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All the latest technology news from South Africa and around the world.

Details emerge of telecoms tariff council

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Details have emerged of government’s plan to create a new tariff monitoring structure in an effort to drive down telecommunications prices in SA. Legislation is being amended to create a new tariff advisory council at the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) to help the authority’s councillors and the minister of communications find ways of cutting telecoms

Government defines broadband as 256kbit/s

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The department of communications has defined broadband as an always-on, multimedia-capable connection able to offer download speeds of more than 256kbit/s. The definition forms a crucial part of government’s final draft broadband policy, approved by cabinet last week. Government describes the policy as “critical for SA to ensure realisation of the goal of an

Spectrum auction doubts as Nyanda steps in

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A plan to auction off valuable radio frequency spectrum that can be used to provide wireless broadband services appeared to be hanging in the balance on Tuesday after communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda raised concerns over the process. The council of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) is meeting today (Tuesday) to discuss its response to the minister’s concerns. An Icasa insider says there is a possibility that an invitation

Telkom warns it may keep rate cuts to itself

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Outgoing Telkom CEO Reuben September has warned the group’s customers not to expect an automatic cut in fixed-to-mobile call charges that are directly in line with reductions in wholesale mobile call termination rates. In March, Telkom elected to pass on the entire 36c/minute saving when peak-time mobile termination rates were reduced from R1,25/minute

August date for Telkom DSL speed boost

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Telkom will boost the speed of its broadband digital subscriber line (DSL) service in mid-August, TechCentral can reveal exclusively. According to Telkom SA MD Nombulelo Moholi, the company has had to delay implementation of the new, higher-speed service because of a network freeze imposed on it as a result of the 2010 soccer World

Cell C outsources call centres to Didata

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Dimension Data subsidiary Merchants will take over and run Cell C’s customer call centre, the mobile operator has announced. It’s one of several initiatives aimed at improving Cell C’s customer service levels, says CEO Lars Reichelt, which include overhauling its billing system and moving its contact centre to Parktown

IS wins Acsa airports tender

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Dimension Data division Internet Solutions (IS) has won a tender from Airports Company SA (Acsa) to provide “exclusive broadband and telephony” for public telecommunications access in eight of the country’s airports. IS says the deal will result in it supplying Wi-Fi, fixed-line Internet access

‘Telkom struggling to assert itself’ – analyst

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A tougher competitive environment and the slowdown in economic activity have added to Telkom’s difficulties in the past year, says analyst group Frost & Sullivan. The telecommunications group has struggled to assert itself since the unbundling of its 50% stake in Vodacom and continues to be beset

Telkom disconnects more fixed lines

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Telecommunications group Telkom disconnected 178 000 fixed lines in the past 12 months, dragging down the number of fixed lines in service as a percentage of the country’s population to just 8,7%. Between March 2009 and March 2010, the number of fixed lines in use declined by 4%, from 4,45m to 4,27m as the economic downturn put pressure on