https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Follow @EngNewsZA

Advertise on this page? Click Here to Learn More

Telecoms News

Energy Vision to deploy purpose-built power systems for base stations in Nigeria, Gabon

By: Natasha Odendaal 7th April 2020 Telecom-focused energy service company Energy Vision is deploying purpose-built power systems for outdoor telecom sites across Nigeria and Gabon. The group ordered Swedish technology company eSite Power Systems’s eSite x10 as it expands its African operations into Nigeria, with additional power... →

Vodacom, Safaricom to accelerate M-Pesa growth following acquisition

By: Natasha Odendaal 7th April 2020 Telecommunications groups Vodacom and Safaricom plan to accelerate the expansion of M-Pesa into Africa following its acquisition for an undisclosed amount from Vodafone. The duo have formed a joint venture (JV) to incorporate the M-Pesa brand and its product development and support services, and... →

Cooperative Governance dept launches Covid-19 citizen interface portal

By: Schalk Burger 6th April 2020 The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) on April 4 announced the launch of a digital communication platform, Unathi, through which, using natural language-guided questions, citizens can anonymously report Covid-19 symptoms in themselves or their family members,... →

MTN maintains best mobile network status

By: Natasha Odendaal 6th April 2020 Telecommunications giant MTN has been named South Africa’s best mobile network for the first quarter of 2020. The MyBroadband Insights quarterly Mobile Network Quality Report shows that MTN has a network quality score of 9.69, down slightly from its score of 9.85 in the fourth quarter of 2019. →

Broadband Commission pushes for action to extend Internet access and boost capacity to fight Covid-19

By: Natasha Odendaal 6th April 2020 The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development has adopted an Agenda for Action outlining immediate measures that governments, industry, the international community and civil society can take to ensure a strengthened collective technological response to the Covid-19 crisis. The agenda,... →

South African tech community throngs to help government fight Covid-19 threat

By: Schalk Burger 3rd April 2020 Hundreds of volunteer information and communication technology (ICT) professionals have contributed data, tools and skills to develop a vulnerability map that illustrate the communities most at risk from the Covid-19 pandemic. This map has been presented to a Presidential planning meeting,... →

Broadband Infraco, ItakaneICT partner to enable cashless platforms

By: Natasha Odendaal 3rd April 2020 Broadband Infraco and ItakaneICT have partnered to deploy cashless payment platforms to rural and disadvantaged communities. The move will help in dispensing and transacting financially without using physical cash amid the Covid-19 outbreak. →

Digital tools emerge as key means to support rural teachers

By: Schalk Burger 3rd April 2020 Research has found that mobile messaging service WhatsApp can provide rural teachers with organisational support, serve as virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) and support skills and professional development, Stellenbosch University (SU) Life Sciences facilitator and SU Centre for Pedagogy... →

Agri-fintech company moves to provide digital support for small-scale farmers

By: Schalk Burger 3rd April 2020 Agri-fintech company eSus Africa is supporting small-scale and emerging farmers by gathering and using data. Its onsite system enables farmers to gather machine and sensor data, monitor inputs and feeds from weather and agriculture agencies for planning and decisions, as well as record yields,... →

Schneider Electric academy develops smart energy management skills

By: Schalk Burger 3rd April 2020 As global power capacity is set to double by 2040, and with 80% more renewable sources than there are currently, Schnieder Electric is providing energy management training to meet the needs of heterogeneous and automated buildings and infrastructure, says Schneider Electric head of sustainability... →

Vodacom Business launches Fast Forward Season 2

By: Natasha Odendaal 3rd April 2020 Vodacom has kicked off the second season of its “Fast Forward” business workshops to equip entrepreneurs with the digital skills required to adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Following the success of its first series last year, Fast Forward returned in March and has extended... →

Mobile testing, sampling units for Covid-19 launched

By: Simone Liedtke 2nd April 2020 In light of the increasing number of Covid-19 local transmissions in South Africa, the Department of Health and government have stepped up capacity for testing across the country through procuring an additional 60 mobile sampling and testing units. In line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s... →

Vodacom, Discovery to offer Covid-19 screening platform

By: Natasha Odendaal 2nd April 2020 Vodacom and Discovery have teamed up to develop risk assessment and virtual healthcare tools for citizens to assess their Covid-19 risk, schedule virtual healthcare professional consultations and get advice. The Covid-19 online healthcare platform can help to identify people who need health... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub

Vodacom kicks off new price packages

By: Natasha Odendaal 1st April 2020 Telecommunications group Vodacom’s new 30-day data price packages, with price cuts of up to 40% and free data lifelines, went live on April 1. The group, as part of an agreement with the Competition Commission, will reduce the price of its 50 MB, 30-day data bundle by 40% to R12, effective... →

Cell C latest telco to conclude agreement with Competition Commission

By: Natasha Odendaal 1st April 2020 Mobile operator Cell C has finalised an agreement with the Competition Commission over data cuts and digital inclusion. This followed the agreements made between the commission and telecommunication groups Vodacom, MTN and Telkom in March. →

Vodacom e-School registration reaches one-million users

By: Natasha Odendaal 1st April 2020 User registration on telecommunications group Vodacom’s e-School platform is nearing one-million as South Africa’s schools remained closed. With the outbreak of Covid-19, all schools, universities and other educational institutions suspended operations from March 18 with no indication of when... →

MTN makes strides with its Bright strategy

By: Natasha Odendaal 31st March 2020 Telecommunications group MTN has made strides in implementing its Bright strategy, with social and economic impact reported across its markets in Africa and the Middle East during the year ended December 31, 2019. The group on March 31 published its 2019 integrated, sustainability and tax... →

Telkom to appeal Tax Court judgement, takes matter to Constitutional Court

By: Natasha Odendaal 31st March 2020 JSE-listed Telkom said on March 31 that it plans to appeal the tax court judgement against it in a dispute with South African Revenue Services (SARS). The matter relates to the tax treatment of the loss that arose in the 2012 financial year on the sale of a foreign subsidiary, which was heard by... →

Jasco slides into the red in first half

By: Natasha Odendaal 31st March 2020 Information and communication technology (ICT) group Jasco posted a weaker year-on-year performance, impacted by a slowdown in infrastructure spend resulting in poor results from ICT-Carriers and continuing losses in Power and Renewables, during the half-year ended December 31, 2019. Despite the... →

5G poised to aid coronavirus fight

By: Natasha Odendaal 27th March 2020 Fifth-generation (5G) technology will have a critical role to play in the world’s battle against Covid-19. A new white paper produced by advisory firm Deloitte and information and communications technology giant Huawei shows how the effectiveness of communication and data exchange has been... →

Vodacom chair retires

By: Natasha Odendaal 27th March 2020 JSE-listed Vodacom has appointed current lead independent nonexecutive director Saki Macozoma as chairperson, effective July 22, following the retirement of Jabu Moleketi. Moleketi will retire and step down from the board at the forthcoming yearly general meeting to be held July 21. →

MTN seeks new leader as Shuter plans departure

By: Natasha Odendaal 27th March 2020 As MTN group president and CEO Rob Shuter prepares to step down in March 2021 from the role he has held since 2017, a year-long hunt is on for his successor. Shuter, nearing the completion of his four-year fixed contract, plans to pass on the baton to “take a well-deserved rest” before figuring... →

MTN president and CEO Rob Shuter discusses the company’s search for a new leader.

MTN hikes proceeds from asset realisation programme

By: Natasha Odendaal 27th March 2020 As telecommunications group MTN wraps up the first year of a three-year, R15-billion asset realisation programme (ARP), the medium-term targets have now been increased to release at least a further R25-billion. MTN realised about R14-billion in 2019 under the portfolio optimisation, which was... →

MTN president and CEO Rob Shuter and MTN group CFO Ralph Mupita discuss the company’s successful asset realisation programme

Telkom zero-rates essential online government information sites

By: Natasha Odendaal 26th March 2020 Telecommunications group Telkom has zero-rated zero rated access to essential on line government services, including free public access to the Government Communication Information System (GCIS) South African Government website. Telkom has also zero-rated access to educational institutions,... →

Icasa set to scale down operations as South Africa locks down

By: Natasha Odendaal 26th March 2020 The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) is planning to significantly scale down its operations, as South Africa enters its Covid-19 national lockdown from midnight Thursday, March 26. The authority said on March 26 that it will align its operations to the measures... →

