches fourth generation network {AngolaPress}

Botswana

• Faster, cheaper internet due next month {Mmegi Online}
• Free Internet for schools {New Era}

Burundi

• Incoming fibre boosts investment prospects for Burundi {Developing Telecoms (press release)}

Chad

• Tchad, Soudan, Centrafrique: 1500 kilometres de fibre optique {Ecofin}

DRC

• Girls in ICT Day: Young women and internet in Goma, Eastern DRCongo {Tungali}

Djibouti

• 3G on the way in Djibouti, but competition is required {Developing Telecoms (press release)}
• Dahabshiil provides vital service for African community {SomalilandPress}

Egypt

• Egypt: “Blog About Nubia” Day {Global Voices}

Equatorial Guinea

• Only 4.6 per cent Ghanaians are on facebook {Spyghana.com}

Ethiopia

• Netizens Outraged as Ethiopia Steps Up Internet… {Endalk}
• Ethiopia community tourism goes online {Balancing Act}

Ghana

• Ghana celebrates Girls in ICT Day {Africa on the Blog}
• Address the issue of content development, stakeholders told {GhanaWeb}
• Bridging the technology divide to empower women {MediaGlobal (blog)}
• Government committed to promote ICT – Dr Mustafa {Vibe Ghana}
• 45% of world’s internet users below 25 years – ITU {Ghana Business News}
• MainOne transforms Ghana Internet service {The Nation}
• Insecure websites to be named and shamed after checks {Citifmonline}
• Africa mostly not on Facebook, and not on Zuckerberg’s to do list {Technology Zimbabwe}
• Photo of the day: Internet in Africa {OMG! Ghana}
• $150m For Broadband Expansion {Spyghana.com}
• A Social Niche Beyond Facebook in Africa {Technology Review}
• Ghanaweb and its competitors {GhanaWeb}

Kenya

• Kenya ICT Master Plan get’s discussed at top African IT Summit {ICT.go.ke}
• Safaricom, Airtel in joint venture to lay fibre cable {Business Daily Africa}
• Kenya’s Kids & Kindles {EContent (press release)}
• Vision 2030: Kenya ICT hub in Africa {Bikya Masr}
• Safaricom to lay fibre for “data tsunami” {The Standard}
• Kenya’s Kids & Kindles {EContent (press release)}
• Digital media the way to go, report says {allkenyanews}
• CCK release 2nd quarter ICT sector statistics for 2011/2012 {CCK}

Liberia

• Remote Liberia Internet Woes {CCTV News – CNTV English}
• Locals Prepare for Fast Speed and Affordable Internet… {allAfrica}

Mali

• Ségou Villages: Boukary Konaté Is A Finalist At BOBs {Global Voices Online (blog)}

Mauritius

• ICT: Developing e-Commerce in Africa {Mega.mu}

Morocco

• Abused By Maroc Telecom {Morocco Board News Service}

Mozambique

• Internet freedom is great, but what about access? {The Kubatana (blog)}

Namibia

• No Computers at the University of Namibia {Informante}
• Free Internet for Schools {AllAfrica.com}

Nigeria

• Remodelling Businesses in the Era of Technology Convergence {THISDAY Live}
• Improving Nigeria’s internet presence for economic prosperity {BusinessDay}
• Nigeria govt eager to use ICT in education {IT News Africais}
• E-books, the way to go? {BusinessDay}
• BlackBerry And The African Market: What Does it Have to Offer? {Business Insider}
• Nigeria: 3000 Entrepreneurs for Google’s 2012 Web Fair {AllAfrica.com}
• Internet fraud, Nigerian scammers and cyber-racism {DigitalJournal}
• My curiosity led me into entrepreneurship – Aniekan Okono {Vanguard}
• Nigeria seeks input on history of internet {Bizcommunity.com}
• Regulatory Framework approach to Cybersecurity in Nigeria… {Commonwealth IGF}
• This Day Blast Sparks Social Media War {allAfrica.com}
• NOA: Bridging communication gap between govt and Nigerians via e-polling {Nigerian Tribune}
• Mobile penetration in Nigeria to reach 82% by 2015 {BusinessDay}
• Nigeria works to revamp cybercrime enforcement {IDG News Service}

Rwanda

• Rwanda top EAC country for ICT readiness {Communications Africa}
• 40 Graduates Benefit From Nethope ICT Programme {AllAfrica.com}

