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From: africafocus@igc.org [Mwananchi] <Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com>
Date: 19 November 2015 at 15:40
Subject: [Mwananchi] Africa: Boosting ICTs
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
From: africafocus@igc.org [Mwananchi] <Mwananchi@yahoogroups.com>
Date: 19 November 2015 at 15:40
Subject: [Mwananchi] Africa: Boosting ICTs
To: mwananchi@yahoogroups.com
Africa: Boosting ICTs AfricaFocus Bulletin November 19, 2015 (151119) (Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note The "AfricaRising" narrative can be a misleading stereotype, celebrating economic and technical progress without taking into account the enormous failures to deliver the fruits equitably to the majority of Africa's people. But one area in which some boosterism may be appropriate is the rapid advance of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the continent. For a version of this Bulletin in html format, more suitable for printing, go to http://www.africafocus.org/docs15/ict1511.php, and click on "format for print or mobile." To share this on Facebook, click on https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u= http://www.africafocus.org/docs15/ict1511.php AfricaFocus rarely reproduces press releases, since they are by definition aimed at boosting particular companies, organizations, and products. But the coincidence of finding four different press releases on this topic from two different continent-wide press agencies in my email yesterday morning prompted this exception, and a Bulletin somewhat longer than usual. Note that this is in no way an endorsement by AfricaFocus of the content of the press releases, the companies, the commercial press agencies, or of the possible exaggeration of the impact of technology. But there is no doubt that they reflect a very significant reality about today's Africa. The two press agencies are the African Media Agency and the African Press Organization. The companies and non-profit organizations involved include Alcatel- Lucent, Tanzania Telecommunications Company Ltd., Arrow Electronics, non-profit "Close the Gap," Mobile Money Africa, and the global telecommunications company Orange. For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on Information and Communication Technology in Africa, visit http://www.africafocus.org/ictexp.php ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Alcatel-Lucent's IP and optical technologies to transform TTCL's mobile and fixed access networks in Tanzania Alcatel-Lucent via African Media Agency November 17, 2015 African Media Agency | FZE | Dubai | 334286 | United Arab Emirates Modernization of IPMPLS and optical transport will allow TTCL to converge mobile and fixed access operations and meet growing demand for bandwidth with high-quality, reliable and affordable services Cape Town, South Africa, 17 November 2015, - African Media Agency (AMA)- Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) has signed a three-year frame agreement with TTCL - the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited - under which it will modernize the operator's IPMPLS and optical transport networks. The Alcatel-Lucent transformation will allow TTCL to meet the growing demands of its fixed and mobile access customers for efficient, high-speed, high-quality data services in preparation for the launch of 4G LTE services. Mobile phone use in Tanzania is currently at 75 percent of the population and growing by 20 percent each year. Following an expansion in undersea cable connectivity and the launch of the National ICT Broadband Backbone, broadband has become more accessible in the country, sparking demand for data services as well as the arrival of a number of new service providers. Alcatel-Lucent will deploy its IP routing and 100G agile optical networking (AON) DWDM technology to transform TTCL's operations, converging fixed and mobile access on to one network, with unified management across the IP and optical layers for improved efficiencies. This will allow TTCL to meet the bandwidth needs of its 300,000 fixed network subscribers - even as data traffic increases with the expected deployment of a 4G LTE network - with high-quality, affordable services. Phase One of the Nationwide deployment - covering major cities including the capital of Dodoma and the financial centre of Dar Es Salaam - will be completed in December 2015. Alcatel-Lucent is also providing comprehensive training and professional services expertise including site survey, design, installation, testing and commissioning activities as well as migrating services to the new platform. Key Facts: * Under a three year frame-agreement Alcatel-lucent is transforming TTCL's IPMPLS and optical transport network. The company will deploy its 7750 Service Router family, 7210 Service Access Switch, and 7705 Service Aggregation Router for routing and aggregation functionality in the core, metro and access network, and its 1830 Photonic Service Switch, for OTN (optical transport network) and DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) functionality. Unified network management will be provided by Alcatel-Lucent's 5620 Service Aware Manager for exceptional operational efficiencies. * The technology will be deployed nationwide, initially in the major cities of Dodoma, Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Morogoro, and Mwanza. * This contract highlights the growing movement of operators moving toward fixedmobile converged networks Quotes: Dr Kamugisha Kazaura, CEO of TTCL said: "Working with Alcatel-Lucent and leveraging its state of the art IP and optical transport technology as well as expertise we can enable new network efficiencies that will allow us to both meet the growing demands of our customers and help contribute to the development of ICT in Tanzania." Daniel Jaeger, vice-president of Alcatel-Lucent in Africa said: "The contract with TTCL is a significant one for the region and highlights Alcatel-Lucent's continued momentum in the IP and optical space. With deep-rooted expertise and technology that has been proven in customer networks around the globe, we are in an ideal position to help meet the network convergence needs of customers such as TTCL." Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Alcatel- Lucent. ABOUT TTCL: Tanzania Telecommunications Company Ltd. (TTCL) TTCL currently provides voice and data communication services, to over 300,000 business and residential customers in Tanzania. The Company also provides network services to other licensed telecom operators. TTCL's aim is to remain the leading data service provider in Tanzania leveraging on its existing fixed network infrastructure and investment in new technologies including 4G LTE. In order to achieve this goal, a strong focus has been placed on customer satisfaction by providing high quality, reliable and affordable services to our customers. For more information, visit TTCL on: http:www.ttcl.co.tz TTCL Press Contacts: Nicodemus Thomas nicodemus.thomas@ttcl.co.tz +255 0734 205050 Edwin Mashasi edwin.mashasi@ttcl.co.tz +255 0737 209147 About Alcatel-Lucent (EURONEXT Paris And NYSE: ALU) Alcatel-Lucent is the leading IP networking, ultra-broadband access and cloud technology specialist. We are dedicated to making global communications more innovative, sustainable and accessible for people, businesses and governments worldwide. Our mission is to invent and deliver trusted networks to help our customers unleash their value. Every success has its network. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow the Company on Twitter: http:twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent. Alcatel-Lucent Press Contacts Simon Poulter simon.poulter@alcatel-lucent.com T : +33 (0)1 55 14 10 06 Sherine Aziez sherine.aziez@alcatel-lucent.com T : +213 770 968 348 Alcatel-Lucent Investor Relations Marisa Baldo marisa.baldo@alcatel-lucent.com T : +33 (0)1 55 14 11 20 Tom Bevilacqua thomas.bevilacqua@alcatel-lucent.com T : + 1 908-582-7998 ************************************************************** Arrow Electronics Collaborates with Nonprofit "Close the Gap" to Help Bridge the Digital Divide in Africa Arrow Electronics via African Media Agency November 17, 2015 Arrow Electronics, Close the Gap and Hoops of Hope turned used cargo containers into fully equipped digital classrooms and health clinics in remote areas of Africa Centennial, United States, 17 November 2015,- African Media Agency (AMA)- Arrow Electronics and the nonprofit organizations Close the Gap and Hoops of Hope collaborate to turn used cargo containers into fully equipped digital classrooms and health clinics that can be deployed to remote areas of Africa. The first "DigiTruck" in Africa was unveiled to the Tuleeni Orphanage in Tanzania in early August. The DigiTruck is now providing some 80 orphans at Tuleeni with a classroom full of high- quality, refurbished laptops, tablets and other IT equipment. "Arrow Electronics is committed to finding innovative ways that technology can improve people's lives," said Michael J. Long, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Arrow. "From our semi-autonomous motorcar (SAM) project that enabled a quadriplegic former racecar driver to realize his dream of driving again, to this DigiTruck project that is providing orphans in sub-Saharan Africa with their first computers, Arrow is guiding innovation forward in incredible ways. Close the Gap, Hoops of Hope and Neema International's Tuleeni Orphanage are doing great work, and Arrow is fortunate to collaborate with such inspiring organizations." According to UNESCO, more than 182 million adults in sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read or write, and 48 million young people are illiterate¹. Access to information and communication technology is critical to improving a country's educational and economic prospects. However, high equipment costs, poor infrastructure and limited proficiency all prevent this much-needed technology from reaching many parts of Africa. "For more than 10 years, Close the Gap has been removing barriers to digital literacy in developing countries. More than 75 percent of the population in Africa live in rural communities where infrastructure presents a huge barrier-modern information and communication technologies coupled with solar-powered solutions like the DigiTruck are able to help bridge this digital divide and to bring quality training and education to remote communities. With the support of partners like Arrow Electronics, Close the Gap is honored to be a part of the work of Tuleeni Orphanage and make a positive impact in the lives of these orphans," said Olivier Vanden Eynde, founder and managing director of Close the Gap. The DigiTruck can accommodate up to 18 students at a time in a classroom setting. It is equipped with solar panels capable of fully powering it for several days at a time so it can reach remote rural villages with no electricity. The DigiTruck is also triple-insulated to protect against the heat and secured with double steel doors and bolted window shutters. Donated IT equipment refurbished by Arrow's Value Recovery business inside the DigiTruck includes