<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
h2
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2 Char";
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:18.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
font-weight:bold;}
h3
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 3 Char";
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:13.5pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
font-weight:bold;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.Heading2Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 2 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2";
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD;
font-weight:bold;}
span.Heading3Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 3 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 3";
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD;
font-weight:bold;}
p.source, li.source, div.source
{mso-style-name:source;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-field-news-content-value, li.views-field-field-news-content-value, div.views-field-field-news-content-value
{mso-style-name:views-field-field-news-content-value;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-tid-1, li.views-field-tid-1, div.views-field-tid-1
{mso-style-name:views-field-tid-1;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-title, li.views-field-title, div.views-field-title
{mso-style-name:views-field-title;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.field-field-news-issue-number, li.field-field-news-issue-number, div.field-field-news-issue-number
{mso-style-name:field-field-news-issue-number;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-admin-links, li.views-admin-links, div.views-admin-links
{mso-style-name:views-admin-links;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.image-advertisement, li.image-advertisement, div.image-advertisement
{mso-style-name:image-advertisement;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.view-content, li.view-content, div.view-content
{mso-style-name:view-content;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-title1, li.views-field-title1, div.views-field-title1
{mso-style-name:views-field-title1;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:11.25pt;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:#012264;
font-weight:bold;}
p.field-field-news-issue-number1, li.field-field-news-issue-number1, div.field-field-news-issue-number1
{mso-style-name:field-field-news-issue-number1;
margin-top:15.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:7.5pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:15.6pt;
border:none;
padding:0in;
font-size:10.5pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:#FF3334;
font-weight:bold;}
p.views-admin-links1, li.views-admin-links1, div.views-admin-links1
{mso-style-name:views-admin-links1;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
display:none;}
p.source1, li.source1, div.source1
{mso-style-name:source1;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
border:none;
padding:0in;
font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:#FF3334;
text-transform:uppercase;
font-weight:bold;}
p.views-field-field-news-content-value1, li.views-field-field-news-content-value1, div.views-field-field-news-content-value1
{mso-style-name:views-field-field-news-content-value1;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.image-advertisement1, li.image-advertisement1, div.image-advertisement1
{mso-style-name:image-advertisement1;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
text-align:center;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.view-content1, li.view-content1, div.view-content1
{mso-style-name:view-content1;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.view-content2, li.view-content2, div.view-content2
{mso-style-name:view-content2;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.view-content3, li.view-content3, div.view-content3
{mso-style-name:view-content3;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.image-advertisement2, li.image-advertisement2, div.image-advertisement2
{mso-style-name:image-advertisement2;
margin-top:12.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:12.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
text-align:center;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-field-news-content-value2, li.views-field-field-news-content-value2, div.views-field-field-news-content-value2
{mso-style-name:views-field-field-news-content-value2;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-field-news-content-value3, li.views-field-field-news-content-value3, div.views-field-field-news-content-value3
{mso-style-name:views-field-field-news-content-value3;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-field-news-content-value4, li.views-field-field-news-content-value4, div.views-field-field-news-content-value4
{mso-style-name:views-field-field-news-content-value4;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-tid-11, li.views-field-tid-11, div.views-field-tid-11
{mso-style-name:views-field-tid-11;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-tid-12, li.views-field-tid-12, div.views-field-tid-12
{mso-style-name:views-field-tid-12;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.views-field-tid-13, li.views-field-tid-13, div.views-field-tid-13
{mso-style-name:views-field-tid-13;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.field-content
{mso-style-name:field-content;}
span.EmailStyle46
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:57942242;
mso-list-template-ids:2110945690;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:225183820;
mso-list-template-ids:-540255570;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2
{mso-list-id:274097915;
mso-list-template-ids:-295906034;}
@list l2:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l2:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l3
{mso-list-id:377054986;
mso-list-template-ids:1480892198;}
@list l3:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l3:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l3:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l3:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l3:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l3:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l3:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l3:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l4
{mso-list-id:512495776;
mso-list-template-ids:47117930;}
@list l4:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l4:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l4:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l4:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l4:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l4:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l4:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l4:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l5
{mso-list-id:518200671;
mso-list-template-ids:226268848;}
@list l5:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l5:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l5:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l5:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l5:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l5:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l5:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l5:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l6
{mso-list-id:769277974;
mso-list-template-ids:-1591592724;}
@list l6:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l6:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l6:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l6:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l6:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l6:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l6:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l6:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l6:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l7
{mso-list-id:894701869;
mso-list-template-ids:533865490;}
@list l7:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l7:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l7:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l7:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l7:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l7:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l7:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l7:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l7:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l8
{mso-list-id:922105143;
mso-list-template-ids:-2041268912;}
@list l8:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l8:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l8:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l8:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l8:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l8:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l8:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l8:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l8:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l9
{mso-list-id:1048068777;
mso-list-template-ids:113814156;}
@list l9:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l9:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l9:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l9:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l9:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l9:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l9:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l9:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l9:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l10
{mso-list-id:1259211666;
mso-list-template-ids:902347038;}
@list l10:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l10:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l10:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l10:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l10:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l10:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l10:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l10:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l10:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l11
{mso-list-id:1303340780;
mso-list-template-ids:1669378714;}
@list l11:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l11:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l11:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l11:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l11:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l11:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l11:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l11:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l11:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l12
{mso-list-id:1470198001;
mso-list-template-ids:577567598;}
@list l12:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l12:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l12:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l12:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l12:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l12:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l12:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l12:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l12:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l13
{mso-list-id:1491674468;
mso-list-template-ids:1864950210;}
@list l13:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l13:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l13:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l13:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l13:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l13:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l13:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l13:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l13:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l14
{mso-list-id:1710373595;
mso-list-template-ids:984759252;}
@list l14:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l14:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l14:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l14:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l14:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l14:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l14:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l14:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l14:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l15
{mso-list-id:1819691274;
mso-list-template-ids:-2109950136;}
@list l15:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l15:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l15:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l15:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l15:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l15:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l15:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l15:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l15:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l16
{mso-list-id:1919052550;
mso-list-template-ids:164675660;}
@list l16:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l16:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l16:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l16:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l16:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l16:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l16:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l16:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l16:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l17
{mso-list-id:1991056857;
mso-list-template-ids:-1995000478;}
