Algeria

• The cell’s three members frequented internet cafes and viewed jihadist websites using phony names:
  Algeria squashes Al Qaeda plan to attack U.S ships {NY Daily News}

Burkina Faso

• The network covers the capital Ouagadougou with speeds of up to 2Mbps:
  Telecel Burkina Faso to upgrade WiFi {BizTech Africa}

DRC

• There is still no 3G in the country, despite four major mobile operators. Internet penetration is estimated at 1%; mobile is near 24%:
  International fibre connectivity to boost broadband market in DRC {BuddeBlog}

Egypt

• #january25 One Year Later: Social Media & Politics 3.0 {Huff Post}
• To remember the one year anniversary of the Egyptian Internet shut-down:
  Egyptian activists call for a one-day boycott of Vodafone, Mobinil and Etisalat {TNW}

Equatorial Guinea

• GECOMSA is a joint venture between the government of Equatorial Guinea, which has a 51 percent stake, and China 49 percent:
  Equatorial Guinea Launches New Telecommunications Company {TMCnet}

Ghana

• TVGH, a free and independent channel will soon begin operation – online:
  Ghana’s First Online TV {Modern Ghana}

Kenya

• The project is facing challenges with investors and the government. After all, Sh1.2 trillion, the estimated cost to create the city, is a huge sum of money:
  Ground-breaking of Konza City delayed {The Star}
• Social media is increasing online sales for savvy business owners. Search Engine Optimisation Consulting Kenya is one company that helps promote an online presence:
  Social Media Boosts Sales for Small Businesses {Business Daily via allAfrica}
• The mobile community that entertains and educates young people on topics of love, sexual health, gender and relationships affecting the youth, has launched in Kenya. The portal has been in Tanzania since December 2011:
  YoungAfricaLive now live in Kenya {BizCommunity}
• Very few African publishers utilize Amazon’s Kindle format:
  Publishers Lag in Shift to Electronic Books {Business Daily via allAfrica}

Liberia

• President Johnson Sirleaf assured Liberians that the ACE cable will enhance educational opportunities:
  Prosperity in Sight – Citizens Told {The New Dawn via allAfrica}

Malawi

• The Sunday Times newspaper said its research, mainly in the city of Blantyre, found that advancements in mobile phone technologies have negatively affected customer volumes at internet cafes:
  Mobile phones edge out internet cafes {BizTech Africa}

Mauritania

• A summary of last year’s February 25th protests, with visuals and links to its website and social media pages:
  Mauritania’s overlooked uprising {Al-Jazeera}

Morocco

• Driven by an 90 percent uptake in 3G internet services, overall internet users increased by 70 percent to 3.2 million, for a 10 percent penetration rate. Mobile internet accounted for 81 percent of all internet users at the end of last year:
  Moroccan mobile users up 14.29% in 2011 – study {TelecomPaper}

Nigeria

• TechLoy developed the list of Nigeria’s Most Influential Internet Companies of 2011 based on the companies we felt have devised the best strategies in disrupting their respective industries:
  Nigeria’s Fastest Growing Internet Companies of 2011 {TechLoy}
• The terrorist group is using the Internet to release videos:
  Boko Haram ‘leader’ issues new threats in internet message {Times Live}
• Nigeria records 40,000 Internet domain name uptakes, NIRA says {Technology Times}

Sierra Leone

• Sierra Leone becomes the first country in Africa to launch a transparency web portal to ensure a more open and accountable Government {Newstime Africa}

