Table des matières. Vodacom launches Webbox to access Internet from TV

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1 Semaine 07 du 14 au 20 février 2011 N 161 Table des matières Vodacom launches Webbox to access Internet from TV ta announces data deal for ipad Kenyan tech firms lobby for government software tenders Rising mobile use fuels demand for solar devices Bumpy road in Africa for Europe's telco vendors Africa deals by China's biggest vendors in Africa Recensement tout numérique au Brésil Télécommunications : l'innovation croît dans les pays émergents Un cabinet estime les couvertures fibre d'orange Internet Mobile: le monde se prépare au choc des Titans Les abonnements Fibre Optique ne séduisent pas les européens Spam vocal : vers le blocage des numéros de téléphone frauduleux Télécoms-L'UE met fin aux enquêtes sur les exportateurs chinois Les dix commandements du secteur des télécoms en Orange préfèrerait des logiciels ouverts dans le mobile Les 7 conseils pour réduire sa facture télécom Alcatel-Lucent dévoile Lightradio, sa mini antenne-relais 3G et 4G France Télécom et Deustche Telekom font voler en éclats leurs frontières technologiques Orange lance sa tablette "entrée de gamme" mais pas en France Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 1

2 "Les télécoms vont tirer l'économie égyptienne" Téléphone mobile: découvrez les dernières nouveautés en direct de Barcelone Bouygues Telecom lance son propre réseau de hotspots Wi-Fi Téléphonie mobile : bataille mondiale pour les services Télécoms: le chinois Huawei refuse de renoncer aux brevets de 3Leaf Le paiement sans contact, nouvelle manne dans le mobile? Tunisie Télécom, son syndicat et ses contractuels «surpayés» Stéphane Richard : «Le réveil des opérateurs a sonné» Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 2

3 Vodacom launches Webbox to access Internet from TV By: Christy van der Merwe Telecommunications (telecoms) giant Vodacom has launched the Webbox in South Africa, a device that brings the Internet to a television (TV) set by plugging in a keyboard. The Webbox was developed by Vodacom s parent company Vodafone specifically for customers in emerging markets, where technology and cost barriers often excluded many people from accessing the Internet at home or in the workplace. The keyboard is 14 x 25cm QWERTY keyboard, and uses standard RCA connectors (rounded audio and video connectors) to plug into the television. Thus no set-up was required, and the plug and play keyboard converted any standard TV into an Internet portal. The Webbox is a simple yet very innovative product. It has the potential to make a powerful difference in the lives of people in emerging markets who have limited access to the Internet, but where TV penetration is typically very high. The simplicity of the product is striking it brings the Internet to the TV, be that at home for the family, in schools for education or in small businesses to assist local economic growth, Vodafone terminals director Patrick Chomet said on Friday. The value that this product will add to schools, homes and small businesses is potentially dramatic. The wealth of knowledge that is available on the Internet can now be accessed by millions of South Africans which will add greater value to the South African economy, said Vodacom South Africa commercial director Romeo Kumalo. The Webbox home screen allows a customer to access the Internet through Opera Mini an Internet browser designed for mobile phones and smart phones, as well as send SMSs, use messaging, and conduct Internet searches and consume media services including FM radio and a photo gallery tool, as well as a music player. The Webbox Opera Mini browser runs over the 2,5G and EDGE mobile networks, compressing data by around 90% and thus serving fast-loading Internet pages. Vodafone said that the browser homepage came with bookmarks such as news, sport and social networking sites as well as locally relevant apps such as a job search and application service. It also included some games, a dictionary and a basic text editor. Vodacom would retail the Webbox at a one-off unit cost of R749, which included a 2GB SD card, and prepaid SIM card with 100MB of data valid for 3 months. It would also be available on a 24-month contract in future. The Webbox won a Universal Design Award Consumer Favourite 2011, and was credited for its usability, learning curve, flexibility, security and affordability. Edited by: Mariaan Webb Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 3