@list l17:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l17:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l17:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l17:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l17:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l17:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l17:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l17:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l17:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l18
{mso-list-id:2118132815;
mso-list-template-ids:734683974;}
@list l18:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l18:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l18:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l18:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l18:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l18:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l18:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l18:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l18:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l19
{mso-list-id:2120102692;
mso-list-template-ids:1894777670;}
@list l19:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l19:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l19:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l19:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l19:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l19:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l19:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l19:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l19:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> balancingact-africa.com [mailto:news@mailings.balancingact-africa.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, January 27, 2012 9:17 AM<br><b>To:</b> Anne-Rachel Inne<br><b>Subject:</b> Issue No. 589; The beginning of Africa’s long, slow transition away from SMS – new browser kids on the block making mobile Inter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td style='background:#DDDDDD;padding:30.0pt 30.0pt 30.0pt 30.0pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=740 style='width:555.0pt'><tr><td width=740 valign=top style='width:555.0pt;background:#DDDDDD;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><img width=740 height=130 id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://balancingact.cird.co.uk/sites/balancingact.cird.co.uk/themes/zen_balancingact/images/header1.jpg" alt="Balancing Act - Telecoms, internet and broadcast in Africa"><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=740 valign=top style='width:555.0pt;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td style='background:white;padding:11.25pt 11.25pt 11.25pt 11.25pt'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 4.5pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 2.0pt 0in'><h2 style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;border:none;padding:0in'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'>Issue no 589 27th January 2012<o:p></o:p></span></h2></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-english-classification/top-story"><span style='color:#012264'>top story</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l9 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7417&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>The beginning of Africa’s long, slow transition away from SMS – new browser kids on the block making mobile Internet access easier</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span class=field-content><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>At the end of 2011, there were the first signs of smartphone use on SMS: for the first time in some countries, rather than the volume of SMS growing inexorably, it declined for the first time. Russell Southwood looks at how wider use of mobile Internet may affect SMS volumes in Africa and at two of the new generation of interfaces designed to make it easier for Africans to use the mobile Internet. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that the number of smart phones and feature phones in African countries will increase. With this increase, many users will go from an unvaried diet of... </span></span><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7418&qid=512331"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=468 height=60 id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/Balancing%20Act%20Banner_v3.jpg?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt=pccw></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1027" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&a=19039&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="view counter"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'>In This Issue:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/telecoms"><span style='color:#012264'>telecoms news</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7419&qid=512331"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=468 height=60 id="_x0000_i1028" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/SES_AnimatedBanner_468x60.gif?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="SES Banner"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1029" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&a=20523&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="view counter"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7420&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Nigerian horticultural project wins Orange’s African Social Venture Prize</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7421&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>AMOS-5 Communications Satellite Begins Commercial Operations</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7422&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Mututho beats anonymous callers to their game with law</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7423&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>South African Consumer Commission to Tackle International Roaming Fees</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7424&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Q-kon enhances VSAT network in African market with IDX 3.0 upgrade</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7425&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Ghana’s NCA sets new telecoms interconnection rate regime for period 2012-2014</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7426&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Telecom Egypt wants to become a fourth mobile phone operator as MVNO</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7427&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Zambian Government Nationalises Zamtel</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7428&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Nigerian Digital Surge Prompts Visafone to Grow Data Services</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l14 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7429&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Hits Telecom eyes Africa expansion</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/internet"><span style='color:#012264'>internet news</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7430&qid=512331"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=468 height=60 id="_x0000_i1030" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/amos-africa-468x60-12.gif?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="Amos banner"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1031" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&a=20696&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="view counter"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7431&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>New Telecom Company in Equatorial Guinea to Improve Wireless and Internet Connectivity</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7432&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation partner to offer Wikipedia in Africa and the Middle East at no extra cost</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7433&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Alvarion to Provide Wi-Fi to Telecel in Burkina Faso</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7434&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Liquid Telecom acquires Zimbabwean ISP, ZOL</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7435&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Benin is disconnected from the Internet for two weeks</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7436&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Vodacom connecting South African libraries</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7437&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Kenyans second top tweeters in Africa</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/computing"><span style='color:#012264'>computing news</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l8 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7438&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Rwanda among first for OLPC X0 3.0</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l8 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7439&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Ghana to commence implementation of Open Data Initiative</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l8 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l8 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7440&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Microsoft Partners with British Council to Promote Digital Schools in Africa</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-english-classification/money"><span style='color:#012264'>money news</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l6 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7441&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Zain Sudan sees new taxes hitting 2012 earnings</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l6 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-english-classification/telecoms-rates-offers-and-coverage"><span style='color:#012264'>Telecoms, Rates, Offers & Coverage</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l19 level1 lfo6'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7442&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Telecoms Rates, Offers And Coverage</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/web-and-mobile-conte"><span style='color:#012264'>Web and Mobile, Content and Services news</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l16 level1 lfo7'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7443&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>African publishers lag in shift to electronic books</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l16 level1 lfo7'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7444&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Mobile phones to monitor Malawi water</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/more"><span style='color:#012264'>More news</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo8'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7445&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Events</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo8'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7446&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>People</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-english-classification/top-story"><span style='color:#012264'>top story</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7447&qid=512331"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=468 height=60 id="_x0000_i1032" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/sky2net_0.jpg?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="Sky2net Banner"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1033" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&a=20467&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="view counter"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l15 level1 lfo9'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7417&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>The beginning of Africa’s long, slow transition away from SMS – new browser kids on the block making mobile Internet access easier</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>At the end of 2011, there were the first signs of smartphone use on SMS: for the first time in some countries, rather than the volume of SMS growing inexorably, it declined for the first time. Russell Southwood looks at how wider use of mobile Internet may affect SMS volumes in Africa and at two of the new generation of interfaces designed to make it easier for Africans to use the mobile Internet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that the number of smart phones and feature phones in African countries will increase. With this increase, many users will go from an unvaried diet of voice and SMS messages (with a soupcon of paid services) to a much more varied diet of use. It is not hard to envisage the day when the number of smart phone and feature phone users may make up as much as 40-60% of all subscribers<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>SMS is simply e-mail in “short trousers”: it’s easy to use but it’s significantly more restricted and more expensive than sending an e-mail. You can’t use it to share things like photos with friends unless you can use even more expensive MMS’s. But although price is one of the single biggest factors affecting consumer’s decisions on the continent, the other big factor is habit. The change of use requires not just a person to send an e-mail but someone to understand how to receive it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>This is where the new generation of browsers come into play. If both of those sending and receiving are on Facebook, then it solves that problem: they both understand how to do it. The widespread use of MXit on Blackberry in South Africa as an Instant Messaging tool to avoid SMS costs is another illustration of how this works. What starts with 15-24 year olds, slowly cascades across the age groups.