Author: Staff Reporter

Government has announced the permissions and restrictions under level 4 of the Covid-19 lockdown, with all telecommunications and ICT services and products available for purchase and trade.

Telkom’s wholesale division, Openserve, has become the latest fixed broadband infrastructure provider to increase line speeds for some customers as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

Energy regulator Nersa on Tuesday defended its decision to suspend its operations during the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown, a move that has surprised energy experts.

Eskom has declared force majeure – unforeseen circumstances that prevent the fulfilment of a contract – on one of its biggest coal suppliers, Exxaro Resources, setting the stage for possible legal action.

MTN South Africa said on Friday that it will be ready to use much of the additional spectrum allocated to it by communications regulator Icasa within the next four to six weeks.

Vodacom has rejected allegations published in a report on Thursday that it “gifted lucrative partnership deals” to companies linked to former Free State premier Ace Magashule in return for major government contracts.

MTN Group has announced a R250-million “relief package” in response to the Covid-19 pandemic across the 21 markets in which it operates.

Vodacom said on Wednesday that it has “significantly accelerated” investment in its network in recent weeks to cater for growing demand for mobile and fixed Internet access during the lockdown.

The Competition Commission has firmed up an agreement with Telkom that will see the operator’s longstanding wholesale IP Connect product replaced with a completely new wholesale offering.

The South African Reserve Bank has cut the repo rate by a 100 basis points – the second time it has done so in less than a month as worries mount over the impact of Covid-19 on economic growth.