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Whopping 73% Discount By Vodafone For Hajj Pilgrims

Caroline Vutagwa
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Whopping 73% Discount By Vodafone For Hajj Pilgrims

pilgrimage

Muslims in Ghana will enjoy this season more than the others as Vodafone Ghana has announced a fresh round of discounts for pilgrims making the journey to Mecca and Medina in the Middle East.

This discount, CMO Uche Ofodile said, was the only one in the country  and is that it has already been set up for all Vodafone prepaid customers and can be automatically accessed when they reach Saudi Arabia; running until the end of October.

Vodafone hopes that the discounts will enable more people to stay in touch with their loved ones while in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

On this discount, the telecommunication company will offer 73 percent discount on prepaid roaming charges for Hajj pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia this year.

This offer was also made in the last year’s season of Pilgrimage and was quite successful as many users continued to use their phone while in away from Ghana.

Giving a 73 percentage discount on calls sounds too good, so given that the mobile usage in Africa has since increased the question of network efficiency is quite inevitable.

It also could be that the people of Ghana have a different view in regards to this offer, maybe not as great as the telecommunication company is putting it across. It could be that they have other cheaper means of communicating with their loved ones given that technology has been changing since the last time the offer was on.

Well this are some of the questions that we could ask Vodafone if we could reach them.

Kenya Insurance Company To Launch Mobile Phone Insurance

Vince Matinde
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Kenya Insurance Company To Launch Mobile Phone Insurance
celsnatcher
Would you Insure your Cellphone? – “image courtesy of techno-labs”

Kenya Orient Insurance Company is ready to unveil a new product that will see owners of expensive mobile phones.

According The Star newspaper, the product to be launched today (Monday) will not force clients to lump domestic items in the cover and will exclusively be for mobile phones.

“We are looking beyond the usual product avenues to give Kenyans compelling, affordable and convenient solutions as well as deepen the penetration of insurance in the country,” Muema Muindi, the managing director said.

The cover will see over 120 mobile phones incorporated into the plan and will include those using GSM SIM cards and are internet enabled. The clients will pay 10 percent of the value of the handsets to be insured.

The company did not quite paint the reality picture in Kenya where phone lost through robbery is something that is common in the country, other problems are when cellphones fall down and get cracked or when they fall in the bathroom (quite common with latrines), users are asking ” will my cell phone be covered under this circumstances? what of data and contacts ?

With this insurance cover it also means that your cellphone will cost 10% more, the question you have to ask yourself is , is it worth to pay 10% more to insure my cellphone? let us know what you think.

Hotel Link Partners with Oryx Africa to Spread Service to Kenya and Tanzania

Vince Matinde
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Hotel Link Partners with Oryx Africa to Spread Service to Kenya and Tanzania

Hotel Link

Hotel Link, software based company providing solutions to hotel and accommodation industry in Africa has extended its footprint to Tanzania and Kenya through Oryx Africa who will now will be the official sales agent for Hotel Link.

The solution helps hotels market themselves and accept booking and accommodation requests though an easy to understand software interface.

“The combined Kenyan and Tanzanian market already has over 1,350 accommodations – many without a Web presence – with new establishments adding to the total every day, especially in response to the robust and expanding East African economy that has seen growing tourist numbers. Kenya alone anticipates 3 million tourists per year by 2017, a clear indicator of the region’s business potential,” the company said.

The company that started its operations in Uganda in August and incorporated Mauritius and Swaziland to their African market space.

“Hotel Link Solutions reached its agreement with Oryx Africa Ltd after previously starting operations in Uganda. All partners will roll out Hotel Link Solutions’ tailor-made, state-of-the-art and cost-effective modular software solutions for the local hotel industry in their areas of expertise,” the company announced.

CEO Weekends: Ronald Nyakairu Of TerracesProperties.com On The Future Of Uganda’s Property Market

Sam Wakoba
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CEO Weekends: Ronald Nyakairu Of TerracesProperties.com On The Future Of Uganda’s Property Market
 terracRonald Nyakairu came up with the idea of Terrace Properties in March and spent 3 months working on developing the site talking to market experts (Agents, Brokers, Mortgage professionals) before it was launched in June. Though still making updates daily in a move to improve the site, he says he has hopes the site will make significant revenue and create jobs for youths in Uganda. He was recently joined by partner who is trying to help improve the startups revenue model.
He also hopes to increase the team in the near future.
Here is the rest of the interview Nyakairu had with TechMoran.
What inspired you to launch Terrace Properties?
The lack of information for Buyers to make informed decisions and the difficulty for Sellers to find tenants. I heard of several friends and relatives who had to wait 8 months for their 1st tenants, even though they were using the “big” Real Estate companies. They often asked me to setup websites for them but I did not see the value of single websites. So I created a marketplace for buyers could interact with sellers/agents directly and exchange information.
How many listings does Terrace Properties have so far?
Over 100 listings in just 3 months, and we are looking to reach 500 by January 2014.
Any competition?
 Yes, there is always competition in business, though we have a unique value proposition compared to our competitors. We also expect new entrants, as the East Africa property market is getting international attention.
How different is Terrace Properties from others-say Jomayi, Canaan Properties etc?
We are not Real Estate Agents, rather we look to work with agents like Jomayi, Knight Frank and National Housing as well as other developers to increase people’s awareness of available property in Uganda and increase their exposure.
terrace
Briefly describe how Terrace Properties work?
Real Estate Agents register on our website (wwww.terracesproperties.com) and begin listing there properties. It really is that easy and only takes 5 minutes. Terraces Properties the validates a Agents account before their properties appear on the portal, this is to protect our clients and create trust in the market.
How many agents and houses on site?
We have 30 Agents and over 100 listings on the website, though there is still room for improvement as Agents on average have over 20 active listings at any given time. So the challenge is to get these properties uploaded.
How do you fund the operation?
We are self-funded through savings. We are looking to grow organically before we look into expansion. We are currently starting a 3 month advertising campaign which will boost our unique visitors to over 200 per day.
Are there paid users?
Currently it is free to list for Agents and individuals. We have a few paid advertisers and manage several Agent profiles for a nominal fee. The market is still new and so a pay wall will limit our growth capability. Other websites have tried to introduce a pay wall but have been met by resistance from Agents.
How is Uganda’s tech scene going?
Increasing Internet penetration rates are fueling tech startups across Uganda in various industries. The main challenge is building trust amongst the public, to use and adopt Internet business. A lot of Ugandans trade on Facebook, so there is appetite. The next horizon is mobile, especially after the success of Mobile payments.