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>So whilst this may not have a short-term impact, there will come a point over the next 5 years where one or more African countries will reach “peak SMS”: the point at which growth will slowly flat-line and then decline gently for many years. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>There are two things that affect this scenario. Firstly, increased numbers of subscribers will mean more SMS users enter the pool. But even now some African countries are approaching their “peak subscriber” moment, where the number of people who are still to subscribe is not enormous. The second thing that might affects SMS use is literacy, both of the simple “can this person read?” kind but also of functional literacy; can this person understand the tasks required to perform sending an SMS? Now the latter is more a brake than might first be understood: in Ghana only around 40% of all mobile subscribers use SMS.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>If you take a clutch of the bottom end literacy rates from the UNDP Development Report 2011, the limit on certain countries growing SMS or mobile Internet beyond a certain point become obvious. Going from low to only slightly lower, the problem becomes obvious: South Sudan (27%), Mali (26.2%), Chad (33.6%) and Sierra Leone (40.9%). Now these figures have been improving but generally not dramatically: for example, Chad was at 26% a few years ago. There may be a sudden improvement in education levels in some African countries but it would be hard to predict this will happen in most African countries based on past performance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>But the transition that is occurring is that users are beginning to find browsers or interfaces that will allow them to not only send e-mails (with attachments) but also to use a far more varied diet of content beyond the 160 character boundary of SMS: a diet of content that will include audio, pictures and video. An analysis we did for a client last year of SMS content in one major African market showed that there was almost no difference between the different services offered by operators. Indeed many were simply sourced from the same content providers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>The dilemma for mobile operators is do you let your subscribers simply wander away from the rather limited content, black and white offers in your existing walled garden or do you go with them on the journey into the technicolor world of the Internet? As you will have judged from the way the question is put, there is only one answer to it otherwise as an operator, you risk losing the connection and loyalty of your customers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>At the high-end of the handset pyramid, the choices are easy for the customer: there are several smart phone browsers and you take your choice: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows and other lesser variants. But for feature phones and low end phones, there are not many alternatives. So imagine a group of young African sitting in a bar with their phones on the table: 1 of the 5 five can afford a smart phones but the others can’t yet. You need browsers and interfaces that will allow them to keep up with the people who’ve got the smart phones and get that more varied content diet. Of the two examples below, one operates using the Internet and the other using SMS outputs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>Australia’s biNu is a Java-based browser targeted at feature phones set up by <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7448&qid=512331" target="_blank">Gour Lentell</a> who grew up in Zimbabwe. It operates out of the cloud on a highly compressed, thin client. According to Lentell, it offers:”a ten times faster browsing experience than other browser, using a tenth of the bandwidth.” The latter has to be something that operators must be interested in as data volumes continue to grow.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>Only made available in January 2011, it has grown in 12 months to 466,510 biNu users in Africa, out of a total global user base of 1.97 million. The table below shows the relationship between users and usage levels.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><img border=0 width=530 height=790 id="_x0000_i1034" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/589.png"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>These numbers may seem modest but they have been achieved without any marketing and no relationship with operators:”It’s been viral growth.” The app has been available through places like GetJar and the Ovi Store.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>The content currently available includes books (from the Guttenberg Project), dictionaries, news, sport, entertainment, financial news and foreign exchange data and last but not least, the all-important Facebook and Twitter. It has also signed a recent MoU with World Reader. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>biNu is keen to talk to mobile operators and can offer a “white label” version that allows the operator to brand it as their own.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>Mobile XL has been created by a company of the same name run by Guy Kamgaing and creates an interesting route for more low-end phone users to “get a taste of the Internet.” Once the consumer has downloaded the XL Browser, he or she will get immediate access to social media, local and national news, music updates and even access email:”It will allow something of the same experience for the user as the high-end phone and enable them to access relevant content. The billing is clear and it’s available on all devices.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>So for a user with a basic Nokia, Alcatel or Chinese phone, it will allow them to check their Facebook page and read e-mail with the only requirement being a GPRS connection. With or without a connection, you can go into the available applications which are all on a single platform. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>This is a client side app that connects to the cloud:”We have a connection into Facebook’s APIs to get the content. When delivered to the user, it looks like a regular SMS.” Because it puts togther 3-4 SMSs, it enables you to read up to 600 characters of an e-mail.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>Two years ago it did small pilots with Orange Cameroon, Safaricom and MTN Ghana for a year. Then it was approached by Vodafone in India (145 m subscribers and IDEA Cellular (95 m subscribers) and it will launch with both early in 2012:”We have gone from Africa to India, which is the reverse of what usually happens.” It will be launching with all the three African operators above in Q1, 2012. The pilot attracted 100,000 users across all three operators.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>The early adopters used Facebook a lot but there were also interested in sport and local news: “In Cameroon it was possible to offer a local job search. Local content will drive usage.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>In terms of pricing, in India, they were allowed to introduce an unlimited bundle (to mirror the way the Internet is used) for 30 rupees a month (US59 cents a month). Safaricom is going to offer it for KS5 a day (US5.7 cents) or KS30 a month (34.7 cents) a month. In Cameroon, it will be 1,000 CFA a month (US$1.95):”It becomes like the Internet but it’s way cheaper.” The revenue share is 40-50% to Mobike XL depending on the size of the market.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>It’s done deal with Alcatel and Nokia and MiFone looks likely to offer a MyXL handset in 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>These two offer different routes to giving users access to the Internet. In the long run, users will want the technicolor internet rather than the black and white world of SMS. So it’s time for operators to get on the bus before it leaves.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>To follow the exchanges about this news, you need to be on Twitter. Follow us on @BalancingActAfr<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>In terms of content, Wikipedia is one of the most widely used sites in Africa. This week we talk to <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7450&qid=512331" target="_blank">Chief Executive, Wikimedia UK Jon Davies </a>about what it’s doing in Africa, its partnership with Orange and its desire to partner with other mobile operators:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>An Agenda for 2012 – Part 3</span></strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>Don’t think you’re ready for Facebook? Think again.</span></strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><br><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7451&qid=512331" target="_blank">Uchechi Chuta on Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan's use of social media</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>M-Money services embedded into other things people do</span></strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7452&qid=512331" target="_blank"><br>Kamal Budhabbatti, Craft Silicon on its m-money payment product ELMA</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>User created content in Africa</span></strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><br><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7453&qid=512331" target="_blank">Emma Kaye, CEO, Bozza</a> on townships creating their own online content<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>Publicly funded fibre networks for rural users</span></strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7454&qid=512331" target="_blank">Tad Deriso, CEO MBC </a>on being a publicly-funded open access fibre network in rural America<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>Creating a developer community to create apps and services</span></strong><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'><br><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7455&qid=512331" target="_blank"><br>iHub founder Erik Hersman </a>on creating an ICT entrepreneur community in Kenya<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#012264'>In our consultancy work, we have produced a report for the World Bank entitled: Ghana Country Study: A roadmap for the strategic application of information and communication technology. It looks at issues of online content, the need for a critical mass of users and the use of local online content. To download a free copy, click on this <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7456&qid=512331" target="_blank">link:</a> and go to the bottom of the right column and click on the World Bank logo.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td><td width=30 style='width:22.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7457&qid=512331"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=150 height=300 id="_x0000_i1035" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/SV_BALANCING-ACT_0.gif?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="Skyvision Banner"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1036" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&a=20685&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="view counter"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7458&qid=512331"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=150 height=300 id="_x0000_i1037" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/O3B901_M45_balancing_act_V3_120125_1.gif?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt=o3b></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1038" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&a=23968&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="view counter"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/telecoms"><span style='color:#012264'>telecoms</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7421&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>AMOS-5 Communications Satellite Begins Commercial Operations</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Spacecom operator of the AMOS satellite fleet, announced last week that its AMOS-5 satellite is commercially operational. The company<br>announced this, after the satellite successfully completed In Orbit<br>Testing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>AMOS-5’s C-band and Ku-band payload includes high-power 14x72 MHz and<br>4x36 MHz C-band transponders that combined with 18x72 MHz Ku-band<br>transponders enable it to be a prime carrier of African satellite<br>communications traffic in both broadcast and data services in the<br>years to come. AMOS-5’s pan African C-band covers the entire continent<br>while its three Ku-band beams bring connectivity to the continent’s<br>fastest growing regions: Francophone, Central and Southern Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>“AMOS-5’s commercial operations propel Spacecom into a new era,<br>further turning us into a multi-regional satellite operator,” stated<br>Spacecom president and CEO David Pollack. “Africa is an exciting<br>market with growth in broadcast, telecom, mobile and data markets.<br>AMOS-5’s comprehensive and quality solution will not only be an<br>important element enabling Africa’s communications growth but also an<br>important factor in Spacecom’s future.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Prior to launch, Spacecom pre-sold over 50 percent of AMOS-5 capacity<br>to a variety of customers, including broadcasters, telecom providers,<br>communications companies and government agencies.