Welcome to Connect-World, the information and communication technology (ICT) decision makers'´ magazine. We are the decision makers' forum for ICT driven development.
home magazine Global Africa & Middle East Asia-Pacific EMEA Europe India Latin America North America publishing calendar subscribe media media pack Global-ICT Africa & Middle East Asia-Pacific EMEA Europe India Latin America North America glossary specifications download articles recent articles free articles eLetter archived eLetter events ICT news press releases extras videos blog RSS podcasts widgets white papers about contact us about us our team faq privacy terms & conditions careers links sitemap

Connect-World Africa and the Middle East I 2003     Magazine introduction Connect-World series of magazines is the leading magazine in the telecom and ICT industry that brings together the leading industry players, regulators, associations and governments, to discuss how technological integration and digital inclusion helps reduce the gap the leading industry players, regulators, associations and governments, to discuss how technological integration and digital inclusion helps reduce the gap between the developed and developing world.     Theme: Access through broadband: A new initiative for small and medium businesses Articles Contributors Feature articles     Article no.: 1 Topic: Mainstreaming SMMEs: Technology as a Tool for Community Development Author: Mandla Langa Title: Chairperson Organisation: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa PDF size: 92KB   About author: Mandla Langa, Chairperson, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), was born in Durban, 1950, and grew up in KwaMashu township. He studied for a BA at the University of Fort Hare. Following activism in the black consciousness movement and subsequent arrest in 1976, he went into exile in Botswana. He has lived in Botswana, Lesotho, Maputo, Angola, where he did MK military training, Zambia, Budapest and London. In 1980 he won the Drum story contest for 'The Dead Men Who Lost Their Bones' and in 1991 he was awarded the Arts Council of Great Britain Bursary for creative writing, the first for a South African. He held various ANC posts abroad, such as Cultural Representative in the UK and Western Europe. Langa was a weekly columnist of the Sunday Independent and was the convenor of the Task Group on Government Communications, which was set up by Thabo Mbeki, which resulted in the Government Information and Communication Systems. Three of his works have been published: Tenderness of Blood (Zimbabwe Publishing House, 1987), A Rainbow on a Paper Sky (Kliptown Books, London, 1989), The Naked Song and Other Stories (David Philip Publishers (DPP), Cape Town, 1997). The Memory of Stones, (DPP) is his latest novel. His musical opera, Milestones featured at the Standard Bank Festival in Grahamstown in June 1999. He has been the editor-at-large of Leadership Magazine and the Programme Director for television at the SABC. Langa was appointed by the President, as the first Chairperson of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). Mandla Langa sits on the boards of the Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), the Foundation for Global Dialogue (FGD), Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ) and the Rhodes University School for Economic Journalism. He is a trustee of the Nation’s Trust and the South African Screenwriters' Laboratory (SCRAWL) and serves as the director to Contemporary African Music and Arts (CAMA).   Article abstract: South Africa is developing licensing models to encourage the participation of Small, Micro and Medium enterprises (SMMEs) and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Groups in the telecommunications sector. The models, a departure from traditional ways of encouraging telecoms investment and growth, bring real challenges. To stimulate community development, historically marginalised parts of society are being encouraged to participate in the telecoms sector. Regulatory processes are being used to encourage SMMEs to bid for licences to operate telecoms services in under-served regions.   Read the article     Article no.: 2 Topic: Digital Inclusion for Small Business – Building a Country from the Bottom Up Author: Patrick Masambu Title: Chief Executive Organisation: Uganda Communications Commission PDF size: 64KB   About author: Mr Patrick Masambu is the Chief Executive of the Uganda Communications Commission, the regulatory authority for communications in Uganda. Prior to his current appointment in January 2000, Mr Masambu worked for two years as Managing Director of Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL), the major fixed telecommunications services provider in Uganda. His other responsibilities have included Board Member, Regional African Satellite Organisation (RASCOM) and Chairman of CCCA, Commonwealth Telecommunications Council. He is currently a Member of the Board, Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, Chairman of National Advisory ACACIA Committee for Uganda and was elected Vice Chairman, ITU Special Study Group, IMT-2000 and Beyond in October 2000. Mr Masambu holds a BSc(Hons)(Engineering) degree and an MBA.   