CEO Weekends:Nigeria’s Flashintelligence.com Turning Missed Calls & SMS Into Ads

Sam Wakoba
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CEO Weekends:Nigeria’s Flashintelligence.com Turning Missed Calls & SMS Into Ads

missedcall

Nigeria’s Flash Intelligence is a platform that promotes interaction between consumers and brands, using the most basic mobile phone. No data connection or credit is required.

The platform works on the concept of toll free missed call and return SMS and is the first of its kind in Africa. Flash Intelligence can be used by any business and brand for Customer Feedback and Support; Customer Identity Verification; Coupon Delivery ; Contests; Lead Generation & Social Marketing.

The firm’s patented platform provides unparalleled monitoring and measurement on the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, which can help any business increase response rates, customer acquisition and interaction.

Below is the interview we had with the team.

 

Do you have partnerships with the telcos?

We took the decision early on to be operator agnostic so we could focus heavily on creating value and flexibility for our clients. Our technology has all been developed internally and can be deployed using any telco across Africa and worldwide.

What inspired you to launch?

Africa has high mobile phone penetration, but internet access is still expensive. Flash Intelligence enables consumers to interact with brands using the most basic mobile phone technology, without a data connection or credit.

Flash Intelligence solves the problem of closing the loop between advertisers and consumers in Africa, whilst at the same time delivering outstanding value to both. Using the Flash Intelligence platform, brands can now measure, analyze and optimize campaigns to maximise Return On Investment.

Flash Intelligence is all about fostering permission based relationships between brands and consumers, in the most efficient and frictionless way.

Any expansion plans across Africa?

Yes, the company has plans to expand across the entire continent, starting with Nigeria.

 

Who are your clients at the moment?

We will be launching campaigns shortly with well known brands and will let you know as soon as we can.

 Any funding closed so far?

The company has been privately funded.

What are the challenges you have faced and how did you solve them? 

Challenges are ongoing in any business. However, by identifying, focusing on and meeting the needs of our customers, we continuously  strive to deliver value and allow our platform to speak for itself. We demonstrate to clients how we can save them time, money and deliver value and the challenges resolve themselves.

 

 Why are your ads better than radio, online, TV or print ads?

We complement all types of media and add value to existing ads rather than replacing them. By using Flash Intelligence in conjunction with radio, TV, print and web ads, advertisers can increase response rates exponentially, as well as analyze and optimize engagement.

By closing the loop between advertiser and consumer, we help brands build a dynamic relationship with their target audience. Relationship marketing is the way forward and Flash Intelligence enables this in Africa, with the most prevalent technology, a basic mobile phone.

 

CEO Weekends:Mombasa’s Inaugural Hackathon To Stir Innovation In Kenya’s Tourist City

Sam Wakoba
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CEO Weekends:Mombasa’s Inaugural Hackathon To Stir Innovation In Kenya’s Tourist City

Mombasa is known for its lazy and laid back mood, great beaches, nice sand and warm sun  and a preferred holiday town for Kenya’s working class and tourists.

However, things are set to change as this coming weekend September 20-21, Nailab in partnership with JKUAT Mombasa and the ICT Authority has organized Mombasa’s inaugural tech hackathon.

Dubbed “Incubation without borders” the hackathon is expected to bring together Mombasa’s tech community, help innovators develop their ideas into products and fix their community problems.

According to Sam Gichuru, Nailab CEO, “We are keen to engage tech-prenuers to understand the different challenges they are facing in their localities. We will work specifically to mitigate this challenges and ensure that our techprenuers are well prepared for the market.”

The hackathon is also expected to enhance a culture of entrepreneurship throughout the country and ensure that the youth become job creators and not job seekers.

nailab3Victor Kyalo, Acting CEO, ICT Authority says, “In order to ensure that the Kenya vision 2030 is achieved through technology, we have to empower the youth who are the key drivers of the economy and todays leaders.”

The authority has been keen on enabling Kenyans to adopt and exploit ICT through promotion of partnerships and investments and this year gave a $1.6 million grant to the incubator to create a Tech Business Incubation program that supports Kenyan start-ups through out the country.

“As the Nailab, we are glad that we have received great responses on the initiative from institutions of higher learning who are keen on starting incubation programs in their institutions,” Gichuru added. “This will help sink the spirit of entrepreneurship among our graduate student body and create an empowered working source.”

Last year,the Nailab enrolled a total of 10 start-ups for the October 2012- 2013 program. It has now opened applications for the November 2013- 2014 batch of start-ups. Nailab expects to sign up 20 startups compared to last years ten.

Images courtesy of Nailab.co.ke

CEO Weekends: MTN Has Over One Million Mobile Money Users

Caroline Vutagwa
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CEO Weekends: MTN Has Over One Million Mobile Money Users

mtnMTN South Africa has recorded opening more than 1 million Mobile Money accounts and processed more than R1 billion in transactions in its first nine months of operations.

Mobile Money is powered by MTN and operated by TYME, a distribution partner of the South African Bank of Athens.

Account holders can access their accounts through USSD and deposit as well as withdraw cash at Pick n Pay and Boxer stores; they can also instantly transfer money to another cell phone number using the “send money” feature.

“MTN is proud to have partnered with retail outlets such as Pick n Pay and Boxer stores, who have a mass reach throughout the country to ensure that this service is accessible to customers, in line with our distribution strategy,” says Brian Gouldie, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN SA.

The Mobile Money service has been like a revolution in South Africa as it is setting new standards in lowest-cost banking in the country, with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements.

The only Applicable fees are directly related to customer transactions, cash deposits and withdrawals cost R4 regardless of the amount, while sending money transactions costs R1.

Particular fees are waived for MTN customers, such as cash deposit and sending money fees. A maximum balance of R25 000 and a daily transaction limit of R1 000 are specified for the account.

The service allows customers on any mobile network to open an account; purchase airtime for any network, for which MTN customers receive a 5 percent “cash reward” into their accounts.

The only thing that is needed to open the account is to have a mobile phone, be a resident of South Africa with a green ID book and be of 16 years of age or older. You do not need to go to a bank or an MTN customer care centre.

“Of the current Mobile Money base, 44 percent of customers have performed a transaction in the last 90 days, representing a significant advantage over the GSMA’s reported industry benchmark of only 22%,” says TYME’s Coenraad Jonker. “As we continue to develop new product features, we expect the activity rate to improve even further.”