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7426&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Telecom Egypt wants to become a fourth mobile phone operator as MVNO</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Egypt could soon see a fourth mobile phone operator, with Telecom Egypt keen to obtain a licence that would let it lease infrastructure from other providers and offer its own call services. Another operator in Egypt's crowded mobile services market raises the prospect of greater competition and hence better deals for consumers.<br> <br>Landline monopoly Telecom Egypt (TE) sent a release to the stock exchange on Thursday saying it will apply for the 'virtual' licence if the possibility is offered by Egypt's telecoms regulator. A Mobile Virtual Network Operator provides mobile services to customers by hiring network assets and capacity from another operator, meaning it does not have to build its own infrastructure.<br> <br>Egypt currently has three mobile providers: Etisalat Egypt, Vodafone Egypt and Mobinil.<br> <br>The head of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NRTA), Amr Badawi, told Ahram Online that his organisation is considering offering an MVNO licence to Telecom Egypt and the decision "might be taken within a month."<br> <br>A virtual network works independently of the host mobile network and sets its own retail pricing. However, the virtual network has to pay a fee to the host in proportion to usage by its customers.<br> <br>Telecom Egypt (TE) holds a monopoly on Egypt's fixed line market and is also a main shareholder in Vodafone Egypt. Acquiring another mobile phone interest could give TE a preferential position in the market, something Badawi says the NRTA is studying before offering a virtual licence.<br> <br>The idea of ending TE's landline monopoly has been proposed many times. NRTA chief, Amr Badawi, told Ahram Online the idea is "a possibility" but not right now.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Ahram Online</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7420&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Nigerian horticultural project wins Orange’s African Social Venture Prize</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>A Nigerian Horticultural project which puts mobile technology in the hands of horticulturists, farmers and cooperatives for remote crop irrigation, allowing them to improve productivity while preserving water resources emerged winner in the Orange-sponsored African social ventures prize.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The winners were declared in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday.<br>Following the Nigerian project was AgaSha Business Network, which won the second prize.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The Ugandan start-up project uses the Internet to help small and medium African companies grow. Through its online business community, it facilitates interaction among economic players to boost market opportunities for small and medium businesses in Africa and abroad.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Third place went to Kachile, a start-up in Côte d’Ivoire which offers an e-commerce platform to “professionalise” cottage industries, which are well developed in Africa but lack visibility and market access.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>In addition to funding of up to 25,000 euros, Orange will provide support to the three projects for six months from its local subsidiaries and the strategic expertise of its venture capital subsidiary, Innovacom.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The three winners will receive financial assistance along with management and technical support from Orange specialists<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The awards ceremony was held during the AfricaCom Awards, an annual event that recognizes the most memorable innovations and performance of the telecommunications industry on the African continent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Last June, Orange launched the African Social Venture Prize to support entrepreneurs and start-ups who use information and communication technologies (ICT) to meet the needs of African people.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>More than 600 candidates responded to the call for projects, which ran from June to September 2011, a sign of true entrepreneurial vitality on the African continent. Proposed projects spanned a variety of fields, including health, agriculture, education, financial services and e-commerce illustrating the potential of telecommunications in African development.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The panel of judges, consisting of Orange specialists, the media and institutions that promote development, chose three prizewinners from among ten projects nominated, presented on the Orange African portal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The African Social Venture Prize demonstrates the Group’s willingness to contribute to the social and economic development of the countries in which it operates. In addition to supplying infrastructure and basic services, Orange is investing in deploying added-value services in key fields such as health, education, agriculture or financial services, and acts to promote entrepreneurship and innovation on the African continent.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>African Science</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7425&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Ghana’s NCA sets new telecoms interconnection rate regime for period 2012-2014</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) has set a new interconnect termination rate regime among the country’s telecoms operators to replace the old one which was set in 2008 and expired December 31, 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>According to the regulator, the new rate regime which took effect January 1, 2012 was due to consideration of the market conditions and submissions made by the operators.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>In a statement, the Authority made the following determination for implementation by all Operators with effect from January 1, 2012:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>a) That a single 24-hour interconnection rate shall be applicable;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>b) That the interconnect termination rates for voice calls originating from fixed and mobile networks in Ghana shall be charged at 5.00 Gp for the year 2012, and glide to 4.50 Gp and 4 Gp for years 2013 and 2014 respectively;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>c) That the interconnect termination rate for SMS on all mobile networks in Ghana shall be at the cost of 0.7 Gp for the year 2012, and glide to 0.60 Gp and 0.50 Gp for the years 2013 and 2014 respectively;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>d) That the incoming international transit interconnect termination rate for all calls shall be maintained at its current rate in accordance with the Electronic Communications (Amendment) Act, 2009 (Act 786).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>“Furthermore, after further consideration of industry dynamics, the NCA hereby implements asymmetric interconnect termination rate for voice calls as a catalyst to further deepen competition in the market. This asymmetric interconnect termination rate regime applies to new entrants as well as Operators with less than 5% of subscriber market share,” it said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Consequently, asymmetric interconnect termination rate regime has been considered for Glo Mobile and Kasapa Telecom at 4.00Gp for a period of 24 months, the NCA indicated but “notwithstanding the condition, should either of the two Operators attain a subscriber market share of 5% before the expiry of the 24-month stipulated period that Operator shall cease to enjoy this consideration.”<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Ghana Business Daily</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7429&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Hits Telecom eyes Africa expansion</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Kuwaiti group Hits Telecom is in talks with mobile operators in Liberia and Tanzania to share towers and plans to launch nationwide services in both countries this year and also to buy another African operator.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Hits will invest about $100 million in Tanzania and $40 million in Liberia where its network is already operational in major cities, chief executive Par Eriksson told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Eriksson said of the tower-sharing talks: "Liberia is a small number, something like 25 sites, but in Tanzania it will be hundreds of sites".<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Hits has four African mobile licences -- Democratic Republic of Congo where a launch is some way off, Equatorial Guinea where it has major coverage, and Liberia and Tanzania.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"In Equatorial Guinea we are more or less done. By February, we will have 96 or 97 percent coverage of the population," Eriksson said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"(So,) during the last half year, we have ensured we have enough funding to roll out two new operations in Liberia and then Tanzania."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"We have one licence left, DRC, which is a big country. So, this is a little bit late and we will not complete that network until 2013," Eriksson said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Its launch in Tanzania has been delayed by a court case with Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer Huawei , which has a contract to help build a network for Hits in Tanzania.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Reuters</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7424&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Q-kon enhances VSAT network in African market with IDX 3.0 upgrade</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a company of VT Systems, Inc. last week announced that Q-Kon, a tier one satellite network operator in the African market, has upgraded to iDirect’s iDX 3.0 software. Through iDX 3.0, Q-KON is able to integrate TDMA and SCPC connectivity on a single network, offering enterprise service providers an efficient and scalable VSAT solution ideal for the African market. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>With iDX 3.0, Q-KON has improved the affordability and performance of its service platform to help service providers expand into remote areas more cost-effectively. For many service providers, entering rural markets is expensive due to limited bandwidth resources and hardware costs. Q-KON solves this problem by extending the reach of its terrestrial MPLS network to connect VPN, VoIP, and other core enterprise applications from headquarters locations to remote offices across Africa with more efficiency and less risk.<br> <br>Q-KON upgraded to iDX 3.0 because it maximizes the scalability that service providers need to stay competitive in the dynamic African economy. With iDX 3.0’s SCPC Return capability, Q-KON customers can keep operating costs low while preserving the flexibility to switch between TDMA and SCPC based on dynamic bandwidth requirements. Additionally, iDX 3.0’s Group Quality of Service (GQoS) bandwidth allocation algorithm gives Q-KON and its service provider customers a sophisticated level of control over bandwidth management, as well as the flexibility to prioritize traffic based on application, customer type, and location.<br> <br>“To expand to rural markets efficiently, satellite connectivity is a must, which is why we are proud to be one of the first operators to implement an iDX 3.0 hub in South Africa. With iDX 3.0, service providers can lower their bandwidth and hardware costs while significantly improving performance. For enterprise customers, that means expanding in the African market affordably and with less risk,” said Dawie DE WET, CEO, Q-KON<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Company Press Release</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7428&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Nigerian Digital Surge Prompts Visafone to Grow Data Services</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Nigeria’s Visafone Communications is spending “billions of naira” upgrading networks to cope with a surge in digital data transmissions in the West African country, Chief Executive Officer Sailesh Iyer said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The work will be done by Huawei Technologies Co. of China, starting with a $20 million expansion of Visafone’s broadband network in Lagos, the commercial capital, Iyer said in an interview yesterday. “We plan to upgrade the remaining five networks in other areas of the country this year,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The upgrade follows the start in November last year of a central bank project, called Cashless Nigeria, to encourage more non-cash transactions and reduce banking costs in sub-Saharan Africa’s second-biggest economy. From June, individuals will be limited to cash withdrawals of 150,000 naira ($900) a day and companies to 1 million naira.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>A pilot project has been operating in Lagos since January 1 and Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi wants 150,000 point-of- sale terminals to be available this year to process card-based transactions, rising to 375,000 by the end of 2015. The nation’s banking industry will also increase the number of automated teller machines to 75,000 by December 2015, the Central Bank of Nigeria said last year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>“The future of the telecommunications industry is data as against voice,” Iyer said. Visafone also plans to expand its services to 36 of the country’s states from 26 states now and to increase subscribers “to 10 million from 3.5 million within three years, with the cost of expansion running into billions of naira,” he said. Iyer would not say exactly how much the full upgrade would cost.