Category: Telecommunications
With Chinese Loans Coming Due, Ethiopia Moves Forward With Ethio Telecom Privatization Plan
The Ethiopian government is moving forward with plans to sell off a 45% stake of the state-owned Ethio Telecom along with two more telecom licenses even though this may not be the best time to do that given the weak economy and the escalating conflict in the ...
China Dominates Almost Every Layer of East Africa’s Mobile Technology Sector
Chinese technology permeates nearly every level of the East African mobile technology stack with the notable exception of operating systems that are still dominated by Google and Apple, according to a post by Kenya-based technology analyst Michael Kimani. While Kimani focused his analysis on ...
Transsion’s Transgressions in Africa
Transsion has long been the pride of China's private sector engagement in Africa. It's conquered the African mobile phone market by providing affordable devices that include a number of fantastic features customized specifically for local consumers. Its suite of brands including Tecno, ...
Tecno Dismisses Malware Allegations, Saying It’s Old News
The Chinese-owned African mobile phone giant Tecno is rebutting new accusations that its W2 phones came pre-installed with malware. In a statement sent to the Nigerian tech news website Silicon Nigeria on Tuesday, Tecno claimed that the Triada malware was first discovered in April 2018 ...
One of Africa’s Largest Telecom Operators Sends Clear Message to the U.S. About Huawei: We’re Going to Use Them for 5G, Now Leave Us Alone
Michael Joseph, the acting CEO of Kenya's Safaricom, one of Africa's largest mobile operators, really could not have been more clear about his company decision as to whether or not it plans to use Huawei equipment in their upcoming 5G rollout. He confirmed that the company will ...
New Data Confirms China’s Transsion Holdings’ Near-Total Dominance of the African Phone Market
International Data Corporation released third-quarter African mobile phone market data that revealed near-total dominance by Shenzhen-based Transsion Holdings in both the smartphone and feature phone markets. Overall, African mobile phone growth remained solid with smartphone shipments up 4% in the last quarter and the total overall market-topping ...
The African Mobile Market Attracts a New Chinese Device Maker
Vivo is the latest Chinese phone maker to set it sights on the growing demand for mid-range devices. Although little known outside of China, Vivo is actually the world's sixth-largest mobile phone company and well-positioned to challenge other Chinese rivals in the African market, namely Transsion Holdings ...
Video Worth Watching: What Happens When China Builds Your Country’s Internet?
Throughout Africa, countries are being connected to the digital economy for the first time, making the internet accessible where it once was not. In Zambia, communication, banking, and public services are all going digital. As in many African nations, this is ...
Video Worth Watching: Meet 26-Year Old Tecno Manager Chen Kai
Chinese propaganda videos produced by CGTN or its parent network CCTV are usually not very noteworthy, but from time to time they do produce something that is absolutely fascinating and definitely worth watching. Because they're CCTV they get access to the Chinese community in Africa that no ...
Despite Rwanda-based Mara Phone’s Claims That Its New Device is “100% African,” Critics Raise a Few Doubts
Last week's launch of the new Mara Phones was widely celebrated across the continent as the company touted them to be Africa's first 'entirely home-made' smartphones. "The ...