After years in planning, Telkom is expected finally to unveil its mobile network in a fortnight. However, analysts say the company will have to pull out all the stops to gain any traction in the cellular market. David Lerche, telecommunications equity analyst
We’re back. Yes, after a three-week break — during which time TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod went adventuring in the Namibian sand dunes — SA’s business technology podcast, TalkCentral, is back for its 10th episode. And there’s plenty to talk about this week.
An interface glitch between Vodafone and maker of the BlackBerry smartphone, Research In Motion (RIM), left Vodacom’s BlackBerry users without access to their e-mails and applications for several hours on Friday morning.
It’s been almost six months since Southern Africa’s broadcasting industry was thrown into turmoil over the department of communications decision to review the standard SA should use for digital television migration. And with the clock ticking
National Wi-Fi hotspot provider Skyrove has inked a deal with US Internet telephony company Skype that will allow consumers to use their Skype credit to buy wireless Internet access. Skyrove MD Henk Kleynhans says
Blockbuster Video. It’s a great name, isn’t it? For nearly two decades it has ruled the video-store roost, both in the US and around the world. But now, after years of billion-dollar losses and with its share price in tatters, it is filing for bankruptcy. What happened? Well, many things, including corporate bloat (it has more than 6 500 stores), some questionable management decisions, and much stronger competition from cable television. But if we have to pick a villain here, it’s the Internet.
Mobile operator Cell C, which launched its third-generation (3G) mobile network in Cape Town on Thursday, claims it has covered 94% of the city’s population at launch. Cell C CEO Lars Reichelt says the company will cover the 100% of Cape Town by the end of the year with a network delivering average speeds of between 4Mbit/s and 7Mbit/s.
The SA Revenue Service (Sars) alerted taxpayers of possible delays at branch offices around the country on Thursday. This was due to “unexpected IT problems which have affected certain taxpayer services during the course of the morning”, said Sars spokesman Adrian Lackay.
The battle between MTN and Telkom over interconnection fees has been postponed to Saturday. The hearing called by the Independent Communications Authority of SA’s complaints and compliance committee was thrown into dissaray this morning when the two companies’ legal teams butted heads over an affidavit submitted by MTN.
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) will swear-in three new councillors on Friday. Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng will officiate over the swearing-in of Ntombizodwa Ndhlovu, William Currie and Joseph Lebooa at Icasa’s Sandton offices. The nominated candidates will replace three councillors whose terms are ending. The departing councillors are Brenda Ntombela, Robert Nkuna and Jacobus van Rooyen.
