Browsing: In-depth

Huge Group trumpeted in a press release on Thursday about how it has turned around its fortunes financially, reporting a profit in the six months to 31 August 2010. But a closer reading

Standard Bank will lease space in its new mega data centre in Midrand to telecommunications operators and other companies as it is only able to use a small portion of the space in the expansive facility for its own needs.

Where will the money come from? This is the key question arising from confusion over cabinet’s decision to “support” — as opposed to authorise — a proposed additional R20bn for power utility Eskom.

TopTV will launch high-definition channels next year as it takes its fight for subscribers with incumbent pay-TV operator MultiChoice to the next level. The company, owned by On Digital Media (ODM), says it expects to launch

A battle over control of Telkom may be on the cards. Communications minister Roy Padayachie has warned that government does not want to lose the control it exercises over the JSE-listed group when special rights it enjoys expire early next year.

In a development that could change the dynamics of SA’s telecommunications industry, mobile operator Cell C, Dimension Data division Internet Solutions and Andile Ngcaba’s Convergence Partners have teamed up to build a R5bn, 12 000km national fibre-optic network.

The reduction in mobile termination rates in March has lopped R730m off Vodacom’s top line in the six months to September 2010. Vodacom chief financial officer Rob Shuter says the reduction

Telkom’s new mobile business, 8ta, is stepping up the fight with rivals Vodacom, MTN and Cell C with the launch this week of five contract packages, all offering aggressive tariffs.

In the past 12 months, AltX-listed Huge Group’s share price has defied gravity, soaring nearly 400%, making it one of the best performing shares on the JSE. At face value, though, the share’s sterling performance makes little sense.

Sentech looks set to close loss-making divisions, including its once much-vaunted telecommunications carrier-of-carriers division and its direct-to-home satellite television business, to focus on its core business of signal distribution.