South Africa

• Certain schools will soon require students to have a R5,000 iPad 2. Some fear the private schools are only widening the digital divide (both within the school and versus public schools):
  Posh SA schools insist on iPad {news24}
• Corruption Watch will use the Internet and social networking media to encourage citizens to get involved:
  S. Africa’s New Media Effort Targets Corruption {Voice of America}
• Spectrum is still not available. Neither are many LTE devices:
  SA to wait for LTE networks {news24}
• A recent survey finds that 23% of corporate employees that work in office settings in South Africa telecommute:
  One-sixth of the world’s employees now telecommute: survey {SmartPlanet}
• Industry players suggest a pending crisis, but the government says only new equipment is needed to prevent IPv6 transition issues:
  IPv6 a ‘simple transition’ {ITWeb}
• The South African government, using varying standards, has promised broadband for the past five years. Is this the year of better broadband?
  2012 – the year of true broadband? {MyBroadband}
• Universities and public research organizations will be linked with 10Gbps connections:
  R886 million invested in broadband for universities {IT News Africa}

Tanzania

• 3G speeds at the Airtel headquarters in Dar es Salaam registered 1.84 Mbps down/0.29 Mbps up earlier in the week:
  Mobile Internet in Tanzania {Team Kilimanjaro}
• According to a poll by the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology, 93% of those polled believe that ICT can play a big part in improving the economy of Tanzania:
  Tanzanians feel ICT is ‘vital’ {BizTech Africa}

Uganda

• 3G access has become more affordable for Ugandans now that two telecom operators offer the service, and a third is on the way:
  3G Revolution: Blowing Winds of Change in Africa {PC Tech}
• Dedication, perseverence, and word-of-mouth reviews can go a long way in determining an online business’s success:
  Growing an internet business {Daily Monitor}

Zambia

• The power company is deploying fibre-optic cables alongside its power transmission network in an attempt to kill two birds with one stone:
  Zesco to boost Zambia’s broadband {ITWeb}
• Barclays Zambia launches internet banking {Zambia Daily Mail}

Zimbabwe

• The event encouraged opportunities for collaboration and promoted a healthy ICT start-up ecosystem in Zimbabwe:
  Jumpstart, an ICT Life Saver {The Herald via allAfrica}

General

• The March 2012 summit will address rural broadband connectivity. Topics include efficient ICT policies and the potential for copper networks in rural areas:
  Rural broadband summit at Broadband MEA tackles digital divide {Satellite-Evolution}
• 10% of one Kenya-based hotel company’s reservations are now booked via mobile device. The company implemented a mobile site in 2010 and began accepting M-Pesa last year:
  Hotels see benefits in Africa’s mobile trend {HotelNewsNow}
• CNN highlights some of the best innovations Herman Chinery-Hesse and his teams have created over the years:
  Africa’s ‘father of technology’ on sparking a tech revolution {CNN African Voices}
• Microsoft to bridge digital divide through African school partnerships in six nations:
  Microsoft to bridge digital divide through African school partnership {IT News Africa}
• Eskimi, a Lithuanian-based social network, is popular in Nigeria, where the company counts around 2.2 million users. There is also a growing user-base in Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, where there are over 250,000 users each:
  Eskimi Hits 5 Million Users, Sees Solid Growth In Africa {ArcticStartup}
• Orange customers with 2G or 3G capability will no longer incur data charges to access Wikipedia. Of course, some languages lack content, and many new users lack the technology needed to remotely edit articles:
  Orange to provide Wikipedia free in Middle East and Africa {The Guardian}
• This Week in Internet Censorship: Ethiopian Blogger Sentenced, Tunisians and Polish Keep Up Fight for Free Expression {EFF}
• ITU launches Girls in ICT web portal {ITU via BizTech Africa}
• Young people Tweeting from mobile devices are driving the growth of Twitter in Africa, according to How Africa Tweets, a survey of the top 20 nations with geotagged users:
  New research reveals how Africa Tweets {Portland Communications}
• Mobile Devices Address Tech. Equity in Africa {Education Week}
• Six experts weigh-in on their predictions for cloud computing in Africa:
  WIOCC’s ‘Connected’ international newsletter, Issue #4 {WIOCC}
• Coders4Africa: building ICT capacity for agricultural solutions in Africa {e-agriculture}
• The beginning of Africa’s long, slow transition away from SMS – new browser kids on the block making mobile Internet access easier {Balancing Act}