Television still dominates the content space Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Telecom firms are slowly taking the battle for consumers to traditional Pay TV’s door step with the matching of the rival’s content either through partnerships or own content plays. MTN Uganda unveiled the YOTV in partnership with Al …
Read More »Chinese giant Huawei says ‘survival’ top priority as sales fall short
Beijing, China | AFP | Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei said Tuesday that “survival” was its top priority after announcing 2019 sales were expected to fall short of projections as a result of US sanctions. The global leader in telecom networking equipment has been effectively banned by the United States from …
Read More »South African regulator orders data costs be reduced
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s competition regulatory authority on Monday revealed that mobile operators have been overcharging for internet connectivity, ordering top operators to drop prices within two months or face prosecution. The high cost of data has in the past stirred public outrage prompting protests under …
Read More »Peter Ndegwa is new Safaricom CEO
Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | The Safaricom PLC Board of Directors has appointed Peter Ndegwa as the company’s Chief Executive Officer effective April 1, 2020. He joins Safaricom from Diageo PLC where he is the Managing Director of Diageo Continental Europe. “Ndegwa brings a wealth of experience in General …
Read More »RADIATION: Thousands of Swiss protest 5G wireless over health fears
Bern, Switzerland | AFP | Thousands of people protested in the Swiss capital Bern Saturday over the roll-out of a 5G wireless technology across the country, which they fear could damage people’s health. The protesters, many carrying placards, gathered in front of the Swiss parliament building, in a bid to …
Read More »Uganda deports MTN chief
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | MTN CEO Wim Vanhelleputte was Thursday night deported, weeks after three of the company’s expatriate staff were expelled. His deportation documents were signed by Internal Affairs Minister Gen. Jeje Odongo, hours after he had been held and grilled by security. He was later taken to …
Read More »Uganda deports third foreign telecom employee
Kampala, Uganda | AFP | Ugandan police on Thursday announced the expulsion of another foreigner working for telecom giant MTN, following the deportation earlier this week of two of the company’s expatriate staff. MTN Uganda’s general manager for mobile money Elsa Mussolini, an Italian citizen, was forced out of the …
Read More »Telcos to list 30% stake on Uganda stock market
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda will expect major telecommunication companies operating in the country to list 30% of their stock on the local bourse under a new policy intended to align operations in the sector with market realities. 256businessnews.com says the target is the two major mobile telephone …
Read More »MTN pays $53 million penalty, resolves $8 bln Nigeria row
Nigeria resolves $8 bln row with MTN Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria said it has resolved a dispute with Africa’s largest mobile operator over $8.13 billion (6.96 billion euros) which it accused MTN of illegally repatriating to South Africa. Africa’s biggest telecoms market Nigeria shocked MTN and foreign investors …
Read More »NIRA, telecoms now able to verify customer information
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Identification and Registration Authority- NIRA and telecom companies are now able to match and verify customer’s information against the national identification database. This follows the provision of connectivity to the Application Programming Interface (API) at NIRA, according to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). …
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