14 nations are represented in this week’s edition:

Algeria

• Next year will mark the beginning of 3G licensing. Forecasts suggest 10-12% annual subscription growth through 2013:
  Mobile telecoms set to finally take off in Algeria {The National}

Ghana

• 40Mbps is claimed to be the fastest Internet speed in Africa:
  Vodafone Osu Cafe is Africa’s fastest Internet speed centre {GhanaNation}
• By 2015 there will be more than 3 million 3G subscribers in Ghana (13% of the total mobile base):
  High-speed internet set to take off in Ghana {Developing Telecoms}
• The 6th Industry and Technology Exhibition (INDUTECH) launched in Accra, with the theme: “Transforming Ghana’s Industrial Sector through ICT”:
  Will Ghana Be Able To Fully Utilise ICT? {GhanaWeb}

Kenya

• The national fibre route will soon be altered to connect all 47 counties:
  State Plans Speedy Internet in Counties {Nairobi Star via allAfrica.com}
• Orange is the second operator to launch 3G in Kenya:
  Orange Kenya launches 3G services {TelecomPaper}
• CCK reported on broadband access in Kenya. There are 85,000 broadband subscribers across 893 sub-locations:
  Some 29 mln Kenyans have no broadband access {TelecomPaper}
• Risks for underserved areas – unless efforts refocus on rural areas:
  New Study Reveals Widening Digital Divide {The Nation via MenaFN}
• Safaricom customers in the “Data Belt” can now expect 2x Internet speed (generally 1.5Mbps-3Mbps):
  Faster Internet speeds as Safaricom upgrades {IT News Africa}
• 1,050 schools will have the ability to share textbooks:
  ICT demand in Kenya rises as schools share textbooks on internet {ICA}
• Humanipo, much like the recent IPO48 competition, will invest millions of dollars in start-ups:
  ICT Start-Ups Win Cash to Get Business Ideas Off the Ground {Business Daily via allAfrica.com}

Libya

• Internet services are back in full-force across much of Libya after 6 months of unreliability:
  Internet Access Restored in Libya {SiliconANGLE}

Mauritius

• Stats show that the number and share of mobile Internet users has plateaued:
  Home Internet Records 1.6% Rise {The Independent}

Namibia

• State-owned Telecom Namibia will continue to provide ADSL without the fees dictated by a 1992 law:
  MWeb loses internet case against Telecom {The Namibian}
• The cloud allows for more reliable database storage and sharing:
  How fractional employment, the cloud are changing Namibian non-profits {Gigaom}

Nigeria

• Keynote address by MainOne CEO on the shortcomings of broadband in Nigeria. She cites Korean, Singaporean, and Kenyan success stories:
  Broadband Policy Imperatives in Nigeria {TechTrends Nigeria}
• NCC will be invited to the first African Union-NEPAD Business Week and Africa’s Global Partnerships Summit to explain why ICT penetration is low in the country:
  NEPAD to engage NCC over low ICT penetration {The Punch}

Seychelles

• Always interesting to read first-hand accounts of how Internet is installed in homes (ie. not burying lines):
  Internet arrives! {Seychelles Family Varley}

Sierra Leone

• The nation’s ICT growth since its civil war was touted at a recent forum. SL will also play host for the 2012 Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) Rural Connectivity Forum:
  Sierra Leone’s Communications Minister to host Commonwealth Rural Connectivity Forum in Freetown {Cocorioko Newspaper}

South Africa

• A non-profit is asking for private and public sectors to report on cyber crime:
  SA lacks accurate cyber crime stats {ITWeb}
• Six months of free Internet, data, and voice will be available to outsourced callcenters in Western Cape:
  Incentives for BPO in Western Cape {MediaClubSouthAfrica.com}
• mLab Southern Africa aims to support entrepreneurship and government involvement in the mobile space:
  Bold plan to bring internet to the masses {BusinessDay}

Swaziland

• In a bold move, the Minister of ICT removed the parastatal Swailand Post and Telecommunications Corporation Board of directors:
  SPTC board sacked {Times of Swaziland}

Tunisia

• Old journalists generally do not understand the younger generation of bloggers:
  Old practices die hard in Tunisia’s media {Dawn.com}

Zambia

• Zamtel is expanding services and will soon have 185 new 3G sites and 485 new 2.5G sites. The company wants to see even higher mobile growth figures:
  Zamtel to Match Business Growth {Times of Zambia via allAfrica.com}

Zimbabwe

• 165% growth over the past 3 years:
  Zimbabwe’s Internet uptake soars {IT News Africa}
• The Zimbabwe Internet Service Providers Association doesn’t update their website, and other ISPs require additional services to be purchased:
  The difficulties of registering a local domain in Zimbabwe {TechZim}

Africa

• African systems are not leapfrogging the world in terms of IPv6 adoption:
  Africa embracing IPv6 more slowly than expected {Computerworld}
• A vignette of an educator’s experience bringing e-books to developing areas:
  What Makes Educational Technology Successful in the Developing World? {ReadWriteWeb}