The cybersecurity challenge - Communications Africa€¦ · the challenges in cybersecurity, including the top ten predictions for the sector in 2019. This issue also looks at past

AfriqueAfricawww.communicationsafrica.com

Issue 6 2018Édition 6 2018

features: � Communications � Mobile � Satellitesregular reports: � Agenda � Solutions

IoTThe benefits of smart energy

for companies and households

DigitalThe growth of advertising in

the MENA region

TechnologyEmbracing the FourthIndustrial Revolution

P17 - Members of a panels at this year's AfricaCom discussingdigital transformation to strengthen African economies.

Top 10 predictions for 2019

The cybersecurity challenge

CAF 6 2018 Cover_Layout 1 26/12/2018 11:50 Page 1

S01 CAF 6 2018 Start_Layout 1 26/12/2018 12:11 Page 2

http://www.iwayafrica.com/

A note from the EditorTHE LATEST ISSUE ofCommunications Africa highlightsthe challenges in cybersecurity,including the top ten predictionsfor the sector in 2019. This issue also looks at past andfuture events; the Fourth AnnualSub-Saharan SpectrumManagement Conference, whichwill discuss major challenges,such as inefficient deployment ofservices on bands that havealready been assigned for use, aswell as a post-show report on this year’s AfricaCom show inCape Town.

Une note du rédacteurLE DERNIER NUMÉRO deCommunications Africa met enévidence les défis en matière decybersécurité, y compris les dixprévisions les plus importantes pour lesecteur cette année.Ce numéro examine également lesévénements passés et futurs. laquatrième conférence annuelle sur lagestion du spectre en Afrique sub-saharienne, qui traitera de défismajeurs, tels que le déploiementinefficace de services sur des bandesqui ont déjà été attribuées et unrapport post-spectacle sur le spectacleAfricaCom de cette année au Cap.

Quotes 5

Agenda 6

Events 8

Solutions 34

FEATURES

Spectrum Management 10We look at the Fourth Annual Sub-Saharan Spectrum Management Conference takes place in March 2019.

Cybersecurity 12Here we highlight what challenges businesses should be prepared for in 2019.

Data centres 14Robin Kuriakose, power generation sales leader for Southern Africa, speak about the benefits of Cummins dieselgensets for data centre applications.

AfricaCom 16We bring you post-show coverage of the 2018 edition, highlighting exhibitors at the event held in Cape Town, SouthAfrica.

Smart energy 18There is no argument that IoT has revolutionised the way we live our lives; from smarter cities to transforming thehealthcare industry - we explore how the immediate benefits of IoT are being seen in the continent.

ARTICLES

Fintech 33Il y a beaucoup de potentiel pour de nouvelles opportunités et la croissance de l'emploi à Mauritus, qui dirige laformation aux compétences en fintech et blockchain dans la région.

CONTENTS

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Intelsat 33e, one of the EpicNG satellites coveringAfrica.

Governments in East Africa are seeking to implementinnovative solutions for utility and infrastructure provision.

30 32


Communications Africa Issue 6 20184 www.communicationsafrica.com

How digitalisation is bringing the fight to industrial security threats.

The evolving role of the CISO

SECURITY Cyberattacks

IT'S A SIMPLE fact that datamakes the modern economyturn. Being the first businessto act on insights gained

from pivotal pieces ofinformation gives businesses adistinct competitive advantage.However, it's also quicklybecoming a fact that the samedata is being targeted by skilledcybercriminals intent on causingdamage to infrastructure.

Here, Robin Whitehead,managing director of systemsintegrator Boulting Technology,explains how this is impacting therole of the chief informationsecurity officer (CISO) andresulting in the need for end-to-end digitalisation.

Sophisticated cyber attacksWith the world facingsophisticated attacks such as thelikes of WannaCry, Petya andNotPetya in 2017, cyber threats arethe biggest modern technologicalfear. Although sectors such asfinancial services are most at risk,there have also been numeroushigh-profile attacks on utilities, oiland gas and food manufacturingenvironments in recent years.

On 27 June 2017, confectionarymanufacturer Cadbury was hit bya cyber attack, which haltedproduction at its Hobart factory inAustralia. Computers wereinfected with the Petyaransomware virus and displayeda message on the screendemanding payment incryptocurrency.

Later that same day, NotPetya— a variant of the Petya virus —further damaged facilities acrossEurope. NotPetya exploits abackdoor in the update system ofa Ukrainian tax-preparationprogramme running on Windowsand used by around 80 per cent ofall Ukrainian businesses.

The new CISOIt should come as no surprise thenthat the advice of IT and security

experts is now being sought at thehighest levels of business. Therole of the chief informationsecurity officer (CISO) is alsochanging in response. Acting asthe head of IT security, the CISOhas traditionally been responsiblefor things such as operationalcompliance and adherence to ISOstandards as well as performing ITsecurity risk assessments andensuring that the business isusing the latest technologies.

Increasingly, the CISO mustalso drive IT security and strategy,guiding everyone from the shop-floor staff to the most seniorofficials on how best to preventcyberattacks. The modern CISOnow takes a seat at the boardroomtable, ensuring businesscontinuity, come what may.

End-to-end digitalisationFor industrial businesses, thischange cannot come soonenough. The desire to integratemanufacturing networks with theoutside world and the increaseduse of smart data is drivingefficiencies in sectors from foodand beverage, and automotive toutilities. At the same time, it's alsoleaving them vulnerable to attacksthat can lead to extended periodsof downtime.

Part of the reason for this is thatmany businesses havetraditionally operated in silos, withinformation technology (IT) andoperational technology (OT)experts not historically wellaligned to the same objectivesand outcomes. However, as weincreasingly use more internet-

connected devices such as PLCs,HMIs, intelligent motor controlcentres and smart meters — allrelaying millions of data points tocentralised and often remoteSCADA and ERP systems — it willbecome crucial to take a joined-upapproach to industrial operations.Cue end-to-end digitalisation.

For many businesses, replacinghardware and software to allowfunctionality such as real-timecloud data, analytics andcentralised control across everyaspect of their operations isneither a cheap nor fast-actingundertaking.

After all, most plant managershave built up a complex systemover many years, retrofitting newcomponents and modules toexisting equipment. This isdriving the need for end-to-enddigitalisation, moving away fromfragmented system control,maintenance and upgradetowards a holistic approach thatencompasses system-wideanalytics that can deliveractionable insights to improveprocess efficiency.

At Boulting Technology we'rehelping our customers introducecybersecurity measures toretrofitted equipment in existingindustrial setups. Our range ofcontrol systems, networkingproducts, intelligent motorcontrol centres and more, forman integrated system that givesengineers easy and secureaccess to their operation aroundthe clock. Ultimately, end-to-enddigitalisation will helpcompanies respond to attacksand breaches in minutes ratherthan hours or days.

So, while we come to therealisation that cyber attacks aresimply a normal part of doingbusiness, take heed of your CISO'sadvice and rethink your end-to-end digitalisation strategy. �

Robin Whitehead, managingdirector at Boulting Technology

Robin Whitehead, managing directorat Boulting Technology.

Photo

: Boultin

g Tech

nolo

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Communications Africa Issue 6 2018

QUOTES

5www.communicationsafrica.com

“By 2020, the value ofAfrica’s mobile moneyindustry is projected to

top US$14bn. We needAfrican-developed mobilephones to leverage thispotential.”

- Akinwunmi AdesinaPresidentAfDB

“Through AfricaCom, wewant to give others theability and inspiration to

change the African continent.Because, when people getaccess to the Internet, theyget access to education,health care, banking andmore, and can start abusiness and continue growexisting operations.”

- Ben WieglgusHead of sustainability Informa

“The DLA calls for agreater volume ofauthentic African voices

in the global digital spaceis growing and we are wellpoised with our relationshipwith the DLA and throughour Digital Content Hub tofill that gap withmeaningful content.”

- Lesley Donna WilliamsTshimologong Precinct

“Economic growth inEast Africa is averagingbetween 5-10 per cent

across the region. Whencombined with paralleltrends in digitalisation andcontent consumption, we areseeing annual data usageand associated storagerequirements increasing by20-30 per cent.”

- Robert MullinsExecutive directorFirst Brick Holdings

“By opening up M-PESAto the world, we aimto enable a world of

opportunity for Kenyans bymaking it easy andseamless for them toconnect with the world.”

- Sitoyo LopokoiyitChief financial services officerSafaricom

“5G is a key investmentand innovation and theconnectivity it offers is

critical to digitaltransformation. This is thepath to unlocking newopportunities, enhancingeducation and drivingeconomic growth.”

- Marc RouannePresident of Mobile NetworksNokia

“With Oradian andinitiatives from localgovernment, TAB

Finance will be enabled toovercome some of themajor challenges of themicrofinance sector andserve more clients acrossWest Africa.”

- Onyeka AdibeliCo-founder and program directorOradian

S02 CAF 6 2018 Agenda_Layout 1 27/12/2018 15:23 Page 5

MTN GROUP, KAIOS Technologies, China Mobile andUNISOC have announced a partnership to launch theworld’s first 3G smart feature phone in Africa.

This announcement was made at the annualAfricaCom conference held in Cape Town.

Rob Shuter, group president and CEO of MTN, said, “This initiative contributes to the achievement of one of our key goals to provideaffordable data enabled handsets to our customers,and by so doing, remove some of the barriers to mobileInternet adoption in Africa.”

The new smart feature phone will run on KaiOS-an operating system for smart feature phones.

It will include features and services such as fastInternet access through Wi-Fi and 3G, Bluetoothconnectivity and GPS for navigation, Google Assistant and other smart services, KaiStore-home to the most popular apps and localised content, two cameras, as well as music andvideo streaming services, long battery life and Dual SIM support.

Sebastien Codeville, CEO of KaiOS Technologies, commented, “With 834mn people stillunconnected to the Internet in Africa, the launch with MTN, UNISOC and China Mobile standsto have a significant impact on communities across the continent.”

“MTN has one of the largest customer bases in the region, and coupled with KaiOS, we’retaking an important step toward closing the digital divide on the continent,” Codeville added.

The new smart feature phone will be powered by the UNISOC SC7731EF, the 3G smartchipset with up to 256MB RAM. The device will have a 2.4’ screen, 256MB/512MB RAM/ROMand a 2000MAH battery.

Adam Zeng, executive vice-president of Unigroup and CEO of UNISOC, said, “UNISOC isglad to partner with MTN, China Mobile and KaiOS, and together we will continue to investmore to fill in the gaps in the mobile communications and IoT fields in African markets.”

The 3G smart feature phone will initially be available from MTN in Nigeria and South Africafollowed very shortly by the other MTN operations in Africa as well as the Middle East.

The new product will retail between US$20-US$25 and will be available starting from thefirst quarter of 2019.


AGENDA

6

THE OPERATOR OF AMOS satellite fleet, Spacecom, andBotswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) haveannounced an agreement on a satellite services deal.

AMOS-7 will supply satellite services to BTC's VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) networkthroughout all of Botswana.

Spacecom will be providing BTC with highestefficiency satellite capacity alongside migrating theexisting network towards next generation VSATtechnology.Utilising the AMOS-7 KU-band Africa beam, BTC high-speed VSAT services will realise increased bandwidthand better service availability. Spacecom's new VerticalSolution Division is said to be leading migration andprofessional services for the VSAT network.

Peter Olyn, GM Technology at BTC, said, “Spacecombrings us an inclusive solution for our entire VSATbusiness. Spacecom’s strong beam enables us to furtheran already impressive lineup of services for our growingbusiness and consumer markets to reach throughoutBotswana. We look forward to more growth withSpacecom as our satellite communications partner."

Jacob Keret, SVP sales of Spacecom, commented,"AMOS-7's Africa KU-beam provides us with solidopportunities in sub-Sahara Africa with our new contractwith BTC reinforcing the AMOS brand in Southern Africa.We are excited to commence our business relationshipwith BTC and support their new network in Botswana.

“Spacecom's new business division is proving itsworth to our partners at BTC. Being able to offer more inthis growing market is an important tool in our businessdevelopment and in supporting our clients withadditional market growth opportunities," Keret added.

MTN CEO Rob Shuter stated that thenew handset will make Internetconnectivity and advanced digitalservices affordable for everyone.

Spacecom to provide satelliteservices to BTC

ORANGE, A FRENCH telecommunications company, will accelerate itsmulti-service operator strategy in Africa with innovations todemocratise access to smartphones, promote e-education and supportthe start-up ecosystem.Africa has taken a technological step by switching directly to

mobile phones. The prospects for the smartphone market continue to see exponential growth. It is estimated that at least 660million Africans (compared to 336mn in 2016) will be equipped with asmartphone by 2020.This breakthrough can be explained by several factors, mainly due to

the fact that Orange is fully mobile: it has established mobile paymentservices (via the Orange Money service), it continues to invest in mobileInternet coverage (14 Orange countries with 4G) and offers affordableprices to make it accessible to all.Orange continues to innovate by partnering with KaiOS Technologies

to democratise access to digital services in Africa.In 2019, Orange customers in Africa will have access to a new

category of smart feature phones with KaiOS, the operating systemfrom KaiOS Technologies that creates an emerging ecosystem of digitalproducts and services at an affordable price.In addition, customers will be able to use Google’s digital

assistant in French, English and Arabic to help overcome language andliteracy challenges.The first product to be launch will be a 3G smart feature phone,

followed by a 4G version later next year. The new phones will provide

access to popular apps like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google Search,Google Maps and the Google Assistant.Of all the digital revolutions, e-learning is one of the

most transformative for Africa. Online education will make it possible totrain the millions of professionals the continent needs to take charge ofits development.Through its “African Digital School” programme, Orange aims to

mobilise its infrastructure, access and expertise to help Africa rise to thechallenge of training young people, especially in digital growth sectors.The first partners in this programme are major French institutions

such as the CNED and the University Institutes of Technology, as well asthe startup OpenClassrooms for IT lessons.Orange has announced a new partnership with the Virtual University

of Tunis, the world pioneer in online education, which has been offeringdigital training to all Tunisian students for over a decade.The partnership aims to support access to their courses and training

in the African countries within Orange’s footprint. A similar partnershipwill be signed in December with the Virtual University of Senegal,another leading provider of online training in Africa.Orange will award its “Orange Social Entrepreneur Prize in Africa and

the Middle East” at the AfricaCom Awards 2018.This competition aims to reward the best projects of African start-

ups that contribute to improving the living conditions of local peoplethrough digital activities, for example in the fields of education, health,agriculture, mobile payments or sustainable development.