“Innovation is as important within Mobile Money as it is to the rest of MTN,” says Gouldie. We are delighted by the current success of Mobile Money, but we continue to press on for even stronger performance and growth.”

CEO Weekends: Barclays And BotswanaPost in Prepaid Electricity Agreement

Caroline Vutagwa
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CEO Weekends: Barclays And BotswanaPost in Prepaid Electricity Agreement

electricity

Barclays Bank of Botswana and Botswana Post are set to provide the people of Botswana prepaid electricity to their clients.

This move is aimed at easing domestic electricity distribution problems from Botswana Power Corporation (BPC).

Botswana Post is one of the super vendors appointed by Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) to sell prepaid electricity. This was on the backdrop of BPC’s decision to convert its customer base from post paid to prepaid smart meters.

“As a result of this, Botswana Post and Barclays Bank of Botswana have partnered to sell a BPC – being prepaid electricity,” saidCornelius Ramatlhakwane, Head of Business Development in BotswanaPost.

He also added that BotswanaPost had started investing in thire Core IT infrastructure over two years ago.

“Optimizing and improving our technical capability to be able to harness technology in order to deliver first class services to Botswana nationwide.” He said.

The IT infrastructure  optimization was directed to making sure that the company counter at all post offices is fully automated such that all the transactions are centralized, as a result providing convenience and efficiency in serving our customers.

We also, later on, launched our POSOPAY e-commerce portal that allows us to provide service and sell products, both our products and our third party partner’s products on-line,” Ramatlhakwane said further.

The company started by selling prepaid electricity at the counter in all the post offices countrywide. Then strategically empowered the SMME by providing hand held POS (Point Of Sale) devices so that even in areas where there is no post office people can still access the service.

Ramatlhakwane also said that Barclays would sell prepaid electricity through their internet banking platform.

The BotswanaPost said: “Today we are celebrating our success in providing this convenience in partnership with Barclays Bank of Botswana, to sell prepaid electricity through their internet banking platform. This partnership means that all Barclays Bank customers can now benefit to buy electricity on-line, All you have to do is register to your internet banking service, follow the instruction as given by Barclays, and enjoy 24/7 convenience.

As one of the six super vendors of BPC to provide prepaid electricity, Botswana Post is excited that this partnership with Barclays makes us simply the best and indisputable leader in this game.

CEO Weekends: Panasonic Displays Its First Ever Business Solutions In Africa On Kenyan Soil

Caroline Vutagwa
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CEO Weekends: Panasonic Displays Its First Ever Business Solutions In Africa On Kenyan Soil

panasonic

Electronics manufacturer, Panasonic today organised the very first System Solutions exhibition in Africa, showcasing its comprehensive line up of industry leading total business solutions.

The event which was done in Kenya was aimed at promoting and showcasing products catering to diverse industry verticals across the African Continent.

Some of the products that the electronic company showcased included Panasonic’s telephones, faxes, office automation solutions, educational solutions like Panaboards, High definition communication solutions, network and analogue products, home security products, batteries and lamps, air conditioners and last but not the least eco solutions like ventilating fan, ceiling fan and air purifiers alike

Panasonic plans to actively promote and create new business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-governments (B2G) opportunities in Africa, while continuing to sustain its products in the traditional B2C business sphere.

Yorihisa Shiokawa, Managing Director, Panasonic Asia Pacific said: “Africa is an emerging market and the widespread reform across the country has resulted in an ever-improving business environment and this together with other factors such as increased infrastructure investment and commodities boom have contributed to the doubling of the economy over the past decade. We as Panasonic are committed to being part of this development process that the country is witnessing and this exhibition is part of one such efforts to reiterate our commitment to the African markets”.

Currently, Panasonic is working towards expanding its reach and enhancing customer touch points across the Middle East & Africa.

“Through our “Made for Africa” project, we are committed and focused on increasing our footprint across the African continent by providing access to our technologically superior and advanced products. Our product marketing strategy has been to understand, implement and develop products that our African consumers actually prefer! Our business model will have hands-on approach and will directly engage with the consumers.” said Mr Masao Motoki, Managing Director, Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa.

As part of providing a direct service network, Panasonic has already established representative offices across Africa, including Kenya, Angola ,Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa.

Panasonic plans to add 100 more service centre’s to the already existing line-up of 597 service centres across the Middle East & Africa by March 2015.

“We will continue to invest in the region, bringing in new technology and products. We want to innovate and bring about a reformation with our products. We want to explore various industry segments, identify their needs and tailor make products specifically to meet the needs of the regional businesses. Our strong focus is on Africa, with the company looking to establish regional offices in most parts of the continent by the end of the year,” added Mr Motoki.

 

 

CEO Weekends:New Player Introduces New Channels for the African Television Market

Vince Matinde
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CEO Weekends:New Player Introduces New Channels for the African Television Market

rrsat

Israeli owned and NASDAQ listed broadcast company, RRsat has announced its new channels aimed to enter into the African market.

The company has released two solutions, one that will majorly see Christian channels broadcast in the continent.

The second solution, which delivers high-quality channels across the continent, utilizes the RRsat’s AFRICASAT 1a platform positioned at 46.0˚E. RRsat solutions for the African market combine each of two outstanding RRsat platforms with its comprehensive playout and content management services.

“We welcome Bride TV, Fortis TV, RTV and CNI to the family of over 50 Christian channels that RRsat delivers to dedicated viewers of Christian content throughout the world,” said Lior Rival, Chief Commercial Officer of RRsat.

“We are proud to offer professional broadcasting solutions for every broadcaster seeking to deliver high quality premium content to households across Africa, whether it is an ethnic channel or a major broadcaster.”

The company provides comprehensive content production, management and transmission services for more than 630 TV, radio and data channels worldwide.

CEO Weekends: Cisco Gets New Manager For Kenya and East Africa

Vince Matinde
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0
CEO Weekends: Cisco Gets New Manager For Kenya and East Africa
Sabrina_Dar_GM_East_Africa_September_2013_2
Sabrina Dar, Cisco General Manager, East Africa

Sabrina Dar has been appointed Cisco General Manager for Kenya and East Africa in move seen by the company to try and inject its growth in the region.

She will be in charge of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia categorized as East Africa and will report to David Meads, Vice President for Cisco, Africa.

“These are exciting times for East Africa as both public and private sector organizations embrace the next phase of internet growth and the tremendous change it will bring to all sectors of society,” Sabrina said.

