communications africa 4 2013

Afrique

Issue 4 2013Édition 4 2013

Testing,measuringKey companies and solutions serving

network operations

ICTInformation management for

improved African mining practices

RevenueRéunion’s new deployment for

network monetisation

RechercheCollaboration sur

les infrastructures haut débit

Europe m15 - Kenya KSH300 - Nigeria N400 - South Africa R20 - UK £10 - USA $16.50

Kenya gains a technology hub to serve East Africa

Africa

FEATURES: ● Internet ● Mobile ● InfrastructureREGULAR REPORTS: ● Bulletin - Agenda ● Equipment - Équipement

www.communicationsafrica.com

CAF 4 2013 Cover_Layout 1 01/07/2013 15:52

S01 CAF 4 2013 Start_Layout 1 02/07/2013 10:34

Communications Africa Issue 4 2013 3

Afrique

Issue 4 2013Édition 4 2013

Testing,measuringKey companies and solutions serving

network operations

ICTInformation management for

improved African mining practices

RevenueRéunion’s new deployment for

network monetisation

RechercheCollaboration sur

les infrastructures haut débit

Europe m15 - Kenya KSH300 - Nigeria N400 - South Africa R20 - UK £10 - USA $16.50

Kenya gains a technology hub to serve East Africa

Africa

FEATURES: ● Internet ● Mobile ● InfrastructureREGULAR REPORTS: ● Bulletin - Agenda ● Equipment - Équipement


A note from the EditorIN THIS ISSUE read of the application oftechnologies to improve miningoperations (page 18); and of innovation forbusiness development (page 20). Read,also, about network solutions thatsupport advances in revenuemanagement (page 22), for improved testand measurement (page 23), and forbetter utilisation of radiocommunicationsequipment (page 26). This issue features,moreover, reports on the advances insatellite service capacity for Nigerianbroadcasters (page 28), and theconvergence between radio broadcastingand online communities

Main Cover Image: EricssonInset: IBMContents Page Image: Shutterstock

Une note du rédacteurNOUS VOUS PRÉSENTONS une alliancequi est construite autour d'unengagement fort de tous lespartenaires à apporter des solutionsM2M mondiales de haut-niveau (page19); et, en Côte d'Ivoire, nous vousprésentons le marché des servicesfinanciers mobiles, qui est le plus grandet le plus dynamique de la région del'Union économique et monétaireouest-africaine (page 21); et il y a unrapport sur la collaboration dans ledomaine de la recherche avec lesinfrastructures haut débit d’un réseaude recherche et d'éducation (page 27)

Bulletin 6

Events 8

Agenda 10

Equipment 30

FEATURES

ICT 18Revolutionising mining operations with advanced information infrastructure; and how technological innovations are

allied to business development in Kenya

Mobile 22Innovations in revenue management for network operations in Réunion

Network 23Key companies and solutions serving operators’ requirements for effective test and measurement

Radio 26Building reliability and scaleability into TETRA network architectures

Satellite 28Direct-to-home (DTH) service developments for Nigeria

Broadcast 29The increasing convergence between traditional operations and Web-based communities

TIC 19Autour de la qualité des services M2M; et la promotion des services financiers en Côte d'IvoireBA FR

Recherche 27Le besoin de transfert de données rapide et stable dépend fortement de la bande passante haut débit

CONTENTS

Managing Editor: Andrew Croft - [email protected]

Editorial and Design team: Bob Adams, Prashant AP, Hiriyti Bairu, Lizzie Carroll, David Clancy, Ranganath GS, Kasturi Gupta, Rhonita Patnaik, Genaro Santos, Zsa Tebbit, Nicky Valsamakis and Ben Watts

Publisher: Nick Fordham

Advertising Sales Director: Pallavi Pandey

Magazine Sales Manager: Steve Thomas - Tel: +44 (0) 20 7834 7676, Fax: +44 (0) 20 7973 0076, Email: [email protected]

Country Representative Telephone Fax EmailChina Ying Matthieson (86)10 8472 1899 (86) 10 8472 1900 [email protected] Tanmay Mishra (91) 80 656 84483 (91) 80 40600791 [email protected] Bola Olowo (234) 8034349299 [email protected] Sergei Salov (7495) 540 7564 (7495) 540 7565 [email protected] Africa Annabel Marx (27) 218519017 (27) 46 624 5931 [email protected] Saida Hamad (974) 55745780 [email protected] UAE Camilla Capece (971) 4 448 9260 (971) 4 448 9261 [email protected] Michael Tomashefsky (1) 203 226 2882 (1) 203 226 7447 [email protected]

Head Office: Middle East Regional Office:Alain Charles Publishing Ltd Alain Charles Middle East FZ-LLCUniversity House Office 215, Loft 2A11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place PO Box 502207London SW1W 0EX, United Kingdom Dubai Media City, UAETelephone: +44 20 7834 7676 Telephone: +971 4 448 9260Fax: +44 20 7973 0076 Fax: +971 4 448 9261

Production: Nathanielle Kumar, Donatella Moranelli, Nick Salt and Sophia White Email: [email protected]

Subscriptions: [email protected]: Derek FordhamPrinted by: Wyndeham Grange Ltd Communications Africa/Afrique is bi-monthly magazine ISSN: 0962 3841

Audit Bureau ofCirculations -

Business Magazines



Communications Africa Issue 4 20136

BULLETIN

Fresh funding for payments service infrastructureWORLD BANK SUBSIDIARY IFC is committed to investing US$10mn inEarthport, a cross-border payments service provider, to expandEarthport’s presence and payments service infrastructure - and to ensureEarthport becomes part of IFC’s extensive network of over 900 financialinstitutions; “Earthport’s technology cuts the costs and delays ofinternational money transfers, facilitating trade for SMEs and remittancesfor migrant workers,” said Vincent Gouarne, IFC director for infrastructure.

Study indicates maturity and ubiquity of risky appsMCAFEE HAS RELEASED the results of its Mobile Security: McAfeeConsumer Trends Report, documenting sophisticated and complex riskyapps containing multi-faceted scams, black market crimes, drive-bydownloads and near-field communication threats - identifying a new waveof techniques hackers use to steal digital identities, commit financialfraud, and invade users’ privacy on mobile devices; “Cybercriminals areexhibiting greater levels of determination and sophistication leading tomore destructive, multi-faceted hacks that are harder to spot, and thuswarrant a greater degree of security and vigilance,” said Luis Blando, vicepresident of mobile product development at McAfee.

Monaco connects for strategic coverageLEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, Inc. and Monaco Telecom have signed astrategic agreement to connect the Principality of Monaco to Level 3'sglobal Internet backbone network, enabling Monaco Telecom to meetincreased enterprise and consumer demand for more reliable and secureconnectivity globally; Level 3's redundant infrastructures will beconnected in the Principality with direct access to the EIG (Europe IndiaGateway) submarine cable, which connects Europe to India, via theMiddle East, with access to East Africa.

Eutelsat begins full commercial service at 3° EastTHE EUTELSAT 3D satellite went into full commercial service recently at 3°East, with all traffic transferred from Eutelsat 3C onto the new satellite;with 33 operational transponders (32 Ku transponders of which 15 are 72MHz and one 108 MHz Ka transponder), additional capacity is nowavailable from 3° East to address video, data, telecom and broadbandmarkets in Europe and also in Africa through a new service area.

Des acteurs de haut niveau dusecteur des TIC mettent à profitl'évolution dans l'industrieAVEC UN PROGRAMME riche d'échanges etde débats, ITU Telecom World 2013, qui auralieu à Bangkok du 19 au 22 novembre, seral'occasion d'explorer et d'expliquerl'évolution de l'environnementcommercial actuel, ainsi qued'examiner comment les TIC, grâceaux possibilités qu'elles offrent,peuvent transformer nos vies; "Unerévolution est en marche dans lesecteur des TIC, une révolution quimodifie radicalement notre façon decommuniquer, de faire des affaires ou d'utiliser la technologie", a déclaréle Secrétaire général de l'UIT, Hamadoun I Touré.

iconectiv’s new number portability clearinghouseNIGERIA, AFRICA'S LARGEST country with approximately 120mn mobilesubscriptions, has launched number portability, making clearinghousesolutions specialist iconectiv the supplier for the top three markets inAfrica currently offering number portability; "The smooth and problem-free number portability launch in Nigeria speaks volumes of apainstaking and transparent choice of a consortium, which includesTelcordia, featuring iconectiv's experience, reliability and productrobustness," said Dr Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman of theNigerian Communications Commission.

Aastra helps enterprises transform communicationsENTERPRISE COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Aastra has launched acampaign aimed at enterprises with legacy telephony systems; "With theTransform campaign we are targeting enterprises with legacy PBXs such asEricsson MD110 and Aastra Telephony Switch, offering them customisedmigration plans and promotional offers to move to server basedcommunication systems with state-of-the-art hardware and software,capable of supporting all new technologies in business communications,"says Alex Naumov, head of sales at Aastra Middle East & Africa.

An increasingly competitive market in AlgeriaALGERIA IS SET to become more competitive as 3G is introduced thisyear, and expected regulatory changes allow number portability andlocal loop unbundling, according to Pyramid Research; a report, entitledAlgeria: Government Nationalizing Djezzy, Broadband Revenue to Soaras 3G About to Be Introduced, offers a precise profile of the country'stelecommunications, media and technology sectors based onproprietary data from Pyramid's research in the market, providing adetailed competitive analysis of both the fixed and mobile sectors,tracking the market shares of technologies and services and monitoringthe introduction and spread of new technologies.

Kenyans non–data users gain Facebook with USSDMYRIAD GROUP AG, which creates and connects communities acrossmobile and TV, has been working with Telkom Kenya to launch aFacebook for USSD service, known locally as Facebook BilaNet; TelkomKenya is the sixth Orange affiliate to launch a Facebook for USSD servicein Africa, joining Egypt, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali and Uganda.

D'investissement dans l'amélioration de laconnectivité en Mauritanie et au TogoLE CONSEIL DES directeurs exécutifs de la Banque mondiale a approuvédeux financements de 30 millions de dollars chacun visant à soutenir lesefforts des gouvernements de Mauritanie et du Togo pour renforcer laconnectivité des télécommunications en élargissant leurs réseaux àfibre optique et introduire des réformes juridiques et réglementairesdestinées à stimuler une saine concurrence du secteur privé; « Noussouhaitons tirer parti de la révolution qui se produit actuellement enAfrique dans le domaine des technologies de l’information et destélécommunications afin de relever les défis du développementauxquels sont confrontés les États d’Afrique occidentale » a déclaréColin Bruce, directeur de l’intégration régionale à la Banque mondiale.


“Cybercriminals are exhibiting greater levels ofdetermination and sophistication leading to

more destructive, multi-faceted hacks that areharder to spot” - Luis Blando, vice president of

mobile product development at McAfee

We are committed to providing ourcustomers with cost-effective products and

solutions that meet their dynamic anddiverse needs - and we see Facebook BilaNet

as a core element of this strategy” -Mickael Ghossein, CEO at Telkom Kenya

Le Secrétaire général del'UIT, Hamadoun I Touré

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AGENDA

8

AUGUST21-23 Africa Print Johannesburg, South Africa www.africaprintexpo.com

21-23 Visual Communications Africa Johannesburg, South Africa www.viscomafricaexpo.com

SEPTEMBER3-5 Africa Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF) Casablanca, Morocco www.internetsociety.org

11-12 Banking & Mobile Money COMESA Nairobi, Kenya www.aitecafrica.com

13-17 IBC Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.ibc.org

17-18 Capacity Africa Dar es Salaam, Tanzania www.capacityconferences.com

23-25 Med-IT Alger, Algeria www.med-it.com

OCTOBER2-4 Contact West Africa Accra, Ghana www.exhibitionsafrica.com

15-17 Broadband World Forum Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.broadbandworldforum.com

17-18 Nigeria Com Lagos, Nigeria www.nigeria.comworldseries.com

23-24 Southern Africa ICT Summit Maputo, Mozambique www.aitecafrica.com

27-28 East Africa ICT Summit Nairobi, Kenya www.aitecafrica.com

29-30 Big Data World Africa Johannesburg, South Africa www.terrapinn.com

29-30 The Enterprise Technology Show Africa Johannesburg, South Africa www.terrapinn.com

29-30 The Internet Show Africa Johannesburg, South Africa www.terrapinn.com

29-30 The Mobile Show Africa Johannesburg, South Africa www.terrapinn.com

Events 2013


THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAWI HAS challenged local car dealerships and otherstakeholders in the country to introduce vehicles with information andcommunication technologies (ICTs) aimed at reducing road accidents. Therehas been much talk in public and private sectors, and in civil society, aboutthe capability to avoid road accidents due to vehicle technology such as autobraking, alcohol sensors and other related technologies. While othersdownplay Malawi’s capability to embrace such technology, in the meantimearguing it would be too costly, senior government officials say they aredetermined to make it work.“Many people laugh it off as a mere pipeline dream. But it’s a dream we aredetermined to make come true,” said Malawi’s minister of information MosesKunkuyu. “We understand many accidents occur due to use of ICT gadgetssuch as mobile phones whilst driving among people from across all socialclasses. We also understand that the emergence of GPS navigation systems inmodern vehicles is also contributing to road accidents.”Kunkuyu called for responsible use of technology. He also called on cardealerships to ensure they introduce ICT products that can help reduce roadaccidents. These products include hands-free devices which he said could goa long way to reduce road accidents on Malawi roads.“For every gadget that increases road safety, we will be saving several lives,”he commented.Board chairperson for Malawi’s communications regulator MACRA, MarthaKwataine said the local regulator is working on ensuring that ICT facilitieshelp in reducing road carnage. Kwataine said the regulating body is learningfrom countries that have achieved in embracing technologies that reduceaccidents to formulate policies that will help achieve such objectives. Shealso challenged authorities to ensure the country’s roads are durable;arguing technology alone cannot reduce accidents.

