The Taliban government in Afghanistan has imposed a nationwide shutdown of telecommunications, weeks after it began severing fibre-optic internet connections. The country is currently experiencing a “total internet blackout”, internet watchdog Netblocks reports. International news agencies say they have lost contact with offices in the capital Kabul. Mobile internet and satellite TV have also been…
Harare is preparing to host one of Africa’s most outspoken gatherings on digital media and civic technology, with this year’s Hub Unconference urging the continent to “decolonise the internet.” Now in its 11th edition, the free two-day event will run on 24-25 September at Harare Gardens as part of the build-up to the Shoko Festival….
Across Africa, women have less access to the internet than men. In Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania only 15%-28% of women own smartphones. Tinuade Adekunbi Ojo is a feminist political economist and director of the Centre for the Study of Race, Gender and Class at the University of Johannesburg. She researches gender inequality in digital…
South Africa’s oldest internet exchange point operator, INX-ZA, has announced a plan to upgrade its infrastructure using high-performance routers from Nokia that offer throughput of up to 400Gbit/s each. INX-ZA, which forms part of the Internet Service Providers’ Association – an industry body that represents most of South Africa’s ISP community – will deploy 400GE…
America Online (AOL), famous for its aggressive marketing campaigns, will shut down its dial-up internet service at the end of next month. “AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue dial-up internet,” AOL said in a message to its dial-up users. “This service will no longer be available in AOL plans.”…
South Africa, like much of the world, has largely moved past dial-up. AOL, which started as American Online and gave the world “You’ve Got Mail” in 1993 – later likely inspiring the 1998 hit movie of the same name – is saying goodbye to dial-up internet in a symbolic move. On its support page, AOL…
After more than three decades, AOL’s dial-up internet service is officially coming to an end. In a statement on its website, the Yahoo-owned company announced that the service will be discontinued on September 30, 2025. Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech Tuesday: iPad Pro and VR? “AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and…
The YouTube channel Jubilee, which is known for its debate-style videos, is facing backlash online after a participant in a recent show self-identified as a fascist. The incident has roiled the internet, inspiring online discussion for days, and it has also had major consequences. The man, who identified himself as Connor in the video, says…
ITWeb contributor Phillip de Wet. We need, not to use too strong a term, a hero. Someone who can step into a hard job that comes with a toxic legacy because the future demands it. We need that person (or, preferably, mid-sized organisation) because we’re headed straight towards a set of internet regulations that are…
Communications minister Solly Malatsi The Internet Service Providers’ Association (Ispa) has voiced its support for communications minister Solly Malatsi’s plan to reform empowerment rules in ICT sector licensing. A draft policy direction by Malatsi calls for the introduction of equity equivalents in licensing so companies don’t have to sell equity to black investors and can…
