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by alice munyua 30 Sep '09

30 Sep '09

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FW: [Ubuntunet-alliance-community] Vacancies
by Edith Adera 30 Sep '09

30 Sep '09

It may be of interest.

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US 'to loosen' grip on internet
by alice 30 Sep '09

30 Sep '09

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8275679.stm * The US government is expected to relax control over how the internet is run when it signs an accord with net regulator Icann on Wednesday.* The "affirmation of commitments" will reportedly give Icann autonomy to run its own affairs for the first time. Previous agreements gave the US close oversight of Icann - drawing criticism from other countries. Earlier this year, the EU called on the US to relinquish its control and Icann to become … [View More]"universally accountable". "The US government is the only body to have had formal oversight of Icann's policies and activities since its inception in 1998," it said. "The Commission believes that Icann should become universally accountable, not just to one government but to the global internet community. "This is particularly relevant given that the next billion of internet users will mainly come from the developing world." The current agreement between the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) and the US Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration is due to expire on Thursday. *'Formal relationship'* Icann is a not-for-profit private sector corporation - set up by the US government - which oversees critical parts of the internet, such as the top-level domain (TLD) name system. Top level domains include .com and .uk. The body recently voted to relax the strict rules on TLDs, meaning companies could turn brands into web addresses, while individuals could use their names. Icann also agreed to introduce domain names written in Asian, Arabic or other scripts. The regulator has not yet released details of the new agreement with the US. However, a report - described as "accurate" by people familiar with Icann - in the Economist magazine says the new deal does not have a fixed term. It identifies a number of groups, including representatives of foreign governments, which will conduct regular reviews of Icann's work. The panels would specifically focus on competition among generic domain names, how domain-name registrants' data are handled, network security and transparency, and accountability and the public interest - the only panel on which the US will reportedly retain a permanent seat. A formal announcement about the deal is expected on Wednesday. However, it is unlikely that the new agreement will sever the links between the US government and Icann entirely. Rod Beckstrom, president and chief of the organisation, said in a letter to Congress last week that it would seek to maintain a "long term, formal relationship with the United States Government". The body also has a separate agreement with the US - to run the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) - that expires in 2011. The IANA oversees the net's addressing system. [View Less]

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South Africa's Telkom snaps up Kenyan Internet service provider
by McTim 30 Sep '09