<br>RIM Discussions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Lagos-based Visafone, which pulled out of talks last year to buy Multilinks Communications Ltd., “is engaging Huawei for its broadband expansion to fast-track growth organically,” Iyer said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The company is also in advanced discussions with Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM), to offer data and Internet services to subscribers using the Canadian-based company’s BlackBerry device, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Bloomberg</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7423&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>South African Consumer Commission to Tackle International Roaming Fees</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>South Africa's National Consumer Commissioner Mamodupi Mohlala has revealed that the commission has set its sights on tackling the high cost of international roaming for cellphone users.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Briefing the National Assembly's Trade and Industry Portfolio Committee, Mohlala said the commission would seek the advice of experts around international roaming fees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The commission is currently looking into cellphone and internet service providers that provide pre-paid data but do not allow consumers to carry over unused data to the next month.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The commission had sent a number of service providers a letter warning them that this current practice was in breach of Section 63 of the Consumer Protection Act. Mohlala said operator iBurst had already amended its agreements after it received the letter. She said the commission had already held meetings with MTN, FNB connect and G Connect and would meet with Vodacom and Cell C soon over the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>BuaNews</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7427&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Zambian Government Nationalises Zamtel</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The Zambian government has confirmed expectations and will renationalise the local mobile network, Zamtel, which is 75% owned by Libya's Lap Green Networks. The government has also dissolved the board of directors and appointed its own interim CEO. Zamtel's bank accounts were also frozen last week in an allegedly unrelated investigation into money laundering claims, which the company denies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The previous government sold the 75% stake in Zamtel to Lap Green Networks in 2010 for US$257 million - a figure which the then-opposition claimed was substantially below the book value for the company.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>An inquiry last November commissioned by the new government ruled the transaction illegal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>In a statement, Lap Green Networks said "Over the last few weeks, we have made numerous attempts to find an amicable solution that satisfies all the parties involved and secures the best possible outcome for our employees and subscribers."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"We regret that the Zambian Government has not given us an opportunity to meet and discuss this matter."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Cellular News</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l7 level1 lfo10'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7422&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Mututho beats anonymous callers to their game with law</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Kenyan MP John Mututho better known for his tough stance on alcohol— is proposing a monumental change to the country’s Information and Communications Act to eradicate the mystery behind those who hide their call identity. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The proposed amendment says: “A licensed telecommunications operator shall, upon request by a subscriber or lawful agent, disclose the identity, address, location and other prescribed particulars of any subscriber to its telecommunications service from whose line, a telephone call or other mode of telecommunication has been made to the requesting subscriber.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>This means that if you should want to know exactly who has made an anonymous call to your line, if this amendment is passed, you will simply march to the nearest outlet of your mobile provider and get the caller’s details. Should the mobile operator not give the aggrieved caller this information, they stand to lose up to Sh500,000 in fines or face imprisonment.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Business Daily Africa</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></td><td width=30 style='width:22.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div id=sidebar><div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in;background:#EFEFEF'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;background:#EFEFEF;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'>telecoms Briefs<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo11;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>- South Africa's Vodacom has opened its Innovation Centre, the first ever 6-star Green Star SA rated building in South Africa, at its head office in Midrand.<br>The Centre is a carbon neutral building that will house a team of 12 experts who will look at technological ways to reduce the company's carbon footprint across the globe as well as reduce the cost of rolling out and maintaining cellular networks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt;background:#EFEFEF'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>- An unconfirmed report in the Tanzania Daily News says that the industry regulator, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), will soon implement new rules requiring mobile operators to inform their customers of the roaming rates they are charged for making calls outside of Tanzania’s national borders.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#EFEFEF'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7459&qid=512331"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=145 height=205 id="_x0000_i1039" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/145x205_0.jpg?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="Energy for cellular base stations"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#EFEFEF'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1040" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&a=21142&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="view counter"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/internet"><span style='color:#012264'>Internet</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l18 level1 lfo12'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7432&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation partner to offer Wikipedia in Africa and the Middle East at no extra cost</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>In the first partnership of its kind, Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation will provide more than 70 million Orange customers in Africa and the Middle East (AMEA) with mobile access to Wikipedia - without incurring data usage charges<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation last week announced a major partnership designed to make knowledge more easily available to Orange mobile customers throughout Africa and the Middle East. In the first partnership of its kind for Wikipedia, Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation will provide customers in both remote and urban areas of AMEA with access to Wikipedia.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>In 2009, Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation formed the world’s first mobile and Internet partnership to expand the reach of Wikimedia’s projects through channels on Orange mobile and web portals in Europe. This new partnership will be gradually launched throughout 2012 across 20 African and Middle Eastern countries where Orange operates, with the first markets launching early in the year. The initiative is part of the Wikimedia Foundation's mobile strategy that aims to reach the billions of people around the world who access the Internet solely through mobile devices.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Any customer with an Orange SIM and mobile internet enabled phone will be able to access the Wikipedia site either through their browser or an Orange widget. They can access the Wikipedia encyclopedia services for as many times as they like at no extra charge as long as they stay within Wikipedia’s pages.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"Wikipedia is an important service, a public good -- and so we want people to be able to access it for free, regardless of what device they're using," said Sue Gardner, Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation. "This partnership with Orange will enable millions of people to read Wikipedia, who previously couldn't. We're thrilled to be Orange's partner in this important endeavour."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Press release</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l18 level1 lfo12'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7435&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Benin is disconnected from the Internet for two weeks</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>For nearly two weeks, Benin has been totally cut off from the global village. The Internet circuits does not work. It is therefore impossible to navigate and access any information on the web. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>According to officials of the technical team of Benin Telecom, approached last week, the cause of this failure experienced in Benin for weeks, was the burning of the gearbox. Much of the equipment that allow the spread of Internet communication placed in the international transmission site were destroyed in a fire that occurred two weeks ago. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Around 17:00 PM on the 7th January, the room that houses the SAT3 landing station caught fire. According Benin Telecom, this outage also affects Togo, Niger, and Burkina Faso also linked to the international circuits of Benin.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>According to Benin Telecom, the country does not have at the moment, spare parts to restore the connection. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>“We therefore need time to get these parts”. Finding a temporary solution is therefore essential. And that's one reason why Benin has started days ago negotiations with Nigeria and Ivory Coast in order to connect the to their landing stations.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>However, it seems that things have improved, because since the 14th of January, the connection, albeit slowly, took over and it is reasonable to think that the steps put forward to the satisfaction of end users.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>In almost all the banks in the city of Cotonou, access to the Internet is impossible. The customer cannot be satisfied in any way. It is very difficult for him to send or receive money in his bank account. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>At the agency of Western Union in Godomey district, no more customers because there is simply no access to the Internet. A situation that favors neither the customer nor the staff. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>An officer of this financial institution that has been approached tells us "Since one week, we have no Internet. And that causes us a lot of trouble because without the connection, there is no validation of any transaction”. That same situation prevails at the agency of Ecobank on the campus of the university of Abomey Calavi. Many customers, with desolation on their faces, say "We do not understand how it would be so difficult to recover its own money”. “In what country are we living ?" launches a client. It is obvious that in front of this failure of the Internet, people are helpless. So Benin Telecom is urged to find in the coming days a way to quickly resolve this sad situation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"It's very difficult for us to work under these conditions. Since the Internet is allowing us to achieve a good turnover, " said a manager of cybercafé located in Abomey Calavi. So it must be recognized that this taints also the business world. A lot of cyber know busiest. Internet users have deserted the place, only the typists work. Most people interviewed in some cyber disapprove this malfunction. "Since the Internet is broken, I see my interests fallen. It's as if I was cut off from the world and that nothing goes in my life ", according to a regular Internet user. For Penelope, head of one advertising agency in Cotonou, thanks to the Internet she can communicate with partners and find markets for her company. But since this connection problem arises, she met many difficulties in her business. It is clear that for each other, the disconnection of the Internet cause many annoyances.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l18 level1 lfo12'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7431&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>New Telecom Company in Equatorial Guinea to Improve Wireless and Internet Connectivity</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Equatorial Guinea recently launched a new telecommunications company, GECOMSA (Guinea Ecuatorial Comunicaciones Sociedad Anónima), to better serve the rapidly developing country’s communications needs. This is an effort by the government to overcome the sector’s limitations, which are currently operated by two companies, GETESA and Hits.