Senegal

• An Innovative Way to Monitor the Presidential Elections {Global Voices Online}

Sierra Leone

• Google+ SMS feature extended to 41 countries {Mobiletor.com}
• Without Internet access are computers any good for Sierra Leone {Stop}

Somalia

• Firm considers re-routing fibre cable {Daily Nation}
• In Somalia, new telecommunication technologies play important role… {Sabahi Online}

South Africa

• Is your private Wi-Fi data still in Google’s hands? {BusinessTech}
• South Africa extends broadband invite {The Jakarta Post}
• iPad 3 pricing revealed for SA {MyBroadband}
• South Africa plans full ICT policy review {Telecompaper}
• Communications Minister unveils new policy plans {Natasha Odendaal}
• We have failed to provide the best broadband: Knott-Craig {Moneyweb.co.za}
• Mike Jensen | Internet Hall of Fame {Internet Hall of Fame}
• National dialogue aimed at youth launched on Mxit {7thSpace Interactive (press release)}
• Uptake of cloud in SA {ITWeb}
• Undersea Cables – Total Capacity Vs. Capacity in Use {AllAfrica.com}
• Top 10 Facebook pages and brands in SA {MyBroadband}
• Alarm bells ringing for SA ICT sector? {BusinessTech}
• Will .Africa Go the .Asia Way? {DNF Blog}
• Internet debut for local eagles {IOL}
• What People Forward a Gang Rape Video? {Global Voices Online}
• In-flight Wi-Fi in SA soon {MyBroadband}

Swaziland

• Tourism boom: 30 million Russians see Swaziland {Times of Swaziland}

Tanzania

• ICT growth attracts more investors to Dar {Daily News}
• Cyber-roam to protect computers {Daily News}
• No more radio waves for Dar, says communications body {The Citizen Daily}
• Wikipedia to Be Accessed Free on Mobile {allAfrica.com}
• Tanzania wins praise over transparency {Daily News}
• Minister Urges Public Service to Use Website to Enhance Recruitment {allAfrica.com}

Tunisia

• Tunisiana’s 3G Bid Declined {Wireless Federation}

Uganda

• New Report Shows How ICT is Aiding Citizen Participation in Uganda {ICT4Democracy}
• Ugandan bloggers speak out about Kony2012 {Aljazeera.com (blog)}
• Uganda: solar power aids technology {Bikya Masr}
• Orange brings high internet speeds {The Observer (blog)}
• Uganda Govt bureaucracy delays fibre internet backbone… {In2EastAfrica}
• iLabs Brings Global Science to Makerere {allAfrica.com}
• Telecoms moving to speed up data upgrade {Daily Monitor}
• Laying of Lira Fibre Optic Cable Stalls {Uganda Radio Network}

Zambia

• ZICTA’s regional and international collaboration vital for ICT advancement {Zambia Daily Mail}
• CITI conference to examine Africa broadband challenges set for… {HumanIPO}
• Who is responsible for Africa’s rotten image? {The Observer}
• Zamtel dials in broadband 3G service {Times of Zambia}
• Zambian Bloggers Network – By The Zambian For Zambia {The Zambian}
• More than 850 000 people read Zambian Watchdog last month … {Zambian Watchdog}
• AfriConnect Assists Zambia in Joining the Internet Revolution, in African… {African Business Review (press release)}

Zimbabwe

• The essence of cyber security, IT governance {The Zimbabwe Independent}
• Aquiva Wireless launches VoIP in Zimbabwe {TeleGeography}
• Zimbabwe Internet to Influence Next Elections {allAfrica.com}
• In Zimbabwe, retailers give shoppers airtime instead of change… {Springwise}
• Hats Off to ZNCC {AllAfrica.com}

General

• Looking beyond ICT for ICT’s sake – Microsoft on the Issues Africa… {TechNet}
• Continent Realises Importance of ICT for… {allAfrica.com}
• For Girls, ‘It Is Possible to Dream Big’ {AllAfrica.com}
• Africa’s mobile broadband reaches four per cent {Vibe Ghana}
• Africa Infrastructure Growth Supporting ccTLDs and New gTLD Growth {CircleID}
• EU to bridge digital divide in Africa {New Europe}
• iindlela ICT Introducing Virtual Desktop in Africa {YouTube}
• Fibre, not privatisation, could be the answer for Africa’s fixed-line operators {Developing Telecoms (press release)}
• Leadership key to driving tech innovation in Africa {BusinessDay}
• Solar Internet project earns immediate recognition {Creamer Media’s Engineering News}
• Cyber Crime Takes Root As ICT Usage Grows {AllAfrica.com}
• Why Women, Girls Should Embrace ICT – Witin {Nigeria Communications Week}
• Cloud computing to transform African IT {IT-Online}
• Pricing in the negatives {Business Standard}
• Africa realises importance of ICT for economic growth {Bizcommunity.com}
• Africa set for new continental domain name extension {IT News Africa}
• Less power to cell phones, more power to the people {Gizmag}
• Africa set for subsea cable surge {ITWeb}
• 3G mobile licences expected in 2012 {BuddeComm}
• African Developers Finding Success… {Official Google Africa Blog}