Mallick Mnela

Malawi plans for ICTs to reduce road carnage

GLOBAL TELECOMMUNICATIONSSERVICE provider Bharti Airtel haslaunched a product called ‘OneAirtel Service’, which will furtherease the burden of roaming costswhilst travelling. The service willfurther enhance communicationfor travellers from Africa byenabling them to access data andSMS, in addition to the currentlyavailable voice roaming, at a flatrate while travelling within Africaand South Asia, according to astatement issued in Lusakarecently by Airtel Africa corporatecommunications and publicrelations vice president MikeOkwiri.

Increasing data usageAirtel Africa chief marketing officerAndre Beyers has revealed thatdata usage has increasedexponentially over the past fewyears alongside the growingnumber of smartphones.‘’By introducing a flat and attractiveroaming rate for data and SMS use,Airtel will help lower thecommunication cost for millions of

frequent business and leisuretravellers across the countries thatwe operate in,’’ he elaborated.

Bringing benefits to customers, wherever they areAirtel customers will not need toregister or buy new SIM cards, asthey are automatically enrolled inthe One Airtel Service.‘’Airtel customers will also receivecalls for free and have theopportunity to recharge theirphone credit by using the hostcountry’s top-up vouchers. There isa nominal mark-up on the local rateto cover for exchange ratedifferences and currencyfluctuations,’’ Beyers said.This service is poised to benefit notonly the customers who want to bereached on their home numberswhenever they roam, but also allthe high-end smartphone userswho will appreciate using theincreasing number of dataapplications at a flat and attractivedata rate.

Nawa Mutumweno

One Airtel service takes to the air

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FIRST NATIONAL BANK (FNB) has leveraged itstelecommunications licenses, skills and itsinternal ISP - FNB Connect - to become the firstbank in the country to support peering byjoining the NAPAfrica platform - which MicheleMcCann, business development & NAPAfricapeering manager at Teraco, describes as afacility for local users to access internationalcontent and for African content to be distributedglobally, so reducing transit costs anddownload speeds for African Internet users.

“For an international content provider,choosing to peer with NAPAfrica, there is theability to grow because of the access to a largerdiverse market place,” said McCann at RIPE 66,a recent for major content providers.

Lex van Wyk, CEO at Teraco DataEnvironments, noted that peering will deliverseveral benefits to FNB Connect, includingaccess to additional quality online content andthe sharing of network capacity with othercarriers, Internet service providers and contentproviders both locally and internationally.

“The sharing of network capacity impacts onthe price of connectivity, ultimately loweringbandwidth costs directly to the consumer andwe are hoping other banks will understand theimmense benefits of peering and follow in

FNB’s footsteps,” said Van Wyk.“For us at FNB, customer satisfaction is a

priority and open peering fits this drive perfectly.We have used the opportunity for peering notonly as a network efficiency measure, but havepassed on the savings and benefits directly toour existing clients as a value added service,”said Farren Roper, head of FNB Connect ISP.

“One of the benefits is free access to OnlineBanking and FNB sites that we are able toprovide our customers,” says Roper.Furthermore, Roper said, “At FNB Connect, we

are also excited about the quality of downloadspeed, made possible through open peering.”

Van Wyk observed that, since the initialintroduction of route servers by NAPAfrica earlyin 2012, there has been a subsequent overallreduction in ISP operating costs in the SouthAfrican market through the simplification of thepeering process. He added that route serverslower the barrier to entry for African ISPs such asFNB Connect - and, with one connection, all NAPmembers have direct access to the FNB contentat no charge. This increases access to keyapplications such as online banking through theclients’ current service provider. There are over70 peers live at NAPAfrica with access to over 27local and international carriers.

Teraco offers the choice of both multi-lateraland bi-lateral peering which then helps allmembers to connect to the exchange based onwhat is preferable to their business. Teraco isthe most connected data centre facility in Africaalready offering connectivity to majorinternational carriers including SAT3/SAFE,Seacom, WACS and EASSy; mobile carriersincluding Vodacom, MTN and Cell C; localcarriers including Telkom, Neotel andBroadband Infraco and fibre infrastructureprovider, and Dark Fibre Africa.


AGENDA

10

THE INTERNATIONAL SERVICES arm ofTelecom Italia Group, TI Sparkle hassigned an agreement for theprovisioning of international end-to-end services to and from Libya withGateway for Telecommunications &Informatics Company, a Libyan virtualnetwork operator offeringtelecommunications solutions formultinational enterprises and telecomoperators engaged in Libya.The two parties are now able to offerend-to-end international SDH andEthernet services - with native MPLSsolutions set to be added at a secondstage. The services, which cater tocorporate customers, are offeredthrough a joint platform composed ofGateway’s newly-constructed Libyannational backbone and of TI Sparkle’sinternational capacity. Internationalcustomers with demand for servicesto and from Libya are interfaced by TISparkle, while local operator Gateway

handles all Libyan customers. End-to-end customer care services areprovided by TI Sparkle through its NOCand help desk, together with localGateway support.Elisabetta Ripa, TI Sparkle ChiefExecutive Officer reported that thecompany is very pleased to beinvolved in the new partnership,because it “adds to relevant existingrelations with Libyan operators, ascorporate customers’ demand forinternational services with Libyacontinues to grow”.Haitham Ebraheem, GatewayTelecom’s acting chief executiveofficer, added, “Our InternationalConnectivity services are head andshoulder above any other possibleservice provider in Libya. This can bedemonstrated through ourpartnership with TI Sparkle, which haspresence all over the world providingsuch service with a proven quality.”

Michele McCann, business development& NAPAfrica peering manager at Teraco

TI Sparkle reconnects with Libya

SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS HAS been made in Tunisia’stelecommunications sector, but the economy would benefit fromfurther reforms to improve competitiveness and encourage investmentaccording to World Bank experts and participants at a workshop heldrecently, in advance of discussions on sector reforms between theTunisian Government and its main stakeholders in Tabarka.

Tunisian government officials, ITC business leaders and civilsociety representatives discussed progress on the main stepsundertaken in the area of telecommunications reform by theGovernment of Tunisia, and also highlighted the challenges ahead.

“Substantial progress has been made in the sector over the lastfew months,” said Carlo Rossotto, lead ICT policy specialist at theWorld Bank.

“This progress includes the approval of amendments to theCommunications law to increase the powers of instance national destelecommunications. It also includes the introduction of a regulatoryframework to allow for access to the landing station of Bizerte and theapproval to use backbone fibre optic held by utilities including STEGand SNCFT. All of these reforms will go a long way to help improveservice and access to telecommunications in Tunisia.”

Despite these advances, several challenges remain. ITC servicesin Tunisia are expensive, creating an obstacle for foreign directinvestment. While Tunisian prices are in line with ITC prices in theMaghreb they remain expensive compared to non-regionalcompetitors. Incoming international communications prices inTunisia are 11 times more expensive than in Turkey as measured bycurrent Skypeout rates. This is a substantial obstacle to foreigndirect investment (FDI) and trade integration. In addition, it wouldtake over 40 per cent of the monthly income of a family belonging tothe poorest 40 per cent income bracket in Tunisia to afford a mobilebroadband package or a fixed broadband package.

South African bank supports local peering

Tunisia’s telecommunications opportunities


“Our International Connectivity services arehead and shoulder above any other possible

service provider in Libya” - HaithamEbraheem, Acting CEO at Gateway Telecom


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AFRICA’S CARRIERS’ CARRIER


IFC, A MEMBER of the World BankGroup, is investing US$12mn inFlexenclosure, a developer ofintelligent power managementsolutions and modular datacentres, to enable Flexenclosure tohelp mobile-telephone operatorsand tower companies to makegreater use of renewable energyand cut costs by optimising theirenergy consumption.

The rising costs of diesel fueland the lack of access to reliableenergy grids is hampering thespread of mobile-phone coveragein rural areas of Africa’s emergingmarkets. Flexenclosure providesan effective solution—eSite, anintelligent power managementsystem built on the company’spatented Diriflex control softwarethat enables the company’sclients to optimise availableenergy sources in the mostefficient manner. The systemprovides energy cost savings ofup to 90 per cent.

As telecommunications

companies expand servicesfurther to meet increasingcustomer demands, Flexenclosurehas developed eCentre – acomplete, pre-fabricated, modularsolution to house and power dataand telecom equipment.Optimised for energy efficiency,eCentre is designed to be fast todeploy and fully future-proof,providing operators with asuperior, modern and greeneralternative to traditional brick andmortar structures.

“We have an aggressiveresearch and developmentprogram and are growing our salesoperations in emerging markets.During the last year, we haveopened offices in Nigeria, Kenya,Pakistan, India, Malaysia andDubai,” said Flexenclosure’s CEO,David King.

“Having IFC as a strategicinvestor will give us access totheir global expertise andnetwork, further enhancing ourexpansion strategy.”


AGENDA

12

MASTERCARD, NATIONALBANK of Egypt (NBE) andEtisalat have launched a mobilepayment wallet in Egypt, tobring safe and convenientpayment services to EtisalatEgypt’s subscriber base. Theprogramme is an earlyimplementation of the mobilepayment solution developed byMasterCard and EgyptianBanks Company (EBC).

Mohamed Kamel Bayoumi,MD at EBC said, “We have chosenMasterCard to partner with us onthis transformative mobilemoney programme to benefitfrom their global experience, asthey have successfullyimplemented more than 30 suchprograms around the world. Ourobjective, together with theCentral Bank and theGovernment, is to bring financialservices to the fingertips of eachand every Egyptian.”

INTEGRATED TELECOMMUNICATIONSSERVICES provider, Telkom Kenya,which operates Orange's mobile andfixed-line telecommunicationsservices in Kenya, has signed anagreement with Eaton Towers for themanagement of its passive networkinfrastructure. The fifteen-year towermanagement and leasing deal isfocused on both the maintenance ofexisting sites by Eaton Towers and thebuilding of new sites.The principal consequence of this dealis that it will help reduce operatingcosts and capital expenditure, whileimproving network coverage andquality, as well as reducing Orange'soverall carbon footprint.Telkom Kenya will retain ownership ofits existing portfolio of over 1,000towers while Eaton Towers will investin passive infrastructure upgradesand build new towers to provideTelkom Kenya with improved coverageand network quality across thecountry. In parallel, the partnershipwill create a solid platform that willallow Telkom Kenya to focus ondeveloping value-added services suchas innovative data offers as well as anenhanced customer care experience.

"We are confident that our agreementwith Eaton Towers is a step in the rightdirection," said Mickael Ghossein, CEOof Telkom Kenya."The partnership will place us in astrong position to expand ournetwork and develop innovative newservices, in particular in rural areas,helping us achieve our ambition toprovide the Kenyan population withexcellent nation-wide coverage andrelevant offers. Through thispartnership, we will be able to reduceour operational costs and, at thesame time, minimise theenvironmental impact of our networkby reducing the use of diesel fuel."Alan Harper, chief executive of EatonTowers, said, "We are delighted to beworking in partnership with TelkomKenya as the first infrastructuretower company to operate in Kenya.This agreement extends oursuccessful relationship with theOrange Group in Africa and bringssignificant benefits to all parties.Eaton Towers' expertise in towermanagement and its commitment totop-quality service will allow TelkomKenya to expand and improve itsnetwork while optimizing costs."

Telkom Kenya partners on towers with Eaton

DIGITAL SECURITY SPECIALIST Gemalto is set to supply the GovernmentPrinting Works (GPW) of South Africa with Sealys eID cards for a nationalidentity programme. GPW will harness Gemalto’s secure embeddedsoftware to protect the holder’s image and biometric data within thesecure identity e-document, delivering outstanding levels of integrityand privacy. Moreover, GPW selected the high-end Sealys documentfitted with the contactless feature, ensuring added levels of conveniencewith unrivalled security for citizens.