MTN to launch first 3G smart feature phone powered by KaiOS

Orange to accelerate multi-service operator strategy in Africa

www.communicationsafrica.com

Photo: MTN

S02 CAF 6 2018 Agenda_Layout 1 26/12/2018 11:54 Page 6

PAY-AS-YOU-go solar pioneer Azuri and consumer goods company Unileverhas launched an e-voucher system designed to help off-grid ruralconsumers in Kenya access consumer goods and services.

Currently more than 600mn people in Africa have no access to electricityand Azuri aims to deliver reliable, renewable and distributed power on anaffordable pay-as-you-go basis. The e-voucher system powered by Safaricomhas been developed to ensure the widest coverage across the remotest areas.

During UK Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to Kenya earlier this year, Azuri and Unilever announced that they had teamed up to bring solar tomillions of more off-grid homes across Kenya and, with that, modern goodsand services to improve family life.

The offer available meant Azuri customers who purchased a Quad solarhome lighting system would receive an e-voucher for free sunlight washingpowder for each week they top up their pay-as-you-go solar system.

The e-voucher system, powered by Safaricom, a telecommunicationsprovider, has been designed to ensure the widest coverage across theremotest areas, the company said. Customers can redeem the e-vouchers atany participating kiosk or trader.

Snehar Shah, Azuri general manager for East Africa at the official launch inBusia County, Kenya, stated, “This is an example of how Azuri is helping rural consumers to access modern services and goes beyond just providinglighting as a service. Through our collaboration with leading consumer andtelco companies such as Unilever and Safaricom, off-grid households arefinally enjoying the benefits that technology and modern living can bring,powered by solar.”

Also commenting on the launch Anthony Esyalai, home care marketingdirector for Unilever East Africa, said, “Unilever through our Sunlight Brand isproud to leverage on its vast distribution networks to help connect moreKenyans access clean power while at the same time providing a product thatallows them to look after their families and their homes in a more hygienic way.”


AGENDA

7

GENERAL ELECTRIC (GE) HAS launched an e-learning portalfor its Lagos Garage advanced manufacturing trainingprogramme.The aim of the portal is to extend the training

programme to thousands of Nigerians across the country.The portal was launched during GE’s Lagos Garage Week2018.At the portal launch, director of Communications and

Public Affairs, GE Africa, Patricia Obozuwa, said, “Our goal isto empower Nigeria entrepreneurs with the relevant skillsrequired to compete on a global scale. I’m happy to say thatso far, more than 250 people have successfully graduatedfrom the advanced manufacturing training programme weoffer here at the Garage.”Obozuwa added that with the e-learning platform,

interested entrepreneurs no longer have to be physicallypresent at the Garage to benefit from the innovativetraining the hub offers.“This platform will make the training on offer at our hub

reach a much wider audience than ever before, thusincreasing the number of beneficiaries and making it moreimpactful. This has always been our goal, to reach themaximum number of Nigerian entrepreneurs in a shortperiod, delivering valuable training that they wouldotherwise not have access to,” she added.Hakeem Fahm, commissioner of Lagos State Ministry of

Science and Technology, who was represented by the

permanent secretary, Kayode Ogunnubi commended thecompany on being a collaborative partner of the LagosState government for several years.He commented, “Lagos state is at the forefront of ICT

development in Nigeria and training programs like the GEGarage that equip youths with innovative skills is one of theways we believe we can develop the economy of the stateand by extension the entire country.”

The Lagos Garage is a hub for advanced manufacturing-based innovation, strategy development, idea generation and collaboration.

GE Nigeria launches e-learning portal

PAN-AFRICAN TELECOMS GROUP Liquid Telecom has announcedthat it will invest US$400mn in network infrastructure and datacentres in Egypt following the completion of its “Cape to Cairo” link.

Liquid, a subsidiary of telecoms provider Econet Group, hassigned a partnership with Telecom Egypt as part of the three-yearinvestment plan, the company said in a press release.

The investment was made during a signing ceremony betweenthe two companies on 8 December at the Africa 2018 Forum.

Telecom Egypt will use the network to connect Egyptianbusinesses to the rest of Africa while partnering with LiquidTelecom to build data centres across Egypt.

Following an initial investment of US$50mn in data centres andcloud services, Liquid plans to invest an additional US$350mn inbroadband and financial inclusion initiatives as well as highcapacity data centres.

Liquid Telecom’s network is almost 70,000 km and connects600 locations in 13 countries, with data centres in Egypt, Ethiopia,Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.The ‘Cape to Cairo’ network represents the first direct land-basedterrestrial fibre link from Cape Town to Cairo, the company added.

The US$400mn investment will enable Liquid Telecom tosignificantly expand its position as a connectivity and cloudsolutions provider in North Africa, serving businesses in theregion with world-class network and data centre services, itcontinued.

Strive Masiyiwa, executive chairman of Liquid Telecom’s parentcompany Econet, added that the next mission is to complete a linkbetween Cairo and Dakar in Senegal through Sudan, Chad, andNigeria, as well as the rest of West Africa.

AVANTI HAS SIGNED anagreement with AfriqueTelecom, a pan-African serviceprovider, to provide high-speedsatellite broadband servicesacross sub-Saharan Africa.

The deal is expected toimprove the penetration ofreliable satellite broadband inunconnected areas throughAvanti’s HYLAS4 satellite,connecting homes, smallbusinesses and enterprises.

Avanti Group CEO, KyleWhitehill, said “HYLAS 4, thelatest addition to our satellitefleet, was launched to completeour coverage of sub-SaharanAfrica. Partnering with AfriqueTelecom supports our missionto deliver broadband access tohelp liberate the potential ofcommunities and businesseswherever they are located.”

Avanti signs agreement with Afrique Telecom

Azuri and Unilever launch mobile e-voucher system in Kenya

Liquid invests US$400mn in Egyptian network


Photo: A

dobestock

S03 CAF 6 2018 Events - South Africa connectivity_Layout 1 26/12/2018 12:09 Page 7


AGENDA

8

JANUARY/JANVIER9-12 CES International Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas, USA www.cesweb.org

12-13 Expo Elettronica Modena, Italy www.expoelettronica.it

FEBRUARY/FÉVRIER 13-15 Africa Tech Summit Kigali Kigali, Rwanda www.africatechsummit.com

19-21 CIS Dusseldorf, Germany www.eurocis.com

25-28 Mobile World Congress Barcelona, Spain www.mwcbarcelona.com

27 Securika Krasnodar, Russia www.krasnodarexpo.ru

28-1 Blockchain Africa Conference 2019 Johannesburg, South Africa https://blockchainafrica.co/

MARCH/MARS3-7 OFC San Diego San Diego, USA www.ofcconference.org

4-6 Africa Tech Week Cape Town, South Africa https://africatechweek.co.za/

6 Blockchain Africa Conference 2019 Cape Town, South Africa https://blockchainafrica.co/

12-14 Smart IOT 2019 London, UK www.smartiotlondon.com

12-14 CABSAT Dubai, UAE www.cabsat.com

19-20 Ecommerce Africa Cape Town, South Africa www.ecommerce-africa.com

19-22 Data Centre World Phoenix, USA www.datacentreworld.com

Events/Événements 2019


AFRICACOM 2018 IS over, but theexcitement and innovation itgenerated continue to energise thosewho attended, including our teammost of whom were attending theshow for the first time.

We were delighted to announce twopartnerships that will introduce thefirst 3G and 4G smart feature phonesto Africa: One with MTN, China Mobileand Unisoc - and the other withOrange.

Both collaborations will introduce anew category of affordable mobiledevices for MTN and Orange’scustomers across Africa from Q1 2019onwards; a major step forward inbridging the digital divide.

These new devices– which run onKaiOS, the world’s leading operatingsystem for smart feature phones -combine the simplicity of a featurephone with the powerful capabilitiesof a smartphone. They enable peopleto upgrade from a feature phone withonly voice and text capabilities to afully connected handset with fast, 3Gand 4G Internet.

Smart feature phones also runservices such as the Google Assistant,Facebook, and Google Maps, as well as

functionalities including the KaiStore(the first app store for smart featurephones), Bluetooth, and GPS.

Kai’s announcements were wellreceived as device affordability,alongside the cost of data, has longbeen an issue in the African market.Despite the availability of a few lower-cost budget smart phones in Africa,

figures from the GSMA revealed that in2017 Eastern Africa had the world’slowest smartphone adoption level at25 per cent - compared to the globalaverage of more than 50 per cent.

The GSMA also says that theUS$100-US$200 price for asmartphone is preventing 64 per centof Africans from upgrading their 2Gvoice and text-capable phones to3G/4G devices that can access theInternet – and that “market pressuresalone will not bring down prices to alevel that makes smartphonesaffordable for low-income groups inthe near future”.

Rather than forcing people tochoose between a feature phonewithout internet access, or a budgetsmartphone with limited userexperience, Africa’s MNOs, and theircustomers, now have a choice.

KaiOS already powers more than50mn smart feature phones globally,including in the USA, Canada, India,China, and several countries in Europe.

The competitive pricing of bothsmart feature phones, and the monthlydata plans that will accompany it, meanthat access to advanced digitalservices is finally a reality for some of

the 834mn people still unconnected tothe Internet in Africa.

Sebastien Codeville, CEO of KaiOSTechnologies

Sebastien Codeville, CEO of KaiOS Technologies.

The partnership will introduce thefirst 3G and 4G smart feature phonesto Africa.

Photo: MTN

AfricaCom 2018: Smart feature phones arrive in Africa


Following its earlier announcement in August 2018 on becoming an Avanti MasterDistributor, iWayAfrica has confirmed service availability in Ghana and South Sudan asinitial launch markets for HYLAS 4 Ka-Band services.

iWayAfrica establishes first HYLAS 4 sites in Africa

CONNECTIVITYSatellites

FOLLOWING ITS EARLIER announcementin August 2018 on becoming an AvantiMaster Distributor, iWayAfrica hasconfirmed service availability in Ghana

and South Sudan as initial launch markets forHYLAS 4 Ka-Band services.

RCS-Communication, a leading ISP in SouthSudan, has established the first site forAvanti’s HYLAS 4 high-speed satellitebroadband service in the country. Followingsuccessful beam testing in early November2018 in Juba, South Sudan, the new Ka-Bandservice with high throughput speeds of up to35Mbps download and 4Mbps upload, is nowavailable to RCS-Communication’s customersin South Sudan. The site at RCS-Communication’s technical office in Juba is thefirst HYLAS 4 service in East & Central Africa.

“We have a long-standing relationship ofalmost 10 years with iWayAfrica for theprovision of high throughput volume cappedVSAT services and are pleased to extend this tothe new HYLAS 4 service that offers muchimproved speeds,” says Flippie Odendal,Managing Director, RCS-Communication.

“RCS is always on the lookout for suitabletechnology and services that increases optionsto our clients and enhances their userexperience. We focus on the Enterprise andSME market, and with the HYLAS 4 broadbandservice, we see SME clients across SouthSudan benefiting from high speeds and aselection of volume options at affordablerates.” continues Odendal.

In parallel, AfricaOnline Ghana, one of thecontinent’s oldest ISPs became the first ISP inWest Africa to test and make H4 servicescommercially available via iWayAfrica toGhanaian business and homes.

“2018 has seen Ka services come toGhana for the first time. Our customers areseeking affordable solutions with high speedand high usage requirements. HYLAS 4enables us to meet those customerexpectations. With full coverage of Ghana,HYLAS 4 is not just for remote connectivity,but for stable reliable urban connectivitysolutions too,” says Foster Plender,Managing Director, AfricaOnline Ghana.

iWayAfrica has been a key partner of Avanti’ssince 2014 for its HYLAS 2 services across Eastand Southern Africa. With HYLAS 4, Avanti’shigh-speed Ka-Band service is now availablewith a wider footprint of sub-Saharan Africahelping more people to become digital citizens.

iWayAfrica has a presence in over 44 Africancountries and has regional offices for all itswholesale services in Ghana, Kenya, Mauritiusand South Africa. iWayAfrica supports itspartner channel with competitive wholesalerates, sales support with lead generation,installation training, a 24/7 NetworkManagement Centre and access to a dedicateddistributor partner portal.�

RCS-Communication has establishedthe first site for Avanti’s HYLAS 4

high-speed satellite broadbandservice in South Sudan.

Photo: Ava

nti

AfricaOnline Ghana becamethe first ISP in West Africa

to test and make H4services commercially

available via iWayAfrica toGhanaian business and homes.

Communications Africa Issue 6 2018 9www.communicationsafrica.com


The Fourth Annual Sub-Saharan SpectrumManagement Conference takes place in March 2019

The full spectrum

TECHNOLOGY Spectrum management

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY AND theInternet are key components tosub-Saharan Africa’s socio-economic development.

Efficient spectrum management holds thepromise of expanding access and improvingthe quality of these services.

Yet the region continues to face majorchallenges, such as the slow release of thedigital divided spectrum and inefficientdeployment of services on bands that havealready been assigned for use.

Countries must also strike a balancebetween the ever-expanding spectrum needsof mobile technology and those of other users.

These and other critical challenges will allbe discussed at the Fourth Annual Sub-Saharan Spectrum Management Conferencethis coming March.

Since its launch in 2015, the Sub-SaharanAfrica conference has established itself as thenumber one meeting point for spectrummanagement executives in Africa.

The event takes place as part of The GlobalSpectrum Series, the world's largest collectionof spectrum management policy conferences.

And that now includes a rising profile acrossthe African continent, one of the world’s futuregrowth hotspots.

In previous years, the conference has beenheld in South Africa, Senegal and Kenya, andhas now established a reputation as theleading platform for spectrum policydiscussion in the region.

