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JL Dube Broadband Highsite project kicks off KwaZulu-Natal’s smart province ambitions

By: Natasha Odendaal Updated 6 hours ago The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has switched on a JL Dube Broadband Highsite in Vezokuhle Primary School, Edendale, in the Umsunduzi municipality. The JL Dube Broadband Highsite aims to bring free WiFi to the communities of Pietermaritzburg. →

Covid-19-impacted brands could lose as much as 15% of value – Brand Finance

By: Donna Slater 9th July 2020 As the Covid-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on the global and domestic economies, South Africa’s top 50 most valuable brands could lose up to 15% of brand value cumulatively, a drop of more than R65-billion compared with the original valuation date of January 1, according to the latest 'South Africa... →

Icasa, NMISA ink MoU for collaboration

By: Natasha Odendaal 9th July 2020 The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) and the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) have signed a strategic collaboration agreement for the exchange of information and expertise. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed during a video conference... →

MTN maintains best network status in lockdown, rain hit by incorrect spectrum

By: Natasha Odendaal 8th July 2020 Telecommunications giant MTN has, once again, been named South Africa’s best mobile network for the second quarter of 2020. The MyBroadband Insights quarterly Mobile Network Quality Report shows that MTN has a network quality score of 9.94 during South Africa’s lockdown, higher than its first... →

Rain doubles Pargo pick-up points for Sims

By: Natasha Odendaal 7th July 2020 Data network provider rain and Pargo have more than doubled the number of pick-up points available for rain’s fourth-generation (4G) Sim cards amid a growing demand for the data-only Sim cards. There are now 260 Pargo pick-up points at selected Clicks stores across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the... →

Blue Label expects double-digit rise in earnings

By: Natasha Odendaal 6th July 2020 JSE-listed Blue Label Telecoms expects to report a more than 20% increase in earnings for the year ended May 31, 2020. This will be a turnaround on the prior year’s performance, which reported losses on basic, headline and core headline a share of 727.81c, 312.49c and 304.77c respectively. →

Icasa to publish WOAN, spectrum invitation

By: Natasha Odendaal 2nd July 2020 The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) is preparing to publish the Invitation To Apply (ITA) for both the Wireless Open Access Network (WOAN) and the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum. While Icasa has made “extensive progress” in developing both ITAs... →

MTN launches 5G network

By: Natasha Odendaal 30th June 2020 Telecommunications group MTN has launched its fifth-generation (5G) network, with 100 sites live across areas in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth. During a live-streamed launch event, MTN South Africa CEO Godfrey Motsa said that 5G will deliver higher peak data speeds,... →

Vodacom appoints interim CFO

By: Creamer Media Reporter 26th June 2020 Telecommunications group Vodacom has appointed Sitho Mdlalose as interim CFO, effective July 1. This follows the resignation of Till Streichert, who will leave the position of CFO on June 30. →

Competition Tribunal confirms MTN agreement

By: Natasha Odendaal 25th June 2020 The Competition Tribunal has approved a consent agreement between the Competition Commission and telecommunications group MTN on data pricing. In terms of the agreement, MTN will reduce the data prices of its 30-day prepaid bundles across channels; offer all its customers a daily free capped data... →

MTN to launch 5G network in South Africa next week

By: Reuters 24th June 2020 Mobile operator MTN Group will launch its 5G commercial network in South Africa next week, joining Vodacom Group and Rain in the race to expand fifth-generation technology in the country. The firm said on Wednesday it is hosting a virtual launch event on June 30, where MTN South Africa CEO... →

New Digital Economy Master Plan nearly ready

By: Natasha Odendaal 23rd June 2020 A new Digital Economy Master Plan is being developed to build a sustainable future digital ecosystem enabling South Africa to become a hub of all digital infrastructure serving the African continent. The Department Communications and Digital Technologies is preparing to publish the Digital... →

Cell C plans to lay off 960 workers as it streamlines operations

By: Reuters 23rd June 2020 South Africa's third-biggest telecom operator Cell C said on Monday it plans to lay off 960 workers as it restructures its operations to align the organisation with its new operating model. Unlisted Cell C, in which Blue Label Telecoms has a 45% stake, said it has initiated discussions with... →

Telkom redirects dividend payouts to spectrum, capital investment programme

By: Natasha Odendaal 22nd June 2020 JSE-listed Telkom has suspended its dividend payouts for the next three years from the 2021 financial year to redirect the capital to acquire much-needed spectrum and complete its capital expenditure (capex) programme to ensure future sustainability. The group, which announced its intention of... →

Telkom Group CEO Sipho Maseko and Group CFO Tsholofelo Molefe discuss the group’s financial results for the year ended March 31, 2020.