Designed to modernise and replace South Africa’s traditional, paper-based ‘green book’ identity documentation, the Sealys eID card will beoffered by the Department for Home Affairs (DHA) to citizens aged 16 andover. The South African government embarked on this serviceprogramme to improve confidence in official identity credentials and toprepare for the deployment of a comprehensive suite of efficient andconvenient eGovernment services.

Gemalto is providing GPW with an advanced and highly durablepolycarbonate eID card specifically designed to counter forgery.Furthermore, the Sealy eID supports public key infrastructure (PKI) andmatch-on-card authentication techniques to enable easy verification ofauthenticity and a future-proof platform capable of providing a broadrange of secure online services such as online and in-personauthentication as well as legally binding digital signatures.

“Gemalto demonstrated their proven ability to deliver high-end eIDsecure documents within an ambitious schedule,” said ProfessorAnthony Mbewu, CEO of GPW. “Plans are already in place for the nextphases of the modernisation programme, and we are very confident inGemalto’s deep expertise and state-of-the-art technology in supportingour future aspirations.”

“Our local presence in Johannesburg provides a key benefit inensuring a strategic partnership with the GPW,” said Ari Bouzbib, SVP ofGovernment Programmes at Gemalto.

An Arabic mobilemoney implementation

Flexenclosure set to help operators cut energy costs further

Gemalto works on SA’s electronic identity card


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TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORS ANDAfrican governments need to clear away thered tape and regulatory risks around puttingfibre in the ground to encourage networkoperators to invest in sinking fibre into theground for terrestrial long-distance and lastmile connectivity.

According to Mark Tinka, head ofengineering at Seacom, it is encouraging to seethe massive investments that operators andgovernments have made into national fibrenetworks in regions such as East Africa andSouth Africa. However, the continent as a wholeand many countries in particular need to see farmore investment in fibre to spark wideradoption of broadband, adds Tinka. There aremany countries with underdeveloped nationalfibre networks as well as an urgent need forfibre investment for carriage between basestations. In addition, says Tinka, many metroscould benefit from the introduction of fibre forlast mile connectivity. But given the high costsof putting fibre into the ground, many operatorsaround the continent are taking a cautiousapproach to investment.

Many are focusing on routes and denseurban areas that are already well-served, forexample, rather than on expanding fibre to

underserved areas in the countries where theyoperate. To encourage them to invest morewidely and aggressively in fibre rollouts,governments should consider a range ofregulatory, licensing and financinginterventions, says Tinka. For example, acommon frustration in many African countriesis that fibre cables are often uprooted orsevered when gas, water or electricity pipes arelaid in the ground. Governments shouldconsider laws that protect infrastructure that isalready in the ground and that encourage utilitycompanies to work together to dig up roads andlay down infrastructure. Governments alsoneed to make it easier for operators to get

licenses to compete as infrastructure providersand to get permissions from local authorities tolay down cable. In addition, governments needto collaborate across borders on fibre projectsso that bandwidth from submarine cables canfind its way inland.

"Thanks to bureaucracy across borders, itcan often be easier to run a cable in the oceanthan on land," says Tinka. "Many governmentsfind ways to impose taxes on cables runningacross borders, when they should instead beencouraging regional connectivity. It requiresmore focus on a regulatory level."

Another obstacle for fibre lies in the tariffsthat operators - often those with monopolyrights on infrastructure - charge other networksand service providers to use their fibrebackbones. Tinka says such operators need torecognise that the business case for fibreneeds to be built over a 15 to 20 year timespan.

"Operators need to think about a long-termbusiness case that encourages optimal use oftheir infrastructures," Tinka says. Now thatsubmarine cable operators have broughtplentiful international bandwidth to Africa'scoastline, it is crucial to pull this capacityinland via fibre networks to enable continuedbroadband penetration and growth.

Mark Tinka, head of engineering at Seacom

Regulators and government in Africa are key to fibre deployment



INTERSEC, WHICH PROVIDES innovative serviceplatforms for telecom operators, has been selected byMauritel, a subsidiary of Maroc Telecom, to providereal-time promotions for targeted subscribers basedon analysis of actual usage patterns. The solution willenable Mauritel to deliver contextual promotions andservices based on their subscribers’ actual usage,behaviour and preferences.

Multi-channel engagement in the Moroccan marketIntersec’s solutions empower MNOs with real-timecustomer value management, mass scale LBSmonetisation and augmented messaging profitability. Its LMS solution provides marketers with analyticalfunctionality to visualise market trends in seconds,design and launch contextual offers while measuring inreal-time their effectiveness. The LMS solution canprocess up to 100,000 events per second on a singleserver allowing the accurate targeting of users in real-time with new promotions and services. LMS isdesigned for marketing teams to offer real-time offersmatching their subscribers’ preferences, profile,location and churn risk score.

Yann Chevalier, CEO at Intersec, said, “In a worldnow obsessed with Big Data, customer insight hasnever been more valuable in the telco sector,particularly on markets with a vast majority ofprepaid subscribers such as Mauritania. As a result,Mauritel were looking at new ways to collect andanalyse the data of their subscribers, and use this tobuild a valuable profile of the individual, theirpreferences, habits and lifestyle. We answeroperator’s needs when it comes to real-timecustomer knowledge enrichment, event-drivenmarketing and multi-channel engagement, and lookforward to continuing to build on this successfulrelationship with Mauritel.”


AGENDA

14

GREAT STRIDES HAVE beenmade to grow broadbandconnectivity in Africa in the pastfive years. However, according toMTN Guinea Conakry’s CEOPhumzile Joshua Phike -speaking at the 10th annualConnecting West Africaconference in Dakar, Senegal -West Africa still has to overcomemassive challenges to fullyintegrate into the digital age.“Until 2008, Africa had asignificant broadband capacitydeficit. The continentpredominantly relied on a cableserving sub-saharan Africa andsatellite capacity which came ata high cost and delivered lowcapacity,” said Phike. “Africa hasseen a more than proportionalshare of this growth,nevertheless there are somechallenges that are still holdingback West Africa’s fullintegration into the digital age.”

TA TELECOM CEO, Amr Shady, hasspoken recently about the thegrowing threats facing mobileoperators in the Middle East andAfrica. Based in Cairo, Egypt, Amr hasseen at first hand the developingworld’s tech revolution and thebusiness challenges faced by thecompanies driving it.“The recent launch of the locallyproduced ‘Inar’ tablet in Egypt reflectsAfrica’s increasing uptake of moreadvanced mobile devices. While this isgreat for consumers, it’s important tokeep this in perspective sinceforecasts suggest that smartphoneswill have penetrated 15 per cent of themobile handset market by 2015 andtablets will be less than this.“However, the availability ofaffordable tablets really asksquestions of the mobile operatorsacross the Middle East and Africa(MEA). Do they really know theircustomers to retain their loyalty?”

Opening up the market to newand compelling modelsAmr Shady elaborated further, with anassessment of the emergence andproliferation of new services to suit

smarter devices. He observed that theavailability of increasingly affordabledevices opens up the market to othersources of information andinfotainment from ‘over-the-top’ (OTT)app providers and data services via 3Gand Wi-Fi channel; these werepreviously unavailable on the basicand feature phones, which continue todominate the market.“To help retain customer expenditureand loyalty and minimise the dollarsmigrating towards OTT providers,mobile operators in MEA must providecompelling data services to users.This can be achieved by increasingdemand for infotainment services,analysing subscribers’ contentconsumption, engaging with theirsubscribers’ interests andunderstanding their payment habits.“Even the smallest change inindividual ARPU magnified across amobile network can result in the gainor loss of hundreds of millions ofdollars. With new players such as Inarcoming to market, and mobile deviceusage continuing to soar, a lot is atstake for operators seeking to prosperfrom the mobile communicationsrevolution in MEA.”

Affordable smart devices pose threat to operators

A MOBILE PHONE equipped to measure heart rate, body temperatureand breathing, with a digital medical manual for health care staff.Unmanned drones that can drop medicine and collect blood samples inremote areas. Researchers from Lund University in Sweden, Ireland andthe United Kingdom are set to develop new technology that couldrevolutionise health care in the country.The drones will be connected to the mobile network, meaning trackingthe devices and even checking the temperature of drugs being carried ispossible. Another potential benefit is understanding how diseases arespreading geographically, making it easier to identify epidemics earlier.“We are also considering using lightweight solar panels to charge themobiles and drones with,” says Sven Carlsson, Professor ofInformatics and head of the Lund University research group joining theLife Support project.

Collaborating to support lifeIn rural Malawi, aid organisations’ health care staff currently use aprinted disease manual called IMCI when diagnosing patients. Theformat makes it difficult to use in the field.“Mobile IMCI will make it easier for health care staff to use the manualand make a correct diagnosis. It is an aid that will save lives in the longterm,” concludes Sven Carlsson.Life Support will be based at health clinics outside cities in northernMalawi. Researchers from several countries - including the UK,Sweden, Norway and Malawi - will collaborate with aid organisationsworking in Malawi.Of every 1,000 live births in Malawi, 133 children die before their fifthbirthday, often of treatable diseases like malaria and diarrhoea. The EUproject Supporting LIFE, which has a budget of EUR 3.7mn (US$4.9mn),aims to contribute to the United Nations goal of cutting infant mortalityby two thirds by 2015.

West Africa needsbetter backhauling

Intersec enables Mauritel to develop real-time contextual offers

Smartphones and drones to save lives in Malawi


“In a world now obsessed with BigData, customer insight has never

been more valuable in the telcosector, particularly on marketswith a vast majority of prepaid

subscribers such as Mauritania; asa result, Mauritel were looking atnew ways to collect and analyse

the data of their subscribers, anduse this to build a valuable profile

of the individual, their preferences,habits and lifestyle” - Yann

Chevalier, CEO at Intersec


THE AFRICA DOMAIN Name System (DNS) Forum, held on 12-13 July2013 in Durban, South Africa, was scheduled to establish a platformfor the DNS community across Africa and to advance the domainname industry and domain name registrations on the continent. Overthe years, the Internet Society, AfTLD, and ICANN have supported thecontinued development and growth of Country Code Top LevelDomains (ccTLDs) in Africa through capacity building and technicalsupport. Despite the support, the growth and sustainability of AfricanccTLDs and adoption of new technologies remains very low ascompared to other regions of the world. To identify the bottlenecksthat are keeping the industry from growing and the actions that cancatalyze its growth, the three organizations determined the need for aforum to discuss these regional DNS issues.Those attending the DNS Forum seek to foster cross-bordercollaboration between registries, registrars, registrants, DNS experts,Government representatives, and policy makers. Topics promoted bythe DNS Forum include: trends, opportunities, and challenges of theDNS industry; strategies for registries and registrars; legal issues withcross-border domain registrations; ways Governments can supportdomain name growth; and benefits of standardising accreditation toattract more cross-border registrars and registrations. “The Internet Society’s African Regional Bureau has been workingto strengthen the ccTLDs in Africa by improving sustainability,encouraging the implementation of automation solutions atccTLDs, and promoting the use of technology such as DNSSEC atregistries,” said Dawit Bekele, Internet Society Regional BureauDirector for Africa.

Pierre S Dandjinou, ICANN Vice President of Stakeholder Engagementfor Africa, commented, “ICANN is partnering with other players in theregion to implement its Africa strategy, which was developed in 2012by the African community. Thus, this DNS Forum in Durban, as apartnership between AfTLD and the Internet Society and as a pre-conference event to the ICANN meeting, is another milestone thatbuilds on the MIGworks event in Addis in March 2013, which soughtto pave the way for the development of the DNS industry in Africa andto empower the African community for an increased accreditation ofregistrars from the continent. I believe the new gTLD programme willhelp grow this industry on a global and regional level, and we hopethat African business players can be part of this growing industry asmuch as they can.”


AGENDA

16

SUPPLIER OF WHOLESALE fibre optic,satellite and connectivity services inAfrica, Liquid Telecom has acquiredfixed line network operator Rwandatel- in a deal that comprises Rwandatel’scopper and fibre network as well as itscustomer base.Most of the land remains the propertyof Rwandatel.Liquid Telecom has built Africa’slargest fibre network, which runs fromthe north of Uganda to Cape Town. Intotal, its pan-African fibre networkspans over 13,000km. Working undervarious brands, the Liquid TelecomGroup has operating entities inBotswana, DRC, Kenya, Lesotho,Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa,Uganda, UK, Zambia and Zimbabwe.The Liquid Telecom Group is asubsidiary of the Econet WirelessGroup. Liquid’s wholesale networkprovides connectivity onto the fivemain subsea cable systems landing inAfrica; WACS, EASSY, SEACOM, SAT3and TEAMs..