4 8ta announces data deal for ipad By: Creamer Media Reporter Telecommunications operator Telkom s recently launched mobile division 8ta on Friday announced that it would offer dedicated data plans for ipad with Wi-Fi and third generation (3G) in South Africa, beginning today. Managing executive Amith Maharaj said that the prepaid data bundles would be offered at a preferential rate that was exclusive to istore sales of the device. 8ta postpaid data bundles for the ipad would be offered at a later stage. The exclusivity of this bundled deal is indicative of the impact that 8ta, as a brand, has made to consumers and multinational corporations, such as Apple. This announcement reinforces 8ta s promise to launch new and exciting products to our customers and is the result of the flexibility of our new-generation all-ip core network, he added. The 8ta data plans offered access to its 3G network and all data plans would be available without a contract, providing the freedom to activate or cancel a plan at any time. Apple s ipad models with Wi-Fi and 3G delivered up to ten hours of battery life for surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching videos or listening to music, and up to nine hours of surfing the web using a 3G data network. Telkom launched its mobile business in October 2010, and managed to attract some subscribers in just over a month of operation. Telkom would continue to roll out the 8ta network, on which it would spend R6-billion in capital expenditure over the next five years. Edited by: Creamer Media Reporter Kenyan tech firms lobby for government software tenders Most developed countries have grown their technology sector through funding small firms. Photo/FILE By John Gachiri Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 4

5 Innovators are lobbying to have the first option in developing software for government ministries, departments and parastatals, saying this would help the nascent segment grow while offering the public sector more customised solutions. With the government as the biggest buyer of software in Kenya, participants at an Institute of Economic Affairs pre-budget hearing said small tech firms have the capacity to develop software solutions that deepen checks and balances in government institutions. The Ministry of Immigration and Registration of Persons, is a good candidate because its stock-in-trade is information about citizens and visitors to Kenya, said Seven Seas Technologies general manager Adam Nyaga. Kwame Owino of the Institute of Economic Affairs said a directive should be passed similar to that of purchase of furniture for government offices from local firms. ICT is one of the drivers of the economy with small and medium enterprise (SME) sector seen as one to boost Kenya to a middle-income country. Promoting local entrepreneurs would help the government get back its return on investment, Kamau Gachigi from the University of Nairobi s Science and Technology Park said. These are the products of our education, he said. Most developed countries have grown their technology sector through funding small firms and contracting then to offer solutions to governments. Oracle, the biggest developer of database management systems in the world, traces its growth path to developing systems for the government. Kenyan companies have proved that they are globally competitive and if local firms can shine abroad, servicing the government should be child s play, said Samuel Nyumba, a consultant at Intrepid Data Systems. Virtual City won the million dollar top prize at the Nokia World and Developer Summit in London is September last year and the Ushahidi platform, a crisis reporting tool was recognised globally and used during the Haiti earthquake. Kenya s 470 public institutions, 46 ministries, 178 state corporations, 175 local authorities and 71 tertiary institutions offer an opportunities for SMEs. We need locally customised solutions as opposed top off the shelf software, said Mr Nyumba. Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 5

6 Rising mobile use fuels demand for solar devices Tanzania is the least electrified of East African markets, with 7.2 million off-grid households. Photo/FILE By CHRISTINE MUNGAI Take a rapidly growing mobile phone industry, add an inadequate energy supply coupled with frequent power cuts, and you have a market ripe with opportunity for the expansion of portable solar lighting products. According to the International Finance Corporation, the private-sector lending arm of the World Bank, the number of African mobile users is expected to overtake the number of households connected to the electrical grid in This growth in mobile phone usage heightens the need for innovators to come up with portable solar products to fill the energy gap, driven by a basic requisite in mobile communications the need to charge a cellphone. Kenya in particular is singled out as a market where the gap between mobile phone ownership and grid presence is most striking, and demand for off-grid phone charging has long outstripped grid supply. Twenty per cent of Kenyans have access to grid electricity, but mobile subscriber penetration stands at over 42 per cent. The gap is expected to double by 2015: Only 32 per cent of the population is expected to be connected to the grid by then, but mobile penetration will have reached 75 per cent. Such a rapidly expanding mobile industry makes the country a huge market for the adoption of off-grid charging solutions, such as portable solar lighting systems. With over 150 million off-grid mobile phone users across the continent, phone owners are forced to charge their phones at high costs. For example, the report highlights that currently, an off-grid mobile user in Kenya spends between $0.10 and $3 per cellphone charge, with monthly charging expenses amounting to over $10. The adoption of solar-based solutions is expected to be an economically viable option to filling this gap, according to the report by Lighting Africa, an initiative of the World Bank. Low grid connection Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 6

