We are almost half way through March 2015. Not only has this week been exceptionally busy in the world of technology, but the week has ended on Friday the 13th.
While some players within the industry were lucky this week, it seems as though Cell C has been struck by a bit of bad luck this Friday the 13th. According to the operator, its network was downed by a network glitch.
Moving over to West Africa, Maroc Telecom is planning to invest MAD 1.6 billion (USD 162.49 million) in its newly acquired West African operations over the next five years.
The team at IT News Africa hopes you have a fantastic weekend. Here are our top stories of the week:
News
Government has directed mobile phone operator, Telecel Zimbabwe to stop operating within Zimbabwe. According to the report, the company has no license to operate and does not comply the country’s laws. Read More.
Nigeria: Smartphones used mainly for product research
According to a report conducted by search engine Google, smartphones are becoming a vital part of online shopping in Nigeria. According to the report, 85 percent of shoppers use smartphones for product research compared to the 30 percent who use computers, and 6 percent who use tablet devices. Read More.
Maroc Telecom reveals major investment plan for West Africa
Maroc Telecom is planning to invest MAD 1.6 billion (USD 162.49 million) in its newly acquired West African operations over the next five years, after securing an ‘interest-free four-year loan. Read More.
Ghana: Govt. seeks new vendor for digital TV migration
Ghana’s Ministry of Communications is in the process of selecting a new vendor to facilitate migration from analogue television broadcasting to Digital Terrestrial Television before 20 March – leaving the authority only 8 days to find a new vendor. This follows a ruling by a commercial court in Accra on 09 March that the government can go ahead with the migration. Read More.
SA start-up to boost maths marks with mobile platform
A South African start-up, Brighter Futures Tuition, has developed a mobile platform that helps learners improve their maths marks by up to 14% within a matter of months. Read More.
Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele sets the stage for Wi-Fi Forum SA
The newly-established Wi-Fi Forum of South Africa (Wi-Fi Forum SA) recently held its inaugural conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. According to the forum it will essentially play an active and positive role in the development of the Wi-Fi industry in South Africa. Read More.
Botswana Innovation Hub launches new TV white spaces pilot project
The Botswana Innovation Hub, in collaboration with Microsoft, the Botswana-UPenn Partnership (BUP), Global Broadband Solutions, Vista Life Sciences, BoFiNet, Adaptrum and USAID-NetHope, has launched a new TV white spaces (TVWS) pilot project. Read More.
FPB proposes to censor the internet in South Africa
According to The Right2Know, the Film and Publications Board (FPB) is attempting to censor the internet in South Africa. According to the coalition group, the FPB is seeking broadly defined powers to police all content published on the Internet. Read More.
Cell C downed by network glitch in SA
South African Mobile network “Cell C” has been downed by a network glitch, which occurred on Friday 13 March 2015. Read More.
Opinions
IT firms need to develop “trusted advisor” status
IT service providers, systems integrators and partners need to up their game to become trusted advisors to their clients — or risk stagnating. Read More.
Nuclear Physicist takes a deeper look into SAP HANA
Here’s a question: What is the universe made out of? Certainly not an easy one to answer, and a little daunting to think about. If you ask a chemist, he’ll say chemicals or atoms, while a nuclear physicist will tell you about protons, neutrons, and the atomic nucleus. Read More.
Top 5 steps to define an effective IT strategy
The business world is shrinking daily. Customers are increasingly more tech-savvy and the instant gratification generation demands change and innovation now. This, combined with the upsurge in cloud solutions and distributed workforces, makes IT strategy progressively more important to all organisations – especially as businesses look to cut costs and operate more effectively. Read More.
Interviews
Video Interview: Discussing the benefits of IoT & 5G tech – Ericsson
At Mobile World Congress 2015 (MWC), IT News Africa caught up with Bo Ribbing – Head of Sales Development & Product Line Devices for Ericsson. In the interview, Ribbing discusses the benefits of IoT as well as the potentials of 5G technology in Africa. Watch the Interview.
Top Features
Can E-learning bridge the national educational gap?
The recent announcement by the Gauteng provincial government to initiate a paperless classroom project as well as the Western Cape government’s commitment to spend R1.2-billion to implement e-learning in 1 250 local schools, is a significant step toward bridging the education gap in South Africa. Read More.
In Pictures: Mobile World Congress 2015
Mobile World Congress 2015 (MWC) was definitely a highlight for mobile manufacturers and telecom providers this year. According to the event organiser, MWC attracted a staggering 93,000 attendees from over 200 countries. View the Gallery.
Top List
Top 10 Strategic Technologies for Education in 2015
Social and economic pressures are forcing senior education leaders to rethink business models and consider a range of new technologies, to bring down the cost of administering education institutions and scale the business, according to research from Gartner. Read More.
Gadgets and Gaming
Huawei unveils in-car LTE mobile Wi-Fi device
Huawei unveiled its in-car 4G LTE mobile Wi-Fi device at Mobile World Congress 2015 (MWC), which has been dubbed “CarFi”. According to Huawei representatives, Huawei CarFi essentially converts vehicles into moving Wi-Fi hotspots. Read More.
PlayStation outlines PS4 Yukimura update
ony Computer Entertainment has revealed all the details surrounding the imminent PlayStation 4 System Software Update Version 2.50, which has been dubbed “Yukimura.” Read More.
Apple unveils $10,000 USD Smart Watch
The latest device from mobile manufacturer Apple has been revealed. According to Apple, its latest devices comes in the form of a Smart Watch. The device has been dubbed the “Apple Watch”, and is expected to launch on 24 April 2015 in nine markets. Read More.
PlayStation Plus Free Game Lineup March 2015
The PlayStation Plus Free Game Lineup for March 2015 is one that should not be missed. Not only do we get to venture back into the world of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee, but we also get to experience Valiant Hearts: The Great War on the PlayStation 4. Read More.
Darryl Linington