“Cisco is committed to align with the national agendas for broadband acceleration by supporting both the public sector through this transformation and East African organizations to thrive in the new digital environment.”

With over 10 years at experience, Sabrina has worked in Cisco’s Emerging Theatre Partner Organization, and was also the marketing lead for Cisco’s London 2012 Olympics sponsorship. She has also held the role of UK and Ireland Enterprise & Commercial Market Manager and helped to develop the business case for, and deliver, a new partner go-to-market.

David Meads said, “I am confident that with our new leadership in East and West Africa we will be able to make a significant contribution to the continent of Africa – with broadband as a platform for socio and economic transformation, harnessing the network to improve lives, empower citizens and make businesses more competitive.”

CEO Weekends: Taxation in Kenya’s Telecoms Sector Amongst the Highest in the World

Elly Okutoyi
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CEO Weekends: Taxation in Kenya’s Telecoms Sector Amongst the Highest in the World

BOB-COLLYMOREKenya has now been termed as a country with one of the highest taxes in the telecommunications sector, with Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore revealing that Kshs28 in every Kshs100 spent by a customer goes to the government as tax.

Speaking yesterday at the telco’s Annual General Meeting, Collymore said that this tax burden could worsen if all the county governments continue asking for tax for laying of telecommunications infrastructure in their areas.

“We have seen one county like Laikipia, who have attempted to charge fees for someone putting fibre cable on the ground.” Said Collymore, “ICT has the ability to uplift the economy in the counties and the governors that I have been able to talk to have already recognized the ability of ICT.”

“We are urging the governors and the all the leaders in the counties not to take a short term approach because operators will avoid those counties and work with friendly ones,” added Collymore.

Safaricom is in the process of laying down over 2,300 km optic fibre in the country, and a spot check revealed the project to be underway in most parts of Nairobi and its environs.

Last week, Kenya’s ICT secretary Fred Matiang’i while speaking at the Kenya County ICT Summit also cautioned the country governments against imposing tax on telecommunication projects, saying that ICT was one of the key pillars towards achieving economic development.

Taxation in Kenya has become a contentious issue in the recent past, with the government spreading its taxman’s arm into mobile money transactions, something that saw transaction charges shoot up by 10 percent. Mobile phones have also been included in the taxation bracket, leaving many stakeholders in the ICT industry worried.

CEO Weekends: Kenyan Council of Governors Launches New Site to Monitor Funds

Vince Matinde
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CEO Weekends: Kenyan Council of Governors Launches New Site to Monitor Funds

Cog

The Council of Governors, a body that brings together the 47 county governors in Kenya has launched a new site where they will be entailing how funds are used in the various counties.

The site named, Council of Governors has been given the official government domain extension, .go.ke.

After the promulgation of the constitution in August 2010, various counties began their own websites to entail what they needed

This new one will entail what the governors are doing to serve the people of Kenya. According to the new constitution of Kenya, the governor becomes the chief executive officer for the county and administers funds for various projects.

The site will also have news and events on what the governors are doing in their way to implement the spirit of devolution.

The site has been launched today. Stay here for more information.

CEO Weekends: New Education Platform, Shakili to Be Launched Soon

Vince Matinde
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0
CEO Weekends: New Education Platform, Shakili to Be Launched Soon

shakili

Teachers in Kenya will have a new platform that will assist them to prepare, organize and publish multimedia educational material, bringing a new elearning platform to the country.

This new platform named Shakili will enable information to be shared across various devices, helping users to access information from wherever they are.

“We’ve re-thought everything — from the user interface to the underlying technology — to create the product that you want to use to share educational content, learn exciting new things, access knowledge and connect to teachers and local experts around you and what you enjoy learning,” the company said.

The company that is founded by Muthuri Kinyamu will add on to the ongoing efforts by various players to bring education more online than offline.

“I foresee a bright future for digital learning in Africa where it inspires increased student interest in their education and development of skills,” Kinyamu told TechMoran.

Other functions that the product

Easily share files Easily reach out and share files and links with your friends.

Variety of curated material Find a whole range of material that is relevant to you and your needs.

Connect: Learn: Discover More Bringing you closer to experts whose teachings will expand your perspective.

Access it from any device Access the content you care about directly from your phone, desktop or tablet.

With all the initiatives to digitize learning in Kenya, it is a wait and see if all the players will back the move and adopt online learning. This would include retraining teachers on the various platforms available to them.

The startup is currently signing up the very first members to experience the platform before its launch.

CEO Weekends:Why We Launched New Data Center In Mombasa-AccessKenya

Sam Wakoba
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CEO Weekends:Why We Launched New Data Center In Mombasa-AccessKenya

access-logo

AccessKenya is not new in Mombasa, the corporate ISP and solutions provider owns and operates a 450-kilometre Carrier Ethernet Fiber Optic Network in Nairobi and Mombasa which connects over 550 commercial buildings.

The firm is also connecting Kenya’s  47 counties to its fiber and wireless networks, a project it says will take it two years. It recently said it will invest over Sh35 million to connect ten counties to its national network this year.

Just why did Access Kenya launch a data centre in Mombasa Kenya’s AccessKenya Group Monday?

Increasing demand

According to AccessKenya’s Chief Technology Officer, Raymond Macharia, the pre-existing facility had undergone an upgrade in response to increased demand, with the firm investing an initial sum of Sh8 million to deploy new equipment and additional space.

The total project cost is envisaged at more than Sh25 million to complete phase two of the upgrade, through to 2014.

“We are looking at opportunities in the provision of collocation services to our Mombasa clients as well as satisfying both our own business continuity needs and those of our Nairobi based clientele”, he said.
Countrywide expansion

The firm’s new Data Center in Mombasa will bolster  AccessKenya’s enhanced expansion of its  firm’s metropolitan and fiber optic network across the country.

It will also help AccessKenya to offer more high availability services such as replication of critical applications for customers from multiple locations.

Offsite backup

According to the firm, clients will thus benefit from the continuity of service from a secondary site that would take over seamlessly in the event of a failure of the primary site meaning that they would not experience any outage.
Group Managing Director, Jonathan Somen disclosed that the company’s focus would remain selling internet to corporate and enterprise clients, “while also layering on IT solutions, Cloud, data backup and MPLS services”, he said.