Mobile data traffic in sub-Saharan Africa to grow 12 times by 2025

By: Natasha Odendaal 18th June 2020 Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the fastest growing mobile markets, with mobile traffic set to expand 12 times its current rates by 2025. The latest edition of global information and communication technology giant Ericsson’s Mobility Report shows mobile traffic in sub-Saharan Africa growing... →

Telkom to report drop in earnings for year

By: Creamer Media Reporter 15th June 2020 JSE-listed Telkom expects a double-digit drop in earnings for the year ended March 31 as restructure costs and one-off Covid-19-related impairments slash headline earnings per share (HEPS) and basic earnings per share (BEPS). HEPS is expected to decrease between 65% and 70% to between 186.2 c and... →

Huawei launches IdeaHub for sub-Saharan Africa

By: Natasha Odendaal 12th June 2020 Information and communication technology (ICT) giant Huawei has launched a new intelligent productivity and collaboration tool to drive enterprise collaboration in sub-Saharan Africa. Huawei IdeaHub will enable an all-scenario smart office, with an intelligent endpoint integrating multiple... →

First free WiFi hotspots for Witsand installed

By: Natasha Odendaal 12th June 2020 The first WiFi-enabled solar street lights have gone live as hotspots in Witsand, Atlantis, three months after nonprofit organisation GreenCape and Cape Town based service provider ThinkWiFi teamed up under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). GreenCape’s Alternative Service Delivery Unit (ASDU)... →

Helios subsidiary prices notes, enters new credit facility

By: Creamer Media Reporter 10th June 2020 Helios Towers indirect wholly owned subsidiary the HTA Group has announced the successful $750-million pricing of its offering of 7% senior notes due 2025, guaranteed on a senior basis by the company and certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries. HTA will pay interest on the notes... →

Huge appoints commercial director

By: Natasha Odendaal 9th June 2020 JSE-listed Huge Group has appointed Stephen Morony as subsidiary Huge Telecom commercial director, effective June 8. Morony, who joins Huge from Cell C, where he headed up the end-to-end management of Cell C’s Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) business, has over 20 years of experience in the... →

MTN faces new allegations in US complaint

By: Reuters 7th June 2020 South African telecoms firm MTN faces new allegations of aiding militant groups in Afghanistan, including paying protection money, in an amended lawsuit filed on behalf of hundreds of families of US soldiers. The original lawsuit was aimed at least eight multinational companies -- including MTN,... →

Vodacom achieves level 1 BEE status

By: Natasha Odendaal 3rd June 2020 Telecommunications group Vodacom Group has achieved a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) contributor score of Level 1 its local subsidiaries accelerate a concerted transformation strategy. As a result of these efforts, the group exceeded its financial year 2019/20 targets against all... →

Telenor, Sony and Ericsson team to develop smart IoT devices

By: Natasha Odendaal 1st June 2020 Ericsson, Sony Network Communications Europe and Telenor Connexion are collaborating to enhance intelligent real-time location, tracking and monitoring solutions for different sectors using the Internet of Things (IoT). The trio are leveraging Telenor's network, Ericsson’s IoT Accelerator for... →

Huawei unveils P40 Pro in South Africa

By: Natasha Odendaal 29th May 2020 Information and communication technology giant Huawei has launched its new Huawei P40 series in South Africa. The new generation mobile phone series, powered by Kirin 990 fifth-generation (5G) and supporting high-speed 5G and WiFi 6 Plus, represents Huawei’s vision of the future of mobile imaging... →

Absa donates R5m to Universities South Africa

By: Natasha Odendaal 29th May 2020 Banking group Absa has sponsored learning devices and mobile data valued at R5-million to Universities South Africa (USAf). USAf and Absa plan to distribute the devices to six identified universities to enable online or remote learning for students. →