laptops, tablets, printers, routers and a LED TV flat-screen monitor. Local workers in Arusha, Tanzania helped to build the truck. "Arrow Electronics and Close the Gap have the power to turn lives around," said Mandy Stein, the founder and executive director of Neema International, the organization supporting the Tuleeni Orphanage. "They are changing my kids' worlds-with the computers and DigiTruck, their dreams now are within reach." The DigiTruck will spend the next several months at the Tuleeni Orphanage before moving onto its next location in 2016. Arrow will donate all of the laptops and IT equipment to the Tuleeni Orphanage when the DigiTruck moves on, providing a permanent learning environment for the orphans. Arrow will also outfit the DigiTruck with additional refurbished equipment for its next stops. Working together, Arrow and Close the Gap plan to build and deploy a number of additional DigiTrucks throughout Africa. In fact, following Arrow's sponsorship of Close the Gap's first DigiTruck, four other companies pledged to sponsor similar units. Arrow's Value Recovery business, which donated the refurbished electronic devices inside the DigiTruck, works with its customers to securely refurbish computers, tablets, smartphones and other electronic devices for additional use, or repurpose their still- valuable component parts for other uses. Whenever possible, Arrow emphasizes extending the life of these devices by selling them, redeploying them within organizations or donating them. The provision of the DigiTruck in Tanzania was featured on US television program "Courage in Sports" which highlights powerful stories of courage, resilience and excellence in the face of adversity. The program was broadcast on CBS. Distributed by African Media Agency on behalf of Arrow Electronics. Arrow Electronics - Company Profile Arrow Electronics is a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions, with 2014 sales of $22.8 billion. Arrow serves as a supply channel partner for over 100,000 original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers and commercial customers through a global network of more than 460 locations in 56 countries. A Fortune 150 company with 17,000 employees worldwide, Arrow brings technology solutions to a breadth of markets, including telecommunications, information systems, transportation, medical, industrial and consumer electronics. Arrow provides specialized services and expertise across the product lifecycle. Arrow does this by connecting customers to the right technology at the right place at the right time and at the right price. Arrow provides extraordinary value to customers and suppliers - the best technology companies in the world - and connects them through the company's industry-leading services. http://www.arrow.com Arrow Electronics EMEA: Thorsten Hecking Corporate Communications Manager Tel.: +49 (6102) 50 30 - 8638 Mobil: +49 (160) 90 12 70 55 E-Mail: press@arroweurope.com Internet: http://www.arroweurope.com ************************************************************** MobileMoney Africa and African Media Agency Join Forces to Promote Financial Inclusion on the Continent Lagos, Nigeria, New York, United States, 17 November 2015,- African Media Agency (AMA)- African Media Agency (AMA) the pan-African media relations specialist and MobileMoney Africa , the online platform for mobile financial media reporting, today announced an alliance to promote financial inclusion on the continent. As part of this agreement, AMA will be responsible for promoting the 6th Remittance MobileMoney Expo event taking place on Feb 2-3 in Lagos, Nigeria. The expo is the leading continental event focused on mobile financial services. AMA will engage the main print, broadcast and online media of the continent, key stakeholders through the global aggregators and their strategic partners AllAfrica.com and Africa.com. "For a few years now, we have worked closely with the champions of financial inclusion on the continent from the Better than Cash Alliance to MasterCard and Barclays Africa. This partnership with MobileMoney Africa will strengthen our goal to push financial inclusion as the centre of economic empowerment", said Eloïne Barry, CEO of AMA. The MobileMoney Expo addresses the emerging digital financial ecosystem in Africa covering regulation, technology, and innovation from the supply and demand sides of the value chain, covering key actors within the African continent. "AMA has been pivotal in shaping the Pan African news agenda through their innovative and flawless approach to content dissemination. This alliance will help us push our content outside our own platform, to the audience that matters" said Emmanuel Okoegwale, Principal associate, MobileMoney Africa. According to the African Development Bank, less than one adult out of four in Africa have access to an account at a formal financial institution. Broadening access to financial services will mobilize greater household savings, marshal capital for investment, expand the class of entrepreneurs, and enable more people to invest in their futures and the future of their families. Financial inclusion is therefore critical to ensuring that the African economic growth is equitable and sustained. Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA). Contact Media AMA Julius Odera Omondi Contact@amediaagency.com MobileMoney Africa Emmanuel Okoegwale Emmanuel@mobilemoneyafrica.com About African Media Agency AMA - African Media Agency (http://amediaagency.com) specializes in helping companies grow their share of voice on a pan-African scale. Our deep knowledge and understanding of the continent helped us gain recognition and act as an authoritative source of news for the most influential media houses in every African country. Our offices are located in Dubai (UAE), Libreville (Gabon), New York (USA) and we have local presence in Johannesburg (South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya) and Lagos (Nigeria). Our team has ten years of experience across the Communications spectrum on a pan-African scale. We intimately understand the diversified and often complex business environment in each African country and guide our clients with best practice on every step of their African journey. About MobileMoney Africa (http://mobilemoneyafrica.com/) MobileMoney Africa is Africa's leading online platform for mobile financial media reporting in the last decade, providing news and intelligence for the mobile financial and remittance industry by aggregating and distributing industry related news items from African news organizations. We operate from Lagos - Nigeria. The news website is knowledge hub for industry related news, links and resources on the African mobile financial services sector reaching more than 25,000 opt-in newsletter members, in more than 65 countries across the globe. About MobileMoney Expo Now in its sixth year as a leading continental, mobile financial services focused event, held annually in February in Lagos - Nigeria. The MobileMoney Expo addresses the emerging digital financial ecosystem in Africa covering regulations, technology, innovations from the supply and demand side value chain actors within the African continent. The event attracts leading stakeholders in the remittances, payment, banking, mobile financial services, financial technology providers across and beyond Africa, annually in Lagos - Nigeria. ************************************************************** Alcatel-Lucent and Burkina Faso to apply cloud networking technology to stimulate economic growth through digital public services First West African nation to use the cloud to connect government, education, cities and industries PARIS, France, 12 November 2015, - African Media Agency (AMA)- Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext and NYSE: ALU) is to provide the government of Burkina Faso with cloud networking technology that will enable it to develop new digital public services, such as E-government, E- learning and E-health. Alcatel-Lucent will supply the West African nation with its NFV (Network Functions Virtualization), Cloudband and IP platforms, which will be integrated into the 'G-Cloud' infrastructure to being built around virtualized network resources from cloud nodes in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital, and five provinces. Approximately 400 buildings in 13 regional urban centers will be connected through a 513Km fiber-optic IPMPLS wide area network. Backhaul will be provided by an 800 km fiber-optic transmission system that will become part of Burkina Faso's National Fibre Optics Backbone. Alcatel-Lucent and the Ministry of Development of the Digital Economy and Posts as well as the National Agency for the Promotion of ICT (ANPTIC) in Burkina Faso, are celebrating the 'G-Cloud' project launching. Their excellencies, Mr. Yacouba Isaac ZIDA, the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso; Dr. Nébila Amadou YARO, the Minister of Digital Economy and Post and Mr. Bo Jensen, the Danish Ambassador to Burkina Faso, were among the local and national dignitaries who attended a ceremony on 12 November in Ouagadougou. ... The project is part of an ambitious IT and telecommunication strategy being administered by the country's Ministry for Digital Development (MDENP - Ministère du Développement de l'Économie Numérique et des Postes), and intends to enable connectivity between public departments and municipalities via an e-government platform - an integral element of Burkina Faso's Economic and Social Development Strategy, SCADD (Stratégie pour une croissance accéléré et un développement durable). The network will support the anticipated increase in future demand for digital services to the health, education, justice, immigration, parliament and other sectors in the coming years. Under the agreement with MDENP, Alcatel-Lucent will support network and infrastructure operations to be installed by 2017. Financing for the project is being facilitated by the Danish government through the Danida Business Finance agency, whose contribution to the project amounts to Eur 30 million (19.9 billion FCFA) with a direct grant subsidy of Eur 15.5 million (10 billion FCFA). Key Facts: * Alcatel-Lucent is integrating its Cloudband Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) platform, with its IPMPLS platforms. * Alcatel-Lucent will deploy a high-speed, high-capacity network with links between locations and data centers by using its 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS). The 1830 PSS offers exceptional capacity, performance, agility and intelligence for the transport of very large amounts of data over long distances and can support a mixture of 10G, 40G and 100G channels on the same fiber pair, helping ensure support for future needs as demand grows and offers rapid deployment and necessary flexibility to spur economic development. * Alcatel-Lucent will ensure a seamless transfer of knowledge by its operational support to the teams of MDENP in order that they can take over the full network operation responsibility by the end of the contract. * Alcatel-Lucent also will provide a training and development program for more than 100 government