Spectrum management is the process ofregulating the use of radio frequencies to

promote efficient use and gain a net social benefit.

The annual showcase is an event thatattracts the industry’s best and brightestminds: from an initial starting point of just 100attendees at the inaugural event, theconference is expected to attract more than300 attendees from up to 50 different countriesin 2019.

At the heart of this growth is its positioningas a wholly neutral platform, one that enablesall stakeholders get their voices heard.

Key event partners include major tradeorganisations such as the InternationalTelecommunication Union (ITU) and the AfricanTelecommunications Union (ATU).

These work with national governments andregulators and industry stakeholders acrossAfrica from mobile, satellite, broadcast, publicsafety, high altitude platforms and others, toensure that their voices are all included.

Major corporates at the 2018 summit alsoincluded Huawei, Ericsson, Microsoft andLiquid Telecom, among others.

The fourth outing of the conference will onceagain provide a meeting place for the region'smost influential spectrum policymakers andthought leaders.

This year’s event will also run alongside anITU Capacity Building Workshop on crossborder frequency co-ordination, which will takeplace in the same venue on 27-28 March.

Expect lively and dynamic discussion withplenty of room for interaction.

Last year’s event included an interactivebrain-storming session where participants

were split into small groups and asked toconsider the ‘bigger picture’ of how to trulymaximise the potential of spectrum for the region.

And there will be plenty to debate too. At theend of last year’s conference, a keynote speechchallenged delegates to focus on five mainthemes: bridging the technology divide;understanding consumers and their role inspectrum management; accelerating therelease of the digital dividend; developing a 5Gstrategy that fits Africa’s needs; and ensuringthat the region’s voice is heard on the globalstage, especially at major events such as theWorld Radiocommunication Conference 2019(WRC-19), which takes place in Egypt fromOctober to November 2019.

On the road to WRC-19, stakeholders at lastyear’s Sub-Saharan Spectrum ManagementConference were urged to continue activelyparticipating in regional forums andpreparatory meetings in order to shape thedecisions made at the Sharm El Sheikh conference.

It means that, this coming March, at theFourth Annual sub-Saharan SpectrumManagement Conference, the conversationwill move on to the next level — and at acritical juncture for all parties involved inthe industry.�

The Fourth Annual Sub-Saharan SpectrumManagement Conference takes place on 25-26 March 2019. The event is free to attend forall attendees. Visit the website for moreinformation: https://eu-ems.com


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The Fourth Annual Sub-Saharan SpectrumManagement Conference will be held in Kenya.

S04 CAF 6 2018 Report 01_Layout 1 26/12/2018 12:14 Page 10

Thanks to Industry 4.0, globalisation and rapid digitalisation, today’s consumers are veryconnected and mobile. How does this impact the hospitality industry?

Driving transformation and superior guestexperiences in hospitality

DIGITALISATIONCustomer experience

ARECENT REPORT from Inforhighlighted that in 2016 52 per centof all travel reservations were madeonline, with 65 per cent of same-day

hotel reservations made from a smartphone.Hospitality organisations that do not meettheir customers’ need for a digital presenceand mobile operations will soon becomeirrelevant.

There are three key challenges to deliveringexcellent customer experience: internaloperations, marketing operations andtechnology foundation.

When it comes to internal operations, frontof the house (property management and guestmanagement) and back of the houseoperations often aren’t aligned, resulting ininefficient workflow and operational glitches.When these inefficiencies affect the customer,their experience is tainted.

Marketing operations should go muchfurther than the latest promotional campaign.Every interaction with a guest/potential guestshould be seen as a marketing opportunity.Yet, many hospitality companies are unable tointeract with their guests in a seamless andintelligent way, across all touch points.Systems that enable the users to identify thetime of an interaction or pull up an individual’spreferences are essential to deliveringpersonalised guest experiences.

Hospitality establishments often lack thetechnology foundation that ties all areas of thebusiness together, thus marketing and internaloperations cannot collaborate and achieveefficiency. With no common store to collect

data on individual customers, and make itaccessible across the organisation,opportunities to create unique guestexperiences and interactions are lost. Infor’s Master Partner in Africa ), EOH, focuseson providing the right solutions to itscustomers. It delivers enterprise applications,enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions,and drives extended best of breed solutionsincluding; supply chain planning, extendedwarehouse management, asset maintenance,hospitality management, product life cyclemanagement, information management (BI,data warehousing and analytics), andenterprise performance management (financialplanning, forecasting, budgeting,consolidation and governance).

In 2011, EOH was appointed as the only InforGold Channel Partner in sub-Saharan Africa. In2014, it was appointed as Infor Master Partner,one of only a few worldwide. Most recently, asthe result of a rebranding, it became EOH InforServices in 2018.

According to Jane Thomson, managing

director at EOH, innovative solutions are theanswer to overcoming these obstacles. Shenoted: “What is needed is a solution thatdelivers in-context business intelligence, suchas detailed guest history, preference profiles,and recommendations presented at the point ofguest interaction. This empowers users to reactin real time, and surprise guests with an evenbetter experience than they had imagined.”

Infor has developed a targeted set ofhospitality solutions, driving customerexperience in a powerfully positive way. InforHospitality is already achieving this across theglobe, delivering phenomenal customerexperiences in over 20, 000 hotels, restaurants,and casinos in more than 100 countries.

This solution will officially be launchedacross Africa, in February 2019, by EOH InforServices. The strategic set of solutions istailored to the hospitality industry, giving theseestablishments the power to delight theirguests and increase sales by more than 30 percent, maximise revenue by as much as sevenper cent, and reduce labour costs by as muchas six per cent.

Streamlined operations, run in an integratedsystem for all guest and hotel data, meanemployees and management can stay on top ofall the intricate details that ensure a superiorguest experience.

“Can you ask customers to be your guest,with full confidence that all of their needs andexpectations will be met? If not, you’re fallingshort. With the power of a digitally transformedorganisation at your fingertips, why settle forbeing average?” concludes Thomson. �

As people become more connected, the hospitalityindustry has needed to adapt to meet consumers’ needs.

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There are three keychallenges to delivering

excellent customerexperience: internal

operations, marketingoperations and technology

foundation.



Ian Kilpatrick, executive vice-president cyber security, Nuvias Group highlights the toptrends for the cybersecurity sector in 2019

Top Ten Cybersecurity predictions for 2019

INTERNET Cybersecurity

1. Increase in crime, espionage andsabotage by rogue nation-statesWith the ongoing failure ofsignificant national, internationalor UN level response andrepercussion, nation-statesponsored espionage, cyber-crime and sabotage will continueto expand. Clearly, mostorganisations are simply notstructured to defend against suchattacks, which will succeed inpenetrating defences.Cybersecurity teams will need torely on breach detectiontechniques.

2. GDPR - the pain still to comeThe 25th of May, 2018 has comeand gone, with manyorganisations breathing a sigh ofrelief that it was fairly painless.They’ve put security processes inprogress and can say that they areen route to a secure situation – soeverything is OK?

We are still awaiting the firstbig GDPR penalty. When itarrives, organisations aresuddenly going to start lookingseriously at what they really needto do. Facebook, BA, CathayPacific, etc. have sufferedbreaches recently, and will havedifferent levels of corporate costas a result, depending on whichside of the May 25th deadlinethey sit. So GDPR will still have abig impact in 2019

3. Cloud insecurity – it’s yourhead on the block.Cloud insecurity grew in 2018 and,unfortunately, it will carry ongrowing even more in 2019.Increasing amounts of data arebeing deployed from disparateparts of organisations, with moreand more of that data ending upunsecured.

Despite the continual publicityaround repeated breaches, the

majority of organisations do nothave good housekeepingdeployed and enforced acrosstheir whole data estate in thecloud. To give an idea of the scale,Skyhigh Networks researchindicated that seven per cent of S3buckets are publicly accessibleand 35 per cent are unencrypted.

4. Single factor passwords – thedark agesAs if we need the repetition,single-factor passwords are one ofthe simplest possible keys to thekingdom (helped by failure tomanage network privileges oncebreached). Simple passwords arethe key tool for attack vectors,from novice hackers right the wayup to nation-state players. And yetthey still remain the go-to securityprotection for the majority oforganisations, despite the lowcost and ease of deployment ofmulti-factor authentication

Cloud insecurity grew in 2018 and, is expected tocarry on growing even more in 2019.

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Ransomware, cryptomining, bankingTrojans and VPN

filters are some ofthe key malwarechallenges that

continue tothreaten businesses

and consumers.



Communications Africa Issue 6 2018 13

--INTERNETCybersecurity

solutions. Sadly, password theftand password-based breacheswill persist as a daily occurrencein 2019.

5. Malware - protect or failRansomware, crypto mining,banking Trojans and VPN filtersare some of the key malwarechallenges that continue tothreaten businesses andconsumers. Live monitoring byMalwarebytes, Kaspersky andothers, has shown that the mix ofthreats varies during the year, butthe end result of malware threatswill be a bad 2019.

Increasing sophistication willbe seen in some areas such asransomware, alongside newmalware approaches andincreased volumes of malware inother areas. Traditional AV will notprovide sufficient protection.Solutions that have a directmalware focus are essential fororganisations, alongside trackingof network activity (in and out ofthe network). With CybersecurityVentures predicting thatransomware damage costs willexceed US$11.5bn by 2019, itcertainly won’t be going away. Ohyes, and make sure that yourbackup plan is working and tested.

6. Shift in attack vectors will drivecyber hygiene growth.The ongoing shift of attackvectors, from the network to the

user, is causing a reappraisal ofhow to manage security. Drivenpartly by the shift in boardroomawareness, and partly by GDPR,many organisations arerecognising, perhaps belatedly, thattheir users are their weakest link.

Not only is there a greaterawareness of the insider threatfrom malicious current and ex-staff, but there is also a growingrecognition that staff cyberawareness and training is a crucialstep in securing this vulnerablearea. The response fromorganisations will take the form ofcyber education, coupled withtesting, measuring, andmonitoring staff cyber behaviour.Increasingly, Entity and UserBehaviour Analytics (EUBA)systems will be adopted,alongside training programmesand automated testing, such assimulated phishing and socialengineering attacks.

7. IOT - the challenge will onlyincrease.We’ve already seen some of thesecurity challenges raised by IoT,but 2019 will significantlydemonstrate the upward trend inthis area. Driven by theconvenience and benefits that IoTcan deliver, the technology isbeing increasingly deployed bymany organisations, with minimalthought by many as to the securityrisks and potential consequences.

Because some IoT deploymentsare well away from the mainnetwork areas, they have slippedin under the radar. In the absenceof a standard, or indeed aperceived need for security, IoTwill continue to be deployed,creating insecurity in areas thatwere previously secure. For thegreatest percentage of IoTdeployments, it is incrediblydifficult or impossible to backfitsecurity. This means that thefailure to segment on the networkwill further exacerbate thechallenges IoT will create in 2019and beyond.

8. Increasing risks with shadow ITsystems and bad housekeepingShadow IT systems continue toproliferate, as do the number ofapplications and access pointsinto systems, including legacyapplications. In the case ofshadow IT systems, these areindefensible as they are; and inthe case of increasingapplications and access points,if they relate to old orabandoned applications, theyare difficult to identify and defend.

In both cases, these are aneasy attack surface withsignificant oversight, internalpolitics and budget challenges,and were previously seen as alower priority for resolution.However, there has been both anincreased awareness of theopportunity for attack via thisroute, and an increase in thenumber of attacks, which willaccelerate in 2019.

9. DDoS - usually unseen, but stilla nightmareDDoS is the dirty secret for manyorganisations and attacks willcontinue to grow in 2019, alongsidethe cost of defending against them.Nevertheless, DDoS attacks aren’tgenerally newsworthy, unless a bigname organisation is involved, orthe site is down for a long time.And, of course, the victim does notwant to draw attention to their lackof defence. That’s not good forcustom or for share prices.

The cost of launching an attackis comparatively low, oftenshockingly low, and the rewardsare quick – the victim pays for it togo away. Additionally,cryptocurrencies have aided themoney transfer in this scenario.Yet the cost for the victim is muchhigher than the ransom, as itinvolves system analysis,reconstruction and, naturally,defending against the next attack.

10. Cybersecurity in theboardroomA decade, perhaps two decades,late for some organisations,cybersecurity is now considered akey business risk by the board.2019 will see this trend accelerateas boards demand clarity andunderstanding in an area that wasoften devolved as a sub-component of the CISO’s role, andwas not really a major topic for theboardroom. The financial,reputational and indeed C- Suiteemployment risks of cyber breachwill continue to drive board focuson cybersecurity up the agenda. �There is an increase in the number of attacks with shadow IT systems.

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We’ve already seen some of the securitychallenges raised by IoT, but 2019 will

significantly demonstrate the upward trendin this area.



Robin Kuriakose, power generation sales leader for Southern Africa, speaks about howCummins diesel gensets are now offering a unique DCC rating, guaranteeing unlimitedhours of operation to customers.

Cummins gensets for data centre applications

POWER Data centres

AMAIN ADVANTAGE of Cummins dieselgensets for data centre applicationsis that they boast a DCC rating fromthe Uptime Institute, which

guarantees total dependability. This is a vitalcriterion in such a niche but premium marketsegment, where reliable back-up power iscritical, according to Robin Kuriakose, powergeneration sales leader for Southern Africa.The Data Centre Continuous (DCC) rating

means that the Cummins diesel gensets arerated for unlimited hours of operation, with norestrictions on average variable or constantload factor. This spans Cummins’ range of highhorsepower diesel gensets, from 400 kVA to3300 kVA, including Cummins’s ability to offertechnical solutions regarding Tier I to Tier IVapplications whilst maintaining our two yearstandard warranty offering.Consultants and engineers can design with

the confidence that Cummins’ diesel gensetscan be applied up to the specified rating withoutrestrictions on varying or non-varying loads orhours of operation. These ratings greatly simplifythe engineering design process, and also makeit easier for customers to achieve sitecertification from the Uptime Institute.