7 According to the report, as of 2009, grid connection levels across Africa stood at just 35 per cent. East Africa s grid connection is the lowest among the African regions: A mere 15 per cent of households in the region are connected to national grids. In gross terms, this amounts to nine million grid users, and over 50 million households with no access to electricity. Simply in terms of absolute off-grid populations, Tanzania is the least electrified of East African markets, with 7.2 million off-grid households. This is followed by Kenya (6.2 million), Uganda (5.5 million), Rwanda (1.7 million) and finally Burundi (1.4 million). Still, these numbers do not adequately capture the electricity scenario on the ground. First, grid connection statistics may inflate the actual state of electrification by labelling households living in proximity to the grid as grid-connected, even though the household itself may not actually be connected to the grid owing to financial or other constraints. Second, supply shortages are common across the continent, and power outages are a daily occurrence across much of East Africa. Research conducted by Lighting Africa reveals that more than one-third of the gridconnected population experiences power loss at least once a week, lasting anything between a number of hours and at times days. In the region, Rwanda experiences the greatest number of power outages with approximately 14 blackouts per month, followed by Burundi and Tanzania, both with 12 blackouts in a month. Ugandans can expect 11 blackouts a month. Kenya s power grid is relatively more reliable, but this still translates to an average of seven blackouts a month. Contrast this with other world economies: Japan experiences an average of only four minutes of interrupted power service a year. The need for alternative lighting in the region is huge, therefore, not only for a primary lighting source but also as a backup in times of power outages. Kerosene is the dominant energy source for the off-grid populations in Africa a primary light source for over 53 per cent of African households. Other energy alternatives include candles, wood, animal dung, battery powered devices, and for a minority, diesel-powered generators. These lighting alternatives are typically expensive and often both dangerous and environmentally harmful. Take kerosene, for instance. While there is wide variation in kerosene prices across the continent due to its availability, transport costs and subsidies, the average price is relatively high and has grown rapidly in tandem with the price of oil. The average kerosene price in Tanzania is $0.9 per litre. In Kenya that price is $1.0, rising to $1.2 in Uganda and Rwanda; in Burundi, kerosene costs $1.7 a litre. Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 7

8 Bumpy road in Africa for Europe's telco vendors By Helen Nyambura-Mwaura NAIROBI (Reuters) - Chinese telecoms hardware and network makers are biting off bigger chunks of African business and are likely to overthrow hitherto dominant European vendors in a region with mouthwateringly low penetration rates. While in the past they might have brought unreliable technology and a handbook only in Chinese, the firms are leveraging on a pool of skilled labour and government loans to dislodge traditional vendors. "It is not good news for the traditional vendors," says Dobek Pater, telecoms analyst and partner at research firm Africa Analysis. China's main telecoms gear makers Huawei Technologies and ZTE are rapidly taking business from European vendors such as Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Network and Alcatel-Lucent. Chinese vendors' initial market entry strategy was hinged on low priced offerings, often to state-run operators, but the companies have reinvented themselves by throwing billions of dollars into research and development and are now often ahead of the curve with new technologies. Stringent testing by global operators such as Vodafone has seen the Chinese vendors become the approved suppliers of almost all core, access and transmission infrastructure in Africa. Analysts say Chinese vendors are also willing to bend the rules to provide more cost-effective solutions for emerging markets. "Chinese vendors have mastered doing business in Africa the African way, if we can put it that way," said Tinyiko Mavoni, chief executive at South Africa's Mavoni Technologies. "Chinese managers are largely shielded from facing the consequences that their western counterparts would have to face if they are found to have breached corporate ethics and governance principles to secure contracts in Africa." SWEET DEALS China's export-oriented growth strategy has supported its companies. In March 2009, China Development Bank agreed to provide ZTE with a $15 billion credit line, according to Simon Schaefer, an analyst at Johannesburg-based Frontier Advisory. To avoid rankling western competitors, China is now lending directly to African governments or operators, but the money comes with the proviso that it is spent on Chinese products. The European Union this month dropped an inquiry into the subsidy of Chinese firms after Belgium's Option withdrew its complaint after reaching a cooperation agreement with Huawei. The Chinese companies deploy skilled personnel to build new networks in numbers that few western vendors can match, and often offer a financing deal. Pater from Africa Analysis said Huawei ranked itself in the top three on money generated from operators. Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 8

