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Few books arrive burdened with as much expectation as Freedom, the new novel from Jonathan Franzen. The book recently put Franzen on the cover of Time magazine, an honour he shares with only a small and elite group of novelists that includes JD Salinger, Vladimir Nabokov and John Updike.

After years in planning, Telkom is expected finally to unveil its mobile network in a fortnight. However, analysts say the company will have to pull out all the stops to gain any traction in the cellular market. David Lerche, telecommunications equity analyst

We’re back. Yes, after a three-week break — during which time TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod went adventuring in the Namibian sand dunes — SA’s business technology podcast, TalkCentral, is back for its 10th episode. And there’s plenty to talk about this week.

It’s been almost six months since Southern Africa’s broadcasting industry was thrown into turmoil over the department of communications decision to review the standard SA should use for digital television migration. And with the clock ticking

National Wi-Fi hotspot provider Skyrove has inked a deal with US Internet telephony company Skype that will allow consumers to use their Skype credit to buy wireless Internet access. Skyrove MD Henk Kleynhans says

Blockbuster Video. It’s a great name, isn’t it? For nearly two decades it has ruled the video-store roost, both in the US and around the world. But now, after years of billion-dollar losses and with its share price in tatters, it is filing for bankruptcy. What happened? Well, many things, including corporate bloat (it has more than 6 500 stores), some questionable management decisions, and much stronger competition from cable television. But if we have to pick a villain here, it’s the Internet.

Mobile operator Cell C, which launched its third-generation (3G) mobile network in Cape Town on Thursday, claims it has covered 94% of the city’s population at launch. Cell C CEO Lars Reichelt says the company will cover the 100% of Cape Town by the end of the year with a network delivering average speeds of between 4Mbit/s and 7Mbit/s.

The battle between MTN and Telkom over interconnection fees has been postponed to Saturday. The hearing called by the Independent Communications Authority of SA’s complaints and compliance committee was thrown into dissaray this morning when the two companies’ legal teams butted heads over an affidavit submitted by MTN.

The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) will swear-in three new councillors on Friday. Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng will officiate over the swearing-in of Ntombizodwa Ndhlovu, William Currie and Joseph Lebooa at Icasa’s Sandton offices. The nominated candidates will replace three councillors whose terms are ending. The departing councillors are Brenda Ntombela, Robert Nkuna and Jacobus van Rooyen.

South African national Luke McKend, who has worked at Google in London for several years, is the company’s new SA country manager. Google announced his appointment on Thursday, concluding a search that lasted for nearly six months. McKend, who will join Google SA on 1 November, replaces Stephen Newton, who resigned from Google in April to join mobile advertising specialist InMobi.