By combining DCC ratings with the time-tested ability of Cummins diesel gensets toachieve 100 per cent load acceptance in asingle step, together with best-in-classPowerCommand digital controls, data centrecustomers are assured that their powergeneration systems are at the cuttingedge oftechnological development.“This is a particular value-add for our clients,

as we are one of very few local suppliers offeringa DCC rating as standard,” Kuriakose notes.From large financial institutions to telecomscompanies and even parastatals, it is criticalthat data centres have reliable back-up powerin the event of any unforeseen outage.“Back-up power can be supplemented by

UPS, but this solution has a finite battery back-up capacity before it runs out. Only diesel

gensets are capable of supplying power on-demand, for whatever period required,”Kuriakose stresses.The implications of downtime for any

data centre are not only potential loss of data,but reduced data traffic, and therefore lessrevenue generated.Commenting on battery back-up as a

potential solution, Kuriakose points out thatthis technology still has a long way to go beforeit matures. “The fact of the matter is that, ifpower supply to a data centre is interrupted foran entire day, for example, only a diesel gensetis sufficient for such an extended period.Cummins is a premium engine manufacturer,which means that its diesel gensets are of thehighest quality.”Cummins’ complete power-system

solutions for data-centre applicationscomprise highhorsepower gensets, automatictransfer switches, digital control technology,and remote monitoring and control in the formof PowerCommand, which allows operators toview power-system performance from a webbrowser, for example.“These innovations represent the cutting

edge in data-centre back-up power supply. Thecombination of reliable equipment and

seamless components, together with the DCCrating, make our diesel gensets the mosttrusted in the world for such criticalapplications,” Kuriakose elaborates. Cummins was a proud exhibitor at Infracom

at the Kyalami Theatre on the Track, inMidrand, in June, which was billed as thebiggest data-centre networking event in Africa.“We are seeing a lot of development in thisspace in the local market, particularly as wehave a product range designed specifically forit. There is a definite push for more datacentres, due to the growing need for effectivedata storage. This is why our ongoingcommitment to this market is reflected throughour participation at major events such asInfracom,” Kuriakose says.He concludes that Cummins’ strategy in this

regard will be to focus on forging partnershipswith its main clients, in order to get a foot in thedoor by upfront involvement in such projects.This will allow Cummins to offer the latesttechnology and the best aftermarket supportand back-up. “A key differentiator for us is ourtotal power-solutions approach, which meansour involvement can extend from the design tothe actual installation and commissioning,”Kuriakose adds.�

Robin Kuriakose, power generation sales leader for Southern Africa.

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“There is a definite push for more data centres, due

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Honeywell heightens cyber securityservices in response to industry demand

SECURITYCyberthreat

THE NEW SERVICES are designed to helpindustrial and critical infrastructurecustomers identify and eliminatedangerous security weaknesses.

The Honeywell CyberVantage SecurityConsulting Services portfolio now includesPenetration Testing, providing active “white-hat”hackers who exploit customer defenses in orderto fix them. It also now offers System Hardeningto reduce software vulnerabilities and assistcustomers in safely complying with global Centerfor Internet Security (CIS) industry benchmarks.These new offerings expand the HoneywellCyberVantage Security Consulting Servicesportfolio of more than 30 services that delivercomprehensive cyber security expertise toindustrial clients, from assessments and auditsto remediation, enabling safer connected plants,digital transformation, and Industrial Internet ofThings (IIoT) efforts. Delivered by consultantswith expertise in both operational technology(OT) and industrial cyber security, the serviceshelp organisations lower the risk and possibleimpact of security incidents and improve theirindustrial cyber security maturity levels.

Addressing the media at the HoneywellUsers Group EMEA conference, Marty Israels,

Honeywell’s director of product marketing forIndustrial Cyber Security Solutions, explainedthat the new services are being added inresponse to the increase in the frequency andsophistication of attacks over the last twelve toeighteen months, with many targeting criticalinfrastructure and the process industries. Thisis a big challenge for customers, who arelooking for expertise and support.

“Planning an attack on industrial controlssystems (ICS) is now easier than ever, withmalware that can be used to attack an individualor company easily accessible on the dark web,”he commented. “Organised crime andindividuals looking to do harm are takingadvantage of this. That is one of the reasons whywe have seen an increase in ransomware attacksover the last couple of years.” According to TrendMicro, there were 1.7bn ransomware attacksdetected globally in the first quarter of 2018.

The Middle East is one of the regions mostunder threat. A PwC survey has found thatbusinesses in the Middle East suffered largerlosses than other regions in the world last yeardue to cyber incidents. Around 18 per cent ofrespondents in the region have experiencedmore than 5,000 attacks, compared to a global

average of nine per cent. Another challenge is the cyber security skills

shortage, with a global shortfall of 3.5mn cybersecurity jobs globally forecast by 2021,according to research company CybersecurityVentures, while the move to connectedoperations to drive efficiencies is furtherdriving the demand for industrial cyber securityand the expertise to support it.

“Fifty one per cent of organisations report ashortage of cyber security skills. The feedbackfrom our customer advisory board indicatesthere is a need for industrial securityexpertise,” said Israels.

“In response to this, we are building astrong cyber security service portfolio tocomplement the software and technology weprovide. Over the past year-and-a-half we haveput a focused effort into strengthening ourindustrial cyber security capabilities andincreasing the level of services, driven by amulti-site defence in depth approach,complemented by the ability to do multi-vendor cyber security management. With ourCyberVantage security consulting services wecan bring expertise on-site, offering variousservices to increase customer defences. This iscomplemented by software that offers secureremote access, through a single pipe into acontrol network, providing advanced industrialsecurity protection.”

In addition, Honeywell introduced CyberVantage Managed Security Services in June,which offer 24/7 access to industrial expertiseand monitoring.

Honeywell now employs more than 250people focused on industrial cyber security, witha specialised knowledge of requirements suchas industrial control system (ICS) securitystandard IEC-62443 and a variety of countryspecific standards. The company has openedIndustrial Cyber security Centers of Excellence(COEs) around the world, launching its first COEin the Middle East in Dubai in February to serveits customers in the region. The pioneeringtechnology centre provides a safe off-processenvironment to test and demonstrate processcontrol network vulnerabilities and threats, traincustomers with real-time attack simulations andprovide advanced customer consultations.

“We are very much involved in cybersecurity, with a strong and growing cybersecurity business,” stressed Israels. �

The new services are designed to help industrialand critical infrastructure customers identify and

eliminate dangerous security weaknesses.

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Honeywell announced at the Honeywell Users Group EMEA conference in Madrid in earlyOctober the launch of new cybersecurity consulting services to address the growingcyber threat to industry and the industrial cybersecurity skills shortage.


The 21st edition of AfricaCom — Africa’s largest technology conference — offered aglimpse of the connectivity divide in Africa and new trends to connect the unconnected.

AfricaCom 2018: Pathway to building afully connected Africa

EVENTS AfricaCom

THE THREE-DAY EVENT was jam-packed with stimulating paneldiscussions, networking forums,product launches and showcases,

was held at the CTICC in Cape Town, SouthAfrica from 13 to 15 November.The conference featured more than 17,000

attendees from over 150 countries rangingfrom telecom operators, government,researchers and media working in the Africantelecoms and technology landscape. Therewas a high level of interaction withinfluencers across the African digitalecosystem during the event.According to Lanre Kolade, CEO of CSquared

said, "Africa needs to showcase successstories in the African continent and AfricaComprovides the opportunity for Africans to do that.African governments need to understand thatwe have restless youth across the continentwho need to be empowered.”More than half of the world’s population

(4.021bn) is now online. Africa still lags behind,with the latest data showing close to 35 per centInternet users (435mn) and 85 per cent mobile

users (1mn) in Africa. Mohammed DabbourCEO Africa at Millicom stated, “The 4thindustrial revolution promises to improve thelives of billions of people across the world. Therevolution requires the right foundation to beready. As actors, we need to collaborate withinand across the industry as the revolution willtouch every industry, discipline and economy.”

More than 60 per cent of the Africanpopulation comprises of youth below the ageof 25. They are mostly unemployed and live inrural and peri-urban areas, where theprovision, of services such as health care,education and transport are constrained due topoverty lack of funding, infrastructural gapsand conflict. For the majority of young Africans,mobile phones are not just a communication

device but a vital tool for accessing eitherlife.enhancing or life-changing changingservices and opportunities. Highlights and announcements during

AfricaCom 2018 aimed at shaping Africa’sdigital future and closing the connectivitygaps included:

Africa’s first smart feature phoneMTN, KaiOS Technologies, China Mobile, andUNISOC announced a partnership to launchAfrica’s First Smart Feature Phone. The mobilephone will initially be available from MTN inNigeria, and South Africa followed very shortlyby other MTN operations in Africa. The handsetwill allow customers to upgrade from a featurephone with only voice and text capabilities, toa fully connected handset with fast, 3GInternet. Of the partnership, Rob Shuter, grouppresident and CEO of MTN, said, “As MTN weare proud to be part of this partnership thatsupports our ambitions to deepen digitalinclusion in our markets. This initiativecontributes to the achievement of one of ourkey goals to provide affordable data enabled

Intelsat was one ofthe exhibitors at this

year’s AfricaCom.

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More than 60 per cent ofthe African population

comprises of youth belowthe age of 25.




EVENTSAfricaCom

handsets to our customers, and by so doing,remove some of the barriers to mobile Internetadoption in Africa.” The handset will retailbetween US$20-$US25 which is relativelyaffordable compared to the average price ofUS$40 of entry-level smartphones across theAfrican continent. MTN is aiming to sell about10mn of the devices over the next three years.

Fiber connectivityAngola Cables, a multinationaltelecommunications company running a varietyof international submarine Cable Systemsannounced that it had signed a Memorandumof Understanding with Broadband Infraco, awholesale state-owned service provider in theSouth African telecommunication space, toprovides extensive regional long-distancenetwork coverage and connectivity in the SADCregion. Broadband Infraco currently has nearly15,000km of fiber networks across South Africa.

Satellite connectivity Geographic and infrastructural challenges areamong the complexities faced by mobilenetwork operators when trying to expandmobile connectivity in rural areas of Africa.According to the African Digital Outlook 2019, areport by Ovum, “ Even as Africa sees progresswith broadband and digital services, basicconnectivity remains out of reach for manypeople on the continent. The gaps inconnectivity represent a missed commercialopportunity as well as an obstacle to achievingeconomic and social benefits that should ariseas broadband penetration increases.”The conference featured exhibitions by

leading satellite providers such as Intelsat,Arabsat and Gazprom. Pan-African telecoms group Liquid Telecom

partnered with Kymeta in a bid to extend itsVSAT service in the most under-serviced andremote parts of Africa.

Broadband outlook Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia andAlgeria are the biggest mobile markets in theAfrican continent in terms of subscriptions.Mobile data is the leading revenue growtharea for mobile operators in Africa. 5G is being punted globally, but in reality,

Africa will see a much larger uptake of 3G inthe next few years. According to Ovum’sAfrican Digital Outlook 2019 report which waslaunched at the conference, ‘3G andincreasingly LTE will power the growth ofmobile broadband in Africa for the comingfew years. The number of mobile 3G

subscriptions on the continent will rise from456.6mn at the end of 2018 to 697.6mn in2023.’ Ovum expects mobile 5G services tobe launched in Africa by 2021, but thenumber of mobile 5G subscriptions on thecontinent will initially be small, rising to5.9mn at the end of 2023.

Creating an Internet economy After two days of intense discussions andnetworking, networking events provided theagency for vibrant discussion and informationsharing that help close the digital divideplaguing the African continent. The agriculture,education and health sectors are bestpositioned to benefit from the digitalconnectivity in the immediate future becauseof the youthful population that could benefitfrom innovations in their respective fields. According to the 2017 African Futures report

by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS),"Mobile technology uptake can help banking,health and education services to reachunderserved populations, but increasing firmproductivity and attracting foreign directinvestment (FDI) will require investments inrelatively pricey ICT infrastructure. The buzzsurrounding leapfrogging also overlooks afundamental reality. Many African families,communities and governments cannot affordthis new technology."For the African ICT sector to thrive, there is a

need for partnership and collaborationbetween the regulators and operators. Africangovernments need to revise regulatoryobstacles that are slowing efforts to digitise thecontinent. By ensuring spectrum availability,reviewing harsh laws regulating internet useand scraping social media taxes that increasethe cost of connectivity, African governmentswill be paving the pathway to building a fullyconnected Africa. �

Nancy Atieno Onyango

MTN, KaiOS Technologies, China Mobile and UNISOC launch Africa’s first smart feature phone.

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Panel discussion on embracing digital transformation to strengthen African economies.

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Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt,Ethiopia and Algeria are thebiggest mobile markets inthe African continent interms of subscriptions.



The potential of the Internet of Things (IOT) to make consumers’ lives more convenient is well-documented. One area inwhich it can deliver immediate benefits and significantly change how a household or company in Africa manages andkeeps track of its energy use is smart metering.

Securing the smart energy revolution in Africa

IOT Smart energy

RATHER THAN RELY on estimatedenergy use to calculate bills, orphysically visit customers’ homes totake meter readings, a smart meter

allows energy suppliers to have a real-timeview of a household’s or business’ energyconsumption – resulting in more accuratebilling. Smart metering systems open upopportunities for better management of thedemand and supply of energy. Utilities cantrack energy which is stored and available forpurchase for other players who are in demand.Today’s systems no longer rely on just fossilfuels, but also on renewable energy, whichmore and more parties produce and sell, whennot using it for their own consumption.Africa and the Middle East are now seen as

the next frontiers for the implementation of thistechnology. Africa, in particular, is experiencingmassive population growth combined withgrowing economies in many countries.Electrification is obviously a major driver in thiskind of development and, as with othertechnological implementations, Africa is in aposition to adopt new technologiesimmediately because it has few legacies.Figures from ABI Research support the view

that Africa is beginning to leap onto the smartmetering bandwagon. Figures show that smartmeter shipments to the Africa/Middle Eastregion are predicted to grow at a compoundannual growth rate of 36.6 per cent between2011 and 2022. Revenues of companiesinvolved in smart metering are set to grow by anequivalent 35.4 per cent over the same period.The installed base of smart meters with

cellular connections will grow by 29.1 per cent(GSM/ GPRS) and 71.2 per cent (WCDKA), butoff a very low base. As with any connecteddevice, there are security considerations withsmart metering. And since energy grids arecritical national infrastructure, robustprotection is paramount.