Small businesses urged to continuously upskill IT personnel

By: Schalk Burger 29th May 2020 Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) must define the scope of information technology (IT) work and skills they require, and should continuously invest in the upskilling of these individuals through courses and exams, ensuring they have all necessary qualifications to support the SME's... →

Kaspersky develops cybercapacity training programme to bolster IT resilience

By: Schalk Burger 29th May 2020 Cybersecurity multinational Kaspersky announced on May 19 that, as part of the Global Transparency Initiative, it had developed a cybersecurity skills development programme. The Cyber Capacity Building Programme will be available during the latter part of the year, says Kaspersky public affairs... →

Vodacom zero rates what3words website

By: Natasha Odendaal 28th May 2020 Telecommunications group Vodacom has zero-rated the emergency location tracker platform ‘what3words’ for its more than 43-million subscribers across South Africa. The what3words technology, available as a mobile application or an online map, has divided the world into a grid of 3m squares, with... →

Ethiopian Communications Authority calls for telecommunications licenses submissions

By: Natasha Odendaal 22nd May 2020 The Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) is calling for expressions of interest (EoI) to be submitted for two new telecommunications licenses in Ethiopia. Interested parties have until 12:00 GMT+3 on June 22 to submit their interest for the potential awarding of two nationwide... →

Video streaming platform launched to empower content creators, open revenue stream

By: Donna Slater 22nd May 2020 To reinvent itself and preserve jobs, a Johannesburg-based startup has quickly built and launched an end-to-end online video streaming platform – Send it – that enables content creators to monetise their audiences through free, or pay-to-view, live broadcasts. Co-founders James Coetzee and... →

Pandemic prompts automation support, working remotely

By: Khutso Maphatsoe 22nd May 2020 Covid-19 has prompted the automation industry to continuously provide remote services and support, says nonprofit organisation Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) Africa vice chairperson Gerhard Greeff. The option of working remotely has always been acknowledged; however, this... →

GERHARD GREEFF Greeff believes that the pandemic is going to have some long-term effects on the way companies conduct business

Vodacom Group creates Vodacom South Africa as standalone business

By: Natasha Odendaal 21st May 2020 With an increasing expansion of an African portfolio, telecommunications Vodacom Group has simplified its structure, forming a standalone Vodacom South Africa unit to be led by Balesh Sharma as its new MD. Vodacom Group has been accelerating its growth ambitions on the continent, and to ensure... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub

Competition Commission gives Cell C deal green light

By: Creamer Media Reporter 21st May 2020 The Competition Commission has conditionally approved a deal for the sale of certain assets of mobile operator Cell C to special purpose vehicle (SPV) Gatsby. Recommending the transaction to the Competition Tribunal, the commission found that the proposed transaction is unlikely to result in a... →

Konnect Africa to supply free broadband connectivity to clinics

By: Natasha Odendaal 21st May 2020 Satellite operator Eutelsat Communications subsidiary Konnect Africa plans to provide temporary free broadband connectivity to eight clinics in Mpumalanga. The clinics, which do not have access to terrestrial networks with appropriate broadband, will each receive 300 GB of data monthly over the... →

Online payment gateway sees 226% rise in new food industry business registrations

By: Schalk Burger 21st May 2020 Online payment gateway PayFast has registered more than 7 000 new merchant accounts over the lockdown period, so far, and the company reports a 226% year-on-year increase in new business account registrations in the food industry since Covid-19 restrictions were put in place in March. The surge... →

Affordability not the only barrier to Internet uptake

By: Natasha Odendaal 19th May 2020 Despite prices for mobile voice, mobile data and fixed-broadband services decreasing steadily around the world, it is not translating into increasing Internet penetration rates, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) suggested. Globally, telecommunication and information and... →

Vodacom introduces community-based model to clamp down on battery theft

By: Natasha Odendaal 19th May 2020 Telecommunications giant Vodacom has started engaging communities to intensify security around its base stations to guard against vandalism and battery theft. Communities members will be recruited, trained and accredited – work with police – serving as “monitoring personnel” under a new model to... →

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