Iraq Government Looking to Auction 3G Licenses:

Iraq's government is seeking to sell its 3G licenses to the incumbent mobile networks for at least US$307 million each.

The country's three national mobile networks are currently limited to GSM services, and while customer growth was initially considerable in a country that lacked reliable telecommunications, the lack of 3G services has been a drag in the past couple of years.

Last week the Council of Ministers agreed in principle to auction 3G licences, Ahmed Alomary, a former commissioner at the Communications and Media Commission (CMC), told Reuters.

The reserve price has been set at US$307 million, although that is currently just indicative and could change. The mobile networks, who paid US$1.25 billion each for their licenses in 2007 have long argued that they shouldn't have to pay extra for 3G approvals.

The auction will also be open to new entrants to the market after plans to automatically award the licenses to the three incumbent operators was rejected.

ZTE Shuffles its Senior Management Around:

ZTE has announced that its Mobile Devices division is to operate as an independent unit of the company, to be headed by Mr. Zeng Xuezhong, Executive Vice President of ZTE.

Mr. Zeng was previously in charge of ZTE's operations in China. Mr. He Shiyou, Executive Vice President of ZTE and the former head of terminals, will remain as an Executive Director of ZTE.

Mr. Pang Shengqing, Senior Vice President of ZTE, has been appointed as head of ZTE's enterprise business while Mr. Zhao Xianming, Executive Vice President of ZTE, has been appointed Chief Technology Officer of ZTE.

"In 2014, the company is excited about the opportunities in enterprise and mobile devices, and the organizational changes will strengthen our capabilities in these areas," said Mr. Hou Weigui, Chairman of ZTE. "Telecommunications and technology are intensely competitive industries, and it is vital that we constantly renew ourselves in order to excel."

"It is important for the company to become faster, more entrepreneurial, more youthful and more focused," said Mr. Shi Lirong, President of ZTE. "We need to execute changes in our strategy, our organization and our culture in a responsive and timely way."

Where Africa’s ICT wealth sits:

Last year Forbes launched its inaugural list of Africa’s 40 Richest individuals, indicating each person’s respective net worth and source of wealth. The 2012 list of Africa’s 40 Richest makes for interesting reading, particularly in light of the relevance and movement of Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Telecommunications features on the wealth portfolios of almost twenty percent of those who have made it onto the list.

Although this sector is not the only source of wealth for individuals (some are accredited with diversification and investment as additional sources), one is able to deduce that ICT has a role to play in wealth generation and the economies of developing markets throughout the continent.

This is where Africa’s tech leaders stand:

• 5th position: Mike Adenuga from Lagos, Nigeria. He is the founder of Nigerian multinational telecommunications company Globacom Limited (Glo) and has a net worth of $4,6 Billion.
• 9th position: Naguib Sawiris from Cairo, Egypt. He is the founder of Orascom Telecom Holding SAE and is reported to have a net worth of $2,5 Billion.
• 11th position: Onsi Sawiris also from Cairo, Egypt. Sawiris founded the Orascom Group, which incorporates, amongst others, the Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E company. He has a net worth of $2.17 Billion.
• 26th position: Oba Otudeko from Lagos, Nigeria. Otudeko founded the Honeywell Group and is reported to have a 14% stake in telecommunications services provider Bharti Airtel Nigeria. His net worth is reported to be $575 million.
• Hakeem Belo-Osagie from Lagos, Nigeria, made it onto the list in 40^th position with a net worth of $400 million. Belo-Osagie is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd., trading under the Etisalat brand.
It is also interesting to note that there are African entrepreneurs who made it onto last year’s list, but did not feature in 2012 – otherwise referred to by Forbes as “the drop-offs”.

African telecom landscape looks towards high speeds:

A number of factors have contributed to Africa’s increasing adoption of mobile phones for internet use over PCs — cost and lack of ethernet infrastructure for two. The cost of computers versus the lower prices of mobile phones in addition to the lack of physical internet cable implementation has spurred the growth of mobile devices in Africa — a trend that is now of global proportion. But Africa’s mobile scene presents unique challenges, and the recently reported interest in the continent’s digital communications from Mideast and European telcos has spun a larger conversation over the future of the continent’s growth.