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>During the launch of GECOMSA, María del Mar Bindang Eneme, GECOMSA Director, stated that the telecommunications company’s main goal is to improve and guarantee mobile telecommunications as well as Internet services for its subscribers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>“GECOMSA is a great addition to Equatorial Guinea’s telecommunications sector as we have experienced some shortcomings,” said President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. “It will expand and improve our communications’ reach and take us to a new level of telecommunications.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>GECOMSA, the third-largest mobile phone and Internet company in Equatorial Guinea, is a joint venture between the government of Equatorial Guinea, which has a 51% stake, and China, with 49%.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Equatorial Guinea News</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l18 level1 lfo12'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7434&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Liquid Telecom acquires Zimbabwean ISP, ZOL</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Liquid, ZOL Zimbabwe Online (ZOL) has been acquired by the Liquid Telecommunications Group. ZOL is now officially part of the Liquid Telecom Group. From the information so far, ZOL will remain an independent company in terms of branding and operations.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>ZOL is one of Zimbabwe’s biggest ISPs offering fibre, VSAT and wireless internet services around Zimbabwe.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Liquid Telecom, a subsidiary of the Econet Wireless Group, is a major fibre player in Southern Africa and currently working on one of the longest fibre networks in the region spanning Lesotho, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the DRC. Liquid Telecom also operates satellite internet facilities in the United Kingdom, Botswana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Somalia, Burundi, Niger and Kenya. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>With the new acquisition, Liquid’s Zimbabwe operations will become Zimbabwe’s biggest largest Internet company in terms of infrastructure, volume of traffic and customer base.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>So far it looks like ZOL will become the new Ecoweb for the Zimbabwe operations of the Econet family. Ecoweb, an Econet ISP subsidiary, has mostly been invisible over the past year or so as most of its services are now offered through the Econet Broadband division that was launched in October 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Techzim</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l18 level1 lfo12'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7437&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Kenyans second top tweeters in Africa</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>A new report places Kenyans as the second top users of Twitter in Africa, surpassing countries in the Maghreb that had used the facility to stage political revolt. Kenyans, ranked behind South Africans, tweet more than giants Nigerians, Egyptians and Moroccans despite having a smaller population.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The report titled How Africa Tweets says 60 per cent of those who tweet are aged between 20 and 29 years. The study that was conducted by Portland’s Communications adds that 57 per cent of these tweets are from mobile devices and are driving the growth of social media in Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>However, it emerged that African leaders are still lagging behind in the use of social media. “One of the more surprising findings of this research is that more public figures have not joined Africa’s burgeoning Twittersphere.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>“With some notable exceptions, we found that business and political leaders were largely absent from the debates playing out on Twitter across the continent,'' said Mark Flanagan, Portland’s Partner for Digital Communications<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>“As Twitter lifts off in Africa, governments, businesses and development agencies can really no longer afford to stay out of a new space where dialogue will increasingly be taking place, ” he added.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>How Africa Tweets found that Twitter is helping to form new links within Africa.<br>Majority of those interviewed said that at least half of the Twitter accounts they follow are based within the continent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Several Kenyan political leaders have set up social media accounts to woo voters in preparation for the 2012 General Election. Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka have several Twitter and Facebook accounts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Deputy PM and Minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta's aides often release statements on social media while Gichugu MP Martha Karua is also very active.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>The Daily Nation</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l18 level1 lfo12'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7433&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Alvarion to Provide Wi-Fi to Telecel in Burkina Faso</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Alvarion has announced that its Wavion subsidiary is supplying base stations for a Wi-Fi service in Burkina Faso on behalf of the local mobile network operator, Telecel.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The network covers Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso, using Wavion base stations for coverage in major metro areas. Additional services are planned in the near future and include location based applications, and cellular data offloading with automatic SIM authentication.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Network expansions for early 2012 are currently in the planning stages for additional cities in Burkina Faso, including Bobo-Dioulasso and Koudougou, allowing the service to reach a population of over 2 million people in approximately 400 square kilometers of the three main cities in Burkina Faso.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"We are very pleased with our choice. Though the network covers challenging outdoor areas with heavy interference, it provides high quality and very stable service." said Dimitri Ouédraogo, the CEO of Telecel.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Cellular News</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l18 level1 lfo12'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7436&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Vodacom connecting South African libraries</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Vodacom has announced the successful implementation of Phase 1 of a libraries project for internet connectivity across three provinces - North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. 50 sites are up and running. When completed, almost 300 community libraries will be connected using VSAT and Vodacom ADSL services.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The National Department of Arts and Culture’s multi-million Rand project is managed and driven by the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) and is being successfully implemented due to tight co-operation and communication between the service provider and Provincial Libraries.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"This project started when we were implementing the SITA/ NLSA open source Library Information Management System (LIMS), says Lesiba Ledwaba, CIO of the National Library of South Africa and head of the project. "There's a need for all our libraries countrywide to communicate with each other and have access to one another's collections. Before the roll-out of LIMS, it was noted that there were many libraries without connectivity, so connectivity for LIMS became a priority.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"The next logical step was to extend internet connectivity services to local communities. With so many schools, especially those in rural areas, without libraries or connectivity of their own, it became clear we could really start to make a difference in the education and life-style of these rural communities. We started with the rural areas first, and have also ensured all libraries have ‘reasonable' internet capacity, says Ledwaba.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"We partnered with Meso ICT Solutions to implement the project across the first three provinces," says Chris Lazarus, Managing Executive Vodacom Business Services.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>With an average of 14 workstations per library and with free access for citizens, the resources provided by this project are invaluable. The project meets the stated national objective to enable all levels of South African society to gain access to knowledge and information that will improve their socio-economic condition. Libraries are already seeing use extending to users searching for jobs, learners researching school projects, and SMEs utilising the many tools available to them on the internet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Thibedi Mogoba, CEO of Meso Group, says: "A 1 Mb pipe was implemented for each library, and we have measured optimal use at almost all sites since switch on.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Lazarus concludes: "Connectivity is so much more than access to the internet - it provides every citizen with information, knowledge and resources that can literally change their lives. The fact that they can now access the wealth of information available globally, for free, brings the outside world that much closer to their everyday lives. This project is a milestone in our education and social services sectors and brings information to the remotest rural communities."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>BizTech</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></td><td width=30 style='width:22.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div id=sidebar><div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in;background:#EFEFEF'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;background:#EFEFEF;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'>internet Briefs<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l17 level1 lfo13;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l17 level1 lfo13;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l17 level1 lfo13;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l17 level1 lfo13;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l17 level1 lfo13;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l17 level1 lfo13;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l17 level1 lfo13;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l17 level1 lfo13;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>- Tanzania's Sasatel has deployed a combination of Radwin Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multipoint links to deliver broadband to its corporate clients. Balton Tanzania, Radwin's certified partner was in charge of project implementation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt;background:#EFEFEF'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>- Internet Solutions is reportedly investigating the option of moving into Asia, with the help of its parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT).<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#EFEFEF'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7460&qid=512331"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=145 height=205 id="_x0000_i1041" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/Mobile%20Internet%20in%20Africa%20-%20Report%20Jan%202011_0.JPG?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="Mobile Internet Usage"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#EFEFEF'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1042" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&a=20998&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="view counter"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/computing"><span style='color:#012264'>computing</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l11 level1 lfo14'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7439&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Ghana to commence implementation of Open Data Initiative</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The Ghana government in collaboration with World Wide Web Foundation (WWWF), an NGO, is to commence the implementation of the Ghana Open Data Initiative to make government data available to citizens for re-use.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The initiative if implemented will make government more transparent, improve efficiency and spark off innovation from the demand side for applications to be developed to better serve the citizenry.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>William Tevie, Director General of the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), announced this at a stakeholders meeting to sign a memorandum of Understanding between Government of Ghana and WWWF in Accra on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>He said in September 2010, Ghana made a commitment to join the open Government partnership, an initiative of the United State Government.