Tech

Telecom Egypt partners EXA Infrastructure to promote intercontinental traffic via WeConnect

Published

9 months ago

March 22, 2024

Egypt’s first integrated telecom operator and one of the largest subsea cable operators in the MENA region, Telecom Egypt, has entered into a partnership with EXA Infrastructure aimed at promoting intercontinental traffic via WeConnect.

The partnership between Telecom Egypt, and EXA Infrastructure, a European fiber backbone and transatlantic subsea cable infrastructure provider, will aim to reshape the East-to-West traffic flows entering the Mediterranean, and reinforce Egypt’s role as a pivotal hub for global telecommunications.

At the signing ceremony on Thursday held in Cairo, Telecom Egypt Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Nasr, expressed the company’s “commitment to launch a new era of cooperation that will see them work more closely together to support digital infrastructure initiatives.”

The agreement was signed by Nasr behalf of Telecom Egypt, Nick Read, the EXA Executive Chairman, on behalf of EXA in the presence of Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology
H.E. Dr. Amr Talaat, as well as top officials from both companies.

Speaking shortly after the signing ceremony, Nasr said:

“Through this partnership, EXA Infrastructure becomes a one-stop-shop for traffic from the Middle East and Asia into Europe, uniquely combining multi-route solutions, while providing protected capacity solutions from Egypt – via Telecom Egypt’s robust infrastructure and cutting-edge model, ‘WeConnect’ – to hundreds of endpoints in Europe and North America.

“In September 2023, Telecom Egypt had unveiled ‘WeConnect’, a unique ecosystem offering agile access to Egypt’s extensive subsea cable infrastructure.

“WeConnect enables users to seamlessly navigate connectivity between subsea cable systems in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, fostering an open and neutral model.

“As part of the partnership, EXA Infrastructure will serve as the European and North American-based service provider to access WeConnect.

“This partnership is another step in the strategy to position Egypt as the main gateway to Asia, Africa, and Europe, and as an emerging intercontinental interconnection hub,” he said.

Also speaking, Talaat, said:

“This agreement is an important milestone in the series of partnerships forged with major international telecommunications service providers to expand the reach of the international digital infrastructure globally, keeping pace with the growing demand for Internet services worldwide and in line with the government’s strategy to position Egypt as a global digital corridor for data.

“The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is keen to maintain Egypt’s distinctive edge in the field of international subsea cables infrastructure, capitalizing on its unparalleled geographical location as a unique hub for submarine cables worldwide.”

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Tech

20 African tech-preneurs embark on Korean innovation tour

Published

60 minutes ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The African Development Bank Group’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab has selected 20 promising tech entrepreneurs from various African technology ventures and enterprise support organisations to embark on a two-week study tour of the Republic of Korea, with the aim of seeking investment and insights from the country’s innovative tech ecosystem.

The selected entrepreneurs are from 133 ventures that participated in last month’s Africa Tech Startup Forum.

The forum which will hold under the auspices of the lab’s “Leveraging the Entrepreneurial and Innovation Success of Korea to Strengthen African Enterprise Support” project, had selected entrepreneurs who pitched the best business models during the week-long virtual market access and acceleration programme preparing, training, and connecting technology ventures with opportunities.

The 20 young tech-preneurs were selected from eight African countries including Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda, with the delegates spanning various sectors in the technology space.

While in Korea, the African delegates will pay visits to prestigious institutions such as Global Startup Centre, LG Science Park, the Korea Software Technology Association, and the Global Digital Innovation Network.

Speaking on behalf of the delegates, founder of Kenya-based health technology venture Zuri Health, Uche Ezadinachi said:

“I am excited to go to Korea because the country has made serious technological developments. The country is a technology-driven society, and this tour is an opportunity for me to see how we can bring such technology to Africa.

“We will share experiences with our Korean counterparts; they will learn from us as much as we learn from them,” he added.

Tech

Kenya’s ticketing startup BuuPass partners Flexpay for flexible travel payments

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Kenyan digital ticketing startup, BuuPass, has entered into a partnership with goal-based savings platform, Flexpay, to offer customers flexible payment plans ahead of holiday travels as well as simplify travel planning and ease the financial burden of holiday travel for Kenyans.

Co-founder and CEO at Buupass, Sonia Kabra, who unveiled the package at a press conference, said the collaboration between the two platforms will allow travellers to save for their journeys in manageable, interest-free installments over four to 12 weeks.

“Travelers can select their travel dates, book tickets, and pay a small deposit upfront, with the remaining balance spread across weekly or monthly payments,” she said.

“This approach offers a stress-free way for families and large groups to secure their tickets early, helping them avoid last-minute price hikes as fares are locked in.

“By partnering with Flexpay, we’re giving travelers the flexibility to budget for their trips in advance. This initiative aligns with our mission to make travel accessible to everyone, providing a solution that meets customers where they are financially,” said Kabra.

Also speaking at the event, Richard Machomba, CEO and founder of Flexpay, said:

“Flexpay’s mission is to empower individuals by providing accessible financial solutions that make it easier for them to achieve their financial goals.

“By partnering with BuuPass, we’re making travel more accessible and stress-free for Kenyans, especially during the holiday season when expenses can be overwhelming,” Machomba added.

Founded in 2016 by Kabra and Wyclife Omondi, BuuPass is a B2B2C mobility marketplace that enables users to search, compare, and book travel tickets via web, app, or USSD, while its SaaS platform helps bus operators manage their operations, inventory, and sales.

FlexPay, on the other hand, is an online and offline payment gateway that allows merchants to offer interest-free targeted savings to their customers in Africa.