Article abstract: Uganda has taken a novel approach to the dissemination and universalisation of telecommunications services. In areas where the general population has little access to telecommunications services, such access is provided by small and medium-sized businesses. A special fund administered by the Uganda Communications Commission provides subsidies to small service providers such as Internet cafés and even to individuals that provide pay-phone service. Similarly, the government has also stimulated local SMEs to provide ICT training and to develop local content.   Read the article     Article no.: 3 Topic: ICTs and African Communities in Uganda and Senegal: Meeting their Expectations? Author: Laurent Elder Title: Team Leader, International Development Research Centre Organisation: Acacia Programme Connections PDF size: 76KB   About author: Laurent Elder is the Acting Team Leader of the International Development Research Centre's Acacia programme initiative. The Acacia programme is a Pan-African research programme, which supports research that demonstrates how ICTs can benefit African communities. Laurent has been working in IDRC's regional office for West and Central Africa in Dakar and Senegal for over three years. Prior to this, he was based in IDRC's headquarters in Ottawa, Canada. His academic background is in the social sciences (MA History) and management (MBA).   Article abstract: Have African Communities benefited from ICTs? Currently, there is little hard data and no simple answer. The IDRC’s Acacia programme is working to document African expectations and the perceived results when ICTs are introduced. Generally, communities expected ICTs to make positive changes in their jobs, education, health, agriculture and the environment. The key benefit, it turned out, was new skill development, which interestingly, had not been an "expected" outcome. ICTs, though, did not immediately improve incomes, as many had hoped.   Read the article     Article no.: 4 Topic: The Impact upon Local Development of Digital Inclusion for Small and Medium Business Author: Prof. Jophus Anamuah – Mensah Title: Vice-Chancellor Organisation: University College of Education of Winneba, Ghana PDF size: 84KB   About author: Prof. Jophus Anamuah – Mensah is the Vice-Chancellor of the University College of Education of Winneba, Ghana. During his distinguished career, Prof. Jophus Anamuah – Mensah has served as Head of the Department of Science Education, Dean of Education of the Faculty of Education, Pro- Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and is now occupying the position as Principal of the University College of Education of Winneba. Professor Jophus has earned many awards for his activities from the Government of Ghana; UNESCO; Grant University of British Columbia; University of Leeds; Fulbright Senior Scholar Award at Arizona State University West; the Ghana Association of Science Teachers; the New York Academy of Sciences; and the University of Cape Coast. He has 43 published and 11 unpublished works to his credit. The Professor has served as Chairman of the President’s Commission for the Review of Education in Ghana; Chairman of the Board of Directors, GRATIS Foundation; Member of the President’s Special Initiative on Distance Learning, and as a Member of the Working Group on the Management of Science and Technology in Ghana, among many others. He is currently, an elected member of the Governing Council of the Association of Commonwealth Universities. Prof. Jophus Anamuah – Mensah’s academic degrees include: BSc (Ed), 1971; BSc (Chem), 1972; MSc (Chem), 1974, UCC; MA (Science Ed), 1978 UBC; EdD, 1981, UBC; FGAST. He is married and has four children.   Article abstract: In this paper we shall discuss the types and characteristics of third world SMEs, their modes of operations, expected impact of the infusion of ICTs on the performances of these SMEs and the appropriate type of ICTs to be deployed in such businesses. The paper also looks at the constraints facing medium and small businesses in the adoption of suitable ICT applications and suggests possible solutions to these problems.   Read the article     Article no.: 5 Topic: Small Businesses in Africa - Rising Above Geography and Isolation Author: Samer Halawi Title: Regional Director, Middle East, Africa and Central Asia Organisation: Inmarsat PDF size: 48KB   About author: Before joining Inmarsat as a regional director for Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, Halawi was sales director for FLAG Telecom’s Middle East and North Africa responsible for the sales of turnkey solutions and business development. Before this, he held the position of regional business development manager at ICO Global Communications, managing the business development and planning for the company in countries across the Middle East and North Africa. Halawi’s career spans both business and technical positions with organisations in the Middle East and North America. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Lawrence Technological University.   Article abstract: Connecting Africa is a tremendous challenge. There is little infrastructure for telecommunications outside the capitals and for only a few population centres in the richer countries. The geography is difficult and the economics of wiring the interior are not promising. Satellites offer Africa a way to provide fast, cost-effective links that are relatively easy to set up. For Small/Medium Enterprises, Regional Broadband Global Area Network provides instant, affordable connectivity even in cities where networks may be unreliable or bandwidth too low.   