A confident futureNic Rudnick, CEO of the Liquid TelecomGroup, said, "Liquid Telecom isexpanding rapidly and this is an

important and strategic investment.Rwanda is an outstanding FDIdestination and we are very confidentin the country's economic future andgrowth prospects."The Rwandatel transaction comes fourmonths after Liquid acquired the EastAfrican assets of The Altech Group,including a controlling interest inKenya Data Networks (KDN).Sam Nkusi, chairman of LiquidTelecom Rwanda, said:, “Our priority isto quickly rehabilitate Rwandatel’score network and to build out theaccess network in order to serveRwanda’s enterprises and residenceswith the most reliable, high speed,and affordable telecommunications.Current customers can be assured ofservice continuity, new products andvalue added services along withimprovements in network availabilityand performance.Liquid Telecom Rwanda will nowcontribute to Rwanda’s informationand communciations for development(ICT4D) programme, and the nation’sAgaciro vision, by providing truebroadband services with comparabledata speeds to anywhere in thedeveloped world.”

Rwandan acquisition accelerates growth plan

THE RELEVANCE OF social networking to unified communications (UC)and the impact these resources have on business today cannot be over-estimated.Robert Sussman, joint CEO of South African managed ICT servicesprovider Integr8, believes that Microsoft’s offerings in Lync - as part ofthe software giant’s UC portfolio - is established and its application canmean game-changing influence for businesses.The reality of operating a business within the current market is such thatthe integration of software and other technical tools is mandatory –however, what is used, how and when remains a matter of choice.Having the right solution in place for the right purpose at the right timeempowers a company to manage UC strategically and derive maximumbenefit. However, says Sussman, it is particularly important forcompanies to ascertain their requirements and expectations andmeasure these against the cost implication of integrating UC technology.Sussman observes that many UC installations do not reducecommunications costs – but that the benefit of productivity gainsoutweighs cost increases. He believes Lync 2013 represents a newdimension in corporate communication resource management andcollaboration.“We have been using Lync for many years, it is technology that we arehighly experienced in and understand thoroughly. The solution isintegrated into key platforms and Microsoft Office applications,including Outlook and SharePoint. The main thing to consider here is theextent to which this technology connects your people, your resources,devices and data – a fundamental principle driving any sized businesscompeting for market share in any industry today,” he explained.One particular feature of the product that Sussman says makes a“meaningful difference to the lives of clients” is the ability to use Lync toconnect across a myriad of devices and platforms, as well as engagedifferent toolsets to communicate.

Bringing together registries, registrars, experts and policy makers to foster cross-border collaboration

Connect to a unified business


“The Internet Society’s African RegionalBureau has been working to strengthen the

ccTLDs in Africa by improving sustainability,encouraging the implementation of automationsolutions at ccTLDs, and promoting the use of

technology such as DNSSEC at registries,” saidDawit Bekele, Internet Society Regional Bureau

Director for Africa.



AGENDA

17

D’IMPORTANT PROGRÈS ONT été réalisés dans lesecteur des télécommunications en Tunisie, maisl’économie Tunisienne pourrait bénéficier de plus deréformes afin d’améliorer la compétitivité du pays etencourager l’investissement, ont conclu lesparticipants et experts de la Banque mondiale lorsd’un atelier organisé à Tunis.

L’atelier a réuni des membres du gouvernement,des chefs d’entreprise du secteur destélécommunications et des membres de la sociétécivile afin de discuter des principales étapes franchiespar le gouvernement tunisien dans le domaine destélécommunications, ainsi que des défis à venir.L’atelier s’est tenu en amont de discussions qui aurontlieu entre le gouvernement et les principales partiesprenantes sur les futures réformes liées au secteur. Larencontre a eu lieu à Tabarka.

« Des progrès substantiels ont été réalisés dans lesecteur des télécommunications ces derniers mois »a affirmé Carlo Rossotto, spécialiste principal despolitiques de technologie de l'information et de lacommunication (TIC) à la Banque mondiale. « Cesprogrès incluent l’approbation d’amendements dansla loi sur les Communications augmentant lespouvoirs de l’Instance Nationale desTélécommunications, l’introduction d’un cadreréglementaire afin d’autoriser l’accès à la stationd’atterrissage de Bizerte, l’autorisation d’utiliser leréseau dorsal à large bande détenu par les opérateursde service public, tel que la STEG et la SNCFT. Toutesces réformes serviront à améliorer les services etl’accès aux télécommunications en Tunisie ».

Malgré ces avancées, plusieurs défis restent àsurmonter. Premièrement, les services des TIC enTunisie sont onéreux et freinent l’investissement directétranger (IDE). Les prix de ces services en Tunisie sonten ligne avec ceux des autres pays du Maghreb, maisils restent tout de même chers en comparaison auxcompétiteurs extérieurs à la région. Les appelsinternationaux entrants sont onze fois plus chers que

ceux de la Turquie, selon les derniers taux deSkypeout. De plus, il faudrait jusqu’à 40% des revenusmensuels d’une famille appartenant au 40% des plusdéfavorisés en Tunisie pour pouvoir s’offrir un panierde consommation d’internet haut débit mobile ou fixe.

Deuxièmement, la compétition dans le secteurreste limitée : il existe une compétition limitée entreles opérateurs de communications internationales,tandis qu’en Europe de l’Est il existe en moyenne 10opérateurs internationaux par pays. Une tellecomparaison avec des pays ayant introduit de tellesréformes démontre clairement que des progrèspeuvent encore être accomplis au sein du secteur destélécommunications tunisien. Des pays qui étaient aumême niveau de développement destélécommunications que la Tunisie il y a 15 ans, sontaujourd’hui parmi les plus performants en Europe.

« La Tunisie gagnerait beaucoup à appliquer deplus amples réformes au sein du secteur des TIC » arajouté durant l’atelier Eileen Murray, ReprésentanteRésidente de la Banque mondiale en Tunisie. « Demeilleurs services ne vont pas seulement attirer desinvestisseurs, mais vont également diminuer les prixet étendre l’accès à tous les Tunisiens. »

ALCATEL-LUCENT A lancé sonPlan Shift, qui détaillé sur troisans visant à repositionnerl’entreprise comme spécialisteindustriel des activités et desservices à forte valeur ajoutéeessentielles aux réseaux ultra-performants de demain quesont les réseaux IP et l’AccèsTrès Haut-Débit.Ce plan industriel mobilisel’ensemble des actifs et desressources du Groupe afind’assurer une transformationlui permettant de répondre auxpriorités de ses clients, aumoment où ceux-ci déploientdes réseaux de nouvellegénération pour répondre àl’explosion du trafic dedonnées. Ce recentrage sur lesegment stratégique decroissance des réseaux IP, duCloud et du très haut-débit,sera mis en œuvre par unenouvelle équipe de direction,organisée autour d’objectifsopérationnels et financiers. LeGroupe gérera de façondifférenciée ses activitésd’accès mobile et fixe et lesautres activités, qui entrerontdans cette seconde catégorie,joueront un rôle important dansle développement du Groupe àmoyen et long terme ; la Sociétés’attend notamment à ce quecela crée des opportunités pourles activités LTE et FTTx.

Carlo Rossotto, spécialiste principal des politiques detechnologie de l'information et de la communication (TIC)à la Banque mondiale

Autour de réforme du secteur des télécommunications en Tunisie Le Plan Shift pour IP



Colin Thurston, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s director of product strategy - process,industries examines how laboratory information management systems arerevolutionising mining practices

Using lab data tounlock the modern mine

ICT Mining

AS GLOBAL COMPANIES continue to increase demand for mined-ore based commodities such as zinc, lead, aluminium, silverand copper, the mining industry faces a wealth of newopportunities and the pressures that come with them.

With mining already a high-risk endeavour that demands themeasurement of human and environmental exposure to toxins andcontaminants, it is essential that modern mining operations areequipped with the tools to help them manage and monitor their internaland external processes effectively.

In order to assure the quality/certification of products, optimise theefficiency and throughput of continuous processes and comply withindustry, international or governmental product and safety standards,the modern mine must control its processes with rigorous testing andreal-time monitoring.

Laboratory information management systems (LIMS) are therefore keycomponents in the day-to-day management of a modern mine

Regulatory environmentThere are several critical areas of compliance for any mining operation,including security, instrumentation calibration, maintenance ofelectronic records, traceability of procedures and personnel,environmental and equipment monitoring. The ability of laboratorymanagers to have control of this vital information is an important aspectof the mining operation and ensures production can continueuninterrupted by personnel changes or equipment that falls out ofcalibration.

Most modern mines are governed by local and internationalregulatory requirements. Common to all large process industries is goodlaboratory practice (GLP). It requires companies to conform to a numberof external regulatory disciplines, including ISO 9000, which establishesa standard for the quality process in any manufacturing or laboratoryenvironment. Additional releases of ISO standards, which also fall underGLP guidelines, relate to environmental monitoring (ISO 14000), and ISO17025 regulates testing and calibration laboratories, which directlyaffects any major mining operation. Being able to electronically managethe data produced in a mine’s laboratory, in addition to managing theongoing recalibration processes for key instrumentation, will greatlyimprove the functionality of the lab and provide lab managers with thevalidated documentation necessary for compliance with all regulations.

How the LIMS manages dataLIMS offer a centralised data-management system to electronically accessand share data generated by the laboratory’s instrumentation, enablingmore efficient and productive management of the lab and its personnel.

In some mining laboratories, manual processes are still the norm forcollating information and preparing reports related to product quality,

production output and environmental analysis. A LIMS can offer timeand cost savings and help laboratory managers increase productivity,thereby contributing to the overall financial position of the mine.

Modern LIMS support existing enterprise quality control systems, suchas SAP or Oracle, and can interface to other enterprise resource-planningsystems (ERPs) across the organisation, as appropriate, such asmanufacturing execution systems (MES) and process information-management systems (PIMS).

Thermo Fisher Scientific has worked with leading mining companies,implementing enterprise-wide deployments of its flagship ThermoScientific Sample Manager LIMS with the aim of reducing costs andincreasing productivity, while ensuring optimum product quality andregulatory compliance.

Looking aheadThe future of mining depends on the industry’s capacity to maintain abalance between profitability and preservation of new, secludedenvironments. Human capital also needs to be protected, both on-site andin the surrounding communities, where measurement of human andenvironmental exposure must be monitored. This requires riskassessment at all stages to ensure any effects on the environment andpeople are always understood.

LIMS address these requirements, serving as a tool to manage miningdata, which enables laboratory and mining operations managers toobtain faster results, improved efficiencies, increased margins andcertification of the end product. An automated information-managementsystem can ensure documented and validated regulatory compliancewith the many requirements imposed on the industry.

A LIMS can also provide the audit trail to assure those regulatoryauthorities that the company’s mining activities have no negative impacton the environment. Modern mining operations will realise thesebenefits and deliver increased value to their shareholders when theyautomate their laboratories with world-class LIMS. ✆

Laboratory information management systems (LIMS) are key components inthe day-to-day management of a modern mine

MTN is the first telecoms company in thecountry to pilot a renewable energy system

as a way to improve energy andtelecommunications access

Communications Africa Issue 4 201318 www.communicationsafrica.com

S05 CAF 4 2013 Report 01_Layout 1 02/07/2013 11:45

Customers can take any number of routes to contact your business.

Voice, email, chat, fax, text, social media. The problem is, many businesses

have no standardised way to manage them. Delivered as a service in the

cloud, or on-premise, Customer Interaction Center™ is a multichannel

solution designed to process and route all types of communications alike —

consistently. With one platform, you give customers all the contact options

they want, along with a direct route to your business.

BETTER THANAN ALTERNATIVE ROUTEIN A TRAFFIC JAM

CONTACT CENTER • UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS •BUSINESS PROCESS AUTOMATION

Cloud-based or On-premise

www.inin.com/za


Opérateurs mobiles travaillent en faveur del'innovation et de la qualité des services

TICM2M

LA « GLOBAL M2M Association » (GMA),fruit d’un accord de coopération dans lesecteur du Machine-to-Machine (M2M)entre TeliaSonera, Orange et Deutsche

Telekom, ont annoncé l’adhésion de TelecomItalia. Grâce à la GMA, quatre des principauxopérateurs mobiles en Europe peuventdésormais s'associer pour fournir des servicesM2M intégrés de haut niveau aux entreprises,facilitant ainsi l’innovation, le déploiement et lagestion de solutions M2M dans le monde entier.