A highly-motivated cyber targetNational energy infrastructure is a prime targetfor cyberattacks, and the consequences can bedevastating. Blackouts across entire countries,access to personal data and even to nuclearpower plants make the smart energyecosystem very attractive to cyber actors.Smart meters and smart grids present many

potential routes of attack for and, they must beprotected. This is why governments around theworld are responding with initiatives thatmandate specific protection protocols for smartgrid deployments. Non-compliance couldprevent access to the marketplace or lead tocostly fines.

Smart meters have a long product lifecycleSmart meters are not just installed for a coupleof years and then updated – the intention is forthem to last as long as 10-15 years. This meansthat advanced security processes need to be inplace to replace ageing keys and to enableremote credential management, along withstrong encryption and authentication tools toensure that only authorised parties can accessthe energy assets and their data.Smart meters can also be very difficult to

access. Deployments are very wide – spreadout over an entire country or even further –while the devices themselves are put intowalls, behind locked doors or in physicallyremote locations such as mines or offshoresites. These make regular maintenance visitsdifficult, time consuming and costly. For thesereasons, the ability to remotely monitor smartmeters appear as crucial, to continuouslyprotect the ecosystem in the long-run.

A dynamic marketLastly, the energy market changes quickly. Newentrants join the market frequently, whileothers disappear. The smart meter ecosystemhas thus to be configured so that onlyauthorised organisations and applicationshave access to metering data, and thatchanges to access can be appliedinstantaneously, whenever needed. As smartmeter manufacturers might not be IoT securityexperts, partnering with digital securityspecialist firms can avoid putting AMIs(Advanced Metering Infrastructures) at risk.It’s clear that the smart meter market is set

to grow significantly across Africa in the nearterm. There are several market drivers behindthis, such as theft and revenue protection,rising urbanisation rates, improved operationsamong others. With this rise, comes the needfor governments to understand end-to-endsecurity of the smart energy ecosystem and thededicated solutions available that provideencrypted keys and hardened key storage intosmart meters – right from the manufacturingsteps, as well as throughout the lifecycle of thesmart meters. �

Sherry Zameer, senior vice president Internetof Things (IOT) for CISMEA region at Gemalto

IoT can change how households in the continent track their energy usage.

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South Africans with Internet connections lead the world in expectations for constant connection both at and away fromhome, with 95 per cent of respondents saying they expect it and it is important to them, according to the 2018 ARRISInternational plc (NASDAQ: ARRS) Connectivity & Entertainment Index (CEI).

The rising demand for connectivity in South Africa

INTERNETSouth Africa

ANOTHER SURPRISE: A majority ofhouseholds with Internet connections(56 per cent) are willing to pay morefor access to new experiences that

constant connections deliver. Only India andChile matched South Africa's level ofexpectation.

In a finding increasingly mirroredworldwide, 51 per cent said they want anequivalent content experience (and 77 percent said they wanted equivalent quality ofconnection) away from home as they havewhile inside.

"This demand for constant connection awayfrom home has appeared quickly," saidDuncan Potter, senior vice president of globalmarketing for ARRIS. "All of this has hugeimplications for providers and even enterprisesas they cater to more demanding workforces.Other global markets are showing us that pent-up demand will likely grow as youngerconsumers continue to enter the market."

The complete findings have wide-rangingimplications for mobile operators, residentialservice providers, and enterprises. The globalreport, which surveys 20,000 consumertechnology buyers in 20 countries about theirbehaviors and purchase plans, is now in itseighth year.

Better, More, SaferSouth Africans' demand for constantconnections runs deep. An overwhelming

majority (87 per cent) of those with connectionsbelieve constant connectivity is changing theirlives for the better. For these South Africans,constant connectivity means being reachable24/7 (63 per cent), a seamless experience(defined as fast, reliable and uninterrupted) (56per cent), and granting information anywhere,at any time (61 per cent).

Respondents also revealed a broaddefinition of entertainment. A full 86 per centsay entertainment is "more than just a screen,"pointing to new experiences and opportunitiesthat "should be available anywhere, anytime,in any format".

Throughout the survey, security and privacygained in importance and emerge as a drivingforce in technology purchase plans: 74 per centof respondents cited security and/or privacy astheir top concern about constant connectivity.

In a first, security (55 per cent) and privacy(50 per cent) dominated the top five factors

influencing selection of entertainment andbroadband service providers for out-of-homeuse. Speed (51 per cent) and reliability (51 percent) tied for second place, with cost (49 percent) and ease of use (45 per cent) completingthe top five.

Security also appeared in the top threepriorities for Wi-Fi devices, knocking offperennials ease of connection (51 per cent)and low pricing (46 per cent). Speed (86 percent) and strength of signal (75 per cent)maintained their leads.

The survey found that installations ofhome security systems could double: 27 percent of homes currently have one, with 33 percent of respondents saying they plan toinstall one.

Security and privacy also loomed large inthe appetite for managed video. A full 72 percent said they'd prefer to manage their deviceoptions themselves, with 51 per cent citingsecurity and 64 per cent citing privacy as themain reason.

Finally, South Africans with connectionsare poised to double their current use of paidstreaming services, according to the survey.While 31 per cent currently subscribe to astreaming service, a full 34 per cent said theyplan to use or subscribe to one going forward.Also here, churn for streaming services ispegged at 13 per cent, with the overwhelmingreason for cancellation (63 per cent) beingthat the service was too expensive. �

87 per cent of South Africans withconnections believe constant connectivity is

changing their lives for the better.

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In a first, security (55 percent) and privacy (50 per

cent) dominated the top fivefactors influencing selection

of entertainment andbroadband service providers

for out-of-home use.



Middle East security, safety, and fire protection industries are in sharp focus as countdown begins for Intersec 2019. Thethree-day trade exhibition in Dubai will host 1,300-plus exhibitors, 15 country pavilions, and a new conference format.

Intersec 2019 to reflect expansion ofMiddle East’s security market

EVENTS Intersec

THE COUNTDOWN HASbegun for the 21st editionof one of the leadingsecurity, safety, and fire

protection trade shows in Dubai,with global suppliers zooming inon a Middle East market that isestimated to more than double invalue over the next six years.

More than 1,300 exhibitorsfrom 59 countries, including 18 ofthe 20 leading commercialsecurity providers, are set toparticipate at Intersec 2019, whichtakes place from 20-22 January atthe Dubai InternationalConvention and Exhibition Centre.

The annual three-day event,organised by Messe FrankfurtMiddle East, covers the sevensections of Commercial Security;Fire & Rescue; Perimeter &Physical Security; Safety & Health;Homeland Security & Policing;Information Security; and SmartHome & Building Automation.

It will arrive as regionaldemand for these solutionssoars at a compound annualgrowth rate of 15 per cent from2018 to 2024. According toanalysts at 6WResearch, theMiddle East market forcommercial and cyber security,fire protection, smart homesolutions, and drones, worth acombined US$7bn in 2018, willgrow to US$16.4bn in 2024.

Commercial security,comprising video surveillance,access control, and intrusion

detection, holds the lion’s share ofthat figure. Valued at US$2.9bn in2018, the regional commercialsecurity market will grow toUS$7.4bn in 2024 according to6WResearch, driven by increasedinfrastructure investments andstringent regulatory policies.

The Middle East fire safetysystems and equipment marketwill increase by eight per centannually, valuing US$3bn in 2024,from an estimated US$1.9bn in2018, while the markets for cybersecurity (from US$1.4bn in 2018 toUS$2.7bn in 2024), smart home(US$344mn to US$869mn), anddrones (US$507mn to US$2.4bn),are also in-line for solid double-digit annual growth.

This sets the scene for threedays of busy networking andknowledge-sharing at Intersec2019, which returns with the keysupport of long-standingGovernment partners such as theDubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence,

Dubai Police Academy, DubaiMunicipality, and the SecurityIndustry Regulatory Agency (SIRA).

The increasing globalsignificance of the annualshowpiece will also be underlinedby a number of new internationalpartners coming on board, withIntersec’s show director AndreasRex confirming the Kuwait FireProtection Association, the RoyalSociety for the Prevention ofAccidents (ROSPA), the Institutionof Occupational Safety and Health(IOSH) and the NationalExamination Board inOccupational Safety and Health(NEBOSH), among new officialsupporters next year.

“The Perimeter SecuritySuppliers Association (PSSA) andthe Pakistan Safety Council havealso confirmed their support forIntersec 2019, joining more than 35official international governmentpartners, trade associations, andprofessional non-profit institutionsaimed at advancing the globalsecurity, safety, and fire protectionlandscape,” said Rex.

Rex said plans for a new three-day conference format is alsounderway, bringing togetherequipment manufacturers,integrators, consultants andservices providers withregulatory agencies andgovernment authorities.

“A three-day Intersec FutureSecurity Summit will raise key

issues on Artificial Intelligence,security Integration, emergencypreparedness and response, dataprotection, IoT and much more. Arange of practical workshopsessions are also being organisedfor security managers to supportskills development, professionalexpertise on security riskintelligence, threat identification,and disaster management.

“The SIRA Forum will alsoreturn with the latest updates insecurity law and industryregulations in Dubai, while a one-day Fire Safety and ProtectionConference will involveauthorities, fire chiefs, engineers,fire fighters and emergencyresponse professionals.”

Returning popular features atIntersec 2019 include the DroneZone, an Outdoor Demo Area, aSmart Home Pavilion and theSafety Design in Buildings Pavilion.

More than 150 exhibitors will beparticipating for the first time,while Canada, China, CzechRepublic, France, Germany, HongKong, India, Italy, Korea, Pakistan,Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, UK,and the USA comprise the 15country pavilions.

Intersec 2019 is held under thepatronage of His Highness SheikhMansoor bin Mohammed binRashid Al Maktoum. �

For more details about the exhibitionvisit: www.intersecexpo.com.

The show sawthree days of

busy networking.

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Intersec 2018 welcomed 1,337 exhibitorsfrom 59 countries to the Dubai International

Convention and Exhibition Centre.

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Staggering growth across industry and innovation is changing the face of performance testing. Technological innovationand invention have shifted foundations and redefined potential, putting the customer in the driving seat and theenterprise under pressure.

How digital transformation is redefiningperformance testing

TECHNOLOGYPerformance testing

AS SECRETS GO, the factthat technology hasfundamentally changedthe face of business has

to be the worst kept. The past 10years have seen cloud move froma concept to a critical businesstool, the Internet of Things frompostulated idea to realisedpotential, and artificialintelligence already embeddedinto chatbot and call centre.According to Mandla Mbonambi,founding CEO of Africonology,technology will continue itsrelentless evolution,transformation will becomeincreasingly focused on thecustomer and service delivery,and testing will remain critical inensuring the success of both.

“Innovation and digitaltransformation have placed thecustomer at the centre of theenterprise,” he says. “Technologyis allowing for the business to takeproducts and services to marketfar more effectively and is puttingit under pressure to ensureperformance is closely aligned tocustomer demand. The changesthat have taken place in the ITsector have been the biggestdrivers of digital transformationand it is affecting each industry,regardless of type and product.”

The mantra remains true – ifyour business doesn’t transformtoday, it’s done. Why? Becausethe changes have rippled alongthe value chain. The organisationsthat invest in digital are those thatare consistently and agilelyrefining the management of thevalue chain and unlocking outnew revenue models andopportunities. Manual processesare automated and servicedelivery improved to the pointwhere it now provides otherservice avenues to the business.

“Customer expectations areconsistently revising, upwards,”says Mbonambi. “Speed ofdelivery and getting the productto market first has becomecritical to meet theseexpectations. It is also the agilityand ability to pivot onopportunity – the ability torecognise customer trends orneeds and to fill them beforeanyone else.”

It is into this morass ofcustomer and experience andsatisfaction that automation hastaken its first tentative steps. Theimmediacy and efficacy of the

technology has introduced newlayers to customer engagementand process management.Automation is transforming howthe business delivers to itsmarket but equally how itsinternal functions are managed.The focus has shifted from thewhere to the how.

“I believe that there will beeven more services andautomated solutions entering themarket over the next few years,”says Mbonambi. “Users will beable to access their servicesthrough technologies such as theInternet of Things (IoT) andartificial intelligence (AI). Thesechanges aren’t years into thefuture, either, they’re imminent.They are also going to change theskills landscape.”

For Mbonambi the next 10 yearswill not only see the rise of therobots but of new skills. Into thedigitally empowered future willarrive a new type of talent that’smulti-skilled and capable of takingon a variety of roles andresponsibilities. Perhaps thechanges in skills demand andability could be defined as one of

the most seismic shifts introducedby technology and thismetamorphosis is unlikely to slowdown any time in the future.

“I think that performancetesting is also going to play apivotal role in the success of anydigital transformation strategy orimplementation,” he concludes.“We need to ensure that theservices being created can satisfyclients and their objectives whileremaining aligned to regulatoryrequirements and beingcompliant. This is particularlyrelevant when it comes to AI and IOT as regulation willcontinue to adapt to meet thechallenges presented by thesetechnologies and the enterprisehas to keep up.”

For Africonology, the market’schanges in technology andcapability have influenced anequal evolution in performancetesting. To meet both businessand market demand, thetechnology must meet objectives,deliver on parameters and take onmore responsibilities and testingis critical in ensuring that this isexactly what happens. �

Digital transformation will become increasingly focusedon the customer and service delivery.

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The organisationsthat invest in digital

are those that areconsistently and

agilely refining themanagement of the

value chain andunlocking out new

revenue models andopportunities.



What are your thoughts on the growth of thedigital advertising market in MENA?MENA’s projected digital growth is one of thefastest in the world. Digital share of TVrevenues is expected to rise from 10 per cent to18 per cent by 2012. This is driven by a large,younger population, strong mobile connectivityand growth in streaming platforms andservices. MENA’s youth will drive growth.Talking about youth, this is also applicable tothe market itself (and not only audiences). Weare constantly working with new actors andnew video companies that did not exist a fewyears ago. As the market restructures itself,we’re now seeing bigger projects andopportunities at scale, and we’re thrilled to bepart of it.