Read the article     Article no.: 6 Topic: Hardware vs. Hardship – The Reality of Technology in African SMBs Author: Olivier Suinat and Ross Swarts Title: General Managerand Telecoms Account Manager Organisation: Hewlett Packard, Africa PDF size: 112KB   About author: Olivier Suinat is the HP General Manager for Africa. He is responsible for the overall business performance of the company across the continent, as well as with overseeing the effective integration of Compaq’s operations since the international merger of HP and Compaq in May 2002. Before holding this position, Suinat was the general manager for North, East and West Africa at Compaq – a company he joined in 1992 and at which he held several sales and marketing positions including director of e-Business and CRM; director of channel management and SMB; and manager of enterprise alliances for Compaq's enterprise computing group. Before joining Compaq, Suinat was a trade attaché for the high technology sector at the French Embassy Trade Office in New York. He holds an MBA from Columbia University and a Masters in Business from Ecole Superience des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (ESSEC) in France. Ross Swarts is the Telecoms Account Manager for Southern, East and West Africa at HP. He is responsible for all HP business development and solution delivery at telco operators across the region. Swarts manages HP’s relationships with the systems integrators and independent software vendors that work in the African telco space. He is also the Microsoft Alliance Manager for all vertical markets (telco, financial services, oil and gas, and government) in Africa. Before joining HP in 2000, Swarts was a business, process and project management consultant in the South African IT industry. He has been heavily involved in import/export commodity trading throughout Africa. And he has operated and managed his own mechanical engineering company. Swarts hails from a mechanical engineering background and is a member of the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM).   Article abstract: Popular perception often sees businesses in Africa using obsolete technology, having almost no ICT skills or knowledge, and only the most rudimentary of education. Anyone operating in Africa knows that nothing is further from the truth. The small to medium business market is booming there. The technology being used includes the latest mobile devices, powerful servers and the most innovative applications. The implementation of this technology is having a profound impact on bringing Africa into the mainstream of global business.   Read the article     Article no.: 7 Topic: GSM as The Catalyst for Broadband Access – a New Initiative for Small and Medium Businesses (SMEs) in the Developing World Author: Niezaam Davids and Maruis Conradie Title: Executive Head, Mergers & Acquisitions and Executive Head, Strategy & Scenario Planning Organisation: Vodacom Corporate Strategy, Vodacom Group Pty (Ltd), RSA PDF size: 72KB   About author: Niezaam Davids is the Executive Head of Mergers & Acquisitions in the Vodacom Corporate Strategy sector of the Vodacom Group Pty (Ltd), RSA. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and an Honours degree in Accounting Science from the University of Cape Town and University of South Africa respectively. He has over five years corporate finance experience and provides strategic merger and acquisition advisory services to the Vodacom Group. Maruis Conradie is the Executive Head of Strategy & Scenario Planning in the Vodacom Corporate Strategy sector of the Vodacom Group Pty (Ltd), RSA. Mr. Conradie holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Stellenbosch, as well as a Masters in Business Administration (cum laude) from the University of Cape Town, where he has specialised in Strategy, Scenario Planning and e-Commerce. He has more than 12 years telecommunications experience, especially in the research, design, development and evaluation of antennas, RF propagation, GSM and communication systems.   Article abstract: The ICT needs of SMEs in developed and developing nations are quite different. In developing nations, basic ICT services are often not available. An application service provider hub-model that combines basic GSM and broadband access to software and services can support multiple SMEs. This approach removes many of the barriers to effectively supporting SMEs with ICTs. By using a building block approach, the hubs can introduce SMEs to complete ICT solutions, building productivity and their contribution to the economy.   