Weekly Roundup – 5 March 2010

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Econet Network Upgrade and Fibre Project

Econet held a breakfast meeting today to give an update to stakeholders on the network upgrade project that has been taking place since last year. We’ll give you an update of the discussions held once we have something.

The Herald on Tuesday reported on the launch of Econet’s a fibre optic project. At the launch, Econet CEO Douglas Mboweni revealed that Econet is aiming to increase subscriber base to 5 million by August 2010. The new fibre-optic network, we reported about here last month, will be made available to local Internet Service Providers in future.

There’s a related article on TeleGeography,  in which Econet reveals, through its majority shareholder Liquid Telecom, plans to build an international and national fibre-optic network. Econet will develop their own links to international submarine fibre-optic cables, SEACOM and EASSy; a 7,500km domestic fibre networks linking all major cities; an international fibre network linking to eight other countries (Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia and Namibia in a first phase, and a proposed second phase reaching Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi); metro fibre networks in Harare and Bulawayo; and proposed metro networks in two other southern African countries.

Telkom SA Says It’s Not Interested  in TelOne Stake Purchase

TeleGeography on Tuesday had an update on the Telkom-TelOne deal we’ve been hearing for a while now. In the article Telkom’s Charlotte Mokoena, CEO of Management Services department, says Telkom is not bidding to buy a stake in TelOne. The only deal there is, is one  “…to provide management services, such as professional engineering and other functional services, to assist TelOne to prepare and build for the future.”

Mobile Networks Eases Life of Zimbabwe’s Rural Folk

The Fingaz had an interesting article (article not available yet on their online edition, we’ll link to it once it comes online) about how the expansion of Zim’s mobile networks to previously marginalized areas has greatly benefited the communities in these areas. In one example the writer, Shame Mukoshori, explains how a fisherman conveniently keeps up to date with market trends in the cities through his Telecel mobile line. In the past, the fisherman had to spend the equivalent of $120 on food, transport and accommodation to get the updates. It now costs just a dollar.

Africom, the ‘IT Expert’ and the Bennet Case

In a small insert in today’s Herald, Africom finally said something about Mutsetse’s involvement in the Bennet case . They said they won’t say anything. The reason:  “It is an ongoing matter before the court of law”. They also used the opportunity to distance the company from the embarrassing issue referring to it as “…the personal involvement of Mr. Perekayi Mutsetse…”.

image source: http://www.expertsem.com

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