Airtel Nigeria : Taking a Megabyte out of the Competition
Airtel Nigeria is redefining the data experience and is reaping the rewards – including a 92 percent increase in its internet customer base.
Airtel Malawi : On the Up and Up
Airtel Malawi has been deploying high-speed Internet capacity across its network. Managing Director Saulos Chilima tells us more.
Airtel Nigeria : Taking a Megabyte out of the Competition
Airtel Nigeria is redefining the data experience and is reaping the rewards – including a 92 percent increase in its internet customer base.
Ericsson Sub-Saharan Africa
Setting sights on Africa Globally, the telecoms industry has been facing rough trading conditions, but Africa seems to be growing from strength to strength. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager James Mitchell Ericsson, the world's biggest maker of mobile phone equipment, is playing a key role in Africa's development. The continent's telecommunications market continues to appeal, with coverage and affordable devices becoming less of an issue. The market is full of potential; African operators continue to intensify their efforts to monetise 3G and other data networks and LTE offerings are becoming mainstream, while rural connectivity continues to improve at pace and mobile banking takes off. Communication, remember, is a universal need. This, alongside evolving user demands and rapid developments in technology, is driving continued growth in the global telecommunications industry. Ericsson has struggled in recent years as customers have held back on investing in mobile phone networks. Globally, the telecoms industry has been facing rough trading conditions, but Africa seems to be growing from strength to strength. In a recent interview, Fredrik Jejdling, the new head of Ericsson in Sub-Saharan Africa, acknowledged Africa's allure and said data was going to be a huge part of Africa's mobile story. "I have worked in the Indian market as the regional head for the past three years and I have learnt that mobility is a prerequisite for inclusive growth. Mobile data and broadband will be far reaching voice revolution. The funny thing is that the same pattern in emerging markets as with developed markets with regards to internet usage. "Between…
Clean Power Systems
Smart, clean power Clean Power Systems provides cost effective, clean power products that reduce operating expenses for mobile networks. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Ben Weaver Africa is one of the fastest growing markets for mobile providers. According to research by the UK's Informa Telecoms & Media, the continent has now, in fact, achieved status as the world's second-largest mobile market. There are more than 760 million mobile subscribers and with market penetration around 68 percent, there is still plenty of room for growth. In just four years, Informa believes Africa could have as many as 1.19 billion mobile subscribers. U.S.- headquartered Clean Power Systems (CPS) -- a firm with a fast-growing presence in Africa -- is currently providing clean and reliable energy services and products to the industry. "Clean Power Systems provides cost effective, clean power products that reduce operating expenses for mobile networks by over 60 percent," says William Bubenicek, Managing Director of Clean Power Systems. CPS provides "end-to-end power solutions" and there is "vast potential" for the business in a continent that "carries high operating expenses" and often has serious power problems. "Because mobile networks must maintain 99 percent reliable power for cell towers, the emerging market networks rely primarily on diesel generators to power their cell towers," Bubenicek explains. "We utilise our software products to effectively capture data, system design, and implementation planning. Our focus is on standardising the methodology to allow for high volume implementation and allowing cost saving benefits to be achieved rapidly. The bottom line is that CPS provides…
Airtel Ghana : Upwardly Mobile
Ghana's telecoms and ICT sector is full of opportunities for both local and international firms, says Philip Sowah of Airtel Ghana.
Ingram Micro Mobility
Brightpoint rebranded as Ingram Micro Mobility Earlier this year BrightPoint was rebranded Ingram Micro Mobility. Africa Outlook learns more. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Donovan Smith In 2012 IT giant Ingram Micro, the world's largest wholesale technology distributor and a global leader in IT supply-chain, mobile device lifecycle services and logistics solutions, acquired BrightPoint for a cool $840 million, including $190 million in debt as part of its strategy to drive convergence across IT and Mobility markets. Ingram Micro's acquisition of BrightPoint marked an important milestone for both companies, but more importantly it offers tangible benefits to its customers and vendors who now have access to the broadest portfolio of mobility and converged technology products and the most comprehensive suite of supply chain solutions for mobile devices. Ingram Micro Mobility has positioned itself at the centre of the flow of products and commerce within the mobility industry, which will help them anticipate demand and create connections between manufacturers, retailers and carriers, while helping to enable the convergence of IT and mobility. "We executed the integration against a clear cut plan which has impacted the business more positively than we ever anticipated. The Ingram Micro brand and reputation has been well received by our vendors and our customers," says Bruce Cockburn, Regional Managing Director, Africa (Mobility & IT). As a vital link in the technology value chain, Ingram Micro creates sales and profitability opportunities for vendors and resellers through unique marketing programs, outsourced logistics and mobile solutions, technical support, financial services and product aggregation and distribution. The…
Eaton Towers
Towering ahead Africa Outlook talks to Alan Harper, the Co-founder and CEO of African telecoms infrastructure firm Eaton Towers, which owns and manages telecom infrastructure across the continent and has plans to build 250 transmitter towers this year. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Ben Weaver African telecoms infrastructure firm Eaton Towers is continuing to expand its mobile operations and is one of a number of specialist players to launch services in Africa in recent years. It plans to build another 250 transmitter towers in 2013, increasing its African portfolio by a sixth. What's that down to? Growing internet use. "We will build about 100 towers in Uganda, 100 in South Africa and 50 in Ghana," says Alan Harper, Eaton Towers' Co-founder and CEO. Customers include Airtel, Vodafone, South Africa's MTN and Orange. "The internet boom is one of the key drivers - more people are getting online as smartphone prices fall and telecom operators improve their networks. Mobile operators are building new base stations for two reasons – one is obviously coverage, and there is still some coverage expansion going on, but increasingly it is for adding capacity to the networks." A lack of extensive fixed-line infrastructure in most African countries means mobile networks provide the main means for people to access the internet, he adds. "That's right. With fixed-line penetration being so low in so many countries most of the data usage is on the mobile networks and therefore whether it is 3G, or now we are seeing some LT E development in some markets,…