30 Sep '09

South Africa's Telkom snaps up Kenyan Internet service provider Sep 29, 2009 The local Internet scene could be headed for major realignments as South Africa's largest fixed-line phone operator, Telkom, silently sneaks into a territory it has long been yearning for. A complex web of share-purchase transactions among telecom operators in Africa's richest nation, has ended up with the acquisition of a local satellite data transmission services company, Afsat Communications Limited. After … [View More]failing to secure a 51 per cent stake in Telkom Kenya late 2007, Telkom SA Ltd opted to court an Internet Service Provider, MWEB Africa, a subsidiary of South African media and communications conglomerate Naspers for a take-over bid. Interestingly, the deal was successfully concluded in April this year, with the firm paying a massive 63m US dollars (4.7bn shillings) for 100 per cent and 75 per cent shareholding in MWEB and MWEB Namibia respectively. The value of the transaction, which ostensibly excluded the South Africa's MWEB unit, has since been kept underwraps. Incidentally, MWEB, the Internet solutions arm of Naspers - the company that also owns Multichoice Africa and popular magazine arm Media 24 - had bought Afsat Communications, including its subsidiaries in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria and Zambia in October 2007. This implies the local Internet firm, Afsat Communications, is now part and parcel of Telkom South Africa. "AFSAT is now fully part of Telkom South Africa," Mr Job Ndege, General Manager, Afsat Services Ltd told The Financial Journal Last week. "This is an implied acquisition," he said. So far, South African Telkom owns Nigeria's Multi-Links and Kenya's Africa Online, with plans to aggressively fund both units. The latest acquisition is part of the company's strategy aimed at reducing dependence on domestic revenues, while expanding further into Africa to offset dwindling profits at home. It is widely argued that the acquisition, together with the company's investment in Africa Online will increase the value proposition of its product and service offerings to all customer segments in Sub-Saharan Africa. The acquisition gives Telkom South Africa a foothold in 28 African countries, making it the biggest satellite-based ISP on the African continent. "We think our value preposition is so powerful that the current terrestrial services cannot match," says Ndege. He says the value prepositions of the company's products and services include reliability, consistency, speed, availability, cost effectiveness and strong support. Afsat Communications offers direct satellite access services to its clients by utilizing all communications requirements such as backbone access, backhole access and last mile access. In Kenya, Afsat is known for its satellite Internet connectivity solutions to residential and business customers. It also supplies corporate and state owned customers with reliable and secure corporate data network solutions. This service is provided through VSAT connectivity using the popular iWay brand, which has its regional headquarters in Nairobi. "The response in the market for our products has been very good. We have had an unprecedented growth," says Ndege. Amongst the company's main competitors and who are hoping to utilise the fibre optic cables to provide international Internet connectivity include Access Kenya Ltd, Kenya Data Network and UUNET Kenya. "The fibre optic will provide much capacity. The demand for capacity is growing, but there have not been enough satellite capacity to provide international connectivity," says Ndege. Kenya's average Internet usage grew by 230 per cent to 700MB last year from the previous years 304 MB. The fibre optic networks are expected to supplement satellite in boosting the capacity, since satellite bandwidth demand in Africa far outstrips the supply from the highly consolidated satellite fleet operator industry. Indeed, Afsat Communications has announced a five-year (2010-2014) strategic pan aimed at improving and expanding its infrastructure within East Africa, with a view of ensuring steady and reliable supply of its products and services. The next phase of the company's growth will involve setting up additional hub infrastructure to cover the region of the Sub-Saharan Africa between 2011 and 2015. Already, the company has built five satellite hubs in Africa. Afsat serves Kenya through a distributor network of ISP's such as Callkey Networks and Virtualsat, by providing last mile connectivity to remote locations such as Lokichoggio, Mandera, Lamu, Homa Bay, Garissa, Dadaab, Wajir and Namanga. The company also has a large number of VSATs in Nairobi. There are over 485 iWay VSAT terminals in Kenya. iWay services are available in 28 countries in Africa, and its partnership network consists of 32 distributors, with four subsidiaries in East Africa and Nigeria. Afsat Communications was formed in 1992 to offer communication solutions to corporates in East Africa. In 2001, the company changed its focus with the re-launch of iWay Brand targeting the whole Sub-Saharan Africa. Telkom SA Limited aims to become a Pan-African integrated service provider that offers international communications and Internet connectivity, hosting and managed data services, as well as wireless voice and mobile broadband solutions. Over the long term, it plan to provide international data connectivity to major cities in Africa through regional hubs. It also seek to position Telkom as a wholesale facilities and infrastructure enabler for regional incumbents. With regards to existing subsidiaries, Telkom SA is focusing on achieving strong growth through both organic and acquisitive business development strategies, as well as by leveraging synergies across the Group. For Africa Online, this includes leveraging its available international capacity to deploy satellite based Internet access, and using Africa Online as the main vehicle in which Telkom will deliver Internet services outside of South Africa. Source: The Standard website, Nairobi, in English 29 Sep 09 -- Cheers, McTim "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route indicates how we get there." Jon Postel [View Less]

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Fw: [AfrICANN-discuss] Application Round Opens for Nairobi MeetingFellowships
by alice munyua 30 Sep '09

