ICASA offers more spectrum due to data traffic surge
07 September 2022
The South African telecom regulator is set to license more low- and mid-frequency spectrum to providers of broadband services amid a surge in data traffic.
A notice published by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) in the Government Gazette said it was initiating the second phase of the licensing process as continued growth necessitated the demand for more spectrum.
ICASA said it expects to conclude this process by March 2023. It also says it has decided on a phased approach to the licensing of the low- and mid-frequency bands to enhance competition and increase broadband coverage.
Find out more ‘Smartphone shipments in Africa dip 7.9% in Q2’ – IDC report
07 September 2022
Shipments of feature phones rose 10.6% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), with their cheaper prices offering a viable alternative for cash-strapped consumers, according to the latest report by research house IDC.
The top three smartphone markets in Africa by unit share in Q2 2022 were South Africa (16.6%), Nigeria (13.8%) and Kenya (7.7%); however, all three saw shipments decline QoQ.
Transsion brands (Tecno, Itel, and Infinix) led the African smartphone market in Q2 2022 with a unit share of 48%, maintaining steady shipments into the region.
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Togo-Gabon roaming deal
06 September 2022
Roaming between Togo and Gabon will incur no additional charges after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries.
The agreement, signed in Libreville, Gabon, sees the abolition of roaming charges and a major reduction in prices for voice, data and SMS services while roaming. The rationale behind the decision is to promote the mobility of citizens of the two non-neighbouring countries.
“It will now be possible to use a Togolese SIM card in Gabon and vice versa without paying roaming charges,” regulators of the two countries told west African media. “In addition the two authorities said that “receiving calls will now be free and calls made in the country visited will be billed at local rates excluding packages, i.e. up to 10 times cheaper than currently”.
Find out more Seychelles NGO goes high-tech with Huawei
06 September 2022
Huawei Technologies is supporting a local environmental non-profit organisation to improve conservation through use of novel technology in Seychelles.
Non-governmental organisation (NGO), Nature Seychelles, has received a grant of US$200,000 from the tech giant that will go toward a new project that has been dubbed
“Next-Gen Conservation: Applying and sharing lessons in the use of technology and digital based solutions for island and coastal conservation management.”
Through the project, the team at Nature Seychelles seeks to improve digital connectivity on Cousin Island Special Reserve. Nature Seychelles has been managing the reserve since 1998, and is currently undertaking various conservation projects on the island.
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