JSE-listed telecommunications specialist Huge Group said on Monday that it has partnered with MTN South Africa to provide additional GSM voice services to its subsidiary companies.

Cell C’s expanded roaming agreement with MTN South Africa, which was signed at the weekend, “adheres to all applicable legal and regulatory requirements”, the companies said.

MTN South Africa and Cell C have signed a comprehensive new roaming deal, potentially making it more complicated for Telkom to pursue an acquisition of Cell C.

Orange, France’s dominant phone company, is starting preparations for a potential initial public offering of its Africa and Middle East unit, people familiar with the matter said.

Telkom on Friday confirmed what everyone already knows: that it is pursuing an acquisition of the financially troubled mobile operator Cell C.

Jack Ma, the co-founder of Alibaba Group, said African entrepreneurs will find countless opportunities in e-commerce, logistics and e-payments as the continent prepares for the start of a free-trade deal.