 

CEO Weekends: We did not Order 53 Gold-Plated iPhones, says Nigerian Government

Elly Okutoyi
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CEO Weekends: We did not Order 53 Gold-Plated iPhones, says Nigerian Government

solid-gold-iphoneJust two days after it emerged that the Nigerian Government had ordered 53 Gold-Plated iPhones, the country’s presidency has come out to deny the allegations terming them as “part of attempts by political opponents to discredit the Jonathan administration”.

This was said through a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati. The statement reads: “We consider the reports in a section of the media claiming that the Nigerian government had ordered customized gold iPhones from a Dubai-based company to mark the country’s 53rd independence anniversary in October as not only false and misleading, but utterly mischievous.”

“It is instructive that despite the refutation of the story by the company, which ought to have laid the mischief to rest, a number of politically-minded news media continue to insist on promoting the blatant falsehood. We deplore their antics as yet another attempt to use any trick or means possible to discredit President Jonathan’s well-meaning, hardworking and focused administration.”

The statement went ahead to defend President Jonathan Goodluck’s administration, saying that it has been its priority to avoid extravagant expenses on “purchasing and distributing  partygifts”, but instead focuses on providing “responsible, committed, and result-oriented leadership.”

The statement also clarified that the said 53 Gold-Plated iPhones had been ordered by an individual and not the Nigerian government, urging the Dubai-based supplying company to reveal the identity of the individual.

Nigerians are therefore left unsure who to believe, as the Dubai based company is yet to come out and deny the earlier media reports that caused a majoruproar among the citizens in the West African country.

9 East African Hubs to Participate in The First Agri-Hack Competition

Vince Matinde
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0
9 East African Hubs to Participate in The First Agri-Hack Competition
Agriculture 4 Apps for Farmers
Image from technews24h.com

Agriculture in Africa employs the bulk of the population. Farmers have been having it hard trying to integrate technology in their processes.

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) has organized for regional hubs to conduct competitions to come up with innovations that can be incorporated in Agriculture.

Over 30 regional hubs had applied to be part of the AgriHack competition and they were narrowed down to 9 hubs which will conduct their own mini-hacks before sending the top two finalist to the regional finals.

The selected labs are: kLab from Rwanda; KINU and Buni Hub from Tanzania; Ice Addis from Ethiopia; Hive Colab and Outbox from Uganda; C4DLab (Computing for Development Lab) and iBizAfrica in Kenya; and Habaka Madagascar Innovation Hub from Madagascar.

The labs were chosen due to some qualification they possessed. According to the organizers of the competition, m:Lab East Africa, the hubs possessed:

  • Profile of the institution and the existence of a form of business incubation program;
  • Existence of an entrepreneur/developer community;
  • Existence of a business coach or advisor to provide mentorship and/or coaching
  • Ability to organize one selection event/hackathon to nominate a team to the finals;
  • Existence of a physical space to host winning national teams for incubation/coaching throughout the post competition incubation period

The competition which is being organized in the backdrop of ICT4Ag conference to be held in Kigali, Rwanda from November 4 to 8 this year, will see winners receive seed money to push their ideas.

The winners will receive EUR 5,000, EUR 4,000 and EUR 3,000 for the first, second and third overall positions respectively.

Google Nexus 7 (2013): A Tablet for Gaming and Reading

Vince Matinde
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0
Google Nexus 7 (2013): A Tablet for Gaming and Reading

asus-google-nexus-7-2-ofic

It might look like any other notepad that has flooded the market but the Nexus 7 by Google released in 2013 is really a nifty gadget to own, not only by the rave reviews but by its functionality.

After releasing the original Google Nexus 7 last year in August, the company decided to do an improved version of the tablet on the popular reviews the original device got in the market.

The best of it is its sleek and slender demeanor that makes it easy to carry around. The tablet which is fitted with near field communication capability runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean making it easy for users to download and enjoy apps from Google Play.

asus-google-nexus-7-2

The gadget is part phone, part tablet with an option of using a microSim card or opting to use a wireless connection or even using both to the maximum features out of it.

Nexus 7 makes for a good gadget to read and to play games on. The 7.0 inch gadget has easy adaptation to 2G, 3G and 4G networks and runs on Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU making it faster in performance, compacted by a 2GB RAM.

The device is fitted with an LED-backlit IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors and measures 1200 x 1920 pixels protected by the corning gorilla glass technology laying aside fears of breakage and scratches.

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Taking a picture with this device will not make you look weird as is with a normal 11 inch tab. Its 5MP camera enables you to take great shots with the screen allowing for focusing.

If you are an ardent Android user, using this device will be easy. All you need is either a microSim or a wireless network that will give you access. You will have to use your Gmail account if you have one to access all of the Google service on the device.

The need to have a microSIM might be a hindrance in the continent as many users still have the standard SIM size. Lumia phones are also facing this challenge but it might be a marketing gimmick (once you go MicroSIM you can’t go back).

The best use of this tablet is probably what all avid tech users would prefer: Good for reading and gaming. Thanks to its light weight, users can read or game for hours without feeling discomfort.

Key features include:

– HDMI port
– 2GB RAM

– 16/32 GB internal memory
– MP4/H.264 player
– MP3/WAV/eAAC+/WMA player
– Organizer
– Image/video editor
– Document viewer
– Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa
– Voice memo
– Predictive text input (Swype)

-Android 4.3 Jelly Bean O.S

– Camera 5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus

Afrinolly Partners With Buni TV To Help Promote Its Short Film Competition To East African Filmmakers.

Sam Wakoba
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Afrinolly Partners With Buni TV To Help Promote Its Short Film Competition To East African Filmmakers.
Afrinollyflyer1Nigeria’s mobile app Afrinolly is partnering with Buni TV to help promote its second Short Film Competition to East African filmmakers. The winners will see their films distributed on both Afrinolly and Buni TV.
“Buni TV and Afrinolly share a strong commitment to support new African film talents,” said Buni TV CEO Marie Lora-Mungai. “We would like to encourage filmmakers from across the continent, and especially from Kenya and East Africa, to take advantage of this great opportunity to showcase their work.”

This partnership follows Afrinolly’s outstanding success of its first edition.

Afrinolly Short Film Competition was launched in November 2012 and has recorded over 500 entries worldwide with eventual winners in the short film and documentary categories receiving prizes totaling $100,000.

Submission of entries for the second Afrinolly Short Film Competition opened online on Sunday, September 1st 2013 and closes on Saturday, November 30th 2013 on http://afrinollyshortfilmcompetition.com/. Potential submissions should not exceed 15 minutes and all films not in English are encouraged to have English subtitles.

