Bharti Airtel expands into Seychelles

Indian mobile operator, Bharti Airtel, says that its board has approved the acquisition of Telecom Seychelles in a deal valued at $62 million, in its bid to increase its presence in Africa, reports Bloomberg Businessweek.

The Seychelles operator has a 57% share of the market and offers 3G mobile and fixed telephone service.

Bharti Airtel has been on a buying spree. Earlier this year, the telco giant acquired Zain Africa in a $10.7 billion deal. Zain Africa had operations in 15 African countries.

Telkom Kenya, has supported the decision by the East African Community (EAC) partner states to ban scrap metal exports in the region, which will stem exports of vandalised copper cables, states Capital Business.

The export ban comes in the wake of rising concerns around the impact of scrap metal exports on industries within the EAC region.

Telkom Kenya deputy CEO, Jane Karuku, welcomed the decision, saying it will save the company huge amounts of lost revenue and funds deployed to replace vandalised copper cables. Most of vandalised copper cables are exported to the emerging markets in Asia.

India has rolled out the second phase of pan-Africa e-network, adding 12 more countries to the New Delhi-aided long distance education and tele-medicine programme, says Mangalorean.com.

A brainchild of India's former president Abdul Kalam, the e-network seeks to bridge the digital divide across the African continent and to provide tele-medicine and tele-education through a fibre optic network.

India has signed agreement with 47 countries in Africa, but the infrastructure has been completed in 34 of them.