9 "They estimate that by 2014 they would be in the number one position in equipment and building networks," he said. FRINGE PLAYERS The era of acquisitions and mergers of established European and U.S.-based vendors in the mid 2000s resulted in a loss of strategic focus as the new companies tried to settle, says Simon Lee, head of Farwell Consultants. Up until that point the Chinese were fringe players, and the general perception was that they were cheap and unreliable. "The Chinese companies were not going to pack up their bags and go home. They saw... the general confusion of the established vendors and went full blast on a new strategy to gain respect and confidence globally," Lee said. "From 2008 until last year they were picking up coveted contracts and even swapping out equipment from operators who had had long-standing relationships with their incumbent vendor." Chinese firms are also pushing the boundaries with handsets and personal devices but have some way to go to match the aesthetics and ease of use of established makers. Nokia and Samsung remain the dominant players in Africa, and the Blackberry is increasingly popular among the upwardly mobile. However, mobile phones recycled in China or of Chinese origin are making an entry, according to Fola Odufuwa, an Africa-focused telecoms consultant. It is in the broadband USB modem market where Huawei and ZTE head the pack in many African countries and where analysts see some of the choicest opportunities. Africa had a mobile penetration rate of only 41 percent, compared with 76 percent globally, while the broadband penetration rate on the continent was negligible, statistics from the U.N. agency International Telecommunication Union. As long as the Chinese vendors continue to provide quality, competitively priced equipment that is set up in a relatively short period of time, they will be the suppliers of choice. "The rise of Chinese Vendors in Africa is (nothing) short of a miracle," said Mavoni. Africa deals by China's biggest vendors in Africa Chinese telecoms hardware and network makers are stamping their mark on Africa. With huge pools of skilled labour, an export-led national growth strategy and financing sweeteners, Chinese firms are taking on their European rivals. Below are some projects handled by China's biggest telecoms players in Africa: HUAWEI * Main One Cable Company signed a contract with Huawei Technologies in 2010 to provide an intelligent optical switching system for Main One's submarine cable system running from Nigeria to Portugal. Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 9

10 * In 2009 South Africa's Neotel [NEO.UL] picked Huawei to expand its CDMA network. The contract involved the provision of a fourth generation (4G) base transceiver station to increase the coverage and capacity of the network. * In 2006 Abu Dhabi's Etisalat ETEL.AD chose Huawei as the main supplier for the construction of its nationwide UMTS/HSDPA networks in its Middle Eastand Africa markets. * MTN Group (MTNJ.J) has a strategic partnership with Huawei. MTN Ghana in 2010 used a UMTS900 solution from Huawei in its network. It chose Huawei's GSM Base Station Sub-System (BSS) to support its GSM expansion project in Uganda in2002. * Huawei was selected by Comium Mobile in 2006 to build a GSM network in Ivory Coast, including a full turnkey GSM, GPRS, 3G and Intelligent Network. * In 2004, the company won a bid to reconstruct and upgrade Safaricom's intelligent network in Kenya. The contract was worth $34 million. * As part of a $200 million partnership agreement with Nigeria's Ministry of Communication in 2005, Huawei deployed CDMA450 wireless technology across Nigeria, with the China Development Bank providing financing. * In 2009 Vodafone Ghana signed a $120 million contract with Huawei to upgrade its GSM network and share 3G technology. ZTE: * In 2010, ZTE ( SZ) entered into a network supply agreement and managed services agreement with South African mobile telecommunications company Cell C for a $378 million project. * In 2009, the company struck a deal with Nigeria's Globacom to construct a national backbone transmission network for Globacom's operations in Ghana. * Also in 2009, ZTE partnered Madagascan mobile operator Madamobil to roll out a mobile phone and data network in the country. * The Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation has a history of cooperation with ZTE that dates back to In 2008, the companies inked a deal to build a national telecom network. * In 2005, ZTE also signed a deal with France Telecom to become its global supplier of Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment. France Telecomhas millions of customers in different regions, including sub-saharan Africathrough its ownership of mobile company Orange. * ZTE is part of an $80 million Kenyan Government ICT spend, supported by the World Bank, installing fibre-optic cables in western Kenya and the North Rift Fibre Optic project. * ZTE installed the first CDMA2000 network in Ghana for Kasapa Telecom Ltd. Globacom (Nigeria) and ZTE * ZTE contracted by Globacom to construct transmission networks for Glo Mobile in Ghana. Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 10