<br>“This was a commitment by the Government of Ghana to work towards an open Government data initiative, which will make Government data available to the citizens for re-use,” he added.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Tevie explained that providing Government data without developing an open data community that works towards making it meaningful and re-usable by the citizenry would not serve the interest of the state. He noted that over the years the agency has been rolling out the e-government infrastructure and facilitating the roll-out of e-government application.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The aim of the project in rolling out the network is to ensure efficiency within government and improved services for citizens and business. Jose Alonso, Data Programme Manager, WWWF, said they were in the country to share their experience and expertise and to support government in the implementation process.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>He noted that the initiative would increase transparency of governments; boost number of services to people, new business opportunities and jobs for application and service developers, new synergies between government, public administration, and civil society organizations.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>“It will also increase citizen participation and inclusion through extended offers of services closer to them and new, innovative uses of data in a ways that owners of data would never have thought of,” he added. He observed that for data to be useful, it should be complete, primary, timeliness, ease of physical and electronic access and machine readability.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Ghana Business News</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l11 level1 lfo14'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7440&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Microsoft Partners with British Council to Promote Digital Schools in Africa</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Microsoft is to partner the British Council in a programme aimed at rolling out a comprehensive Africa Digital Schools Project covering six countries in Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Dubbed “Badiliko,” a Swahili word for change, the project will transform learning in African schools and ensure both teachers and students reap from a windfall associated with digital literacy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Both Microsoft and the British Council have each contributed $ 1million alongside technical expertise to accelerate the implementation of this innovative project that seeks to embed ICT in learning.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Officials stressed that the Africa Digital Schools Project will enrich e-learning while improving ICT skills among teachers and students to boost their competitiveness in a global village.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The $ 2 million seed money availed by both Microsoft and British Council will be spent on establishment of eighty digital hubs across the six sub-Saharan countries.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Over 20,000 school leaders and teachers will be trained on basic ICT skills and how to apply them in the curriculum.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>It is hoped that 100,000 learners will be availed with digital tools which they will utilize to boost academic work and social skills that benefit the wider community.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The Africa Digital Schools project borrows heavily from previous pilot programs funded by both Microsoft and British Council to promote e-learning in African schools.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>African Science News</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l11 level1 lfo14'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7438&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Rwanda among first for OLPC X0 3.0</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Rwanda and Uruguay will be among the first countries to get the latest One Laptop Per Child device. One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is a project taking rugged, affordable laptops to children in developing nations. Its latest device, the OLPC XO 3.0, is more advanced and delivers a range of charging options for regions with erratic power supplies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The device can be solar powered or charged by a hand crank, or even a bicycle.<br>The XO tablet can run Android or its own Sugar OS on a 1024x768 PixelQi display for both indoor and outdoor reading, or a 1024x768 LCD.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>It has 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, as well as a USB port, microUSB port and audio in and out ports.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Marvell, a leader in integrated silicon solutions, has partnered with OLPC in bringing the newest device to market.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Unveiling the device at CES in Las Vegas this month, Marvell and OLPC announced that the XO 1.75 laptop would begin shipping in February, with initial orders benefiting education programs in Rwanda and Uruguay.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Biztech Africa</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></td><td width=30 style='width:22.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div id=sidebar><div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in;background:#EFEFEF'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;background:#EFEFEF;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'>computing Briefs<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo15;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo15;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo15;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo15;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>- The ITU has launched a new web portal focused on helping girls and women access training, job opportunities and career information in the fast-growing information and communication (ICT) sector. The portal, <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7461&qid=512331" title=www.girlsinict.org>www.girlsinict.org</a>, is designed to help girls and young women aged 11-25 prepare for and pursue a technology career.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#EFEFEF'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7462&qid=512331"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=145 height=203 id="_x0000_i1043" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/system/files/DC%20report%20cover%20picture_0.JPG?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="Data Centre in Africa"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#EFEFEF'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1044" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&a=20997&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20English" alt="view counter"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-english-classification/money"><span style='color:#012264'>money</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo16'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7441&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Zain Sudan sees new taxes hitting 2012 earnings</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Zain's Sudan unit expects new taxes to slice into its earnings this year despite the anticipated addition of between 2 to 3 million mobile phone subscribers in the oil-producing African country, a senior executive said on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The nation of about 32 million people is facing a foreign currency shortage and soaring inflation, worsened by the loss of about three-quarters of the country's oil output when South Sudan seceded over the summer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>As a result, mobile users have been tightening their budgets, giving firms little room to pass on higher costs to customers, Zain Sudan's Chief Operation Officer Ibrahim Ahmed Elhassan told Reuters in an interview.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"The resources are limited for the users, so what he (the customer) was paying in the past, he's going to pay this year. He doesn't care whether it's paid to the tax or paid to the company," Elhassan said, speaking after an event celebrating Zain Sudan's 15th year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Sudan has raised sales and services taxes for telecoms firms to 30 percent from 20 percent and a profit tax to 30 percent from 15 percent in a push to make up for diminished oil revenues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Zain would have a hard time hiking prices enough to make up for that, Elhassan said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"We can't raise the prices for the consumer because ... we have to give competitive prices, and then because the pricing sensitivity is not that flexible. People are very sensitive to any increase of prices."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>A holiday on the 30 percent corporate profit tax also expired for Zain Sudan last year, Elhassan said. "The profit will drop by 30 percent, definitely," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The company was looking at ways to "optimise costs" like more specifically targeting its advertising, he added.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Zain competes with South Africa's MTN and the local Sudani brand in Sudan's mobile phone market, which has enjoyed a boom in recent years despite years of conflict and U.S. trade sanctions that have dampened investment in other sectors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The unit pulls in about $1 billion a year in revenues, Elhassan said. Zain Sudan will continue to add subscribers in 2012, despite the fact that the mobile market is starting to become saturated in the bigger cities, Elhassan said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"Now we have achieved 13 million subscribers," he said. "We expect 15 million, between 15 and 16 (by the end of 2012)."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The unit has also faced other challenges operating in Sudan, like difficulty repatriating its profits, Elhassan said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>"We are working on these difficulties, but still, for example, we did not transfer our profit to Kuwait going back four years," he said. "That's why we reinvest the profit here in Sudan."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Zain Sudan's chief executive said in November the company would spend $280 million improving its infrastructure in 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The company has also finished splitting off its operations in South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in July under a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Source: <span class=field-content>Reuters Africa</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></td><td width=30 style='width:22.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div id=sidebar><div><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in;background:#EFEFEF'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;background:#EFEFEF;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'>money Briefs<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l13 level1 lfo17;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l13 level1 lfo17;background:#EFEFEF'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>- Old Mutual and T-Systems in South Africa have agreed to an IT infrastructure management deal valued at R2.58bn, extending the existing relationship between the two partners until 2019. The new agreement represents an industry leading outsourcing approach, and is one of the largest IT infrastructure deals of this nature in the insurance industry in South Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-english-classification/telecoms-rates-offers-and-coverage"><span style='color:#012264'>Telecoms, Rates, Offers & Coverage</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo18'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7442&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Telecoms Rates, Offers And Coverage</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>- Matrix Cellular, an international telecommunication provider in India, has announced the launch of a new SIM card for customers in the Middle East and North Africa. The new SIM card will allow Matrix customers to receive free incoming calls and a post-paid connection regionally. The service is available in Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Chad, Niger and Saudi Arabia. The company has also offered the service without any activation, deactivation or delivery charges.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>- Fixed line incumbent Telecom Egypt (TE) as launched its first IPTV services via its ISP subsidiary TE Data, reports C21Media. The TE-VU services provides streaming and video-on-demand content to TE Data’s ADSL subscribers.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td><td width=30 style='width:22.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/web-and-mobile-conte"><span style='color:#012264'>Web and Mobile, Content and Services</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l10 level1 lfo19'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7443&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>African publishers lag in shift to electronic books</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Electronic readers are transforming the way people enjoy their books. However, there is very little African published content on the online stores. For a reader looking for a Kenyan book or literature published in Africa, one has to get the ink-and-paper version as few publishers have moved online.