This week saw BMI-Techknowledge organise an event called Digital Cities in Johannesburg to look at the potential for municipal networks. Several South African municipalities are interested in installing metropolitan area networks, most notably Tshwane and Johannesburg. Tshwane last week announced three proof of concept projects with Storm.

The people of Sierra Leone are expected to soon join the most recent and fastest Internet service that has promised to link the entire country and the world at a high speed and affordable cost.

In an effort to help Ghana "leap-frog" into the information society proper, Global Access Services Limited in collaboration with Netafrique Dot Com, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) have introduced an Internet prepaid card into the Ghanaian market. Called Access 1513 Internet prepaid card, the card can be used by anyone who has access to a computer with a dial up modem and a Ghana Telecom (GT) ...

A company that spends as much as 45 per cent of its income on salaries can hardly be regarded as a "smart company".

The co-ordinator of Angola"s National Commission for Information Technologies, Pedro Teta, Friday in Luanda highlighted the importance of the implementation of the Government"s Steering Plan, saying its will help reduce the digital gap between the country and developed nations.

THE positive outlook for foreign direct investment (FDI) over the next five years in SA had been reinforced by the announcement that Vodafone is considering increasing its stake in cellphone operator Vodacom from 35% to 50% at the cost of about R16bn, JPMorgan economist Marisa Fassler said on Friday.

Re-selling of services is a money spinner for telecommunication firms.

The National Telecommunications Workers Union of Liberia (NATEWUL) on Friday, November 4, 2005 filed a writ of mandamus to the Supreme Court of Liberia against the chairman and members of the Board of Directors of the LTC.

A DSTV set with six months subscription, a direct cooling and anti-rust system refrigerator and a return air ticket to Banjul, The Gambia were among 100 raffle prizes won by Celtel subscribers last Saturday in their fourth draw held at the National Stadium car park.

Unionists fear that a restructuring plan by Transnet will see 25 000 workers lose their jobs.

As students of the three newly established Gateway Polytechnic and the Gateway ICT institute,p repare to resume on Monday for a new academic session, Ogun State Government has delivered 70 computer systems for two of the institutions in the state.

PROMINENT businessman and insurer Phillip Mutasa has inaugurated a new Internet portal christened Extreme Net that will offer low cost high speed dial up, as Zimbabwe"s fast expanding telecommunications industry gains momentum.

MEDIA investor Makana Investments, which has interests in radio stations Kaya FM and P4 Cape Town/Durban, said it would be unfair if Primedia was allowed an FM licence for 702, as this would mean the group attaining the frequency through "the back-door".

IT WILL be a relatively quiet week on the local front, with only secondary data due for release. The local markets are still digesting last week"s announcement that Vodafone intends to increase its stake in local group Vodacom 15%, and the implications of that for the economy.

IN the second-largest foreign direct investment in post-apartheid SA, British-based cellular group Vodafone has made an offer to buy Venfin"s 15% stake in Vodacom for R15,6bn to boost its holding in the company to 50%.

BRITISH cellular group Vodafone"s offer to Venfin shareholders in its rush to get a greater exposure to Vodacom has left a huge question mark over prospects for the group"s remaining investments.

THE JSE rallied to a record level yesterday on news that UK-based Vodafone Group is seeking to buy VenFin"s 15% stake in Vodacom for R16bn, taking its stake in the South African cellphone company to 50%.

A Libyan court has sentenced an Internet journalist to one-and-a-half years in prison after he published articles critical of the government, Human Rights Watch said today. The sentence is an apparent attempt by the government to silence free speech and dissenting views.