employees. Quotes: H.E. Mr Nébila Amadou Yaro, Minister, Ministry of Development of the Digital Economy and Posts, said: "The G-Cloud network will allow the distribution of applications and resources at all times, wherever necessary, while providing consolidated cloud and network management. This will allow the system to be operated as a unique virtual environment. This project will have many positive impacts for Burkina Faso, including micro and macro-economic growth, and increasing the efficiency of health and education services." Alpin Verlet, Head of Alcatel-Lucent activities in West and Central Africa said: "Alcatel-Lucent is proud and happy to build this project, the first 'Government Cloud' in the region, for the Government of Burkina Faso. This project will soon become a very strong exemplary project, showing how a forward thinking government is using the Cloud technology to provide its citizens with access to government's services." HE Bo Jensen, the Danish Ambassador to Burkina Faso, is excited about the project: "The objectives pursued by the project are in line with the national development strategy and sectoral strategies. It is an innovative approach using state of the art technology to pursue poverty alleviation and good governance. It aims mainly at building up a more efficient and transparent public administration, reducing corruption through online service, contributing to enhancing business climate, thus stimulate economic growth and job creation, among others". He also added: "We believe that this project will support the government decentralization process and promote deconcentration of public services. In addition, we strongly believe that this project will lead to more transparency and improved public financial management. It is in line with Danida's support over many years to the Ministry of Economy and Finance through budget support." ************************************************************** Orange ACE submarine cable: launch of the Sao Tomé Principe to Cape Town segment Orange - via APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Orange. Press Release, November 18, 2015 Press contacts: +33 1 44 44 93 93 Tom Wright, tom.wright@orange.com Caroline Simeoni, caroline.simeoni@orange.com November 18, 2105 PARIS, France, November 18, 2015 -- Orange, together with the other members of the ACE consortium, announces the start of the next phase of the ACE submarine cable system to expand broadband connectivity and digital services in Africa. Second phase of the ACE cable For this phase II, the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable system is being extended to South Africa: a 5,000km extension from island of Sao Tomé Principe, in the Gulf of Guinea, to South Africa that will further strengthen the role ACE is playing in critical infrastructure development in the continent. Today, nearly 12,000km of fiber optic cable are already used to connect 18 countries - France, Portugal, the Canary Islands (Spain), Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and São Tomé Príncipe. Two landlocked countries, Mali and Niger, are connected via a terrestrial extension. When Phase II is completed, ACE will cover a total distance of 17,000km and will allow up to 25 countries to access high speed internet. Most advanced secured technology ACE uses the most advanced high-speed broadband fiber optic technology; wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) allows the capacity to be increased as and when it is needed without additional submarine work being required. Overall capacity will be boosted to 12.8 Tbps using 100-Gbps technology, which supports high-capacity networks. An essential asset for the Group's broadband network in Africa The consortium has invested around US$700 million in the construction of the cable, which includes US$250 million from the Orange Group and its subsidiaries. Through these major investments Orange confirms its commitment to provide widespread access to the internet in the close to twenty African countries where the Group is present and to continue to improve the quality of its network service. About Orange Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with sales of 39 billion euros in 2014 and 157,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2015, including 98,000 employees in France. Present in 28 countries, the Group has a total customer base of 263 million customers worldwide at 30 September 2015, including 200 million mobile customers and 18 million fixed broadband customers. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In March 2015, the Group presented its new strategic plan "Essentials2020" which places customer experience at the heart of its strategy with the aim of allowing them to benefit fully from the digital universe and the power of its new generation networks. Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN). For more information on the internet and on your mobile: http://www.orange.com, http://www.orange-business.com, http://www.livetv.orange.com or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr. APO (African Press Organization) 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor, Voie du Chariot 3 1003 Lausanne – Switzerland Tel : +41 22 534 96 97 E-mail: switzerland (at) apo-opa.org http://www.apo-opa.com ***************************************************** AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to subscribe or unsubscribe to the bulletin, or to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.org ******************************************************
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