11 Recensement tout numérique au Brésil L'État le plus peuplé d'amérique latine a réussi à compter sa population sans imprimer le moindre formulaire. Un exploit technologique! Le Brésil a réalisé le premier recensement tout numérique à grande échelle. IBGE Par Guerric Poncet En quelques semaines, l'institut brésilien de géographie et de statistique (IBGE) s'est forgé une réputation dans le monde du high-tech. Il est le premier à avoir réussi un recensement national entièrement numérique, entre août et novembre "Nous n'avons pas imprimé le moindre formulaire, rien n'a été fait sur papier", s'est félicité son président, Eduardo Nunes, vendredi à l'unesco au cours du forum Netexplorateur. Près de personnes ont participé au projet, nommé Censo, dans centres autonomes répartis à travers le pays, pour étudier les 190 millions de Brésiliens. Les enquêteurs ont été dotés de PDA (assistants électroniques) et de netbooks afin de récolter et de transmettre les informations de façon cryptée. Lorsque le réseau mobile était indisponible - et c'est le cas sur une partie non négligeable du territoire brésilien -, les enquêteurs ont utilisé des clés USB pour stocker les données. Tout cela a eu un coût : 800 millions de dollars, soit environ 4 dollars par habitant recensé. Mais c'est moins cher que le dernier recensement papier. Le prix sera réduit pour les prochaines échéances, puisqu'une partie du travail de recherche et d'organisation numérique sera réutilisable. D'autres pays intéressés L'ensemble du recensement n'a pris que trois mois, plus vingt-cinq jours de traitement des données. Une rapidité qui pourrait faire rêver, en France bien sûr, mais aussi aux États-Unis, où l'on a récemment renoncé à un tel défi technologique. Pour le Brésil, il ne s'agissait pas seulement de compter les habitants : il fallait aussi les géolocaliser, grâce aux coordonnées GPS des maisons. Des informations démographiques étendues ont été recueillies et permettent, par exemple, au pays d'anticiper une évolution de sa pyramide des âges. "Il y a quelques années, notre population ressemblait à celle de certains pays africains, mais dans 40 ans, nous rencontrerons les mêmes problèmes que la France aujourd'hui : nous aurons moins d'enfants et plus de personnes âgées", explique Eduardo Nunes. "Nous avons donc 40 ans pour nous préparer", ironise-t-il. D'autres pays sont intéressés par Censo. Les îles du Cap-Vert ont utilisé le même système, tout comme São Tomé et Principe. Certains voisins du Brésil, comme le Venezuela et le Paraguay, ont aussi exprimé leur intérêt auprès de l'ibge. Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 11