30 Sep '09

[image: ICANN] <http://www.icann.org/> News Alert http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-29sep09-en.htm ------------------------------ Application Round Opens for Nairobi Meeting Fellowships Program ensures global representation at ICANN=92s International Public Meetings 29 September 2009 *MARINA DEL REY, Calif.*: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has launched the ninth round of fellowship program applications for its 37th International Public … [View More]Meeting to be held in Nairobi, Kenya from 7-1= 2 March 2009. =93Just like the Internet, ICANN is global in scope in its operations,=94 s= aid Theresa Swinehart , ICANN's Vice President, Global and Strategic Partnerships. =93Our fellowship program, through the contribution of alumni from the previous 7 meetings, continues to experience success in making sur= e global voices are heard in the wide variety of public forums that it holds.= =94 For the upcoming Seoul Meeting, there are 35 fellows selected from 27 countries, chosen from 132 applications received. 10 of the fellows are alumni from at least one of the past seven programmes; 21 fellows are first-time attendees to any ICANN meeting and 4 have attended past meetings= , but are first time fellows. Priority is given to applicants who are current residents of developing and least developed nations and interested in participating in ICANN and its supporting organizations, such as the Governmental Advisory Committee, the Country Code Names Supporting Organization, and the Generic Names Supporting Organization. The fellowship will assist in covering airfare, hotel and a stipend. Recipients will be expected to actively participate in and contribute to ICANN processes. As always, registration for ICANN=92s meetings is free for anyone wanting to attend. Applications for the meeting in Nairobi will be accepted from now until 120= 0 PDT (UTC -7) on 6 November 2009. More information, as well as a link to the application for a fellowship, is available online at: http://www.icann.org/en/fellowships/ ------------------------------ *Sign up for ICANN's Monthly Magazine <http://www.icann.org/magazine/>* -----Original Message----- From: Anne-Rachel Inné <annerachel(a)gmail.com> Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:40:48 To: <africann(a)afrinic.net> Subject: [AfrICANN-discuss] Application Round Opens for Nairobi Meeting Fellowships _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann [View Less]

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JOB VACANCY
by Jotham Kilimo Mwale 29 Sep '09

29 Sep '09

Hi, Please see attached. Regards, Jotham

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Pay for information
by robert yawe 29 Sep '09

29 Sep '09

Hi, It is shocking how we have been spoilt by VOK by giving us free TV, we are so well schooled in receiving free things that we have a problem paying for anything however beneficial it is to us. University students wanting free transport and going to the extend of wanting to burn down their campus. So the web site live.mystocks.co.ke has indicated that they will be charging for the useful information they have been providing the serious technical trader I believe so as to meet their … [View More]

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Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] Technology and Entrepreneurship Forum
by Phares Kariuki 29 Sep '09

29 Sep '09

>Special thanks to Alex Gakuru and KDN. Might MMU (Multimedia Univ College) attract some thanks as well? ================================================ My profound apologies for the glaring omission. MMU are providing the venue, and have been more than supportive to Skunkworks. >> Skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks >> Other services @ http://my.co.ke >> Other lists >> ------------- >> Announce: … [View More]

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Facebook, Youtube maybe free but not really....
by aki 29 Sep '09

29 Sep '09

- Facebook monthly electricity bill = 1 Million USD , and adds new servers every few days because users appetites for adding photos keeps growing. - Youtube monthly bandwidth consumption= 25PetaBytes ( 1000 Terabytes ) I don't have the excat amounts but the above is a harsh reality of operating such services. Though their financial standings show as mighty, I wonder how long can they sustain just running just on large adverts? Rgds.

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Technology and Entrepreneurship Forum
by Phares Kariuki 29 Sep '09

29 Sep '09

There will be a Tech & Entrepreneurship Forum on the 29th September, 2009, 4th Floor Teleposta Towers, from 5.30 PM. Content will be as follows: - Why go into business? Do you have to? What do you aim to achieve? Is it better to start a Non-profit (Ushahidi)? - What objectives must one set in order to succeed. Stop flying blind - Dealing with government/registration etc - Finance, how to raise funding - Loans, VC, Angel investors? - Patenting ideas - How to make money … [View More]

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