Cette alliance est construite autour d'unengagement fort de tous les partenaires àapporter des solutions M2M mondiales dehaut-niveau dans de multiples secteurs :services traditionnels de télémesure, solutionsde e-santé, services destinés à l'industrieautomobile ou encore services innovants telsque les appareils électroniques grand publicconnectés. L'accord de coopération permetégalement aux clients des partenaires debénéficier d’avantages tels que les services deroaming pour une expérience client sans-

couture, une interopérabilité améliorée ouencore le développement de partenariats etd’innovations conjointes.

Une expérience client sans coutureLes clients internationaux recherchent dessolutions M2M transparentes, transfrontalièreset disponibles dans plusieurs pays. Afin defavoriser une expérience client harmonieuse, laGMA s'engage à améliorer la qualité de servicedu roaming via des processus de gestiond'incidents unifiés, des objectifs de niveau deservice harmonisés et des procédurescommunes pour les rapports d'erreurs ou laremontée d’incidents.

Une interopérabilité amélioréeDe nombreux modules M2M sont disponiblessur une large gamme de terminaux. La GMA acréé un programme de certification de cesmodules destiné à terme à unifier etindustrialiser les spécifications des produitsM2M pour favoriser une intégration plus rapide

sur les terminaux et les machines des clients.La certification des modules permettrad'optimiser leur interopérabilité avec le réseau.

Innovations et partenariatsLes quatre entreprises ont pour ambition deformer d'autres partenariats et de favoriserl'innovation autour de nouveaux projets M2M eten construisant un écosystème M2Mdynamique avec des partenaires de premierplan sur toute la chaîne de valeur.

« Nous allons ainsi être en mesure d’offrir ànos clients les solutions M2M les pluscomplètes quel que soit leur secteurd’activités. », a déclaré Lucy Lombardi, vice-présidente des Relations industrielles et desInitiatives interprofessionnelles au sein deTelecom Italia.

« La GMA est la preuve de notreengagement collectif en faveur d’unecollaboration continue dans l'intérêt de nosclients et de l'écosystème M2M. » ✆



An IBM Innovation Center in Kenya is set to serve as regional ICT andbusiness development hub

Creating a Kenyan client centre

ICT Kenya

AS PART OF its ongoing expansion inAfrica, IBM recently opened its firstInnovation Center in East Africa.Located in Nairobi, Kenya the centre

will help fuel growth and innovation in theregion, providing ICT partners, developers,entrepreneurs, venture capitalists andacademics with access to the latestenterprise software and hardware, trainingand business and marketing support. TheIBM Innovation Center is co-located with anew IBM Client Center that brings thecompany’s expertise to clients in the region.

IBM country general manager for East AfricaTony Mwai demonstrated a visualisation of thecity’s traffic patterns to Jessica Colaco,managing director of iHub, a Kenyan start-upincubator, at the IBM Client and InnovationCenter for East Africa in Nairobi in early May2013. The Smarter Cities technology, part of theIBM Intelligent Operations Center, is integral tothe centre’s efforts to help the region’s ICTbusinesses, developers, entrepreneurs,venture capitalists and academics driveinnovation and growth.

The goal of the IBM Innovation Center is tonurture and grow regional ICT innovation andhelp start-ups and new business ICT solutionsget to market faster. The centre is focused onsolutions that use analytics, mobile and cloudtechnologies to solve key local and global

challenges such as traffic congestion andbetter energy management. Centre attendeeswill be able to participate in virtual and in-person training, test out their new products,network with peers from around the world andreceive mentoring and guidance from ICT andbusiness experts.

Mugo Kibati, CEO of Kenya Vision 2030 said,"Technology is playing a critical role in buildingstronger Kenyan and East African economies.IBM is an essential partner in helping us createa vibrant network of highly-skilled individualsand businesses, who are driving innovation forAfrica and the world."

Professionals making progressThe ICT sector has driven up to 40 per cent ofthe economic growth in East Africa in the past10 years, according to World Bank’s InfoDev. InKenya, the industry is expected to grow by 11per cent annually, creating a need for highly-skilled professionals capable of drivinginnovation and entrepreneurship.

“The new IBM innovation centre is animportant milestone in our expansion andwork in East Africa. The advanced IT andbusiness recourses at the centre willstrengthen our climate of innovation and getnew East African Solutions into the globalmarketplace,” said Mwai.

The Nairobi centre joins a worldwide

network of 40 other IBM Innovation Centers in33 countries, including Morocco and SouthAfrica. IBM connects local companies andentrepreneurs with technical and industryexperts around the world and can supportgrowth with introductions into new markets. Aspart of efforts to drive innovation, IBM isworking to develop an ecosystem of ICTprofessionals in Kenya, including:• Academia: New partnerships with Jomo

Kenyatta, Riara and Strathmore universitiesto create advanced educational and trainingenvironments were recently announced.With this growing relationship, students andprofessors will have access to advanced ICTcoursework, training materials and softwarefor use in the classroom. Bringing the latestenterprise technology and challenges intothe classroom, students will be betterprepared to meet the advanced ICT andbusiness needs of the region.

• Entrepreneurs: Working closely withpartners in the venture community, IBM issupporting local start-up companies andentrepreneurs to drive innovation and helpget new solutions into the globalmarketplace. Last year, IBM held its firstSmartCamp event in Africa, providingmentoring, networking and resources tostart-ups from across Africa. Kenya-basedstart-up MoDe went on to win the regionaland global final events and was namedIBM’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’.

• Venture capitalists and incubators:Through ongoing workshops andmeetings, IBM is working closely with thegrowing local venture capital communityand local incubators and accelerators toidentify and support entrepreneurs andstart-up companies.

• IT companies: Technical workshops, one-on-one support from IBM experts andaccess to software and hardware for testingare helping local ICT companies developofferings and better meet client demands.Lime Technologies, Open World and Tezzaare among the new IBM Business Partnersto benefit from the resources at the IBMInnovation Center.

Nairobi is also home to IBM’s first ResearchLab in Africa, which is driving a programme ofpan-African research designed to help solvesome of the continent's biggest challengessuch as urbanisation, next-generation publicsector and human capacity development. ✆

Country general manager for IBM East Africa Tony Mwai (L), and iHub research director Jessica Colaco (R),chat in front of a map of Nairobi on display at the newly-opened IBM Innovation Center in Nairobi, Kenya

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Make sure you visit our new website with updated news coverage in Africa.

You can also view our digital edition of this issue on www.communicationsafrica.com


La promotion des services financiers

TICCôte d'Ivoire

IFC ET LA Fondation MasterCard ontréuni des acteurs majeurs del'industrie financière afin de donner unélan supplémentaire aux services

financiers mobiles en Côte d'Ivoire.L'événement a permis de souligner lepotentiel considérable du marché,notamment pour étendre l'accès aufinancement aux foyers à faibles revenus,aux petites entreprises et dans les zonesdifficiles d’accès.

Le marché ivoirien et les services financiers mobilesEn Côte d'Ivoire, la pénétration de latéléphonie mobile est supérieure à 90 pourcent, mais 14 pour cent seulement desIvoiriens ont accès à des servicesfinanciers. Les opérateurs de réseaumobile ont enregistré plus de deux millionsde clients des services financiers mobilesau cours des trois dernières années. Lemarché ivoirien des services financiers

mobiles est le plus grand et le plusdynamique de la région de l'Unionéconomique et monétaire ouest-africaine.

« Pour favoriser une prospérité partagéepar tous en Côte d'Ivoire, il est importantd'améliorer l'accès au financement. IFC etla Fondation MasterCard souhaitent aiderles institutions financières locales à menerà bien le développement des servicesbancaires et financiers mobiles proposéspar des distributeurs en Côte d'Ivoire, cequi permettra d’étendre la couverture desservices financiers à ceux qui ne sontactuellement pas bancarisés », a déclaréCassandra Colbert, représentanterésidente d'IFC en Côte d'Ivoire.

Lors du séminaire qui s'est tenu àAbidjan, IFC a présenté l’argumentcommercial en faveur de la participation audéveloppement des services financiersmobiles en Côte d'Ivoire. L'atelier marquaitle commencement de la mise en œuvred'un programme de quatre ans entrepris

par IFC et la Fondation MasterCard, visant àcontribuer au développement et àl'expansion des services financiersmobiles dans le pays.

IFC et la Fondation MasterCardconsidèrent que l'accès aux servicesfinanciers est un outil essentiel à laréduction de la pauvreté, susceptible devéritablement changer les vies despersonnes marginalisées sur le planéconomique. ✆

En Côte d'Ivoire, lapénétration de la téléphonie

mobile est supérieure à 90pour cent, mais 14 pour

cent seulement desIvoiriens ont accès à des

services financiers


L'événement s'est tenu à Abidjan

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Orange Réunion Mayotte modernises real-time data charging and policy control to offeran improved customer experience

A solution for the future

MOBILE Revenue

RÉUNION IS A French overseasdepartment in the Indian Ocean,700km east of Madagascar. Withthree grand canyons, an active

volcano and beautiful forests, it is a UNESCOWorld Heritage site and popular touristdestination. On average, the island’spopulation is around 900,000, but during theFrench vacation period it increases to aboveone million. With a limited number ofsubscribers, competition between theisland’s three operators is fierce.

Jérôme Tavernier, the company’s CIO,explained that as the challenger, the operatoris constantly looking for new ways to offer animproved customer experience and gain bettercontrol of data services.

“We need a clear route to the future basedon a new solution. Our chosen products are theCharging System, Mobile Broadband Chargingand Ericsson Customer Management System(ECMS),” he said.

The operator can now also propose bundledtraditional voice and messaging offers withnew data services. It can enforce credit andusage control, preventing bill shock andsecuring fair use.

A scalable, flexible BSS solution, ChargingSystem 5 delivers decoupling, configurabilityand a future-proof product roadmap.

The charging solution enables OrangeRéunion Mayotte to automate monthlyaccount management and to create andquickly launch new targeted and innovativedata offers and services.

Benoit Gendron, Ericsson’s sales director for

France Telecom Orange, explained the benefitsof the new approach.

“With this new solution, Orange RéunionMayotte customers are now in full control,” hesaid. “When they make calls or browse theinternet they receive real-time notificationabout their spending level.”

This helps customers avoid any surpriseswhen they receive their bill and prevents themfrom overspending on their subscription,allowing them to have confidence in Orange.

Orange Réunion Mayotte has 300,000subscribers and ranks second in terms ofmarket share. The solution provides customers with morethan just monitoring of spending. Pamela

Albin, an Orange subscriber who works incommunications, enjoys the greaterpersonalisation of services that thesolution enables.

“Orange allows me to tailor my package tosuit my needs,” she said. “If I need extra datafor a certain time or for a certain service, then Ican buy it from Orange.”

A strategic evolutionEricsson and Orange are continuing to worktogether to ensure that the solution bringsabout further business benefits and helps theoperator to increase its market share. Today,the main benefits include reduced time tomarket on new offers and a 40 per cent drop inmaintenance costs.

Jérôme Tavernier explained why Ericssonwere the ideal choice for the project.

“Orange chose Ericsson because we areconfident that the new charging solution willsupport our strategic evolution and enable usto provide our customers with new innovativeoffers and services.” ✆

A low number of mobile phone subscribers on Réunion island means operators face stiff competition

Ericsson and Orange arecontinuing to work togetherto ensure that the solutionbrings about furtherbusiness benefits


Orange Réunion Mayottehas 300,000 subscribers

and ranks second in termsof market share

The charging solutionenables Orange Réunion

Mayotte to automatemonthly account

management and to createand quickly launch new

targeted and innovativedata offers and services

A NEW ORANGE campus site in Senegal has been constructed by the France Telecom-Orange Groupaiming to offer development programmes to the 1,000 managers of the group's subsidiaries inwestern Africa.The site will also host managers from all of the group’s countries, the company said. In 2013 more than 20 different managerial development programmes are expected to be held atOrange Campus Dakar. The new Orange Campus site features classrooms, a library area and an amphitheatre, and was designedto meet the requirements of different teaching methods used during the sessions. Situated next to the Orange Sonatel Competency Development Centre, the campus has a surface areaof more than 300m², while holding up to 160 people. Support will be provided to every country rolling out the Orange Campus programmes.

Orange inaugurates a new campus in Dakar


NETWORKDiagnostics

Communications Africa Issue 4 2013 23www.communicationsafrica.com

As the communications industry develops rapidly across the continent, providers of testand measurement solutions are facing an increase in demand

Providing innovative test andmeasurement solutions

AS THE COMMUNICATIONS industrydevelops rapidly across thecontinent, providers of test andmeasurement solutions are facing

an increase in demandMany of the leading companies in the field

are therefore expanding their range to meetthis heightened demand, continuallydeveloping new strategies and methods tocope with ever more sophisticated modes ofcommunication.