MidEast telcos have been developing their presence in North Africa for a while. Etisalat — an Emirates-based telco — took over France’s Vivendi’s stake in Maroc Telecom in July, heightening its presence in West Africa. (Maroc Telecom was also Morocco’s largest operator, according to reports.) And European companies such as Orange have been increasing their investments in various countries to get a foothold in the developing markets. These growing investments from operators have accumulated throughout the year, and made for conversation at AfricaCom 2013 — a telecom conference held in Cape Town, South Africa earlier in November which calls together global technology leaders.

An executive from Gemalto — a digital security company — spoke after the conference and called for operators to take advantage of the unique communications landscape in Africa in order to bypass 3G implementation and escalate quickly to 4G. While attaining high speed wireless seems unlikely in regions that have barely reliable 2G, Sherry Zameer, head of Africa and Middle East telecommunications for the company, described the lack of regulation and restrictive platforms actually make Africa ripe for the buildout of 4G.

Airtel to launch Opera Web Pass in Africa:

Opera Software and Airtel, a leading integrated telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, announced the launch of Opera Web Pass for customers in 17 countries across Africa. This allows subscribers to choose a data package that suits them - be it time-based or site-based.

With Opera Web Pass, mobile internet users on the Airtel networks will be able to make use of an affordable and simple pay-as-you-go service for their Airtel mobile phones. A user just needs to start Opera Mini on any mobile phone, click 1"Opera Web Pass" in the Speed Dial start page and choose from a list of web pass subscriptions, allowing Airtel mobile customers to purchase from a range of user-centric packages to suit their internet access needs.

Opera Web Pass leverages the existing capabilities of the Opera Mini platform and allows Airtel, in a flexible and cost-efficient way, to package time- or site-specific data offerings to their users. For example, if a person has a couple of hours to spend on a train or in a taxi, they can access and browse the web for a couple of hours during the trip. They can choose a specific period of time or website to access to facilitate this access.

Different packages can be changed frequently, allowing operators to see what works best in a given market or within targeted demographics. Opera Web Pass makes it even more compelling for subscribers to get online using their mobile phones and in a way that is tailored to their needs. For mobile subscribers without data plans, this is the easiest and most flexible solution for accessing the web. With the opportunity for users to choose an exact time period in which to access the web, rather than the amount of megabytes, Airtel’s browsing offer will be easier for users understand and access.

By breaking down one of the biggest barriers to entry for most users looking to go online with their phones, which is often a multi-step, time consuming and error prone process, Opera Web Pass liberates users, making access to the mobile internet a streamlined, easy-to-understand process where offers are presented when they are sought in a non-intrusive way.

Complex data-use MB plans, which require a significant monetary and time investment currently can now be replaced with time- or content-based, affordable and controllable Opera Web Pass packages - a straightforward process similar to how consumers buy apps.

Nigeria internet providers call for telecoms masts deadline extension:

The Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN) in Lagos has appealed for an extension of a deadline to pull down telecommunications masts around the state.

The appeal comes amid threats issued by the state government last week that it plans to start enforcing the pulling down of ‘old, hollow pipe telecoms structures’.

Members of the public have previously sustained injuries after outdated masts collapsed during bad weather.

The Lagos State Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit (UFRU) last week said the state was concerned that since a directive was issued two months ago, none of the owners of the masts have responded to the order to pull down the masts.

Joe Igbokwe, head of UFRU, warned that by December 31, the agency would start pulling down such masts across the state.

UFRU two months back, instructed banks, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), insurance companies and other firms to immediately replace old hollow pipe telecoms masts in the state and replace them with galvanised steel masts.

But reacting to the deadline, the president of ISPAN Sunday Folayan admitted that while there was a need for old masts to be pulled down, the owners needed more time to comply with the directive.

“We cannot continue to erect masts that are not in accordance to standards. Secondly, when government is making certain policies or giving directives, they should consider the economic impact on the stakeholders involved. Any programme that does not carry stakeholders along, obviously will affect them adversely. As law abiding citizens, we will adhere to the directives. All we are appealing for is time," he said.

