Stage set for battle over telecoms rates

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The stage is set for a battle of epic proportions at public hearings in Johannesburg next week. That’s when operators will make their arguments for and against proposed cuts in wholesale call termination rates. MTN, for one, has warned of dire consequences for its business and for the entire mobile ecosystem if industry regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa), proceeds with its plans to cut wholesale mobile call termination rates to 65c/minute this year. Other operators have also lodged strong objections

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

Telkom spills beans on mobile strategy

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Telecommunications group Telkom will leverage its existing customers, offering mobile products to them as it gears up to launch SA’s fourth mobile operator. The company has finally begun to provide some details of its plans in the mobile space, where it is spending R6bn over five years to build a network to rival those operated by Vodacom, MTN