NOVEMBER 19, 2014

East Africa: Ericsson - Video's Largest, Fastest Growing Segment of Mobile Data Traffic

by Michael Ouma, allafrica.com

"Video continues to dominate mobile networks with 4G-dominated networks currently constitutes 45 - 55 per cent of mobile traffic, driven largely by increased usage of video streaming and improvements in the mobile video experience according to Ericsson's latest Mobility Report released yesterday."

"The report states that video is increasingly appearing as part of other online applications such as news and adverts, and on social media platforms, adding that growth in video streaming is being driven by access to over-the-top (OTT) services and content, such as those provided by YouTube."

"Devices used to watch video are also evolving. Many have larger screens, enabling higher picture quality for streamed video, which results in video being consumed on all types of devices and in higher quantities, both at home and on the move."

October 29, 2014

Internet.org App Brings Free Facebook, Wikipedia, BBC, Local Info Access To Tanzania

Posted by Josh Constine, techcrunch.com

"The cost of data access is one of the top obstacles to the developing world getting on the web, so today Internet.org gave free data access to basic web services and local resources to Tanzania with the release of its Internet.org app through carrier Tigo. Facebook’s Internet accessibility initiative released a similar app in Zambia in July, and now Tanzanians can use Facebook, Messenger, BBC News, and Wikipedia plus get local news, health info, online education, classifieds, and sports coverage. Users can buy access through Tigo if they want to explore more of the web. "

October 21, 2014

Mobile OTT Video Access critical to TV Everywhere success

Posted by Colin Dixon, nscreenmedia.com

"According to the latest Adobe Video Benchmark, the smartphone has overtaken the tablet as the go-to device for video consumption, though mobility only accounts for 30% of accesses overall. However, for TV Everywhere apps mobile OTT video access!

While the number of video starts are growing fast to the smartphone, the smaller screen loses out heavily in video finishes. Adobe data shows that video completions are significantly lower for the smaller screen than for the TV or computer. Just 16.6% of videos viewed on a tablet or smartphone are watched to 75% completion. 50% of PC and 35% of game console views reach 75% completion. "

October 10, 2014

Is there a link between connectivity and GDP?

Posted by Stewart Baines, orange-business.com, networks

"Chinese equipment manufacturer Huawei introduced Global Connectivity Index (GCI) at the Huawei Cloud Congress (HCC). It's an interesting study that suggests a direct link between connectivity and gross domestic product (GDP). "

"This finding broadly reflects a previous ITU study, which said: “The higher penetration of broadband, the more important is its contribution to economic growth,” which also makes for “a positive contribution of broadband to job creation in developed and developing countries. “"

August 26, 2014

African OTT service Aflix goes live

Posted by Andrew McDonald, tbivision.com

"The new service is available now on smartphones and tablets in Sub-Sahara Africa and was launched by connected platform provider Vonetize, in partnership with an unnamed Nigerian technology company and billing solution provider SmartPay.tv.

Aflix offers Hollywood and Bollywood movies, TV series, kids content, telenovelas and sports, lifestyle, nature, science and music programming."

July 11, 2014

Brazil v Germany sees 20x increase in mobile data volume

Posted by Editor, advanced-television.com

"During the World Cup semi-final match between Brazil and Germany on July 8th, there was a 20-fold increase in data volume from a single sports network (ESPN) over the mobile network."

"... clearly as word spread, through social media sites such as Twitter, about events on the pitch, people wanted to tune in wherever they were and see the goals, this meant mobile was the natural choice for many."

April 22, 2014

AT&T's $500M OTT video venture with Chernin Group could center on mobile services

By Mike Dano, FierceWireless, fiercewireless.com

"AT&T (NYSE: T) announced a new, $500 million joint venture with The Chernin Group, a Hollywood production company for TV shows and movies, to target the over-the-top online video space--and AT&T specifically mentioned mobile as a key element in its efforts to expand into OTT online video."