As occurred with the first edition, third place winners in both Short film and Documentary film categories will be rewarded with $5,000 each, second place takes $10,000 while the first prize winners will each receive $25,000.

 

Joining this year’s panel of judges are South African film and TV producer Steven Markowitz (Pumzi, Viva Riva!), Ghanaian journalist Komla Dumor of the BBC and Cameroon’s Tambay Obenson, editor of film blog Shadow and Act.

Dumor, Markowitz and Obenson join last year’s jury members such as veteran documentary maker Femi Odugbemi, renowned filmmakers Tunde Kelani and Obi Emelonye, Hollywood writer/producer and curator of The Black List Franklin Leonard, TV Content producer Bongiwe Selane, filmmaker Akin Omotosho, Mahen Bonetti of the New York African Film Festival and Nmachi Jidenma blogger and founder of Celebrating Progress Africa (CP-Africa).

The Afrinolly Short Film Competition is organized by Afrinolly, developers of the Afrinolly mobile app. Since its creation in 2011, the app has been downloaded by over 3 million users worldwide. Afrinolly remains at the forefront of maximizing technology and mobile options for viewing and distributing Africa-generated entertainment.

 

Asus Turns To Roadshows To Penetrate Kenyan Market

Sam Wakoba
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Asus Turns To Roadshows To Penetrate Kenyan Market

Asus-hd-wallpaper-set-10-windows-wallpapersTop three global Notebook vendor, Asus will from 14th September to 13th October 2013 run an intensive marketing campaign  in a move to deepen its market penetration in Kenya.

Asus expects the one month roadshow to raise awareness on its innovative products in the country. The firm says the roadshow will give consumers a firsthand experience to its products.

According to Asus product manager, Mr Chris Wen,“We at Asus believe that every idea starts with people and we turn our imagination into myriad revolutionary innovations. Through the roadshow, we hope to showcase among other products, the W8 touch notebook and the Intel powered Fonepad-which offer differentiated solutions.”

 

Asus has partnered with Orange and its channel partners across the country like Textbooks Centre, Technology House, BJ’s Electronics and Bright technologies in the road show.

It will also work with the partners to ensure its products reach  other parts of the country like Mombasa and Kisumu.

Mr Wen added, “Asus understands the channel’s role in business and it is for this reason that we have invested heavily through our channel partners. Through this event and our partners, we hope to showcase Asus as a world 1st tier IT vendor determined to penetrate the market.”

However, questions abound as to how the firm will turn the numbers who attend the event into buyers and how the roadshow will have an impact on users who are used to mid-priced notebooks. A number still asked how the roadshow will reach corporate client’s who have set annual procurement budgets and timelines.

The campaign schedule will be as below;

Mall Cooperating Dealer Date
Village Market Technology House 9/14~9/15
Westgate Orange 9/21~9/22
Adam Arcade BJ Electronic store 9/28~9/29
Sarit Center Textbook Center 10/5~10/6
Capital Center Bight 10/12~10/13

Yet Another Mobile Network License To Be Offered By Libyan Government

Caroline Vutagwa
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Yet Another Mobile Network License To Be Offered By Libyan Government

Libyana and Al Madar, state-owned telecommunication companies will soon have another competitor, as Libya is expected to issues a third operation with a three to six months.

The Libyan government wants to decrease its presence on the telecommunications in order to involve the private sector be it local or foreign.

Discussions between the economy ministry and its associated investment authority want to make the license more appealing to the telecommunications candidate.

Efforts by United Arab Emirates telecoms firm Etisalat to bid $825 million to get the third license in 2009 was went rock-bottom as the previous government revoked the tender.

The new government took back the stakes in the state-owned networks which had been controlled by the former dictator Colonel Gaddafi’s family following his death.

A research report from BuddeComm firm says that Libya’s telecoms market as well as the country’s economy and the telecommunications sector was crippled and disrupted by the civil war in 2011 but it is slowly recovering.

Ericsson Wants Greater Collaboration Among Regulators & Infrastructure Providers In Africa

Sam Wakoba
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Ericsson Wants Greater Collaboration Among Regulators & Infrastructure Providers In Africa
Ericsson CTO Erik Ekudden
Ericsson CTO Erik Ekudden

Ericsson, a global provider of telecoms infrastructure and services wants greater collaboration between the continent’s telecoms industry regulators and infrastructure providers to enhance provision of more cost-efficient services to the end-users.

Erik Ekudden, Ericsson’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), speaking in Nairobi during the firm’s Networked Society roundtable said,

“There is a strong interest from regulators in Africa to use opportunities provided to work together with infrastructure providers as well as device vendors. Mobile network operators are greatly supported when regulators harmonise rules and policies on various key industry issues.”

Mr Ekudden also noted the need to relocate low frequency spectrum to mobile network operators for use in providing mobile broadband services.

According to Ericsson’s Mobility Report released in June 2013, the number of mobile subscriptions worldwide has grown approximately 8 percent year-on-year during Q1 2013 with the mobile broadband subscriptions growing by 45 per cent year-on-year to reach around 1.7 billion. The total amount of mobile data traffic doubled between the first quarter of 2012 and first quarter of 2013.

 

Mr Ekudden emphasized that it is still important to focus on harmonized solutions, noting that “Africa’s IT sector is too fragmented”.

“We’re too fragmented and there is no harmonization of policies which has led to high costs of deployment for service providers. This consequently translates to high costs for consumers,” he said.

The meeting – which was attended by various industry stakeholders including representatives from mobile operators as well as the industry regulator Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) – discussed issues relating to IT industry transformation, role of MNOs in the transforming world, revenue growth, enabling cost efficient operations as well as high performing networks.

Procurement Crisis On Kenya’s Laptop Project

Caroline Vutagwa
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Procurement Crisis On Kenya’s Laptop Project

laptop

Kenya’s laptop project worth Ksh. 9.7 billion is on a predicament as all of the nine bidders had their quotes higher than the budget.

It happened that one vendor placed a double bid which consequently saw the lowest bidder quoting 28.7 billion, this is actually three times the amount of money the budget holds.

This may force the ministry responsible to fluctuate its budget in order to continue with the project as planned. The initial budget of the project was 17.5 billion including infrastructure, security, content and training.

Kenya’s ministry of Education had officiated the tender to obtain 1.3 laptops this week on Tuesday.