12 Télécommunications : l'innovation croît dans les pays émergents Dans les télécommunications, les produits innovants des pays émergents suscitent un intérêt et une utilisation croissantes dans les Etats développés, révèle le rapport «Reverse innovation in telecoms : The increased integration of developed and developing markets», publié, le 15 février, par Delta Partners, société de télécommunications spécialisée dans le conseil et l investissement. De fait, si pendant longtemps les inventions des pays occidentaux ont largement occupé le marché mondial, depuis quinze à vingt ans, la donne a changé. Alors que les consommateurs des pays en développement ont bénéficié d un plus grand pouvoir d achat, les entreprises locales, voulant répondre à leurs besoins, ont très vite commencé à mettre sur le marché des produits qui ont connu un succès auprès des économies développées. Le rapport montre que ce sont désormais les innovations en provenance des pays émergents qui s exportent vers les pays riches. Un tel concept a été baptisé «reverse innovation». Ce retournement est particulièrement frappant dans les télécommunications. Dans ce secteur, le marché a explosé dans les pays émergents ces dix dernières années, selon Daniel Torras, partenaire associé à Delta Partners. Cette explosion s'est accompagnée d'innovations majeures, ajoute Victor Front, P-dg de Delta Partners. Alors qu en 1995 seuls 15 % des habitants des pays émergents souscrivaient un abonnement de téléphonie mobile, fin 2010 les pays émergents représentaient 79 % des abonnements mondiaux. Suite à l explosion de la bulle high-tech en 2001, les entreprises des pays développés ont limité, sous la pression de leurs actionnaires, leurs ambitions internationales. Parallèlement, des opérateurs des économies émergentes, comme le sud-africain MTN, sont devenus de véritables géants, en adoptant des politiques agressives de fusion-acquisition ou d'achat de licence. Les américains Google et Apple demeurent les leaders en matière d innovation. Toutefois, les acteurs asiatiques vont rapidement exercer une influence considérable dans l électronique grand public, au regard des sommes importantes dédiées à la recherche et développement (R & D) et du nombre conséquent de brevets déposés par les principaux fabricants chinois et japonais. C'est pourquoi le rapport incite les opérateurs de télécommunication des économies développées à analyser de près le potentiel d'innovation des marchés émergents. Venice Affre Un cabinet estime les couvertures fibre d'orange Publié par Infested Grunt Alors que France Telecom fait des annonces concernant le déploiement de la fibre, l'opérateur ne fournit pas de cartes prévisionnelles mais un cabinet d'expert en télécoms, Tactis, a estimé ce que les annonces représenteraient en terme de couverture. France Telecom a fait des annonces concernant la fibre optique avec le Plan Conquête 2015 du directeur général et futur président de l'opérateur, Stéphane Richard, et la réponse Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 12

13 d'orange pour l'appel à manifestation d'intention d'investissement dans la cadre du projet national Très Haut Débit de l'etat, voulu par le Ministre de l'economie Numérique, Eric Besson. L'opérateur historique n'a pas dévoilé les communes ni les régions concernées. Mais, sur les bases des déclarations, le cabinet d'études en télécoms Tactis a créé une carte des communes qui vont être couvertes par la Fibre d'orange dans le cadre des 2 plans. Le cabinet estime le coût de ce déploiement de la fibre dans le cadre des plans entre 6 et 7 milliards d'euros. Mais France Telecom-Orange indique qu'il ne compte débourser que 2 milliards d'euros pour les déploiements de la fibre. Tactis estime que l'opérateur ferait de la couverture partielle ou cherchera un co-financement avec les communes. Il demande de s'assurer que les projets avec l'opérateur historique aient des engagements détaillés (délais précis, capillarité du réseau envisagé, financements,...). FRANCE TELECOM : se distingue à la hausse grâce à Barclays (AOF) - France Télécom (+1,67% à 16,46 euros) figure parmi les plus fortes hausses du CAC 40, soutenu par le relèvement de la recommandation de Barclays de Sous-pondérer à Pondérer en ligne. L'objectif de cours a été maintenu à 18,30 euros. Le bureau d'études estime que le consensus a désormais suffisamment pris en compte l'intensification de la concurrence sur le marché français. Il estime même que le consensus pourrait être révisé à la hausse grâce à l'arrêt des taxes pour l'audiovisuel en Espagne et en France et à la possibilité de réduire les coûts non liés aux rémunérations. L'analyste souligne aussi que France Télécom se compare désormais favorablement à ses pairs tant au niveau du rendement que de la valorisation. Barclays, qui avait dégradé la valeur début septembre, estime cependant toujours que France Télécom est, avec Deutsche Telekom, l'opérateur télécoms européen historique qui a le plus à perdre d'une baisse de ses tarifs dans la téléphonie fixe. Comme catalyseurs, le broker cite la publication des résultats annuels la semaine prochaine et la journée investisseurs de mai. Performances Veille 2011 Performances MC Tous droits réservés 13