""Combining our expertise in network infrastructure, mobile, broadband and video with The Chernin Group's management and expertise in content, distribution, and monetization models in online video creates the opportunity for us to develop a compelling offering in the OTT space," explained John Stankey, AT&T's chief strategy officer.""

March 18, 2014

Virtual School Aims to Enlighten Indigenous Children

By Ahmed Zayeef, Dhaka Tribune, dhakatribune.com

"Technology indeed can do wonder for people to help them realise their potential and this is exactly the idea an Internet-based school in a remote village of Bandarban aims to turn into reality."

""This is our vision to empower the society through modern education," said Mahmud Hossain, chief of corporate affairs at Grameenphone."

""Internet connectivity will develop the quality of education in rural areas," said BTRC director Lt Col Sajjad."

March 18, 2014

Airtel, Etisalat, MTN, Ooredoo, Orange, Vodaphone, Zain Plan Telecom Network Sharing

By Telecom Lead, telecomlead.com

"Top telecoms in Africa and the Middle East – Airtel, Etisalat, MTN, Ooredoo, Orange, Vodafone and Zain — plan to cooperate on network infrastructure sharing initiatives....

The operators have made this commitment to provide Internet and mobile broadband access to unserved rural communities and drive down the cost of mobile services."

September 24, 2013

Celadon, Inc., Maxwell Technologies Partner to Deploy Ultracapacitors in Remote Control for Set Top Boxes

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL), a leading developer and manufacturer of ultracapacitor-based energy storage products, today announced that it is working with Celadon, Inc., a manufacturer of remote control systems for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), to provide its 10-farad (F) HC series ultracapacitors for remote controls used with the CLS-140 Cellular Media Center from set top box developer Cobalt Labs.

September 20, 2013

Orange Awarded Telecom Company of the Year in Africa

By Nick Sato - humanipo- humanipo.com

Orange has been recognised with the 2013 Africa Frost & Sullivan Telecom Company of the Year Award, for its execution of growth strategies and its commitment to offering quality services and products to customers. The award recognises a high degree of innovation with products and technologies and the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration.

August 29, 2013

Rural Africa, Meet 3G: Asian Telecoms Using Satellites To Increase Coverage On Continent

By IBTimes Staff Reporter, International Business Times, ibtimes.com

Two of Asia's largest telecommunications companies have joined forces to engineer new technology that should ease mobile access to some of Africa's most hard-to-reach markets. India's Bharti Airtel Ltd (BOM: 532454) said in a statement Thursday that the company, with help from Japan's Softbank Corp (TYO: 9984), has completed a successful field trial for 3G phone services using satellite transmission lines. The technology could bring data services to many rural areas of Africa, which have been largely out of telecom firms' reach due to infrastructural barriers..

July 17, 2013

How Mobile Technology is Transforming Africa

By Rudy De Waele, CEO of Nyota Media - Guest Post, thenextweb.com

"...entrepreneurs are very creative and so many have come up with cheaper and non-polluting alternative energy solutions for the off-grid world."

Full presentation "...examines how mobile is used in combination with sustainable energy solutions to power local rural communities...."

May, 2013

Africa's Mobile Youth Drive Change

By Jocelyne Sambira, Africa Renewal: May 2013, Page 19, un.org

Cell Phones Reshape Youth Culture

Mobile technology has been a game changer for Africa. Youth, whom the United Nations defines as those aged 15 to 24, are seizing the momentum and rewriting society's rules at the same time.

January 31, 2013

Telecoms Boom Leaves Rural Africa Behind

By Helen Nyambura-Mwaura and Simon Akam, Reuters, reuters.com

(Reuters) - While mobile phone usage has exploded across Africa over the last decade, transforming daily life and commerce for millions, it's a revolution that has left behind perhaps two thirds of its people.

Poor or no reception outside the towns helps explain why the continent's mobile penetration, in terms of the percentage of the population using the service, is far lower than previously thought, and the cost of providing that service to impoverished, sparsely populated areas remains prohibitive.