So far the lowest bidder is HP who quoted Ksh.28.7 billion with a unit price of Ksh. 20,639 and the highest bidder being Huwawei who quoted Ksh.60 billion. Other bidders include Samsung electronics with Ksh 39.1 billion, Symphony Technologies with Ksh. 38 billion, Haier Technologies  with KSh. 34 billion, ZTE Corporation with KSh.33 billion and Telcom Kenya with KSh32 billion.

Mastec EA Ltd placed two bids quoting Sh32.6 billion in one and Sh31.3 billion in another while Shen Zhen Auto Digital quoted Sh30.3 billion.

Education Permanent Secretary Belio Kipsang’ said he was waiting for the final tender committee report.

The PS, however, dismissed fears that the project could fail because of the vendor quotations. In any case why would critics think so because according to the budget, Sh9.8 billion is for buying the laptops, Sh800 million for training, Sh500 million for digital content and Sh5.8 billion for setting up computer laboratories in 10 primary schools in each of the country’s 290 constituencies.

To add to that the 20,637 printers and the same number of projectors are to be provided in the schools across the country.

The ministry had set high standards for the vendors after placing a Sh228 million bid bond for the laptop tender, locking out many potential bidders from the process.

Bidders were also required to place Sh14 million for the printers tender security bond and another Sh20.4 million bond for the projectors tender

Airtel Kenya Partners With Gecko Landmarks To Launch Location Service Dubbed mLocator

Sam Wakoba
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Airtel Kenya Partners With Gecko Landmarks To Launch Location Service Dubbed mLocator

airtel (1)Airtel Kenya in partnership with Gecko Landmarks Ltd.has today launched a text based location service dubbed mLocator to enable customers to locate friends and family using an SMS short code.

Using landmarks that are locally well-known, such as buildings, parks, bridges and farms to deliver accurate location information, users simply send the word ‘find’ as a text message with the Airtel phone number they would wish to locate to 30100.

mLocator will be available to its Airtel customers FREE of charge from now until 30th September 2013.

According to Airtel Kenya Managing Director, Shivan Bhargava, “This innovative and unique service that enables our customers to locate their friends, family and loved ones through SMS from their Airtel SIM card is yet another demonstration of our commitment to improving the lives of our Customers through convenient and relevant mobile solutions.”

mLocator, currently in use in South Africa and Benin and has protected user privacy as one has to give consent to activate the location service request from the originator of the message request to locate them. Customers subscribing to this service will receive regular updates on who they have enabled to locate them.

Osmo Korri, Chief Commercial Officer at Gecko Landmarks said, “We are proud to partner with Airtel to offer this important service that will greatly benefit customers’ safety and well-being.

A few users praise Airtel for the service, which is a first in the country, but say its user private policy requiring one to allow others to locate him is disadvantageous. “How would you locate a friend who is kidnapped and barred from enabling the feature?”

 

Indian IT Firm Zensar Partners With South Africa’s Kapela Holdings & Tomorrow Trust

Sam Wakoba
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Indian IT Firm Zensar Partners With South Africa’s Kapela Holdings & Tomorrow Trust
Dr Ganesh Natarajan
Dr Ganesh Natarajan

India’s Zensar Technologies Ltd has become the first Indian IT firm to close an agreement with majority black owned investment business Kapela Fund 1 (Kapela) and The Tomorrow Trust to set up a new Broad Based Black Economic Empowered company in South Africa.

The deal will see Zensar become the majority shareholder of the Broad Based Black Economic Empowered Company and will also expand Zensar’s presence in South Africa.

According to Dr Ganesh Natarajan, Vice-Chairman and CEO of Zensar Technologies the  new Company reiterates their commitment to South Africa and its transformational agenda will help consolidate their leadership in the region.

“We have had an extraordinarily successful decade of operations in South Africa and established leadership in providing technology solutions to the Banking, Insurance, Retail, Manufacturing and Mining sector,” Natarajan said.  “This venture will help us expand our footprint into Government contracts and also enhance our standing in the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) code of the Government.”

Israel Skosana, Executive Chairman of Kapela Holdings is delighted to partner with one of India’s IT leaders to establish a trailblazing venture in South Africa and promised to work with them.

Kim Feinberg, CEO of The Tomorrow Trust said they are ensuring that we have youth who are educated up in order to be proactive participants in South Africa’s economy and society.

“For business to succeed we have to make sure that education is a priority in our country. Zensar has acknowledged and has committed to this fact and therefore has partnered with us to make sure that this indeed happens. Our synergies with bursaries and leadership will be highlighted and developed, creating sustainable impact. The Tomorrow Trust Board of Trustees and I are all very excited about this deal,” Feinberg said.

Earlier on, Zensar launched its Learnership Development Program (LDP) and has been identifying local students from the PDI community in South Africa and training them in both South Africa and India. Harish Lala, Vice President and Africa Region Head, Zensar said, “In line with Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) framework, We are pleased that over eighty of them have already joined the workforce. The new Company will widen and deepen these partnerships for community development and reinforce our ‘Proudly South African’ vision for the country.”

 

The Learnership Development Program primarily equips students with crucial IT skills, such as software development and testing to ensure they are eligible for quality jobs. Sarvesh Batta who heads the initiative said, “Our aim is to home grow skills to service local Zensar clients in South Africa and also across Africa and increase our global capacity. By building a globally competent IT workforce, we can be part of the development of a world-class IT industry in South Africa.”

The South Africa program is part of Zensar’s Centre of Excellence (COE) initiatives around the world focused on training local students to join the workforce.

 

Nokia Lumia 625 Now Available In East Africa

Caroline Vutagwa
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Nokia Lumia 625 Now Available In East Africa

 LUMIA 625.2jpg

 

Nokia has given the people of East Africa high speed connectivity and a leading entertainment experiences and it comes with a big 4.7´inch screen, the Nokia Lumia 625.

Available currently in East Africa, the Lumia 625 comes in in a range of colours and it is available in East Africa and the recommended prices are; in Kenya it retails at KES 28,900, in Tanzania it retails at TZS 525,000 and retails at UGX 839,000 in Uganda.

With the design of the award winning Nokia Lumia, this phone offers the choice of semi-transparent changeable shells which are available in white, black and yellow which add to the Live Tile personalisation brought by Windows Phone 8.

With a lower price, Nokia Lumia 625 brings an opulent selection of exclusive high end innovations, including a range of integrated camera applications like Nokia Smart Camera, which allows users to capture the perfect shot every time, and Nokia Cinemagraph, which transforms pictures into living memories.