Mobile money accounts surpass one-billion globally

By: Natasha Odendaal 26th March 2020 The number of registered mobile money accounts worldwide has surpassed the one-billion mark, with the processing of about $2-billion in transactions undertaken every day. A new GSMA ‘State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money’ report shows that 2019 marked a major milestone for the mobile money... →

Tribunal approves Vodacom, Competition Commission settlement

By: Natasha Odendaal 26th March 2020 The Competition Tribunal has confirmed, as an order, the consent agreement between the Competition Commission and telecommunications group Vodacom. The tribunal said in a statement that a copy of the order and agreement will be published on its website in due course. →

Govt pledges digital support to education and communication

By: Natasha Odendaal 25th March 2020 Telecommunications and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams on March 25 assured that government and the private sector were working together to ensure that telecommunications networks were not hampered from providing communications services during South Africa’s Covid-19 lockdown... →

Vodacom introduces SMME business funding platform

By: Natasha Odendaal 25th March 2020 Telecommunications giant Vodacom has launched a new small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMME) business funding product that lets business owners apply online for funding and have an answer within four hours. The VodaLend platform, launched by Vodacom Financial Services, aims to help narrow... →

Tribunal to hear Vodacom, Competition Commission settlement

By: Natasha Odendaal 25th March 2020 The Competition Tribunal will, on March 25, consider the settlement agreement between the Competition Commission and telecommunications giant Vodacom. Following the conclusion of the agreement early in March, the duo are now applying to the Tribunal for the confirmation of their consent agreement... →

ITU launches platform to keep networks lit up in the Covid crisis

By: Natasha Odendaal 24th March 2020 The global scale of the Covid-19 pandemic has led to the launch of a global platform to help protect telecommunication networks. The new Global Network Resiliency Platform, or #REG4COVID, platform will assist governments and the private sector in ensuring that networks are kept resilient and... →

Cell C says turnaround strong in H2

By: Natasha Odendaal 23rd March 2020 Embattled mobile operator Cell C on Monday said its turnaround strategy resulted in a strong second half performance during the year ended December 31. The group’s turnaround strategy, which was implemented in March last year, was now starting to bear fruit, said Cell C CEO Douglas Craigie... →

Huawei, China Economic Association donate R3m to South Africa’s Covid-19 battle

By: Natasha Odendaal 23rd March 2020 Information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart device provider Huawei has donated R1-million toward South Africa’s efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which causes the Covid-19 disease. The South Africa-China Economic and Trade Association, at the Chinese... →

ITU launches new emergency communications guidelines

By: Natasha Odendaal 20th March 2020 The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has launched new guidelines for the development and implementation of National Emergency Telecommunication Plans to effectively enable countries’ disaster response activities to the global Covid-19 pandemic. The guidelines will assist national... →

MTN slashes data bundles by up to 50%

By: Natasha Odendaal 20th March 2020 Telecommunications group MTN on Friday said it would, from April 15, reduce the prices of its 30-day data bundles and offer up to 600 MB of data a month. In response to the outcomes of the Competition Commission’s data services market inquiry, following on the heels of rival Vodacom, MTN plans to... →

Vodacom says spectrum release critical for further data-price cuts

By: Natasha Odendaal 20th March 2020 Telecommunications giant Vodacom plans to reduce its data costs and embark on a programme to enable digital inclusion over the next two years after reaching an agreement with South Africa's Competition Commission. Following the publication of the commission’s ‘Final Findings and Recommendations... →

Customer trust, market relevance linked to data culture

By: Schalk Burger 20th March 2020 Market leadership is most frequently attained when an organisation establishes a high level of trust in the data from its customers, its own business processes and across its partner ecosystem, says information technology multinational IBM Institute for Business Value director Ian Fletcher. While... →

Topics In These Articles

Africa PROJECT Projects Technology Service Business Financial Equipment Services Solutions Infrastructure ... more

RSS Feed

About

Engineering News is a product of Creamer Media.
www.creamermedia.co.za

Other Creamer Media Products include:
Mining Weekly
Research Channel Africa
Polity

Newsletters

Sign up for our FREE daily email newsletter

Receive daily sector news alerts

More

Subscriptions

We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library.

Subscriptions are available via the Creamer Media Store.

View store

Advertise

Advertising on Engineering News is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. Email advertising@creamermedia.co.za

View options

Subscribe