Meanwhile, following a workshop in the state this past weekend, engineer Anthony Nwosu, who is the vice president of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), also the called for extension of the deadline set by the Lagos government.

Lagos argues that pulling down the masts could allow for more effective monitoring and control of telecoms infrastructure in the state.

Mboweni: investment, innovation key to telecoms success:

Investment and innovation are the key to success in telecoms the world over, according to Econet Wireless CEO, Douglas Mboweni. 
 
Speaking as the company released its half year results, Mboweni reminded analysts that the company had invested $1 billion since 2008. He said no other business had shown "so much confidence in the future of Zimbabwe when measured by actual money invested. We are a local company, owned by Zimbabweans, and we have gone all over the world to find money to invest in our country”. 
 
Mboweni said in telecommunications you have to be constantly investing because customers are always buying new types of phones that require greater capability from the network. “All these new devices that people are buying, such as tablets and smartphones, require ever increasing capability from the network. This means we have to buy new network equipment all the time. 
 
“If you take the new iPhone that just came out, it will not work properly if we do not have 4G. We have to invest in 4G to ensure our top customers stay on the network just as we did with 3G. All this requires hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Mboweni.
 
He said innovation was also critical for a successful business, but he also noted that it was not simply an idea of adopting new ideas, but also adapting those ideas in such a way that you are successful. 
 
He gave the example of Mobile money, where other operators in Africa, tried and abandoned because it was too difficult to implement. “We were the last to launch mobile money, with our Ecocash but we now have one of the most successful services of its kind on the whole continent, even South Africa has not been as successful, as us in mobile money services."

Telecommunications in Ghana

Ghana's telecommunications statistics indicated that as of 2012 there was 284,981 telephone lines in operation, and as of 2013 there are 26,336,000 cell phone lines in operation. 

The prefix code of Ghana for international calls is +233.

In 2010, Ghana authorized 2 fixed phone companies to operate in Ghana and authorized 6 mobile phone companies to operate in Ghana of which only 1 was not operating in 2010. Mobile phone companies that are currently authorized for operations are: Mobile Telecommunications Networks  (MTN), Vodafone Ghana acquired by Telecom Ghana, Tigo, Bharti Airtel acquired Western Telesystems Ltd (Westel), Kasapa Telecom Ltd which is a enterprise of Chinese origin, now Expresso Telecom, and Glo Mobile Ghana Limited.

Axiom Telecom signs strategic partnership agreement with Zain KSA

Axiom Telecom has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Zain KSA in Saudi Arabia. The deal allows Axiom Telecom to provide and distribute Zain products and offers directly via its over 400 branches and selling points throughout the Kingdom.

Zain KSA will also benefit from Axiom's superior distribution coverage of over 4000 dealers, of which 2000 are dealt with through direct distribution.

The agreement was signed during the Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona, and is set to significantly boost Axiom Telecom's presence in the burgeoning Saudi Arabian market.

"Zain KSA is an innovative player, and with this partnership we seek to expand in what is hugely exciting and growing market for us," said Faisal Al Bannai, CEO, Axiom Telecom.

"First and foremost this deal is about delivering value to the customer through increasing their options and providing world-class service. Our union is a complementary one, playing to our own unique strengths, and I have no doubt that much mutual success lies ahead," he added.

Saud Al-Bawardi Chief Operation Officer at Zain KSA said that the agreement comes as an activation of the company's operational plans to expand and enhance customer access to Zain products, services, and special offers. Zain's postpaid and prepaid lines, Internet devices and smartphones and tablets, will now be available via Axiom branches, which exceeds more than 400 around the Kingdom.

Al-Bawardi hailed Axiom Telecom for gaining customer confidence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and all around the Gulf countries, adding that this agreement will enhance the two companies' ability to provide the best services to all customers.

News of the deal follows Axiom Telecom's recent announcement that 2012 was its most successful year yet. The innovative telecommunications retailer currently holds a 71% share of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) handset market and a dominant share of the Saudi Arabian smart phone market,