MTN deploys 3.5G network

MTN has rolled out 3.5G technology to Kumasi in Ghana to introduce high-speed Internet access to the country, says The Ghanaian Chronicle.

MTN's chief technical officer, Eben Albertyn, says MTN's 3.5G technology would complement its existing 2G network. He gave the assurance that MTN would offer subscribers in Accra and Kumasi access to a variety of services in the first phase and roll-out throughout the country.

The Ashanti regional minister, Kofi Poku Manu, noted that the technology plays a vital role in Ghana and has urged MTN to partner with the government towards development.

African science researchers and policy advisers have agreed to set up a research foundation, endorsed by a range of African-based banks, reports All Africa.com.

The body, to be known as the Knowledge Management Africa Foundation, will be under the auspices of the Development Bank of Southern Africa, based in Johannesburg.

The decision to set up the foundation was made at the end of a three-day meeting in Dakar, Senegal, on ways of promoting effective knowledge management in Africa, both to improve the services that governments provide to their communities and to boost Africa's role in the global economy.

Symbiotic Media Consortium has released Sembuse, East Africa's first mobile social network and content platform, where users can purchase stock information, news and videos, says The Industry Standard.

Sembuse allows users to communicate cheaply at 50 Kenya cents (5c) per message, up to 1 000 characters, using the Sembuse Messaging Suite within the Sembuse network.

Sembuse currently supports three languages, namely English, Swahili and German, with French and Chinese due for release in four weeks.