September 2010 – According to recent studies by the International Telecommunications Union, only 10.9 percent of Africa’s population uses the Internet. By contrast, the Internet is used by 77.4 percent of North Americans. Though there are drastic population gaps — the latest census reports estimate the African population at just over 1 billion, while North… Continue reading Africa Hopes to Close Broadband Gap
Month: June 2010
Is Africa prepared for broadband?
Mobile growth has shaped the past ten years, but broadband will shape the next ten years. An ITU Human Capacity Development Forum for Africa held in Kampala on July 8-10, 2009 addressed Africa’s readiness for broadband. Clive Shepherd, an expert in human resource development, says the ICT sector in Africa is in a unique position. … Continue reading Is Africa prepared for broadband?
Blackberry launches Playbook rival to iPad
Blackberry has announced its answer to Apple’s iPad with a device called the Playbook. The company unveiled its tablet computer to much anticipation at its developer conference, Devcon, in San Francisco. It is one of the first business-centric devices in the tablet market. Analysts said that the release was a clever move by the Blackberry… Continue reading Blackberry launches Playbook rival to iPad
Helios investment in Kenyan telecoms sector
Pan-African private equity firm Helios Investment Partners has announced that it is actively looking to increase its presence in Kenya by entering the country’s telecoms sector. The news coincides with reports that Helios has raised USD900 million from investors in order to target new investments. Thus far, Helios’ involvement within Africa’s telecoms sector has been… Continue reading Helios investment in Kenyan telecoms sector
Democracy Triumphs with Somaliland’s Second Peaceful Election
This summer, Somaliland’s presidential election marked a rare, peaceful democratic transition in the greater Horn of Africa. On June 26, the lead opposition Kulmiye party (Kulmiye means “bringing together”) received almost half of the more than 538,000 votes cast, while the ruling UDUB party (United People’s Democratic Party) won 33 percent of votes. Another opposition… Continue reading Democracy Triumphs with Somaliland’s Second Peaceful Election