In The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell demonstrated how fines that are set too low create the wrong behaviour. Only if they are set right does the required modification occur. I suspect we have a case of this here in South Africa, with the recent universal service obligations imposed on our leading national telecommunications
Newly appointed Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane has appointed Marian Shinn as the party’s spokesman on telecommunications and postal services. Shinn had been shadow communications minister before President Jacob Zuma split the
There’s a nasty sting in the tail of Cell C’s new 66c/minute prepaid calling plan. The operator has quietly introduced an out-of-bundle charge of R2/MB for data on the plan, more than double the 99c/MB it charges on its “99c For Real” prepaid option. An observant TechCentral reader noticed the higher out-of-bundle rate
What was the president thinking? Last Sunday, Jacob Zuma sent shockwaves through South Africa’s technology industry by dumping his hardworking communications minister, Yunus Carrim – arguably the most competent person to fill the portfolio since the 1990s – and splitting the ministry in
Communications regulator Icasa is considering ways of opening up extremely high frequency (EHF) radio spectrum bands above 30GHz, one of its councillors, William Stucke, said at the Future Wireless Technology Forum on Thursday. The forum was organised by the Wireless Access
There has finally been some development in the long-running saga over Screamer Telecommunications’ alleged unlawful deal with Sentech to use a portion of the state-owned signal distributor’s spectrum, a matter under investigation by communications regulator Icasa’s complaints and compliance committee. Icasa referred the matter to the committee
The SOS Coalition, which represents trade unions, community media and content producers hoping to support quality public broadcasting in South Africa, has slammed President Jacob Zuma’s decision to dump his communications minister, Yunus Carrim, instead creating two new departments headed by two new ministers. The Coalition has accused Zuma of
President Jacob Zuma’s decision to split the department of communications into two separate entities — one focused on broadcasting and media and the other on posts and telecommunications — is a retrograde step that has set ICT policy making in South Africa back by 25 years. That’s the view of
SABC acting chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng is waiting to hear from his employers regarding a damning report by public protector Thuli Madonsela, his lawyer said on Monday. “We are still waiting to hear from the SABC. I spoke to Hlaudi yesterday [Sunday]. He has not heard from the board either,” said Motsoeneng’s lawyer Zola Majavu. In a report
Seven-year-old Neotel, which is currently the subject of a takeover bid by Vodacom, is showing strong customer growth in the business, small enterprise and retail market segments. Its revenue for the financial year ended 31 March 2014 was R3,9bn, up by 23% from a year ago, with the business and the small enterprise and retail market