For example, Anritsu, which designs,manufactures and provides maintenance fortest and measurement instruments and is aleader of long-term evolution (LTE) testing,optical time-domain reflectometers (OTDRs),spectrum analysis, vector network analysis andsignal generation, has launched the FiberVisualizer tool for its MT9083 series of OTDRs.The MT9083 range offers high performanceoptical testing with 45 dB testing, seven-inchwidescreen and 12-hour battery life.

According to Anritsu, the new tool providesa better level of insight into optical fibre cables,connections and splices, enabling installers toefficiently check the quality of an optical fibreinstallation by using automated processing onthe test equipment rather than requiring expertanalysis of an image or trace. The toolautomatically selects the correct testingparameters for the fibre under test, ensuringcorrect instrument set-up prior to testing, thecompany claimed.

The firm has also added TD-SCDMAsignalling test capability to its popular rapidtest designer (RTD) solution for 3GPP mobilecommunications devices. This enables chipsetand mobile device makers to reliably test their

implementation of the 3G mobilecommunications standard used byChina Mobile, the world’s largestmobile network operator.

Other new products on themarket include oscilloscopemanufacturer Tektronix’s newlyimproved USB 3.0 testsolutions, including an industryfirst transmitter test solution forthe SuperSpeedPlus 10 Gb/sspecification. Otherenhancements include a new USB3.0 oscilloscope-based layereddecode capability and an enhancedautomated solution for SuperSpeedUSB transmitter testing thatimproves test throughput by up to 60per cent.

The faster data rates for USB 3.0bring new test challenges, most notablymajor increases in channel loss andreduction in signal to noise ratio aswell as more complex link trainingand timing requirements thatmust be verified. As designmargins shrink, it's moreimportant than ever to have anaccurate and standardspecific measurement systemavailable.

According to the company, all of theseneeds are fully met by the TektronixSuperSpeedPlus USB test solution (optionSSP).

Brian Reich, general manager - performanceoscilloscopes at Tektronix said, “Just asimportant industry standards such as USB 3.0evolve over time, it's critical that our test andmeasurement tools evolve as well. The latestenhancements to our USB solutions enableengineers to verify compliance to the latestversions of the USB specification, seamlesslydecode bus operation speeding debug efforts,and dramatically reduce test times whileconducting automated compliance tests.”

The new TekExpress USB automationsoftware (Opt USB-TX) also leveragesTektronix’s USB compliance test expertise andat the same time incorporates a new softwarearchitecture that provides significantlyimproved performance, the company said.

Alongside subsidiaries SwissQual and

ipoque, Rohde & Schwarz showcased its testsolutions at the LTE World Summit, whichtook place in Amsterdam, the Netherlandsfrom 24-26 June.

Roland Steffen, executive vice presidentand head of the test and measurementdivision at the company said, “Together withour subsidiaries SwissQual and ipoque, weoffer an integrated set of test solutions for theentire network lifecycle, a unique approachthat isn’t available anywhere else on themarket. This integrated approach not onlybrings efficiency to our customers, it alsohelps them reconcile the demands ofsubscribers with their financial objectives in ademanding business environment.”

One of the company’s latest products is thePower Viewer Mobile app, which transformsAndroid smartphones and tablets into high-precision base units for power measurements.The USB-compatible R&S NRP power sensorscan now display the measured average power

Over time, the migration ofnetwork elements in

combination with softwaredefined networking (SDN)

will transform today’snetworks into a fully

software definedinfrastructure that is both

highly efficient and flexible

Hossein Moiin, executive vice president oftechnology and innovation and member of theexecutive board at Nokia Siemens Networks


NETWORK Diagnostics


value directly on mobile devices with Android 4operating system and can be downloaded forfree at the Google Play store.

According to Rohde & Schwarz, thesesolutions enable network operators to deploytheir wireless networks effectively, withhandheld test instruments used for on-sitebase station installation and interferencehunting. Benchmarking solutions fromSwissQual provide essential comparative dataon network performance, while deep packetinspection from ipoque delivers in-depthknowledge of subscribers’ behaviour. It givesinsight into the data traffic generated by appsand mobile services, enabling operators tocontrol, monetise and optimise the traffic.Africa’s increasing interest in test and

measurement solutions is demonstrated byMTN Uganda’s recent decision to select JDSU’sariesoGEO platform and GEOperformanceapplication to improve its network quality andcustomer experience.

The ariesoGEO solution now supports MTNUganda’s global system for mobilecommunications (GSM) and universal mobiletelecommunications system (UMTS) networks,and is ready to support the rollout of its LTEnetwork, while ariesoGEO uses locationintelligence to transform radio access network(RAN) planning and performance engineering.

Rami Farah, CTO of MTN Uganda said,“ariesoGEO will enable us to take a proactiveapproach to customer service, helping us reactquickly to issues, while improving the quality of

the overall network. As our network continuesto grow, so too will customer expectations.JDSU will help us meet those needs.”

Looking to the futureData networking and telecommunicationsequipment company Nokia Siemens Networkshas meanwhile begun putting its TechnologyVision 2020 into practice, aiming to enablemobile broadband networks to profitablydeliver one gigabyte of personalised data peruser per day by 2020.

Reducing latency to milliseconds is an areawhere Nokia Siemens Networks has alreadytaken significant steps by introducing LiquidApplications, which turns the base station intoan intelligent part of the mobile operator’snetwork to store, process and deliver localcontent in close proximity to the end user.

Nokia Siemens Networks has reinventedtelecommunications for the cloud, starting‘cloudification’ of software elements from itscustomer experience management andoperations support so access elements. Overtime, the migration of network elements incombination with software defined networking(SDN) will transform today’s networks into a fullysoftware defined infrastructure that is both highlyefficient and flexible, the company claimed.

Hossein Moiin, executive vice president oftechnology and innovation at Nokia SiemensNetworks said, “Until now, end users havelearned how to use mobile broadbandnetworks to enrich their lives. In the future, endusers will teach networks and devices how toevolve and adapt to 2020 lifestyles.Technology Vision 2020 is a guide that equipsmobile broadband networks to adapt to thoselifestyles. We are working closely withcustomers, partners, top universities andresearch institutes to make Technology Vision2020 a reality.” ✆

“The latest enhancementsto our USB solutions enable

engineers to verifycompliance to the latest

versions of the USBspecification, seamlessly

decode bus operationspeeding debug efforts, and

dramatically reduce testtimes while conductingautomated compliance

tests” - Brian Reich, generalmanager - performance

oscilloscopes at Tektronix

The new Rohde & Schwarz Power Viewer mobile app


World’s Best Level AccuracyCompanies utilizing our Spectrum Analyzers are enjoying

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was at that time that Anritsu released coil type wireless transmitter

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The reliability and scalability aspects of the different TETRA network architectures, andwhether modern IP/MPLS networks can be of benefit to them

Understanding TETRAnetwork architectures

RADIO TETRA

IN TERMS OF reliability, theinterconnection of base stations is oftenthe weakest part of the calculatednetwork availability for terrestrial trunked

radio (TETRA) communications. A solution forthis issue is to introduce a link redundancytopology, which can be achieved by linkswitchover in the synchronous link domain,the use of standard IP routing protocols andthe use of multi-protocol label switching(MPLS). Equipment reliability is also animportant factor when considering the totalavailability of a TETRA network solution. Thisis determined by the robustness of thehardware and software.

Scalability and capacity The two aspects of scalability in TETRAnetworks are the size of networks and thecapacity.

Most TETRA solutions are limited in terms ofscalability. This is because the network iseither designed for local or regional coveragewith limited expandability or it is designed toprovide large regional or nationwide coverage,making the solution less competitive and toocomplex for small networks. Limitations maybe applicable which prevents expansion of aninstalled network, or require costly upgrades todifferent product lines.

Capacity is also important when consideringscalability aspects. This is to provide sufficientperformance to support the maximumexpected call load and mobility of users duringpeak hours.

Hierarchical circuit switched networksCircuit switching is rejected as an optimaltechnology to build TETRA networks, due tothe overall cost of parts and the rarity ofCOTS components. Furthermore, the reportsuggests that the complex hardware

architecture, low-speed synchronous linksand the necessity for an overlay datanetwork prevents circuit switched networksfrom being the best solution.

Hierarchical proprietary IP-based networksSecond-generation IP-based TETRA networksuse proprietary equipment to meetrequirements for mission-critical reliability andperformance. Packet switching of voice, dataand signalling offers simpler architecture,greater flexibility and better integrationopportunities than circuit switching, with fewerinstances of component obsolescence.However, the cost is high and second-generation networks still entail complicationswith regards to their configuration andtroubleshooting.

Full distributed open IP-based networksMany TETRA system suppliers have developedsolutions based on a fully distributed IPnetwork topology. By implementing the TETRASwitching and Management Infrastructure(SwMI) component on each site, a resilientnetwork can be created simply and at a lowcost. However, there remains a problemregarding the base station link redundancy andthe variation of bandwidth requirements.

Softswitch open IP-based networksThe paper argues that the interconnection ofsystems and base stations through IP networksis a logical choice, since the COTS serverequipment and operating systems support IPconnectivity. Almost all Voice-over-IP (VoIP)service providers use softswitch technology intheir core networks.

The standards for the systemsMulti-vendor, open-standards based IP routerscan be used in this type of system architecture.Depending on the requirements for availability,a selection can be made from low-cost COTS

router equipment thatsupports OSPF protocol, ormore advanced MPLS-enabled routers to achievethe highest level ofavailability.

Equipment redundancycan easily be achieved byduplicating the softswitchand the COTS hardwaremeans costs are kept to aminimum. ✆

In conducting anevaluation of a TETRAsystem architecture,focusing availability,scalability and whether thesolution is future-proof


Many TETRA systemsuppliers have developed

solutions based on afully distributed IP

network topology

Network reliability is keyto TETRA device use


Collaboration dans le domaine de la recherche avec les infrastructures haut débit d’unréseau de recherche et d'éducation

La technologie de transmissionet de commutation

RECHERCHEInfrastructure

GÉANT, L'INFRASTRUCTURE DU réseau de recherche etd'éducation, connaît une évolution rapide. Longtempsconsidéré comme le réseau de recherche le plus avancé aumonde grâce à sa disponibilité à 99,999 %, son

développement continu et une gamme de services multi-domaines enexpansion pour améliorer les performances et les accès, GÉANTdéveloppe sur cette réputation une mise à niveau complète de satechnologie de transmission et de commutation – pour assurer lapérennité du réseau jusqu'en 2020. Cet important réseau continueraà permettre la recherche et l'innovation qui constituent des élémentsclés de la croissance européenne grâce à son soutien de quelques-uns des projets de recherche les plus grands au monde présentant laplus forte concentration de données.

Initié il y a plus de dix ans pour permettre une collaboration au niveaude la recherche et un partage des connaissances entre les chercheurs dumonde, GÉANT a joué un rôle capital dans la facilitation de projets derecherche qui aident à maintenir la compétitivité européenne et àrésoudre certains des plus grands défis de l'humanité.

Le réseau avancé et les services de GÉANT permettent de réaliser desprojets de recherche dans des domaines aussi variés que le changementclimatique et le contrôle environnemental, l'alimentation et l'énergie, laphysique des particules et la radioastronomie, la médecine et labioinformatique.

Avec les réseaux NREN (National Research and Education Networks),GÉANT connecte plus de 40 millions d'utilisateurs dans plus de 8 000universités, instituts d'enseignement supérieur, instituts de recherche,bibliothèques, musées, archives nationales et hôpitaux, ainsi que 22000 écoles primaires et secondaires.

Le déploiement 500 GbpsGÉANT a implémenté une mise à niveau importante des infrastructures,y compris la dernière technologie de transmission et de commutationpour la prise en charge d'une capacité jusqu'à 2 terabits par seconde(Tbps) sur le réseau principal, assurant la pérennité des infrastructuresréseau importantes jusqu'en 2020. Une capacité de 500 Gigabits parseconde (Gbps) sera disponible sur le réseau principal à partir de lapremière implémentation, proposant des circuits en Europe quipermettront des transferts de données à des vitesses jusqu'à 100 Gbps,ou des multiples de cette valeur, assurant de la sorte une collaborationplus rapide sur des projets critiques et répondant à la demandecroissante de transfert de données.

Le CERN a été le premier client 100 Gbps, reliant Genève à son centrede données en Hongrie, pour pouvoir traiter et stocker d'importantesquantités de données depuis le grand collisionneur de hadrons (LargeHadron Collider, LHC).

«Il s'agit d'un projet énorme destiné à actualiser le réseau de baseGÉANT de 50 000 kilomètres, remplaçant tout l'équipement existant parla dernière technologie de transmission et de commutation et installantplus de 150 nouvelles pièces en 10 mois» explique Michael Enrico,responsable technologique en chef pour DANTE. «Les projets importantsimpliquant des partenaires mondiaux, comme le LHC du CERN et leprochain Square Kilometre Array (le plus grand radiotélescope aumonde), génèrent d'importants volumes de données qui doivent être

distribués, analysés, stockés et rester accessibles. Ce besoin detransfert de données rapide et stable dépend fortement de la bandepassante haut débit dédiée proposée par des réseaux de recherchecomme GÉANT et le besoin d'un réseau terabit grandit chaque jour.»