Source: ITU Girls in ICT Portal

In order to expand horizons and change attitudes regarding female involvement in ICT, Ministries of Communication, Education, National Regulatory Authorities, private sector companies, academic institutions, and NGOs have organized local or national events around the globe. After some research, it appears that five African nations are holding dedicated events to celebrate Girls in ICT Day. Interestingly, most of the five African nations committed to the celebration are turning their event into a multiple-day ordeal.

Ghana

• Put together by the Ministry of Communication and National Communication Authority (NCA)
• Day one: girls will be exposed to ICT companies (ie. BusyInternet, MTN, Vodafone, rLG, Zepto)
• Day two: panel discussion with Ghana’s most influential women in ICT
• Edward Tagoe

Liberia

• Activities organized by Internet Society Liberia Chapter
• Day one: open day in companies (including iLab Liberia) with 5 girls each from 20 high schools and technical colleges
• Day two: conference and ICT fair with over 200 girls at University of Liberia
• ISOC-Liberia

Nigeria

• Publishers of eBusiness Life Magazine, has scheduled a maiden edition of the celebration ICT Girls’ Day in the country. MainOne Cable Company is the platinum sponsor
• Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is holding its first Technology Camp for 2012 from April 23 – 27 in Lagos
• e-Contest is launched for girls in secondary schools
• GirlsDay.org.ng

Senegal

• 1,000 girls will participate in ICT-related activities over the next three years
• Will raise awareness in rural areas and will rely on local language
• Speeches by ministers, multiple panels, awards, and summary of recommendations
• Multiple partners from all sectors
• Additional training held on April 24th
• Femmes-TIC.gouv.sn

Swaziland

• Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC) sponsored shadowing programs
• Were also shown the Internet Data Centre

Unfortunately, most African countries are not offering dedicated events for young women on April 26th. Perhaps national priorities will align next year (after all coordinating an event among private and public sectors isn’t always easy).

Just because there’s an absence of an official Girls in ICT Day event doesn’t mean that efforts to advance women in technology don’t exist. For example:

• Ugandan blogger Maureen Agena is sharing information about #internationalgirlsictday. This past March, the Google Technology User Group organized a mapping event for women in Kampala, Uganda
• Women’sNet (South Africa) greatly advances gender equality through ICT.
• AkiraChix (Kenya), an association of tech-inclined ladies, provides training and mentorship.
• And the list goes on…

Those without access to a local event can still tune-in to a live webcast of the launch of ITU’s new global campaign ‘Tech Needs Girls’.

The gallery:

Our favorites are the Ghana Independence Day 2012 and the Senegal Independence day 2011.

The video provides a glimpse into the Saclepea Community Computer Center. The computer center is a lifeline for the local community (estimated population 17,000). SCCC has regular satellite internet with generator. People visit to check Facebook, but they also go to learn tech skills. In fact, a graduate of the center has already found a paid job in data processing!

More on Saclepea Community Center:

In January 2011, U.S. non-profit West Africa Crossroads Corporation (WACC) helped locals open the Saclepea Community Computer Center. The computers are used by high school students during the day. At night and on weekends, the center functions as Saclepea’s first public internet café. Classes are offered (for-profit), but are seen as a wise investment; positive feedback was rolling in from day one.

Planning process:

1. a group came to Liberia and trained teachers
2. they also conducted local assessment for the computer program
3. Saclepea community reciprocated by providing one lot of land for the center
4. the results are new job opportunities

Also:

• The lab was outfitted with new netbooks instead of recycled desktops due to power consumption constraints. Such foresight will save an estimated $5,000 US in fuel costs.
• 2012 Saclepea Economic Empowerment Competition to “choose the best proposal(s) for a new business in Saclepea which will make use of the resources of Saclepea and of the internet and computer facilities of the SCCC”
• SCCC Facebook
• WACC Tumblr (last updated November 2011)