Browsing: Brian Neilson

Five years after media giant Naspers put MWeb up for auction unsuccessfully, corporate action involving the Internet service provider may again be looming. According to a well-placed industry source, Dimension Data and Naspers have been engaged in talks about merging MWeb and Dimension Data

Despite its precarious financial situation, South Africa’s fourth mobile operator, Telkom Mobile is in a “prime position” in wireless broadband compared to rivals Vodacom, MTN and Cell C thanks to a huge chunk of radio frequency spectrum it has access to that allows it to build a fast and reliable

Earlier this week, Blue Label Telecoms, the largest distributor of prepaid vouchers airtime in SA, revealed that 8ta accounts for well under 1% of its airtime revenues. Vodacom, MTN and Cell C contribute 53%, 34% and 10% respectively. There was little doubt 8ta, which was launched in 2010 after Telkom disposed of

This week’s sharp fall in the value of the rand against major currencies is bad news for gadget-loving South Africans and the technology companies that import hi-tech gear and computer equipment. The currency’s fall may also reduce the

French telecommunications giant Orange, a subsidiary of France Telecom, is in talks to buy SA IT service company Business Connexion (BCX), three separate industry sources have told TechCentral. Neither company is commenting, but it raises

Telkom has set its sights on taking up to 15% of the SA market in the next five years with its new mobile network, 8ta. Analysts say the target is ambitious, but some think it is doable.

MWeb’s uncapped broadband products have hammered the margins of many local Internet service providers, says BMI-TechKnowledge director of research Brian Neilson. And some might not survive. Speaking at a BMI-T telecommunications briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday morning, Neilson said the uncapped model, and the price war it sparked had turned broadband provision into a volumes game.

Uncertainty in SA’s telecommunications industry has played havoc with product and network planning, says research firm BMI-TechKnowledge (BMI-T). BMI-T director Brian Neilson says mobile termination rates and the regulatory environment have been the primary drivers of uncertainty in the market.