La structure précédente du réseau GÉANT (connue comme GN2)portait sur la livraison d'un réseau hybride utilisant la technologie deroutage et de commutation la plus innovante. L'accent a ensuite étémis sur le développement et la livraison d'un portefeuille de servicesétendu permettant aux utilisateurs de tirer le meilleur du réseau vialeur NREN local.

Par sa gamme de services de connectivité, les chercheurs (et autresutilisateurs) peuvent sélectionner la bande passante et lesperformances qui correspondent le mieux à leurs besoins, avec desoptions allant des connexions protocole internet (Internet Protocol, IP)haute capacité aux circuits point à point dédiés à ultra haut débit, ycompris des services point à point 'à la demande' innovants. Ceux-cisont à leur tour supportés par une gamme complète de services degestion et de contrôle réseau pour permettre des performances de bouten bout sûres et cohérentes indépendamment de la localisation desutilisateurs. Avec ses partenaires NREN, l'objectif de GÉANT est degarantir une disponibilité à 99,999 % par l'identification rapide, larésolution des erreurs réseaux et des fonctions de sécurité puissantespour détecter et empêcher les attaques malicieuses.

Des applications qui abordent les questions d'autorisation etd'authentification, vérifiant les identités des utilisateurs et leurs droitspour leur offrir un accès aux ressources selon les besoins, sontdéveloppées et déployées via les partenaires du projet NREN. Celapermet aux chercheurs, académiciens et autres personnes de se déplacerfacilement dans les limites du réseau tout en conservant l'accès à leurréseau et aux ressources des autres NREN et institutions. ✆

La vision de GÉANT est développée sur sa réputation d'excellence desréseaux, à l'innovation et à l'apprentissage en connectant et supportant lacroissance des communautés de recherche et d'éducation

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A new platform is providing the whole of Nigeria with access to the country’s eighthdirect-to-home (DTH) service on the AMOS-5 satellite

Expanding and improvingaccess to satellite TV

SATELLITE Nigeria

SPACECOM, OPERATOR OF the AMOS satellite fleet,announced in March that Daar Communications hadlaunched its DAARSAT satellite TV service across Nigeria.DAARSAT is now available to the West African country as a

stand-alone digital TV service, joining fellow Nigerian DTH servicesInfinity and HiBand, among others, on the AMOS-5 satellite, which islocated at the 17°Eprime orbital position.

Spacecom president and CEO David Pollack said, “Ourpartnership with DAAR serves as an excellent example showingSpacecom’s commitment to DAARSAT. The agreement secures along and mutually beneficial relationship between ourorganisations for many years to come.”

Pollack added, “We are proud to add another DTH platform to theAMOS-5 17°E neighbourhood through our relationship with the leadingcommunication group, Daar Communications. Delivery of high qualityservice on a powerful platform is what elevates AMOS and helps ourbusiness grow.”

SecurityConax, a global provider of multi-device and digital TV servicessolutions, also recently announced that DAARSAT has upgraded tothe Conax Contego Broadcast content security solution.

According to Conax, the new solution, supplemented by the advisoryrole and integration provided by the company, will aid DAARSAT inpositioning and securing its DTH and DTT platforms for digital migration.

The solution will also enable secure content delivery that supportsrich and flexible, interactive on-demand services and viewing options foran enhanced subscriber experience, Conax added.

Raymond Dokpesi, chairman of DAAR Communications said,“Conax competence, forward-thinking security solutions andexperience in the growing African market are key factors forselecting the Conax Contego Broadcast solution and commitmentto Conax as DAARSAT security partner.

“We need a future-oriented solution and security partner that willhelp us capture new business and enable expansion in additionalregions and markets. We are highly confident in our partnership withConax and Conax’s proven solutions for securing our business intothe future,” he added.

Conax Chipset Pairing ensures that smart cards can be used onlywith secure devices, prevents card sharing by securing the linkbetween the smart card and the client device and enables secureauthorisation of several devices in a connected home, preventingillegal content redistribution.

Saad Mouneimne, director of area sales – Middle East and Africa atConax said, “We are excited about DAARSAT’s ambitions for expansion.

Conax Contego Broadcast is a world-class security solution that providesDAARSAT with a stepping stone ideal for operations with ambitions fordigital migration and the plethora of opportunities available for addingrich new attractive services.

“Conax Contego Broadcast provides total security for one-wayoperations positioning for the future. The new platform providesDAARSAT operations with all-inclusive support for subscription, pairing,fingerprinting and messaging, with optional support for DRM control andpay-per-view. Easy upgrade is available to Contego editions, enablingadvanced service offerings such as video-on-demand and multiscreencontent delivery as consumer demands increase.” ✆

The AMOS 5 satellite was launched in 2011 to the 17° Eprime orbital position,a new orbital slot over Africa

“Our partnership with Daar serves as anexcellent example showing Spacecom’scommitment to DAARSAT” - David Pollack,president and CEO of Spacecom




There is, increasingly, a social aspect to radio broadcast industry engagement with onlinecommunities - extending from traditional community values

Radio plays in new media

SINCE ITS INCEPTION, the Internet hasbeen eyed with both hope andcaution by traditional media outlets.Radio broadcasters have looked to

the Internet to extend their brand andincrease awareness for their stations. Entersocial media sites - principally, Facebook -with their interactive ability to add friendsand build an online community. How areradio stations using social media? Theresults and the strategy to build theradio/Facebook relationship are not uniformand the jury is still out on exactly how socialmedia can benefit a station’s bottom line.

Describing the relationship between radioand its traditional media siblings is a lot morestraightforward than explaining the relationshipbetween radio and new media. Wireless, andthen radio, grew up alongside film, magazines,and newspapers. By 1950 visual wireless, ortelevision, came on the scene posing a threat toradio’s existence. While there were momentswhen relations between these media werestrained, radio adapted to coexist in theexpanding media environment. Over time, radiomaintained its relevance and thrived byfocusing on rock music, going portable,improving its fidelity, encouraging creativepersonalities, and also by fine–tuning itsformats to reach specific target audiences.

In recent years, the Internet has beendiffusing thanks largely to its World Wide Webinterface. The creation of the MP3 audio format,along with portable players, and music sharinghave allowed individuals to become their ownmusic directors. Additionally, satellite radio hasarrived on the scene. While radio has grappledwith the changes, its two newer media siblingshave moved quickly - in the case of satelliteradio, adding car manufacturers, channels andsubscribers; in the case of the Web, streamingand podcasts. Finally, as radio has adapted tothe new realities, the Internet has experiencedanother growth spurt in the form of Web 2.0 -and as the market for satellite radio hasmatured, a number of its constituent companieshave merged, and mobile operating systemswith music and radio apps have proliferated onconsumer hand phones and tablets.

Still acting on 1.0, now managing 2.0The radio industry’s reactions to the latestdevelopments with its younger siblings havebeen multifarious. From some vantage points,there are rivalries, with radio acting againstperceived threats - and, from others, radio hasseen the potential for collaboration. While

enough time has elapsed to allow validelucidations on the relationship between radioand Web 1.0, the arrival of Web–based socialsoftware services is still relatively recent, andrepresents an area needing greater attention.How are radio stations utilising this new socialsoftware? Are some applications a threat, or doesradio see them more as a tool and collaborator inreaching and maintaining relations withlisteners? What is the proper way to create andmanage a Facebook page? These are only someof the questions that are popping up in watercooler conversations at radio stations the worldover. Radio practitioners and researchers areexploring radio’s relationship with Web 2.0’snewer social software platforms - specifically, thecurrent behemoth in this arena, Facebook.

Along with the widespread adoption of theInternet, users are now shifting from beingpassive media recipients to active contentcreators on the Web. This development hasculminated in the rise of the Web 2.0 andnewer interactive online services, which areusually referred to as social software or socialmedia. Social network sites have set up anappropriate infrastructure for users to interactwith one another, independent of time andlocation and at a significantly extended reach.Unlike radio’s long–held broadcast model ofpoint–to–mass, the Internet allows not onlyone–to–one or one–to–many communicationto take place, but also many–to–many andmany–to–one communication. By lowering thebarriers to communicating online with user–friendly and intuitive features, social network

sites enable its members to access and sharecontent and information such as music, videosor photographs, as well as news or opinions.

Even though the Internet requires resourcesto be allocated - and human resources, inparticular, may be costly - it offers significantadvantages for radio stations: Firstly, it isusually free of charge; secondly, the Internetallows multimedia content, encouraging richeruser experiences; and, thirdly, it can beaccessed without any geographical bonds. Onthe other hand, the informational advantage ofair personalities shrinks since a huge load ofinformation is omnipresent online and can beeasily searched.

Since acquiring and retaining a large–scalelistenership is crucial to commercial stationbusinesses, especially because it depends onrevenues from advertising, they have started todiscover the opportunities that social networksites offer in terms of community building.Radio stations can present themselves onFacebook. A wide range of content can becovered, and the senders and recipients ofcommunication can take place. The radiostation Facebook profiles/pages in differentcountries may be similar, in that they have toconform to the basic Facebook layout. Thedifferences can come in terms of the specificcontent and items that were utilised to shapethe appearances of profiles, to generateengagement, and disseminate information.Even over just a few weeks, the sheer amountof data posted and observed for even a fewstations is voluminous. While most stationshave 'fan' pages, some stations run on 'friend'pages - the difference being that one must bepersonally accepted as a friend, rather thangetting the automatic acceptance from 'liking',to be connected. 'Friend' pages have limits of5,000 friends, yet there are no limits to the‘likes’ one can receive on a fan page. Researchindicates that most radio stations on Facebookhave migrated over to 'fan' pages — which areidentical in appearance to friend pages.

The evolution of the radio–Facebookrelationship continues to evolve, as radiobroadcasters continue to look for creative andrewarding ways to connect to listeners throughnew media frameworks. Yet, structures are ill-defined, and commercial relationships canseem vague or marginal. There does not seemto be any set pattern, for example, formanagement what or when to post items on astation's page - for sustainable associatedadvertising/commercial relationships to beviable. The rulebook is still being written. ✆

Radio broadcasters in Africa are utilising the internetto improve on brand awarness for their stations.

Radio practitioners andresearchers are exploring

radio’s relationship withWeb 2.0’s newer social

software platforms

BROADCASTRadio



EQUIPMENT

30

CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, Inc, which provides software and services-based business support solutions that help clients generate revenue andmaximise customer relationships, now offers CSG Exchange – the latestcomponent of its wholesale business management solution (WBMS). CSGExchange automates the sharing of active agreements between carrierpartners, including rate sheets, complex agreements, statements, invoices,and even dispute records. By automating and formalising the transfer ofcontractual information, CSG Exchange provides rigorous control whileeliminating manual processes and resource costs. Agreement and rateinformation is validated upon receipt, with granularity down to the line leveland all relevant parties notified of the results. The service also provides anindependent repository for all agreements which can be used as a formalpoint of reference during disputes with partners.“The international telecoms market is extremely competitive andcharacterised by increasingly thinning margins. The ability to efficientlyautomate as many processes as possible is vital,” said Hassan Iftikhar, vicepresident, product management at CSG International. “The CSG Exchangeservice allows carriers to automate the partner agreement processresulting in reduced turn-round times and less time spent in dispute withpartners.”CSG Exchange includes three distinct processing service offers: refileagreements; bilateral agreements; and statements & invoices. CSGcustomers can derive distinct value from using one or more of the servicesto modernise and streamline their business processes. CSG Exchangeutilises the bilateral agreement formats compliant with upcoming GlobalBusiness Exchange for Telecom (GBET) standards.

www.csgi.com

SERVICE PROVIDERS CAN rapidly create and introduce new mobiledata and digital lifestyle services with the Tekelec’s new PolicyServer (PCRF). Latest capabilities enable service providers to:• Create and quickly introduce flexible offers using dynamic quotas.

The Policy Server’s new rules engine allots dynamic quotas, whichprovide more flexibility within subscribers’ existing plans.

• Introduce and scale Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services. Tekelec’sPolicy Server gives service providers flexibility to request differentamounts of bandwidth depending on the type of device andservice. By allocating bandwidth based on the devices requestingit, operators can zero-rate voice traffic over LTE networks, managevoice sessions on IMS networks and implement quality of servicecontrols for VoLTE calls.

• Enhance support for Wi-Fi services. The Policy Server recognizeswhen devices are on Wi-Fi networks, which allows operators todifferentiate charging of services based on network access type.