Read the article     Article no.: 8 Topic: What Does Broadband Do for the SME? Author: Lesley Hansen Title: Marketing Director EMEA Organisation: Net to Net Technologies Ltd PDF size: 64KB   About author: Lesley Hansen joined Net to Net Technologies in February 2000 as European Marketing Director to launch this US-based start-up into the European market. Prior to joining Net to Net Technologies Ms Hansen spent four years with Nortel Networks. Lesley joined Nortel through the acquisition of Micom Communications. As Director of International Marketing responsible for the Micom range of voice data integration products in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, Lesley launched the industry’s first VoIP gateway product. In 1999 Lesley established a market intelligence capability in Europe covering both voice and data solutions for the enterprise market. Ms Hansen spent several years with Cabletron Systems as European Product Marketing Manager before joining Nortel. She has worked with a variety of engineering products in businesses both in the UK and overseas covering sales, product management and marketing. She is specialised in Local Area Network technology and products.   Article abstract: SMEs need low cost, reliable broadband access to the Internet. The equipment industry seems to have forgotten the end user, building sophisticated solutions, but users need utility services to do business inexpensively. IP-based networks support voice, data and a wide variety of available SME applications simply and reliably. There are many types of broadband connections to the Internet, but not all work for SMEs. ADSL is good at home, but SMEs need SDSL for high speed in both directions.   Read the article     Article no.: 9 Topic: Broadband Could Help Africa Bridge the Digital Divide Author: Melissa Powell Title: Managing Director Organisation: 3D Global Communications PDF size: 76KB   About author: Melissa Powell, former BMI-T Communications Handbook Editor has extensive knowledge of the South African and African IT and Telecoms markets. As the Managing Director of 3D Global Communications, a leading African communications consultancy, Melissa works with top industry players such as BMI-TechKnowledge, Marconi and Interdyne Technologies and is integral in their strategic development and the implementation of their go-to-market strategies. Having been both a communications strategist and an editor has given her the ideal experience, including the conceptualisation of creative communications strategies and implementing them, to ensure that clients are correctly positioned within a particular market.   Article abstract: The de-regulation, liberalisation and opening of the South African telecommunications market will give a big boost to businesses there, especially to SMEs. SMEs, for the most part, have little access to reasonably priced broadband. Inadequate access to reasonably priced broadband hampers SME start-ups and quick access to markets. The many broadband projects now underway and the SNO (second network operator), together with the government's regulatory drive to modernise the sector, should all work together to boost SME access to broadband.   Read the article     Article no.: 10 Topic: Building an e-Society in Jordan Author: Hesham H. Khalaf Title: President Organisation: Middle East Telecom & Electronics Co., Ltd. (METE) PDF size: 40KB   About author: Hesham H. Khalaf has been the President of the Middle East Telecom & Electronics Co., Ltd. (METE), a Middle East telecommunications hardware and service provider, since 1975. METE is a private sector member of the ITU. Before joining METE, Mr Khalaf served with the Jordanian government as its Director of International Communication. Mr Khalaf has extensive experience in microwave communication, space communication, public and private switching, networks and a wide variety of telecom services including carrier operation, enhanced voice services, Internet services, IPLs, telephone cards and the like. Mr Khalaf has a BSc. in Engineering (Telecommunications). He is a member of the Jordan Engineering Association and is the Commissioner of the IT section of the Jordan Businessmen Association.   Article abstract: Jordan's 1995 Telecommunications Law initiated sectoral reform and established the independent Telecommunications Regulatory Commission. In 1997, the country had 305,500 fixed telephone lines, mostly in the capital, and unmet demand for modern services. Today, Jordan has 2 million cell phones, 700,000 fixed-lines and 70,000 Internet subscribers. By 2005, Jordanian telecommunications will be fully open to private service providers. The Jordanian Government, together with national and international organisations, has promoted a wide variety of programmes for the digital inclusion of SMEs.   Read the article Confirmed authors (Order by article no.)   Mandla Langa Chairperson, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa   Patrick Masambu Chief Executive, Uganda Communications Commission   Laurent Elder Team Leader, International Development Research Centre, Acacia Programme Connections   Prof. Jophus Anamuah – Mensah Vice-Chancellor, University College of Education of Winneba, Ghana   Samer Halawi Regional Director, Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, Inmarsat   Olivier Suinat and Ross Swarts General Managerand Telecoms Account Manager, Hewlett Packard, Africa   Niezaam Davids and Maruis Conradie Executive Head, Mergers & Acquisitions and Executive Head, Strategy & Scenario Planning, Vodacom Corporate Strategy, Vodacom Group Pty (Ltd), RSA   Lesley Hansen Marketing Director EMEA, Net to Net Technologies Ltd   Melissa Powell Managing Director, 3D Global Communications   Hesham H. Khalaf President, Middle East Telecom & Electronics Co., Ltd. (METE)