Shares of Vodacom Group and MTN Group slumped after South Africa’s two biggest mobile phone companies were ordered to step up efforts to lower data prices within the next two months or face prosecution.
Browsing: Competition Commission
Communications regulator Icasa has said there is insufficient competition in aspects of the delivery of mobile broadband in South Africa.
Ahead of publication of the Competition Commission’s final report flowing from its inquiry in the data services market, expected later on Monday, TechCentral republishes this column from editor Duncan McLeod.
Telkom said that it expects that the “parties involved” will have considered the newly announced, much-expanded roaming agreement between Cell C and MTN South Africa “in the context of the discussions with Telkom”.
The Competition Commission has appointed Tamara Paremoer as the new divisional manager of mergers and acquisitions with immediate effect.
Ticketing company Computicket, which is owned by retailer Shoprite, has lost an appeal over a R20-million fine imposed on it for “abuse of dominance”.
Communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has criticised national treasury’s discussion document on growing South Africa’s economy, suggesting the document’s chapter on telecommunications is outdated.
Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko has launched an extraordinary attack on national treasury’s discussion paper aimed at growing South Africa’s economy, accusing the department of tossing a grenade into the telecommunications sector.
Regulators, including Icasa and the Competition Commission, will have to be pragmatic and lenient about a looming expanded tie-up between Cell C and MTN South Africa if the former isn’t going to go to the wall.
The Competition Commission plans to engage with Icasa on the planned licensing of 4G/LTE and future 5G spectrum to ensure there is “not only universal coverage but also (affordable) access”.