What does the future hold for programmaticadvertising?Performance in video advertising can bemeasured with multiple KPIs, such ascompletion rates, cost per view, viewability,target audience, attribution, and the branding

contribution to the sales cycle. Programmaticadvertising is advantageous to marketersbecause of its extensive measurable, targetingand optimisation solutions. It was built withboth advertisers and publishers in mind, to runat scale and address the scissor effect (theright balance between ROI for advertisers andyield for publishers).

It has become almost frictionless for buyersand brands to buy video media in aprogrammatic fashion. Publishers need strongsoftware to make their video inventoryavailable the way brands want to consumemedia. Whether they are buying using a DSP or

in a direct-sales IO model, publishers need toembrace all types of trading models with thesame standards of quality.

What are the biggest challenges advertisersor broadcasters need to prepare for?Throughout the region, approximately 72 percent of TV is delivered through satellite with a 84per cent free TV penetration rate. A big challengefor broadcasters and marketers in MENA need tofind a viable solution for measuring andreporting on free-to-air content. As linear anddigital TV further converge, transactionsbetween broadcasters and marketers willbecome smoother by de-siloing TV & digitalwithin the same organisation. Innovations willbuild the bridge between traditional TV and howcontent is consumed today.

The challenge is not only technical it is alsoorganisational; broadcasters have to unite ontechnology standards and best practices. Themore fragmented technologies are, the longerit will take to bring innovation into MENAmarkets. Because of digital giants

Throughout the region, approximately 72 percent of TV is delivered through satellite with

a 84 per cent free TV penetration rate.

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Broadcasters are the oneswho best know their

audience so they need toadopt the most adequatemonetisation solution for

an optimal user-experience.


Despite the rise of digital advertising in the MENA region broadcasters and marketers are faced withchallenge of finding a viable solution for measuring and reporting on free-to-air content, says David

Spencer, commercial director MENA, FreeWheel.

The future of digital advertising

DIGITAL Interview



DIGITALInterview

opportunistically looking into the TV market,broadcasters and media groups shouldembrace a more collaborative approach. Agreat source of inspiration is the EuropeanBroadcaster Exchange (EBX).

How do you think consumer influence on adcontent will affect broadcasting?Content is media companies’ most preciousasset. Broadcasters are the ones who bestknow their audience so they need to adopt themost adequate monetisation solution for anoptimal user-experience. Due to theabundance of content available the attentionspan of the consumer has shrunk. Ad durationis an example: it’s a joint responsibility of bothpublishers and marketers to address exposureand repetitiveness issues. It is key to reach theright audience with right message at the righttime, while retaining the attention of theconsumer.

How will the increase in customer demandfor personalisation affect/influencetraditional broadcasting?The advanced TV industry evolves constantlywith different trends and buzzwords includingaddressable TV, programmatic TV, connectedTV , OTT, unified screens, and convergence. Butno matter how you call it, the future oftelevision is already here.

Does the rise in on-demand viewing pose achallenge to traditional broadcasting?Faster and cheaper ISP, broadband and fibreoptic connections provide a solid infrastructureto help broadcasters deliver their content incatch-up form and enrich their digital portfoliofor viewers. Broadcasters need to utilise that totheir advantage.

I think the future will see a significantincrease in hybrid models, where 100 per centsubscription video-on-demand (SVOD)providers will blend with advertising video-on-demand (AVOD), to help reduce churn rates onsubscriptions, attract new viewers andincrease the average revenue per user. Thiswill be exciting for everyone: more premiuminventory for marketers, better yield for

publishers and content providers, andimproved cost-efficiency for viewers.

How can FreeWheel benefit the MENAmarket? What makes it stand out amongstits competitors?FreeWheel has the infrastructure necessary todrive at scale. We want to help shift the marketto align with advanced ideas that are takingplace in the US and Western Europe. Our goal isto support sustainable revenue growth byhelping our clients and customers understandtheir opportunities. Examples include theirunified linear and digital strategy, or howprogrammatic generates incremental revenue.We also provide tactical support such as moreeffective processes across sales or adoperations. In a nutshell, we provide a holistic,white glove service to simplify a complexecosystem.

In your opinion, what will be the biggesttrend(s) in the next five years? What areasdoes FreeWheel aim to expand into? From 2017–21, MENA’s projected videorevenue growth is six per cent for linear TV and26 per cent for online video. The convergenceof linear and digital will be huge, and the“living room” will continue to reshape itself.

Freewheel has been developingpartnerships with broadcasters and premiumpublishers this last three years. We will growour portfolio substantially and extend ourfootprint in the region by providing our firstclass technology and expertise. �

David Spencer, commercial director MENA,FreeWheel.

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Digital share of TV revenues isexpected to rise from 10 percent to 18 per cent by 2012.

Throughout the region,approximately 72 per centof TV is delivered through

satellite with a 84 per centfree TV penetration rate.


FRANCE’S EUTELSAT COMMUNICATIONS has ordered two new satellites fromAirbus Defence and Space to replace the three existing HOTBIRD satellites atits 13° East flagship neighbourhood.

These all-electric high-power satellites are seen to start operation in 2022,serving Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

The new satellites are expected to reinforce and enhance the high quality ofbroadcasting services provided to Eutelsat customers on HOTBIRD, providingimproved performances over Western Europe and Poland. In addition to this,the satellites are set to provide advanced features in terms of uplink signalprotection and resilience, as well as exceptional in-orbit redundancy.

With a launch mass of 4.5 tonnes and an electric power of 22kW, the all-electric propulsion satellites will be based on Airbus Defence and Space’sinnovative Eurostar Neo platform which will be produced in their UK facilitiesin Stevenage and Portsmouth as well as in their French facility in Toulouse.

This enables Eutelsat to replace the current constellation of three satellitesby two, further enhancing the capex optimisation achieved through theapplication of the design-to-cost policy.

This procurement is fully covered by the company’s existing capex budget.Commenting on the satellites, Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of Eutelsat, said,

“These new satellites have been specifically designed to enhance the service

we offer to our customers at this major neighbourhood while representing theoptimum solution in terms of capex efficiency.”

A long-standing business partner to Eutelsat, Airbus has already delivered23 satellites for Eutelsat.

Airbus wins HOTBIRD satellites replacement order from Eutelsat

HOTBIRD Eutelsat horizontalAirbus Defence and Spaceselected to build the electric propulsion satellites.

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Security is as vital to organisational success as technology and people as without it there is the risk of breach,reputational loss, and failure.

Driving organisational success throughbetter security measures

SECURITY Organisational success

SECURITY IS THE oxygenthat keeps the businessalive. It is also, like theonion, multi-layered

and complex enough to makeeven the sturdiest of ChiefInformation Security Officer’s(CISO) cry. Today, security isn’t atthe beginning of the end assolutions relentlessly refine theircapabilities and reach. It is at theend of the beginning. Technologyis relentlessly evolving throughdigital transformation, the thirdplatform, and the FourthIndustrial Revolution. Neverbefore have industry andbusiness been more reliant ontechnology. It has also neverbeen more important to putsecurity on the ground floorinstead of loosely bolted on top.

Most South African companiesare serious about digitaltransformation and yet only nineper cent of South African CIOsbelieve that cybersecurity andprivacy technology are vitallyimportant to a digitaltransformation strategy. This is aconcern. Security should be thebedrock for digital transformation– if systems are taught the wrongthings at the start, the issues scalerapidly. This is particularly truewithin the scope of the Internet ofThings where machine learning,artificial intelligence (AI) and thealgorithms that power them muststart out with security at their core.A misstep at the start could createa potentially critical securityweakness further down the line.

Security is under inordinatepressure to perform and protectwhile always remaining behindinnovation and the demand for

agility. IT decision makers mustbalance the need to driveinnovation, monetise data,manage user expectations andenhance agility whilesimultaneously ensuring thatgovernance, risk, and compliance(GRC) mandates are met.Research conducted by IDC hasfound that 37 per cent of CISOsare battling with this balancingact. They must align thebusiness’ need for growthalongside both security andregulatory demands – they’re alllooking for the digital cure to theGRC and security migraine.

There has been a collateralrise in spending on security anddata management, particularlyas the ramifications of POPIA andGDPR become more apparent.However, it is highly likely thatreal compliance across all frontswill only occur when a globallyimpactful incident kickseveryone into gear. The problemis that security is a complex webof intricate solutions on its ownand this is made even morecomplicated by the influx of localand global security standardsand guidelines.

There is an urgent need tominimise and mitigate risk, toaddress these challenges and toovercome some of the hurdlesthat are facing bothorganisations and securityteams. IDC found that 51 percent of organisations are findingit difficult to locate skilled ITsecurity personnel, 49 per centlack enough IT budget, and 36per cent feel that employeeadherence to policies is athreat. These challenges arefurther compounded by limitedaccess to up to date threats (40per cent, lack of mature securitypolicies (31 per cent) andlimited compliance withregulations (24 per cent).

Security can no longer be built

in a vacuum. The organisationmust partner with vendors tocraft solutions that map back tospecific challenges that pertainto industry, sector and internalstructure. Internally, there needsto be a clear line of sight as towho leads digital transformation.The power has gradually left theIT department and headed into aline of business. Employees usecredit cards to spin up serversand run workloads that IT hasn’theard of, and often never willuntil there’s a breach. Thetechnology hand is losing sightof what the business hand isdoing with technology and thispresents significant risk unless aclear line of sight is establishedat the outset.

IDC surveyed organisations toestablish exactly who should leaddigital transformation. The resultsfound that 75 per cent believed itshould be a joint activity betweenthe line of business and IT, but 16per cent believe it should be ledby the business and eight percent that IT should lead the way.The right approach is the onewhere both IT and the businesswork together, collaborating onprojects and digital initiativesfrom the outset. Early on isessential to security success.

Fortunately, line of businesshas started to rethink its viewson security. In an IDC survey fromfive years ago, only two per centbelieved that it was a priority.Today the number has risen to 33per cent. Breaches like those atSter-Kinekor and Liberty arewaking up the industry,especially as they realise that jailand corporate collapse sit on thelack of compliance horizon. Now is the time for theorganisation to ensure it iscovered and to be able to saywith confidence that the stepshave been taken towards a trulyvivacious security posture. �

There has been a collateral rise in spendingon security and data management,particularly as the ramifications of POPIAand GDPR become more apparent.




AGENDA

25www.communicationsafrica.com

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Efficient troubleshootingTrying to determine which cable to unplug and replace or reconnect canbe a daunting task in data centres. It is like finding a specific needle in astack of needles: a challenge that is time devouring and nerve racking,especially when high level applications are down and agreed servicelevels are threatened. Imagine someone would unplug the wrong cable,and more servers go down. To avoid all this, Brady offers reliableidentification solutions that enable data centre technicians to quicklyretrieve the cable they need.

Label it onceBrady's reliable labels with adhesives for curved and flat surfaces stayattached to every cable and component. As a result, identification will bein place when fast troubleshooting is necessary to avoid downtime.Label sizes and shapes are available to easily identify any rack, server,component, STP, UTP and COAX cables, and Brady also offers a flagshaped label designed for minimum fibre optic cable contact withmaximum available space for identification data.

Easy to design and printThe Brady Workstation app platform offers an array of label designcapabilities that cover almost every data centre identification need.

Cable, component and rack labels, and even facility signs andidentification can be designed in a few steps. Designs can easily be sentto a Brady label printer for on-site printing so the new label can beapplied immediately.

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www.africanreview.com

The pace of technology change is accelerating, creating exciting new opportunities forhuman resources (HR) leaders and departments in East Africa.

Four ways the fourth industrial revolutionwill change HR in East Africa

TECHNOLOGY Human resources

IRECENTLY ATTENDED theTalent Agenda Series EastAfrica Conference in Nairobi,where I moderated a

discussion focused on the fourthindustrial revolution and how itinfluences African talent.

One of the key insights is thatHR is still largely rooted in the thirdindustrial revolution, but nowneeds to get ready for the fourthindustrial revolution. Here aresome of the key trends we seeunfolding in HR in the era of bigdata, the Internet of Things andartificial intelligence.

1. HR will become more data-drivenFollowing the lead of themarketing department, the HRfunction is also becomingincreasingly data-driven. HRdepartments have more workforcedata than ever - data that they canuse to drive better decision-making and to shape superioremployee experiences. They canuse HR analytics to help managersand senior leaders make betterdecisions for the business. HR canuse analytics to answer businessquestions such as:• Where did we find the best

hires for our business, i.e. topperformers, who have weretained for a good while?

• How many people will we needin our service department to

support our forecasted revenuegrowth of 10 per cent for thenext financial year?

• What are the possible reasonsfor high staff turnover in the callcentre?

• What skills gaps do we have inour organisation?

2. The digital natives are taking overAround 75 per cent of Kenya’spopulation is younger than 30years old. This generation hasgrown up with M-Pesa,smartphones and the Internet, andenters the workplace with differentexpectations of the experiencethey will get from their employer.

HR needs to look at how it cansupport technology-enabled waysof working to get the best from thisculture -and how it can harnesstheir curiosity, innovation and loveof technology. For the sake ofeconomic growth and stability, HRshould also lead the organisationin seeing how it can absorb youngpeople into the labour market.Kenya’s youth unemploymentrate, at 22 per cent, is one of thehighest in the region, according tothe United Nations HumanDevelopment report.

3. Emphasis must shift fromcompliance to strategic enablementHR leaders and teams traditionally

focus heavily on compliance andadministration. These functionsare essential, but today’semployee self-service tools andbusiness management solutionsenable us to automate much ofthe red-tape as well as many basicemployee interactions such asleave applications or capturingpersonal details.

HR should thus use automationto free up its time and focus onwhere it can add value: creating adifferentiated employeeproposition and experience,acquiring and developing talent,and driving better productivity,performance and employeesatisfaction.

4. HR must help drive technologychangeEast Africa has changeddramatically, thanks to theintroduction of technologies suchas fibre Internet and mobilemoney. But the next wave oftechnology change is upon us withthe Internet of Things, wearablecomputers, artificial intelligence,augmented reality and other toolspromising to change how we liveand work.