• Improve customer service with unprecedented analytics.• Prioritise communications for first responders during

emergencies. The Policy Server supports the EnhancedMultimedia Priority Service (eMPS) standard in the 3GPP Release10 specification.

“Tekelec’s Policy Server provides the underlying technology to usherin new flexible offers and partnerships, and give service providersThinkingNetworks that align network resources with subscriberneeds and revenue drivers,” said Houck Reed, vice president ofproduct management and marketing at Tekelec.

www.tekelec.com

THE CINTERION PORTFOLIO of cellular modulesand devices offered by Gemalto gain a newmodule based on the QSC 6270-Turbo chipsetdeveloped by Qualcomm Technologies. Withsupport for Java and for the SensorLogic cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) platform, thenew device enables Gemalto to launch the nextgeneration of embedded solutions and servicesthat simplify machine-to-machine (M2M)technology deployment and speed upcustomised applications development. TheCinterion M2M end-to-end solution portfolioprovides secure wireless connectivity for avariety of applications including automotivetelematics, tracking & tracing, alarm systemsand mHealth.The Cinterion modules utilise the applicationprocessor power to host customers’ applicationsoftware directly onboard the module,eliminating the expense of additionalprocessing and memory chips, thereby reducingoverall cost, complexity and space. Multipleapplications can run in parallel and the richapplication environment allows the vast Javaglobal developer community to reuse existingresources and to speed up the complete systemintegration. The architecture also simplifies over-the-air (OTA) provisioning and remote updating,to distantly manage M2M applications that oftenremain in the field for more than 10 years.Cinterion modules and solutions are seamlessly

integrated with the SensorLogic applicationenablement platform, which permits to quicklytransform all sorts of devices into manageableassets that optimize business performance.From medical devices, automobiles and smartmetres to shipping containers and alarmsystems, more and more products are equippedwith sensors that are together collectingmassive amounts of data. Currently, most of thisdata remains siloed. And the vast majority ofembedded software development is stillcustomised for each specific device, leading toslow development cycles and interoperabilityissues. The complete Gemalto M2M’s Edge toEnterprise offering, including the CinterionSensorLogic cloud-based software as a service(SaaS) platform allows to integrate big data fromthe edge of the network into existing processesof any kind.“When we integrated Oracle Java onto theQSC6270-Turbo chipset, we wanted to enablethe worldwide Java development community toimagine, develop and deploy cellular-based

M2M applications,” said Nakul Duggal, vicepresident of product management at QualcommTechnologies. “We are pleased that Gemaltoshares our vision for the Internet of Everythingand has now added the Java-enabled QSC6270-Turbo to their complete range of solutionsutilising Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.technologies that it offers tothe ecosystem.”

Gemalto integrates Qualcomm technology to improve design and deployment of M2M solutions

CSG’s partner agreement automation service Policy server aids integration,analytics and emergency communications


Cinterion modules utilise application processor power tohost application software directly onboard the module,

eliminating the expense of additional processing andmemory chips, reducing cost, complexity and space

Gemalto’s Cinterion portfolio gains extendedcapabilities with Qualcomm technology

S09 CAF 4 2013 Equipment 01_Layout 1 02/07/2013 10:47


EQUIPMENT

31

ELITECORE TECHNOLOGIES, A global provider of OSS/BSS solutions, hasintroduced EliteCSM to market. This is a core session managementplatform for next-generation networks with preintegrated productsincluding AAA, map gateway, PCRF, diameter signalling and charginggateway. The platform serves as a one-stop solution to increase revenuesfrom existing and emerging services without having to go for a majoroverhaul each time there is an innovation - thus helping operators to adaptquickly to unpredictable changes in business environments.

Using a common diameter and radius stack across all products enableseasy integration processes for seamless connectivity. EliteCSM drasticallyreduces development costs and project timelines, and also solvescomplex integration issues with multi-vendor network elements like GGSN,PGW, HSS, PCRF and OCS vendors, allowing operators to reuse theirnetwork for future services with negligible customisation.

Dhaval Vora, VP, product management at Elitecore, said, “With

emerging 3G, 4G networks and changing network dynamics, operators aretrapped in a rigid eco-system in which new service creation and softwaredevelopment becomes time-consuming and expensive to design. It alsocauses service delays and disruptions in multi-vendor and multi-networkdeployments wherein each vendor has a different product roadmap orrelease timeline. To address these challenges, our EliteCSM platformdelivers a future-proof investment making operators more flexible andefficient in creating new plans.”

The EliteCSM platform addresses multiple access networks such asFTTH, ADSL, 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, LTE, IMS and WiMax networks. The platform isdesigned for extreme performance and scalability and helps operatorsmanage increasingly complex processes associated with next generationtransformation by offering value-added services that drive ARPU growth.

www.elitecore.com

ENTREPRENEURS HAVE THE potential to earn up to RWF30,000 (US$46) per month in revenue from the MTNComeka ReadySet. The portable solar energy system isdesigned to improve the lives of Rwandans living off-gridor without regular access to electricity. Distributed byMTN Rwanda, the Comeka ReadySet is a multifunctionalenergy system that can charge mobile phones as well aspower lights, radios, tablets and other devices. It can alsoprovide Rwanda’s enterprises and small- and medium-sized businesses an opportunity to earn additionalrevenues from a phone charging business, MTN said. Thesystem, which is manufactured in California, USA by FenixInternational, is available in MTN Service Centers anddealer shops at a cost of RWF 115,000 (US$177).Robert Rwakabogo, senior manager of marketingoperations at MTN Rwanda said, “In addition to chargingphones off an environmentally-friendly and cheapsource of power, the Comeka ReadySet solution can alsoprovide power for night lighting. This can help businessowners keep their shops open for longer and generateextra earnings. We have already had a pilot phase and wehave a positive response from end users and we areconfident this system will serve our rural subscriberbase effectively.”

According to MTN Rwanda, the system’s battery draws itsenergy from a 15-watt solar panel and offers a mainsadapter for when the sun is not shining. MTN is the first

telecoms company in the country to pilot a renewableenergy system as a way to improve energy andtelecommunications access for all Rwandans.While the Comeka ReadySet may prove an attractivebackup energy solution for urban dwellers, the productis also targeted for business, the company said.The device can charge up to 10 phones a day or providethe power for up to 30 hours of lighting on full charge.MTN’s research has shown that Rwanda’s entrepreneurscan earn up to RWF 360,000 per year in revenue.The Comeka ReadySet Solar Kit includes a solar panel,mains adapter, two universal mobile phone chargers anda five-watt LED bulb. The device itself features two USBports, two car lighter adapter ports and a display to showenergy levels and recharge status.

Fenix International’s former vice-president ofbusiness development, Luke Filose and CEO,Michael Lin (left to right), displaying a solar powergenerator and ReadySet battery(Photo: Engineering for Change/Flickr)

Portable renewable energy system launched in Rwanda

Elitecore brings core session management platform for next-generation services


RAD HAS LAUNCHED a new ruggedisedIEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 compliantSecureFlow Ethernet switch/router.SecureFlow provides flexibleconnectivity for Ethernet intelligentelectronic devices (IEDs) as well asolder serial remote terminal units(RTUs) with full redundancy overvarious topologies using fibre opticrings, 2/3G cellular modems andexternal radio systems. The gatewayfunction enables it to comprehend

both Ethernet IED and serial RTUprotocols - so, in utility applications,SecureFlow can convert old IEC-101SCADA protocols to the new IEC-104 IP-compatible equivalents, or Modbusserial to IP, DNP3 and others. Theseconversions enable seamlesscommunication of IP SCADA to bothold and new RTUs.

Moreover, the solution’s advancedsecurity package includes a per-portSCADA-aware firewall employing deep

packet inspection, and an integratedVPN agent for inter-site connectivityusing IPsec, so that criticalinformation is encrypted end-to-end.

“What makes SecureFlow unique isthat it is the only secure, SCADA-awareswitch/router in the market thatincorporates up to 16 Fast Ethernetand two Gigabit Ethernet ports as wellas integrated serial interfaces,protocol gateway functionality and anadvanced firewall in a single box,”

states Mati Epstein, who commandsresponsibility with respect to powerutilities & transportation at RAD.

“Bringing distributed securitydirectly into every node in thenetwork, rather than restricting it to acentral site, protects the entiresystem from the latest generation ofrisks, which can emanate from manydifferent directions,” Epstein explains.

www.rad.com

A secure SCADA-aware solution for power utilities and transportation networks

MTN is the first telecoms company in the country to pilot arenewable energy system as a way to improve energy and

telecommunications access for all Rwandans

“We have already had a pilotphase and we have a positiveresponse from end users andwe are confident this system

will serve our rural subscriberbase effectively” - Robert

Rwakabogo, senior managerof marketing operations,

MTN Rwanda



EQUIPMENT

32

TELKOM KENYA, LA filiale du Groupe Orange quipropose des services de télécommunications fixe etmobile au Kenya, a annoncé la signature d’un accordavec Eaton Towers concernant la gestion del’infrastructure de son réseau passif.L’accord, d’une durée de quinze ans, prévoit lamaintenance des sites existants par Eaton Towers,ainsi que la construction de nouveaux sites surmesure. Ceci permettra de réduire les coûtsd’exploitation et les investissements tout enaméliorant la couverture et la qualité du réseau, etde réduire l’empreinte carbone d'Orange.Telkom Kenya restera propriétaire de son réseau de1 000 tours, tandis que Eaton Towers investira dansla modernisation des infrastructures passives et laconstruction de nouvelles tours pour offrir à TelkomKenya une couverture et une qualité de réseauaméliorées. Ce partenariat constituera une basesolide qui permettra à Telkom Kenya de seconcentrer sur son cœur de métier : développer desservices à valeur ajoutée, comme les usages dedata sur mobile, et proposer un service clientsd’excellente qualité.« Nous sommes convaincus que ce partenariat avecEaton Towers représente un pas dans la bonnedirection, », a déclaré Mickael Ghossein, Directeur

Général de Telkom Kenya. « Ce partenariat nouspermettra d’étendre notre réseau et de développerde nouveaux services multimédias, en particulierdans les zones rurales, en ligne avec notre objectifd’offrir à la population kenyane la meilleurecouverture réseau possible ainsi que des offres dequalité. Grâce à ce partenariat, nous allons pouvoirréduire nos coûts d’exploitation ainsi que l’impactenvironnemental, de notre réseau, en minimisant saconsommation énergétique. »Alan Harper, Directeur Général d’Eaton Towers, acommenté : « Nous sommes enthousiastes à l’idée de travailler en partenariat avecTelkom Kenya, d’autant que nous sommes la premièreentreprise de gestion d’infrastructure à démarrer desactivités au Kenya. Cet accord est le prolongement derelations fructueuses avec le groupe Orange enAfrique, et apporte des avantages significatifs auxdeux parties. L’expertise d’Eaton Towers dans lagestion des tours et son engagement à fournir unservice irréprochable permettra à Telkom Kenya de seconcentrer sur l’extension et l’amélioration de sonréseau tout en optimisant les coûts.»Pour Orange, cet accord représente une avancéemajeure dans la démarche d'amélioration de sonefficacité et de contrôle de ses coûts d’exploitation

dans les pays où il est présent en Afrique. Le partaged’infrastructures passives est un élément clé de cettestratégie et des accords similaires ont été conclus enOuganda, en Côte d’Ivoire et au Cameroun.

Telkom Kenya signe un partenariat avec Eaton Towers

Company .................................................................................... page

Anritsu A/S ......................................................................................25

ArabSat ..............................................................................................4

GL Communications ........................................................................17

Informa Telecoms & Media (NigeriaCom 2013) ..............................13

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Interactive Intelligence ....................................................................19

Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd. ................................................................34

Sky Vision Global Networks ..............................................................2

Telecom Italia Sparkle S.p.A. ............................................................7

THAICOM Public Company Ltd...........................................................9

WIOCC................................................................................................11

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Pour Orange, cet accord représente une avancéemajeure dans la démarche d'amélioration de sonefficacité et de contrôle de ses coûts d’exploitationdans les pays où il est présent en Afrique.


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Testimony to the in-built excellence of Kirloskar Green Gensets is provided by the fact, that there are over 85,000 of them helping keep telecom towers across India up and running round-the-clock. Tried, tested and proven in one of the largest mobile telephony markets in the world, there are another 4,000+ gensets deployed in similar applica-tions across Asia, Middle East and Africa

Obviously, when it comes to reliably keeping people connected around the world, Kirloskar Green Gensets have few equals.

Advantage user• Largest selling genset brand in the 5 to 625kVA range• Reliable and complete power solution• Sales, spares and service network across Africa• High powered performance• Unmatched fuel economy• Easy and low maintenance• Long lasting• Low noise and vibration levels


communications africa 4 2013

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