The Nokia Lumia 625 is 4G/LTE ready smartphone, capable of offering up to 10x faster video streaming and internet surfing (well, depending on availability of 4G/LTE network service). Content like games, apps, and free navigation with HERE Maps and Drive are also easier to follow on its big screen. It offers access to over 165,000 apps and leading Nokia services out of the box.

The battery life of this smartphone is at 2000mAh and has processing speed of 1.2GHz, Dual Core. How about the camera, 5MP Autofocus, LED,1080p@30fps, VGA front facing camera. As for the 4.7 inch WVGA screen; the brightness mode is high, is readable even in the sun has colour enhancement and a super sensitive touch

“The Nokia Lumia 625 combines high end innovation and experiences with a stunning 4.7” screen and high speed connectivity, to bring entertainment to new audiences on a budget,” said Bruce Howe, general manager for Nokia East Africa. “This is a great addition to our Lumia portfolio in the region and shows our commitment to constantly bringing innovation at every price point”.

Running Windows Phone 8, the Nokia Lumia 625 provides leading personalisation with changeable Live Tiles that update direct to the home screen, whilst the People Hub makes it easy to stay connected with friends and family. There’s also Xbox Live, Microsoft Office integration and 7GB of online SkyDrive storage that add to the 8GB of in built memory, and SD memory card support of up to 64GB.

Nokia Lumia 520 Now In Nigeria

Caroline Vutagwa
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Nokia Lumia 520 Now In Nigeria

lumia

Nokia in partnership with Airtel Nigeria have introduced the Lumia 520 into the Nigerian market hoping to increase the smart phone penetration in the West African country as well as boost services and overall customer satisfaction.

“Airtel Nigeria and Nokia have tied up to launch the Lumia 520 in the country. Customers can part-exchange functioning old handsets of any brand at Airtel shops, paying NGN 23,990 to upgrade to the Lumia 520,” expressed the companies in a statement.

This launch comes at a time when the country’s telecommunication companies are struggling a regulator criticism since last year over call rates and subscription packages.

The Lumia 520 is currently retailing at NGN 28,000. Customers will also get six month’s free airtime for on-net calls and data worth NGN 6,000.

This air time is believed to give the promotion and new phone introduction some momentum, with Nigeria angling for the latest technology available on the market without having to face ridiculous fees and connection rates

TomTom Speed Cameras Available For Third Party Integration

Caroline Vutagwa
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TomTom Speed Cameras Available For Third Party Integration

tomtom

 

TomTom speed cameras are now available for incorporation into the third party connected navigation solutions.

This means that vehicle, hardware and software manufacturers will be able to enhance their own navigation offerings with the speed camera service.

The service provides both fixed and mobile alerts to help drivers stay safe and relaxed, and avoid costly speeding fines.

The TomTom Speed cameras Service uses OpenLR technology which enables it to work flawlessly on maps from different manufacturers.

The service is designed to be easily integrated into connected in-dash navigation devices and mobile navigation applications. TomTom will deliver the service directly as a hosted service, or via a bulk feed.

“By incorporating the TomTom Speed Cameras service into their navigation devices, manufacturers can enrich the products they offer to their consumers,” says Charles Cautley, Managing Director for the TomTom AEG division. “Making the service available to more drivers worldwide will have a collective effect too; the bigger our community, the better the service will become for all our subscribers in the long term.”

The service is fully acquiescent with local transport regulation, including French Danger and Risk Zones. It offers broad geographic coverage and uses a wealth of reliable data sources to offer fresh and accurate updates to users. With reliable alerts for fixed and mobile speed camera locations, drivers can enjoy safer, more relaxed driving and avoid fines.

The TomTom Speed Cameras service is currently available to manufacturers for testing in all 40 countries where the service is functional. To learn more, visit Hall 4.1, Stand D-28 at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show.

The TomTom Speed Camera service is based on governmental sources, news feeds, field surveys, and third-party sources in selected countries. It’s also based on community input from more than 3.5 million TomTom users around the world. Camera reports, confirmations and removals are processed automatically by our sophisticated Fusion Engine, which runs 24/7, every day of the year.

Vodafone Bids $6 Billion For 53% Stake In Maroc Telecom

Sam Wakoba
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Vodafone Bids $6 Billion For 53% Stake In Maroc Telecom

Vodafone

After the sale of its Verizon stake, Vodafone is eying  to buy a majority stake in Maroc Telecom from France’s Vivendi which has been in talks with Etisalat.

Etisalat had put up a bid for Maroc Telecom’s 53% stake  at $5.4 billion. Other bidders had pulled out of the deal as one who buys the majority shareholder has to buy out the minority shareholders too, leaving it Etisalat as the only telco interested. One of the shareholders is the Moroccan government which owns 30% of Maroc Telecom.

 

Vodafone recently sold its 45 per cent stake in US-based Verizon Wireless for $130billion  and is now eying Maroc Telecom and France’s SFR. The Morocco based Maroc Telecom is one of the largest telecom operators in North Africa.

Vodafone is not new to Vivendi. In 2011, it sold its 44 per cent stake in SFR to Vivendi for $10.7 billion. Vodafone  also has a strong presence in Africa with a 65 per cent stake in Vodacom with operations in  Egypt, Tanzania, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, and DRC.

Kenya Data Networks Finally Rebrands to Liquid Telecom Kenya

Vince Matinde
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Kenya Data Networks Finally Rebrands to Liquid Telecom Kenya
Liquid Telecom Launch
Mr. Shahab Meshki, CEO of Liquid Telecom Kenya (Left) with two executives from Rwanda and Zimbabwe respectively at the rebrand function.

Kenya Data Network has now fully rebranded to its new parent company Liquid Telecom today and adopted its corporate colors and identity.

The latest shift would enable the troubled KDN brand to finally get a home where it would grow financially. KDN has been juggled from Sameer group to Altech South Africa, and was dumped due to financial constraints before it was picked up by Liquid Telecom in March this year.

The chief executive officer of Liquid Telecom Kenya, Shahab Meshki said that the company has not only taken over the Kenyan market but has inculcated eleven brands across Africa in their bigger plan to be multinational across the continent.

“We are delighted to be part of the Liquid Telecom Group as such an exciting time for communications in Africa. As Liquid Telecom Kenya we’re perfectly placed to connect our customers to the potential growth in telecommunications throughout the African continent and beyond,” Meshki said.

The company has branches in Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the UK.

Meshki told Techmoran that the company would manage the Kenyan subsidiary differently from its Altech ‘handlers’, in a bid to make profit by taking advantage of being in a larger network.

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