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[post_date] => 2013-11-29 11:00:29
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HumanIPO reported earlier this month Intel had launched the education app in Kenya for use by parents and children, with a previous launch also taking place in South Africa.
The solution provides interactive learning materials including, books, exam papers, videos and podcasts for students of all levels starting from elementary to more advanced stages.
“Intel Explore and Learn Marketplace solution seeks to provide a resource hub where learners can find relevant content to boost their studies while at the same time give content providers a platform to share information,” Cidgdem Ertem, the regional sales director for Middle East and Africa at Intel, said.
“We have seen how technology can drive clearly improved learning results and assist teachers by providing access to information and quality engaging content.”
Ertem said Intel is aware of the education systems’ challenges around the world and is working towards creating innovative and affordable solutions to curb these challenges.
Bunmi Ekundare, country manager at Intel West Africa, said: “At Intel we focus on the best ways to deploy the emerging technologies to ensure it is relevant to all stakeholders involved.
“This is why we have collaborated with Rancard, an African based organisation that provides cloud-based software for mobile content discovery and delivery to deploy this platform”
He said Intel will continue to seek out partnerships and collaborations with the government, education institutions and content creators to solidify it steps in digital education and access.
[post_title] => Intel Explore & Learn Marketplace now in Nigeria
[post_excerpt] => Intel has launched its education app, the Intel Explore and Learn Marketplace, in Nigeria, designed to give free and low cost educational content access to people of all ages.
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[post_modified] => 2013-11-29 10:04:28
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[post_date] => 2013-11-29 10:00:48
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MTN, Vodacom and Cell C were all obliged to provide 2.5 million SIM cards to the respective areas when they were awarded 1800MHz spectrum, however none have carried out the task.
There was also a requirement for the three to connect 5,000 public schools to the internet in relation to their 3G spectrum allocation. According to ICASA however, to date Vodacom has connected just 703 schools, MTN has achieved 593 schools and Cell C just 81 schools.
Neotel meanwhile had been obliged to connect 2,500 public school or further education and training colleges (FETs), but has so far has only connected 50 FETs and two public schools.
State-owned Sentech has also connected just 103 rural public schools of the 5,000 it has been asked to hook up over a period of nine years.
Wireless Business Solutions (WBS) has however connected 1,800 schools to the internet, when it was obliged to connect just 1,000.
ICASA is now saying the SIM-card and handset distribution obligations (also, not fully implemented), are “no longer relevant” having conducted extensive reviews.
“In 2010, the Authority published a draft findings document in which it was found that the
Community Service Telephones (CSTs) were the only obligation that was fully completed, whereas the sim card and handset obligations were not fully completed,” ICASA said.
“The Authority conducted public hearings in 2011 based on the draft findings document. Subsequently, the Authority undertook a review process of all imposed obligations based on the findings of 2010 and found that sim-card and handset distribution obligations were no longer relevant.”
As well as completely removing the obligation of providing millions of SIM cards and thousands of handsets, any licensee asked to connect 5,000 schools will now have to connect just 1,500, while the 2,500 figure comes down to 750 and 1,000 to 300.
Each licensee is however obliged to connect at least 300 during the 2013/2014 financial year.
Interested parties have been given 21 days to comment.
[post_title] => ICASA to water down universal access obligations
[post_excerpt] => The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has published draft amendments to its Universal Service and Access Obligations (USAO), including removing the demand for mobile network operators to provide millions of SIM cards to under-serviced areas.
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[post_modified] => 2013-11-29 09:30:07
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HumanIPO reported yesterday Convergence Partners had launched its Convergence Partners Communications Infrastructure Fund (CPCIF), with US$145 million raised for investment in communications infrastructure and related services and technologies across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Convergence Partners said no single country or region was expected to take a majority of the capital allocation, with the CPCIF set to seek both regional and in-country opportunities.
Segal told HumanIPO infrastructure sharing was key to creating a more efficient and competitive environment and promoting the spread of connectivity across the continent.
“A key philosophy of Convergence Partners and a fundamental driver of the opportunity that the fund intends to address relates to more efficient funding, deployment, and use of infrastructure,” he said.
“The current model of vertical integration – where large players acquire infrastructure for their own use – is rapidly shifting to a more sustainable model where infrastructure is shared. In particular, we promote open-access style wholesale networks, which have maximum beneficial effects on markets by enabling full and fair use of that infrastructure, thereby fostering competition and also enhancing efficiencies and returns.”
He said the CPCIF aimed to invest – over the course of five years – in traditional forms of ICT infrastructure, such as fibre networks, wireless and spectrum related assets, satellite connectivity, data centres and relevant power assets, as well as services based around such infrastructure and platforms that can deliver products and services.
“Infrastructure has a proven direct link to economic growth and to enhancement of society,” said Segal. “In particular, the ICT sector, and the infrastructure underpinning it, has had a fundamental effect on Africa in particular, and will continue to be the platform to provide not only access to communications and bandwidth – a basic human need – but also other services that are not currently available to large proportions of the continent due to the lack of traditional infrastructure.”
Examples listed by Segal included financial services, healthcare, media and content, education and government services.
He called upon the private sector and governments to work together in creating an environment to roll out the necessary infrastructure to connect more Africans to the internet and contribute to economies, but said the private sector was better placed to drive this.
“ICT is a critical sector and a regulated one, so a shared vision and collaborative approach with regulators and governments is vital for a functioning ICT ecosystem,” Segal said.
“However, in relation to funding and ownership, we advocate a private sector driven model, as the private sector has the skills and capital to achieve these objectives, enabling public sector funding to be directed to other important areas where the private sector is unable to play such role.”
Segal said internet penetration was “critical” to Africa’s development.
“Internet penetration is not important merely as a basic means of connectivity with the world, but also as a tool for business and trade, and as a source of education, entertainment and in the future healthcare,” he said.
“The Internet has become indispensable to billions around the world on a permanently connected basis, and to this end there is a strong push for broadband to be designated as a basic human right, owing to its role in society.”
HumanIPO reported last week internet could contribute up to US$300 billion to Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025 if internet penetration becomes as widespread as mobile phones, according to a McKinsey & Company report, but Convergence Partners believes the necessary infrastructure was currently undeployed.
Convergence Partners expects the CPCIF to close at US$250 million towards the end of next year, and is expecting returns through a combination of realisations and cash yields from assets.
“As a 10-year fund, we anticipate most of the realisations will be late in the fund’s life,” Segal said.
[post_title] => Efficient infrastructure necessary for economic development – Convergence
[post_excerpt] => Investment fund Convergence Partners is looking to invest in efficiently deployed open access infrastructure in order to fuel growth in internet penetration to boost African economies, according to the company’s chief investment officer (CIO) Idan Segal.
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