Author: Staff Reporter

Standard Bank’s mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO, has launched aggressively priced fixed-LTE solutions, with prices as low as R139 for 50GB of data for its top-tier banking clients.

In a virtual strategy update event on Friday, Standard Bank Group revealed that it plans to cut head office and branch space by as much as a quarter by 2025.

Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp will soon be available for Apple’s line of tablet computers. An Android tablet version is also said to be in development.

JSE-listed Blue Label Telecoms, which owns 45% of mobile operator Cell C, said on Friday that it will report a big jump full-year headline earnings when it reports results next week.

South Africa is again on the brink of load shedding after Eskom was forced to take several power generating units off the grid on Thursday.

Shoprite Group has created a new digital business unit called ShopriteX in which it plans to combine data science, technology and innovation to “enhance customer experiences”.

Uber Technologies has announced a huge expansion of its operating base in South Africa, launching in 21 of the country’s smaller cities and towns, and reaching 80% of the urban population.

Chinese-owned Uber Technologies rival Didi Chuxing Technology – better known as DiDi – will be launched in Johannesburg and Pretoria next Monday, 23 August.

Mastercard is phasing out cards with magnetic stripes, more than six decades after the technology was first introduced, as consumers adopt chip- and tap-based payments in increasing numbers.

A trading update for the first half of the year from Massmart on Friday spooked investors who had been banking on a stronger recovery. Game is at the centre of the problems.