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>A search for Kenyan published books on Amazon bares very few results. David Karanja, a Kenyan author published by Readwide Media, said he decided to try Amazon to reach a wider audience with his book. In October 2011, he made his book Barrack Obama: The Burden of his Kenyan Roots available on Amazon and Kindle so that it can be bought from the website.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>He says so far, about 2,000 books are being sold through the website. “I need to advertise to sell more and I have plans to, soon,” he said. This is the second book he is distributing through Amazon with the first having been made available in February 2011. He is already looking at distributing children’s books through the website adding that “so far the online sales have been good in comparison to shelves.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>A recent partnership between Longhorn Publishers and World Reader is expected to increase local content available on Kindle.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The Kenyan publishing firm, which provides pupils with e-readers in a bid to promote a reading culture, will distribute 60 Kindles to five schools in the Rift Valley. The partnership, for seven years, will see students enjoy reading material from the e-readers. Longhorn provides content to World Reader which then provides the platform and the Kindle readers and also secures space for it through Amazon, the online book retailer, under the partnership.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The content is converted into a suitable format for Amazon and is downloadable into a Kindle reader. World Reader has teamed up with Amazon, which provides it with discounted pricing for the Kindle 3G and delivery support for the e-books.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Digital Divide Data, an American-based company with an office in Kenya, has been working with local publishers to convert their material to e-format.<br>Last month, the company launched a distribution arm that will see it supply converted books to online bookstores such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Peter Mugo, Digital Divide Data’s sales executive in Kenya, says they help publishers convert their books to the desired format and with the new arm of the business can help distribution with companies such as Amazon and Kobo.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>The cost of converting a book depends on the kind of book it is, if it has graphics among other things, says Mugo. For a moderate narrative price it costs about $0.35 (Sh30) per page, one with graphics can cost $0.65 (Sh56). However, the demand for e-books in Kenya is still seen as minimal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Karanja says few Kenyans are currently shopping online for their books mainly due to a culture of not using credit cards. He is, however, confident that with Internet penetration, more Kenyans will start purchasing books online.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l10 level1 lfo19'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7444&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Mobile phones to monitor Malawi water</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Malawi has started new water-monitoring technology using mobile phones, which has been pioneered by an international NGO based in Blantyre called Water for People. The new form of monitoring technology is called Field Level Operation Watch (FLOW).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>FLOW utilises cutting edge technology including Android cell phone technology and Google Earth software, to collect and share information about water supply points.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Water for People’s Malawi’s Country Director Kate Harawa said the new technology provides anyone on the internet with access to crucial data for projects supported by her institution or other organisations.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td><td width=30 style='width:22.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid #FF3334 2.25pt;border-left:none;border-bottom:dotted #FF3334 1.5pt;border-right:none;padding:2.0pt 0in 4.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:15.6pt;border:none;padding:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#FF3334;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="/category/news-classification/more"><span style='color:#012264'>More news</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l12 level1 lfo20'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7445&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>Events</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>AITEC Banking & Mobile Money COMESA</span></strong><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br><strong>7-8 March 2012, Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi</strong></span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br>Now in its sixth year, this has become the leading educational, networking and marketing event for Eastern and Southern Africa's financial services sector. In addition to the conference's established intensive education programme covering core banking, mobile money and microfinance topics (over 100 speakers in 2011). For the conference programme log on to the organiser's website <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7463&qid=512331" target="_blank">here:</a> To book exhibition space, email <a href="mailto:info@aitecafrica.com">info@aitecafrica.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>New Media Gathering Africa!</span></strong><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br><strong>7 - 8 March, 2012, Lagos Nigeria</strong></span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br>Leading media content and communication company Red Media Group (RMG) and<br>frontline ICT consulting firm, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) have<br>announced the first edition of the annual New Media Gathering Africa. The<br>event will be held in Lagos and will present to<br>corporate, governments, change organisations and small businesses<br>practical, outcome-oriented tools to enhance capacity and enrich bottom<br>line. Information about registration for the conference is available on the <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7464&qid=512331" target="_blank">website</a>.<br>For immediate enquiries and sponsorship consideration, please contact the Conference<br>Lead on <a href="mailto:info@newmediagathering.com">info@newmediagathering.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>InsureAFRICA</span></strong><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br><strong>7-8 March 2012, Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi</strong></span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br>Insurers seeking effective performance in service delivery, cost reduction and profit levels need to embrace technology, viewing it not as a support function but as a key enabler of competitive advantage at all levels of operation. InsureAFRICA is the first specialised conference for the African insurance and pensions industry to evaluate the systems and innovative channels needed to compete and thrive in a rapidly expanding industry. With the theme "Effective management strategies and systems for a new era of expansion and inclusion", the conference will be the continent's first forum to gather knowledge and experience for a rapidly growing industry. For the Call for Papers, log on to the organiser's website <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7465&qid=512331" target="_blank">here:</a> To book exhibition space, email <a href="mailto:info@aitecafrica.com">info@aitecafrica.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Mobile VAS Africa 2012</span></strong><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br><strong>14 - 15 May 2012, Johannesburg, South Africa</strong></span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br>Mobile VAS Africa 2012 will bring together industry experts and representatives from leading financial institutions, mobile operators and solutions providers to provide a strategic insight into mobile VAS while exploring collaborative business models, innovative applications, technologies and straegies. For more information visit <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7466&qid=512331" target="_blank">here:</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><strong><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Roaming & Interconnect</span></strong><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br><strong>16 - 17 May 2012, Johannesburg, South Africa</strong></span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><br>RIC Africa 2012 will uncover new strategies to boost roaming traffic and retain existing roamers. During the conference we will look at the innovative roaming solutions and pricing, supplementing roaming with alternative revenue streams, the latest EU regulations and their impact on operations in Africa, as well as the importance of hubbing and convergence. For more information please visit <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7467&qid=512331" target="_blank">here:</a> <br><b><br><strong>AITEC Banking & Mobile Money West Africa</strong><br><strong>6 June 2012, Accra International Conference Centre</strong></b><br>Now in its fifth year, the conference will cover a wide range of strategic and technology topics to empower West Africa's banking, microfinance and insurance professionals with the knowledge they need to lead their organisation effectively through the turbulent market and regulatory conditions they face. For the conference programme log on to the organiser's website <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7468&qid=512331" target="_blank">here:</a> To book exhibition space, email <a href="mailto:info@aitecafrica.com">info@aitecafrica.com</a><br>Contracts<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div style='margin-bottom:11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:-15.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l12 level1 lfo20'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#012264'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span class=field-content><b><span style='color:#012264'><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7446&qid=512331"><span style='color:#012264'>People</span></a> </span></b></span><b><span style='color:#012264'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Telkom Mobile has embarked on a recruitment process to appoint a Managing Director that will be an Executive Committee member of the Telkom Group. Until such an appointment has been made, the Telkom Mobile executive team will report to the Chief Financial Officer, Jacques Schindehütte.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:-15.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Amith Maharaj will continue to head up Telkom Mobile Operations. His position has been upgraded to that of Senior Managing Executive (SME).<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td><td width=30 style='width:22.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='border:none;border-top:solid red 1.0pt;background:white;padding:15.0pt 15.0pt 15.0pt 15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in'><strong><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>TO CONTACT US:</span></strong><span style='font-size:7.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>If anything you have read in this newsletter is "off the mark" or you have factual amendments, mail them to us and we will include them in subsequent issues. If you'd like to contribute, write and let us know. If you need information about a particular place or issue, just send your questions in. We are always happy to follow up on readers concerns. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>Balancing Act, 54 Walnut Tree Walk, London SE11 6DN<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>Tel/fax: + 44 207 582 5220 Cell: + 44 7973 561987<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>E-mail: editorial@balancingact-africa.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES: To see a copy of our rates card for 2011, e-mail a request to advertising@balancingact-africa.com. Don't get left behind. Be seen and known through advertising in our e-letter and on our web-site. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE: If you want to subscribe to News Update, either in English or French, please click <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=7469&qid=512331">here.</a> If you want to unsubscribe from the English or French edition of the telecoms newsletter please follow the link at the bottom of this email.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:7.0pt'>DISCLAIMER: All material printed in Balancing Act's News Update e-letter is subject to copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the express permission of the publisher.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=740 style='width:555.0pt;background:#FF3334;padding:3.75pt 11.25pt 5.25pt 11.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>© Copyright 2011 Balancing Act | Tel: +44 (0)207 582 5220 | <a href="mailto:info@balancingact-africa.com"><span style='color:white'>info@balancingact-africa.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/index.php?q=civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe&reset=1&jid=1054&qid=512331&h=9314b0da3abd70c9">Unsubscribe</a> <a href="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/index.php?q=civicrm/mailing/optout&reset=1&jid=1054&qid=512331&h=9314b0da3abd70c9">Opt out of future mailings</a> <br><img border=0 width=1 height=1 id="_x0000_i1045" src="http://www.balancingact-africa.com/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/open.php?q=512331"><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>