AfricaCom Awards finalists named

The organisers of AfricaCom Awards 2008 have announced the finalists for the inaugural African telecommunications awards taking place on 18 November 2008 at the International Convention Centre, Cape Town.

South Africa’s new second Network operator, Neotel, has been nominated as a finalist in the New Entrant of the Year category for the AfricaCom Awards 2008. It joins several dozen other African telecommunications operators and suppliers who are vying for recognition.

The awards recognise the achievements and success within the African communications market during the last twelve months.

According to the organisers, the quality and quantity of entries was exceptional and sets the standard for the African telecommunications industry going into 2009.

The finalists are:





New Entrant of the Year

• FT Orange Group: Orange Niger
• Neotel: Neotel South Africa
• WANA Corporation: Internet +
• Warid Telecom Uganda Ltd: Warid Uganda

Best Network Quality Initiative of the Year

• Cell C: WOZA 0
• Nackovad Communications Ltd: Base stations for rural areas
• RAD Data Communications: ACE-32085 Cell Site Gateway
• Warid Telecom Uganda Ltd: Warid Converged Network

Most Innovative New Service of the Year

• Ericsson: MTN Group
• PCCW Global: Cellular Backhaul Service
• Pyro Networks: Pyro INROAM SDP
• Wana Enterprises: WanaLAN VPLS
• Warid Telecom Uganda Ltd: Warid Zone
• Zain: One Network

Best Solution for Rural Services

• Equatel: Equatel SIM payphone
• MTN Nigeria: Rural telephone project
• MTN Uganda: MTN VillagePhone Project
• Safriccom Ltd: M-PESA
• Zain: Payphone Lady and Zain Skotele Money Transfer

Best Marketing Campaign of the Year

• Cell C: Controlchat 100
• FT Orange Group: Friends & Family in Guinea
• Safaricom: Kwachua Milioni Promotion
• Warid Telecom Uganda Ltd: Warid Telecom Launch
• Zain: Zain Rebrand

Best Customer Services Provider of the Year

• Clickatell: FNB Uses SMS for Call Center
• Clickatell: Santam Uses Clickatell SMS for Call Center Mobility
• PCCI Group: PCCI
• Warid Telecom Uganda: Warid Telecom – “We Care”

Best Enterprise Solution in Africa

• Bharti Telesoft: ChargingProxy
• Gateway Communications: AirLink (TM) and MetroLink (TM)
• Gilat Satellite Networks: SkyAbis
• Tramigo Ltd: Tramigo T22
• Wana Enterprises: WanaOne

Best Pan-African Initiative

• FT Orange Group: Orange Zone
• Pyro Networks: Pyro INROAM SDP
• Redknee: Redknee Roaming Recharge
• Starcomms: Handsets for CDMA operators
• Zain: One Network

Changing Lives Award

• Ericsson: Millennium Villages Project
• iDirect Technologies: Satellite-based telemedicine program
• MTN Uganda: Uganda Refugee Connectivity Project
• Paybox Solutions AG: Banking the Unbanked
• Safaricom Ltd: M-PESA Concern Worldwide Pilot
• Vodacom (Pty) Ltd: Vodacom Speaking Phones
• Zain: Millennium Villages

World Cup-winning former Springbok rugby captain Francois Pienaar will be the guest host for the awards evening, and 10% of ticket sales will be donated to Unicef, Official Awards Charity. For more information on booking for the event, click here.

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