It appears that one of world’s most popular music subscription services, Spotify, is getting ready to launch in South Africa, and possibly other markets in Africa, in the coming months. The Swedish company has appointed Oscar Sehlberg Westergård to head up the region and sources say the firm, which already offers its services in 56 countries, is
MTN South Africa remains under pressure, reporting a decline in revenue in the first four months of 2014 compared to the same period a year ago, the JSE-listed telecommunications group said on Tuesday. The contraction in revenue was the result of the reduction in retail rates and the 1 April 2014 reduction in mobile inter-network
Ttrumpet, a new mobile application that enjoys the backing of billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe, will be launched in the next few weeks, offering consumers access to voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) services, along with instant messaging and a patented online vouchering system. Co-founder Grant Theis says Ttrumpet
News that Parkhurst residents have embarked on a project to deliver high-speed fibre access to homes and businesses in their neighbourhood represents a watershed moment that could lead to a broader roll-out of fibre to the home (FTTH) in South Africa. In areas like Parkhurst in Johannesburg, where housing is fairly dense by South
President Jacob Zuma’s decision to split the department of communications into two separate entities — one focused on broadcasting and media and the other on posts and telecommunications — is a retrograde step that has set ICT policy making in South Africa back by 25 years. That’s the view of
Altech Autopage, the independent cellular service provider in the Altron stable, plans to acquire 65 000 Cell C subscribers from rival Nashua Mobile for R91,5m (plus VAT). The deal comes just weeks after Nashua Mobile’s parent, Reunert, announced it was selling the company’s Vodacom and MTN subscribers to the two mobile network operators
SABC acting chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng is waiting to hear from his employers regarding a damning report by public protector Thuli Madonsela, his lawyer said on Monday. “We are still waiting to hear from the SABC. I spoke to Hlaudi yesterday [Sunday]. He has not heard from the board either,” said Motsoeneng’s lawyer Zola Majavu. In a report
Seven-year-old Neotel, which is currently the subject of a takeover bid by Vodacom, is showing strong customer growth in the business, small enterprise and retail market segments. Its revenue for the financial year ended 31 March 2014 was R3,9bn, up by 23% from a year ago, with the business and the small enterprise and retail market
A lot of people think Gareth Cliff is an idiot. I’m not talking about his usual detractors — mother grundies and religious nuts. I’m talking about many of his 2m fans, the listeners of the breakfast show he used to host on 5FM. Why on earth would he leave such a job to start an Internet radio station? Their argument makes sense, at least
In a development that is likely to send shockwaves through South Africa’s information and communications technology (ICT) industry, President Jacob Zuma has replaced his hard-working communications minister, Yunus Carrim, with Siyabonga Cwele, formerly the minister of state security
