All the latest technology news from South Africa and around the world.
State-owned broadcast signal distributor Sentech is establishing test transmission sites in order to pilot digital terrestrial television broadcasts based on Brazilian and Japanese standards. In an exclusive interview with TechCentral, Sentech chairman Quraysh Patel says the two countries, whose terrestrial broadcasting standards are similar, have asked to set up test broadcasts at their costs.
SA’s spending on research and development (R&D) has dropped slightly in terms of GDP for the second year running. Science and technology minister Naledi Pandor told journalists at parliament on Thursday that while R&D spending rose in nominal terms, from R18,6bn in 2007/08 to R21bn in 2008/09, gross spending as a percentage of GDP slipped from 0,93% to 0,92%.
Three SA technology start-ups are heading to Seedcamp week in London to compete for a possible €50 000 (R460 000) investment from the micro seed funder. Cognician, iSigned and GetAGreatBoss were chosen from a group of 11 SA start-ups in the first round of selections. They will join 20 other small businesses from around the world to compete for the funding.
Internet service provider MWeb is expanding its capacity by adding extra last-mile access on Telkom’s network. MWeb CEO Rudi Jansen says since the launch of uncapped broadband earlier this year, customers are flooding to the service. “The uptake on our uncapped product has been incredible,” he says.
MTN and Telkom, which recently signed a cellular roaming agreement, are facing off in a dispute over wholesale mobile termination rates. Telkom, which is due to launch its own mobile network within the next couple of months, wants to charge MTN — and presumably other operators — 93c/minute to carry calls onto its new network.
Telkom and MTN are set to face off at the Independent Communications Authority of SA’s complaints and compliance committee on Thursday over a dispute of interconnection fees, the money they charge each other to carry calls between their networks. Authority spokesman Paseka Maleka Telkom lodged a complaint against MTN at the end of June. It appears the two companies are having trouble negotiating the terms of an interconnection agreement.
The Democratic Alliance has made sweeping changes to its communications shadow ministry. The changes have resulted in shadow minister Niekie van den Berg being demoted and replaced by the shadow deputy minister for justice and constitutional development, Natasha Michael.
Google SA is sending out its Street View cars and tricycles again, with plans to photograph more of the country’s streets for the popular service. It even has plans to map out the Western Cape winelands. TechCentral has learnt that Google is expanding its existing Street View coverage by sending out its fleet of specially kitted-out cars.
Telkom will focus its energies on training new communications technology skills to keep pace with industry demands, says acting CEO Jeffrey Hedberg. Hedberg, speaking at Telkom’s annual Satnac conference, says Africa is a technology opportunity waiting to happen. However, he says the greatest challenge the continent faces is a lack of skills.
Local mobile security business FireID has raised €5m (about R48m) from Jersey-based capital investment firm 4D Innovative Capital (4Di Capital) International to help it expand internationally. FireID started in 2006 and over the past few years the company has been pushing into international markets, including the US and the UK.