HR has a valuable role to play insupporting the rollout andadoption of such technologies,which will bring disruption to theworkplace. Many employees willneed to be reskilled as theirtraditional roles become moreautomated. Plus, the skills andtalent the organisation will needwill evolve - it will need more digitaland customer experience skills.

Continuous learning willbecome a must for every workerand organisition. HR needs tolook at how it acquires andbuilds skills for the future, whileproviding change managementsupport to employees. �

Nikki Summers, regional directorfor Sage in East Africa

The recent Talent Agenda Series EastAfrica Conference in Nairobi focused on

the fourth industrial revolution.

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Looking to spur local growth, Prins Mhlanga, founder of Ocean on 76, a fintechcompany, says that South Africa needs to embrace a business model that is rapidly

transforming the global economy – and that model is the platform economy.

Embracing the platformeconomy in South Africa

DIGITALPlatform economy

HAVING EVOLVED OVER the years, aplatform economy is a new breed ofdigitally-driven, disruptivebusiness models. The most

distinctive characteristic of this new model isthe ability to expand into new markets bysimply making their platform available inthose new territories.

Mhlanga cites well known platformexamples such as Uber and Airbnb, and onlinestores operated by the likes of Apple, Google,Amazon and Alibaba.

These platforms are the technology basethat open up a whole new world ofopportunities for retailers, musicians, softwaredevelopers and private property owners sothey can sell without creating their own onlinedistribution channels.

Their presence in South Africa is evidencethat the model works here, but what is holdingback local companies from developing theirown platforms?

According to a report released in June thisyear by Accenture and the Gordon Institute forBusiness Science, South Africa is far fromready for this. The country is ranked 14th out of16 countries contained in the AccenturePlatform Readiness Index and is expected toremain in that position through until 2020.

Far from seeing this as a blow to theambitions of companies building local platformbusinesses, this presents a rich opportunity forbusiness leaders to accelerate their efforts.

The Accenture study, Winning with DigitalPlatforms, says that 81 per cent of the 3,000-plus respondents to the worldwide survey saidthey expected platform-based businessmodels to be core to their growth strategy in2018. And 27 per cent said that digitalecosystems are transforming the way theydeliver value.

There is little doubt, therefore, that globalbusinesses see this as a valid way to pursuegrowth and customers.

South Africa’s low ranking is due to a lack ofsufficient infrastructure, skills and economicgrowth needed to support adoption of thisbusiness model. The Accenture report saysthese factors have produced a scarcity mindsetrather than an abundance mindset in whichcommercial success delivers mutuallybeneficial results to all.

This stumbling block, more than any other,will prevent South Africa from making asuccessful transition to an environment thatsupports a platform economy.

What we need, rather than this insular view,is one in which everyone is able to see andrealise the benefits of co-operation rather thanoutright competition.

This might sound far-reaching, but it is amodel we have been honing at Ocean on 76Holdings and is also the subject of my doctoraldissertation. This work is aimed at uncoveringand formulating the components needed toestablish and grow a local business ecosystem

in the digital economy.Many of the principles being explored are

already being implemented in building ourdigital ecosystem that has a distinctly fintechflavour, with a bias toward the mobiletechnology sector.

This is a flourishing sector that is expectedto deliver strong growth as sub-SaharanAfrica’s mobile population is projected to reachhalf a billion people by 2020. This marketjustifies our belief in the value of creatingplatforms and ecosystems that allow us toreach millions of mobile subscribersthroughout the region.

Through this, we have established a platformfor providers of mobile content and digitalservices to reach this rapidly-expanding market.

Which is a key insight that Accenture andGIBS outline in their report: not every companyneeds to be a platform provider. Mostorganisations, it is reported, will find it cheaperand faster to leverage existing platforms thancreating their own.

It may be relatively early days yet for fully-fledged, home-grown platforms to emerge, butthere is an unmistakeable move in thatdirection. The companies exploring ways toleverage this new trend are the ones that willbe leading the pack once this phenomenon isfully embraced.

In as much as Accenture says theenvironment in South Africa is not yet ready, donot be fooled into believing that theseplatforms are not being built and that they willnot dominate future commerce the way thatglobal giants already own large shares of theglobal market.�

A platformeconomy is a newbreed of digitally-driven, disruptivebusiness models.

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Sub-saharan Africa’s mobilepopulation is projected toreach half a billion people

by 2020.



CATAPULT: Inclusion Africa, a programme of Fintech development from the LHoFT, targets fintech companies in Africathat are focused on financial inclusion and keen to build bridges between Africa and Europe, aligned with thesustainability goals of Luxembourg’s finance centre.

Fintech: the driving forcebehind financial inclusion

FINTECH Catapult: Inclusion Africa

THE PROGRAMME, WHICHwas held between 5-9November at the LHoFT,was sponsored by the

Ministry of Foreign & EuropeanAffairs - Directorate forDevelopment and Humanitarianaffairs and PwC Luxembourg, andsupported by strategic partnerssuch as InFine, University ofLuxembourg, Professors withoutBorders, ADA, LuxFlag, Innpact,House Of Training, MicroInsuranceNetwork, CGAP and KAPInnovation in Frontier Markets.

The LHoFT Foundation believesthat financial technology is crucialto advancing financial inclusion,empowering groups that havebeen left behind by the traditionalfinancial system. Whether it’sfinancing for rural farmers, point ofsale technology for underbankedmerchants, or specialisedinsurance products, the positiveimpact being driven byentrepreneurship is improving

lives around the world. As such,Financial Inclusion is a key focusof the LHoFT Foundation.

Building on the success ofprevious experience, CATAPULT:Inclusion Africa is a one weekprogramme of Fintech startupdevelopment, designed by theLHoFT Foundation, targetingFintech companies from SouthAfrica, Uganda, Nigeria, Senegal,Tanzania and others that arefocused on financial inclusionand keen to build bridgesbetween Africa and Europe,highlighting their initiatives andvery much aligned with thesustainability goals ofLuxembourg’s finance centre.

CATAPULT: Inclusion Africaleveraged Luxembourg'sInclusive Finance and Fintechecosystems, as well as LHoFTpartners, to support the 14selected firms in developingtheir businesses and achieving

their inclusion goals, creatingsynergies between them,partners, sponsors, investors,Microfinance institutions (MFI)and Public FinancialInstitutions (PFIs).

The tailor-made programmeoffered intensive mentoring,coaching, peer to peer learningand dedicated workshops for the14 selected Fintech startups. Itincluded sessions on businessmapping, scaling business,understanding and evaluatingmetrics, investability, risk andcapital, legal and marketing.Several modules delivered byexperienced strategic partnerswill also focus on the nuances ofbuilding business in Africaspecifically, with sessions on MFIrelations, Blockchain in Africaand market trends anddevelopments in Africa.

Ahead of the programme,Nasir Zubairi, CEO of the LHoFTFoundation said: “CATAPULT:

The event was aimed at fintech companiesfrom countries such as Uganda.

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CATAPULT: InclusionAfrica provided a

tailor-madeprogramme with

intensivementoring,

coaching, peer topeer learning and

dedicatedworkshops.




FINTECHCatapult: Inclusion Africa

Inclusion Africa is the first home grownprogramme of the LHoFT Foundation to focuson Financial Inclusion. Luxembourg is themicrofinance centre for Europe andsustainable finance is a core priority ofGovernment; it therefore makes sense tocapitalise on the fantastic ecosystem andsupport available here to welcome theseoutstanding Fintech companies focusing onfinancial inclusion. We are very excited towelcome the participants in few weeks’ timeand we and our partners are looking forwardto the positive outcomes of this programme.”

Romain Schneider, minister fordevelopment cooperation and humanitarianaffairs added: “Inclusive Finance is key toallowing people, especially women, to breakthe cycle of poverty, by creating economicopportunities. Today, one of the mainchanges we see in this sector is thedevelopment of digital financial services.Through its striving fintech sector,Luxembourg has a lot to offer in this area.Therefore, exchanges between the LHoFT andthe broader microfinance ecosystem withupcoming African financial technologycompanies can facilitate positive andinclusive change.”

The 14 qualified Fintech startups were:

Akaboxi Limited Akaboxi provides rural communities with amore secure way of keeping smallholderfarmers' savings managed and monitored bythe use of a digital and inclusive system,replacing the rudimentary way of keeping.

Akiba DigitalAkiba is a mobile savings app that helps techsavvy millennials save using alternative andbehavioural data. The gamified savingsexperience makes it fun and rewarding, with anAI bot that's there to educate, nudge andprovide insights to our savers to ensure theyrealise their goals.

BitValley Luxembourg Fintech award’s winner forFinancial Inclusion, IBISA is a risk-sharingmicroinsurance alternative targeting small

farmers worldwide. IBISA is based on a peer-to-peer architecture supported by blockchain andEarth Observation technology.

Four One Financial Services LimitedFour One Financial Services Limited’s offeringsinclude the first micro-pension scheme,followed by building the Mayicard Platformwhich makes access to healthcare insuranceand/or prepayments and access to assets likeland and housing possible.

Inclusivity Solutions - South Africa Inclusivity Solutions designs, builds andoperates digital insurance solutions foremerging markets with the aim of protectingand enhancing the quality of life of vulnerablepeople. It provides complete solutions tointroduce and grow sustainable inclusiveinsurance markets.

Koosmik Corp – LuxembourgKoosmik provides a mobile bankingapplication to the young or more generallyunbanked population in Western Africa. Usersget a free mobile wallet as a hub of services:cash deposit and withdrawal points, billspayment, mobile payment, social credit,insurance or remittance.

MaTontine Senegal – Senegal MaTontine provides access to small loans anda range of financial services like micro-insurance for the financially excluded inFrancophone Africa. Trying to solve the largeand complex problem of how to lend smallamounts profitably and at scale to the millionsof financially responsible Africans.

NALA – TanzaniaNALA is a mobile money application offering asingle, unified wallet for transactions thatfunctions without a data connection over 2Gsignal and providing users with an accuratebreakdown of their spending habits.

OKO – Israel OKO creates and distributes affordable cropinsurance products for smallholder farmers inemerging markets. They use satellite imagery

and localised weather information toautomatically compensate the insured farmerswhen they identify that they have been affectedby a loss of production.

Ovamba SolutionsOvamba provides short-term capital to micro,small and medium sized businesses in Africa,emerging markets and the GCC for trade,inventory purchases and growth. The capital isprovided by International investors from theUS, U.K. and Japan.

Refuge Network – Malta Refuge Network is a multidimensional financialecosystem built on blockchain that usesproven business models of e-commerce andinvestments to connect displaced andmarginalised communities to the globaleconomy.

SmartTeller LTD - Nigeria A digital banking platform for Financialcooperatives, smartTeller is bringing access todigital financial services to the unbanked andunderbanked by providing cooperatives andmicrofinance institutions the all-inclusive toolto provide unbanked and underbankedstandard financial services.

Vouch Digital Limited – Uganda Vouch Digital builds an online verified digitalsupply chain platform that among other thingshelps simplify the distribution of cash in formof digital vouchers meant for purchasing goodsor services such as hermetic storage, seeds,fertilizers, medical equipment, oil and gasamong others.

WeCashUp WeCashUp enables merchants to accept anddisburse payments in Cash, Mobile Money,Bank Mobile wallets, Bank Cards and Crypto-currencies on their web or mobile apps in the 54African countries via a single API integration. �

For more information on insights on each ofthe 14 qualified Fintech startupsvisit:www.lhoft.com/en/insights

One of the startups, Koosmik Corp, offers a mobilebanking application to the young or more generallyunbanked population in Western Africa.

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Whether it’s financing forrural farmers, point of sale

technology for underbankedmerchants, or specialised

insurance products, thepositive impact being

driven by entrepreneurshipis improving lives around

the world.

The LHoFT Foundationstrongly believes thatfinancial technology is

crucial to advancingfinancial inclusion,

empowering groups thathave been left behind by thetraditional financial system.



There has been much debate on what it will take to build out Africa’s broadband infrastructure. Yet, there is very littleconsensus on what technology is best suited to do so, particularly when it comes to extending the infrastructure intothe more rural and ultra-rural areas of the continent.

Breaking technology silos to unleashAfrica’s broadband potential

BROADBAND Infrastructure

MANY PEOPLE ENTERthe debate throughtheir own technologysilo, proclaiming

that their technology and theirtechnology alone will solve theburgeoning broadband demandsof the continent. This could notbe further from the truth. Despitethe many reasons to expandcoverage, mobile networkoperators have a difficult timejustifying the business case toexpand outside of existinginfrastructure, which is largelyconcentrated in the more urbanareas of the region. Historically,deployments have involvedheavy upfront costs due todifficult terrain and no powerfacilities, making the argument toexpand into more suburban, ruraland ultra-rural areas difficult.While many believe that fiber and

microwave are the only solutionsavailable, many times the upfrontCAPEX for terrestrial solutionscombined with the OPEX tofurther expand that network arenot feasible. With advancementsin satellite technology, mobilenetwork operators no longer needto rely only on fiber. Byintegrating satellite technologyinto their infrastructure, they canextend their network withminimal CAPEX, increase theirsubscriber base and generate astrong return on their investment.

Rural villages can beconnected quickly and cost-efficiently with hybrid networksthat mix satellite with terrestrialsolutions.

A great example is the recentpartnership between Intelsat andVodacom Mozambique. Pomeneis a rising tourist destination in

the country, and as more visitorsand cruise ships were enteringthe port, Vodacom Mozambiqueneeded to improve the network’scapabilities and deliver a betterconnectivity experience in a cost-effective manner. Due to thehigher performance and bettereconomics delivered by IntelsatEpicNG, Vodacom Mozambiquewas able to upgrade its networkand, more importantly, expand itto cover tourist lodges in Pomene,unlocking a new revenue streamfor the operator.

In addition to the higherperformance and bettereconomics delivered by advancesin satellite technology, newdeployment models andpartnerships are helping toovercome rural connectivitychallenges. Recently, Intelsatpartnered with Africa Mobile

Intelsat 33e, one of the EpicNGsatellites covering Africa.

