Struggling smartphone maker BlackBerry has halted trade in its shares in New York and Toronto after announcing on Monday morning that its board is forming a special committee to “explore strategic alternatives”, which could include a sale of the company
Kenya’s capital city is to receive a “smart system” of digital traffic lights and closed-circuit television cameras as part of an integrated security and traffic control system. The city, which is notorious for its traffic jams, is dependent on enormous numbers of traffic police officers for directing traffic, particularly
Botswana has switched on digital terrestrial television, beating South Africa, its big neighbour to the south, to launch digital broadcasts. However, unlike most other countries in the region, Botswana has opted for a Japanese standard for its roll-out. South Africa spent a year working with its
Vodacom is selling more than a thousand of its base stations in Tanzania to tower operator Helios in a deal worth about US$75m, according to a UK media report. This is the first time that Vodacom has sold tower infrastructure to a third party, the Financial Times newspaper reported at the weekend. Its South African
Online and mobile transactions have for the first time surpassed card payments in Zimbabwe after recording 28,3% growth in the month of May. According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s May 2013 monthly economic review, the value of mobile and Internet-based transactions rose from US$283,6m in April to
Zambia’s telecommunications regulator, Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (Zicta), has laid criminal charges against all three of the country’s mobile network operators for “failure to meet minimum standards of quality of service”. The operators are MTN, Airtel
Pay-television operator MultiChoice is facing an investigation by Botswana’s Competition Authority over whether its prices and the way it structures its channels amounts to anticompetitive behaviour. According to a report, the decision to launch the probe follows a complaint laid by a member of the
Three counties surrounding Kenya’s planned technology megapark, Konza City, will introduce uniform bylaws aimed at stopping informal settlements from developing within a 10km radius of the project. This is according to Kenyan technology minister Fred
Semiconductor giant Intel has chosen Kenya as the first country in Africa that will get an investment boost from its global Software and Services Group (SSG). The investment will include the creation of programmes to help Kenyan software developers. Intel will provide developers with design tools, resources and consulting
When Google chose New Zealand to unveil secret plans for a balloon-driven Wi-Fi network last weekend, it cemented the country’s reputation as a test bed for global technology companies looking to trial their latest innovations, industry experts say. They said New Zealand