Photo

: Inte

lsat

MNOs are able toextend coverage

with minimal CAPEXand OPEX risk, grow

their subscriberbase and bring high-quality, affordable

connectivity tocommunities.




BROADBANDInfrastructure

Networks (AMN) who providesmobile network operators (MNOs)with a network as a servicesolution that essentially will fund,build and operate the network forthe operators. MNOs are able toextend coverage with minimalCAPEX and OPEX risk, grow theirsubscriber base and bring high-quality, affordable connectivity tocommunities. The low-cost, smallcell solution, combined withIntelsat’s satellite fleet, can berapidly deployed and installed inless than 6 hours, bringing muchneeded connectivity tocommunities across Africa.

Public and private partnershipsas well as innovations throughoutthe ecosystem are instrumental inconnecting those that remainunderserved or unconnected.Intelsat partnered with ITSO, theUganda CommunicationsCommission, MTN and ParallelWireless to bring connectivity toultra-rural areas in Uganda.Parallel Wireless provides MNOswith an open, software-based,and virtualised networkarchitectures to help MNOsovercome deployment challenges.Parallel Wireless’ solution was fastand easy to install and as a result,two communities were connectedfor the first time.

Separately, many privatebusinesses at the metro edgeremain unconnected. Recently,Intelsat and Q-KON recentlyintroduced a new, multiple high-speed broadband servicepowered by the IntelsatOne Flexfor Enterprise platform. Combininga cloud-based management

platform with Intelsat’s globalsatellite and terrestrial networks,the IntelsatOne Flex platform willenable Q-KON to rapidly deployhigh-quality broadband thatenables new services andapplications for smallerbusinesses throughout Botswana,Mozambique, Namibia, South

Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Asa result, small businesses,schools, farmers, and hospitalitybusinesses can receive theaffordable connectivity needed tosupport and grow their businessesand social programmes.

While much has been done toimprove the power, efficiency andcost of satellite technology, a fullyintegrated space based platformis essential to capturing futureopportunities. Advancements inground and antenna technologyare essential to harnessing theadvancements made in satellitetechnology.

Another example of this will beon full display at AfricaCom inJohannesburg beginning November13. Intelsat will be hosting livedriving demonstrations in a ToyotaFortuner mounted with theKymeta™ terminal, showingreliable high-throughputcommunications on the move withan electronically steered,lightweight, easy to install satelliteantenna. For Africa, this could

enable passengers in taxis toeasily make phone calls, accessWi-Fi to power laptops and checkemail. It could also help bringbroadband connectivity to busesand trains across the continent.And this is just the beginning.

In order to build out thecontinent’s network infrastructure,it requires a fresh approach, fullyintegrated hybrid networks, newbusiness models and creativepartnerships. The development ofstandards will be essential toensuring that the networks of thefuture can support thecommunications on the move thatbusinesses and consumers aredemanding. Intelsat is workingwith organizations such as ATIS tohelp develop the standards thatwill govern 5G and ensure thatsatellite can be easily plugged intoany network wherever andwhenever it is needed.

By breaking down barriers,eliminating technology silosand employing innovativebusiness models, it will helpaccelerate the buildout of arobust network infrastructurethat would provide a greatfoundation for further economicdevelopment and growth. Oncethat occurs, the possibilities forAfrica are endless. �

Intelsat recently partnered on a project with AMN tobring affordable connectivity to remote areas.

Photo

: In

telsat

Rural villages can be connected quickly andcost-efficiently with hybrid networks that

mix satellite with terrestrial solutions.


The low-cost, small cell solution, combined with Intelsat’s satellitefleet, can be rapidly deployed and installed in less than 6 hours.

Photo

: Inte

lsat


Urban areas in East Africa are struggling to meet the high demands for electricity, waterand sanitation, and poor, inefficient utility delivery continues to plague countries such asKenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Utility management in East Africa

TECHNOLOGY Utility management

YEAR-ON-YEAR URBAN POPULATIONgrowth is adding pressure to analready over-loaded grid. Electricityand water supply is intermittent and

often not regulated enough or not properlymonitored, and complexities such asdisparate systems and multiple serviceproviders contribute to the growing problem.Apart from increasing demand, many of

these countries also struggle with aginginfrastructure, which can make utility provisionunsafe, as well as unreliable. Electricity supplyis often interrupted due to people cutting downthe wooden pylons to use to build their homes,often leaving the site dangerous and in a stateof ill repair until the utility provider is able tofind time to fix it – and that’s when they areable to identify where the issue is.

Primed for technologyThere is a strong push from governments touplift these countries with innovative solutionsfor utility and infrastructure provision, whichmay well see them leapfrogging to sustainableenergy solutions quicker than the rest of theworld. However, before a country is able to gettheir infrastructure, services and utilities to thepoint it needs to be, they need to get theirback-office systems such as billing structuresand customer management in line, first.Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

solutions are gaining popularity in East Africato help solve these billing concerns, and to trystreamline processes and better managevarious stakeholders. Current systems in place

for many of these regions are outdated andfragmented, with many of them still operatingmanually. In order to run utilities moreefficiently, proven Enterprise AssetManagement (EAM), Metering and Billingsolutions need to be deployed.

Next level EAMThis goes a step further, however. EAM systemscan also help utility providers to fix andmaintain their infrastructure, throughenterprise asset management. Utility providersknow that they need to address existingproblems before they can begin upgrading orbuilding out from their infrastructure. This is alengthy and less rewarding process, especiallyas something inevitably breaks as soon asanother thing is fixed.These utility providers are perfectly primed to

leverage EAM systems with built in toolsets, likefield force enablement and edge devices likesensors, to quickly and proactively resolve issueson broken electricity cables and water lines. Thisenables them to better schedule regular andpredictive maintenance teams who, with the aidof geo-fencing and tracking, don’t waste timegoing to the wrong area or driving across countrywhen a closer team can attend a fault.

Smart devicesAccurately measuring water and electricity usageis challenging in some African countries. Manydwellers don’t have running water or electricity,and either leverage off of their neighbour’ssupply or, as with water, take from a communaltank. Those with proper water and power oftenshare theirs. Proper meter readings are notpossible, therefore introducing smart metering –which have helped many countries with billingproblems – will only be possible once theproblem of accurate distribution is resolved.The other side of the coin is that these

countries have the ability to skip a few steps.Integrating Enterprise level Billing and CustomerRelationship Management (CRM) solutions withmobile devices to enable the ‘smart citizen’ notonly garners the help of the population toidentify problem areas faster, but also enables alevel of self-service to better manage billing andpayments. Renewable power can beincorporated into traditional power supply,feeding back into the grid while ensuring usersdon’t have to cut corners to receive power.The opportunities to incorporate these

technologies into systems as early as possiblewill not only begin to rectify the existing issuesbut will also take these countries’ utilityprovision into the future, surpassing countrieswho have had to go the traditional route, andpossibly even pacing the way for a greener,cleaner Africa. �

Marleze Loggerenberg, head of businessdevelopment Africa at Wipro Limited

Countries such as Uganda are faced with the challenge of meeting high demands for electricity, water and sanitation.

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Accurately measuring water and electricity usage

is challenging in someAfrican countries.



Développer le futur de la fintech et de lablockchain sur l’Île Maurice

FINTECHMaurice

L’UNIVERSITÉ KINGSLAND A récemmentannoncé son partenariat avec LegacyCapital pour offrir les cours reconnusinternationalement de Kingsland sur

le développement blockchainà l’Île Maurice.Legacy Capital est un conseil enmanagement de fintech spécialisé dans lesopportunités économiques uniques à l’ÎleMaurice et au niveau régional africain.Kingsland offrira sa liste complète de courssur l’Île Maurice, y compris les cours sur ledéveloppement blockchain et la formationdes cadres."La blockchain est le plus grand moteur

économique de notre temps. Unbouleversement sismique a lieu dansl’économie mondiale en ce moment-même etaucune région dans le monde n’en profiteraplus que celles situées en Afrique. Nous avonsfondé Kingsland pour apporter une formationrévolutionnaire sur les compétencestechnologiques à des régions défavorisées, etformer ce partenariat avec Legacy Capital pourapporter des programmes de formation enblockchain à l’Île Maurice est donc uneimportante étape," a déclaré John Souza, PDGet fondateur de la School of Blockchain àKingsland University.Les programmes de formation au

développement blockchain de Kingslandperfectionnent les compétences déjàexistantes des développeurs de logiciels afin

qu’ils soient en mesure de développer desprojets blockchain qui transformeront le futurde toute industrie - de l’agriculture à lamédecine et bien plus. Kingsland offreégalement des programmes de formation pourles dirigeants et représentants dugouvernements qui souhaitent mieuxcomprendre les principaux défis et impacts dela blockchain sur leurs organisations et cadresrèglementaires."L’Île Maurice a vraiment montré le chemin

en matière de règlementation et degouvernance dans le domaine de lablockchain, en particulier en ce qui concerneles applications financières de cettetechnologie, et elle a mis en place une aidepour les entreprises de blockchain et de crypto-tech pour qu’elles puissent s’établir sur l’ÎleMaurice. Il y a donc beaucoup de potentielpour de nouvelles opportunités et pour unecroissance de l’emploi," a déclaré Robert H.Kim, directeur du développement internationalpour Kingsland.Legacy Capital, qui a une longue expérience

à faire venir des entreprises à l’Île Maurice, voitla blockchain comme un moyen de débloquerun potentiel inexploité dans la région. Avecune quantité impressionnante de ressourcesqui deviendront disponibles avec notrepartenariat, il n’y a aucune doute qu’il existeraune forte demande pour les cours qui serontofferts. Legacy Capital est en train d’obtenir

l’approbation de la part des autoritésrespectives pour un remboursement partieldes frais des cours.Legacy Capital accueille l'initiative de la

Commission des services financiers en relationavec le rapport publié par le Comité derèglementation des services financiers générépar l’innovation et la fintech dans l’Île Maurice.En créant ce partenariat avec KingslandUniversity, Legacy Capital impose l’Île Maurice,au sein de la région africaine, comme pionnièredans l’offre de cours qui révolutionneront lesecteur de la fintech et de la blockchain. Deplus, le gouvernement mauricien a récemmentannoncé son soutien inégalé pour promouvoirle secteur à s’établir lui-même commeouverture sur l’Afrique."L’Île Maurice, de part sa position unique,

peut devenir une plaque tournante pour lafintech en Afrique. Les crypto-monnaies et lablockchain auront un effet durable sur lesrésultats sociaux, culturaux et économiques dela région - mais afin de capitaliser sur l’énormepotentiel de la technologie, nous devonsdiffuser les initiatives de formation. C’estpourquoi nous formons ce partenariat avecKingsland et leurs programmes de pointe pourformer des développeurs blockchain," a déclaréRouben Chocalingum, PDG de Legacy Capital. �

Les formations sur l’Île Maurice devraientdémarrer en 2019.

Legacy Capital considère lablockchain comme un moyen

de libérer le potentielinexploité de la région.


Le programme de pointe de Kingsland et les consultants en commerce et gestion financière les plus renommés de l’ÎleMaurice se sont rassemblés pour développer la formation des compétences en fintech et blockchain dans la région.

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NXTGEN IS A new credit solution developedspecifically for the banking industry that will helpprovide working capital credit to micro, small andmedium enterprises (MSMEs) across Africa.

The announcement was made at the Africa 2018Forum in Egypt.

The Seed Funds (TSF), a financial institution inGhana, will be the company’s first banking customerto use NxtGen’s turnkey technology that integratesseamlessly with their existing banking system.

NxtGen will enable TSF to reach the underservedMSME sector in Ghana in an automated and cost-effective way, the company added.

TSF will use NxtGen technology to support the‘last mile’ retail supply chain by providing workingcapital credit, mixed with the company’s fintechplatform to established micro-retailers on behalf oflarge distributors and supply chain aggregators.

The application of NxtGen is based on 4G Capital’sKuza product, which has been successful in Kenyasince its launch in 2017. To date, Kuza has providedmore than US$ 500,000 in credit to 1,400 businesses.

According to a recent survey by TechnoServe, one of4G Capital’s partners, customers using Kuza saw an 82per cent average increase in revenue over 12 months.

Wayne Hennessy-Barrett, 4G capital founder andCEO, said, "We are proud to stand alongside The Seed

Funds, showcasing the power of partnership betweenbank and fintech. Together we seek to address theMSME finance gap in Ghana which currently stands atover US$4.9bn”.

Albert O. Mmegwa, CEO of The Seed Funds, added,“We are excited to partner with 4G Capital to

introduce this innovative product to the Ghanaianmarket. TSF is committed to partnering withinnovative fintech companies to develop financialproducts and services for Ghanaian consumers. Weexpect the full platform to be disbursing loans at thebeginning of next year.”

4G Capital launches NxtGen for Africa’s banking industry


TSF has used NxtGen’s turnkey technology which integrates seamlessly with its existing banking system.

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SOLUTIONS

LIQUID TELECOM SOUTH Africa, part of the pan-African telecomsgroup Liquid Telecom, has announced that it will establish a multi-billion Rand 4G network in South Africa.This investment includes the recent completion of its ‘Cape to Cairo’network, which represents the first direct land-based terrestrial fibrelink on the continent.“This is an exciting development which will enable us to provide mobilenetwork operators and ISPs with open access to our mobile 4G network.Using our 1800MHz spectrum, the network will handle 4G mobile datatraffic to meet the needs of the most demanding users across thecountry,” commented Reshaad Sha, CEO of Liquid Telecom South Africa.Nic Rudnick, group CEO of Liquid Telecom, added, “This milestonebuilds on a remarkable year for Liquid Telecom. I am encouraged thatthe momentum will continue into 2019 with South African operatorshaving access to wholesale roaming services across our network forthe first time.”“Our announcement caps a busy and successful year which includesour recent announcement of a US$180mn investment in Liquid Telecomby CDC Group Plc, the UK’s development finance institution. This willenable us to expand our broadband connectivity to some of the mostunderserved communities across the African continent,” he explained.

New 4G network in South AfricaDeblina.Roy

S13 CAF 6 2018 Solutions_Layout 1 27/12/2018 10:32 Page 34


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