Has the country’s foremost value-destroying monopolist finally seen the error of its ways? On the surface, that seems to be the case. In mid-July, Telkom meekly agreed to pay a R200m fine for anticompetitive abuses committed between 2005 and 2007, and to split its wholesale and retail businesses. TechCentral reported
In this episode of TalkCentral, your hosts Duncan McLeod and Craig Wilson dive into the big technology stories of the past week. In the show this week, we talk about MultiChoice’s new personal video recorder decoder, the DStv Explora. Also on the show: Telkom Mobile and Cell C and why a deal doesn’t look likely; where
The MD of South Africa’s fourth mobile network operator, Telkom Mobile, has pooh-poohed suggestions that merging the company with Cell C would make sense for Telkom. Attila Vitai has told TechCentral that the move would make more sense for Cell C, South Africa’s third network operator, than it would for Telkom
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) ought to cut mobile termination rates in half, to 20c/minute, and do so at one fell swoop rather than using a “glide path” as it did when imposing previous cuts in the rates, says Telkom Mobile MD Attila Vitai. Termination
Vodacom has given its rival Telkom Mobile a bloody nose at the Advertising Standards Authority over a tussle over which operator offers better voice quality, with the authority ordering that Telkom must stop flighting a television advertisement in which it makes claims the authority says haven’t been substantiated
Mobile operator Cell C has held discussions with Telkom about opportunities to consolidate South Africa’s mobile phone industry, CEO Alan Knott-Craig revealed in a radio interview on Thursday (full audio transcript below). In response to a question from Talk Radio 702 host Stephen Grootes about whether
South Africa is too small a market to accommodate four mobile operators, Cell C CEO Alan Knott-Craig told journalists on Wednesday. Replying at a media conference to a question from TechCentral, Knott-Craig said: “I think it’s too late for four. Maybe [it made sense] five or seven years ago [but] after 20
Telkom Mobile has slashed prepaid call tariffs to 29c/minute on per-second billing for on-network calls and to 75c/minute to all other networks. The new prepaid tariff plan, called Sim-Sonke, is “expected to blow the competition out of the water by offering the lowest standard mobile call rates in the country”, Telkom says in a statement
Cell C has launched an unlimited calling plan, Straight Up Infinity, for R999/month on a 24-month contract. But there’s a big catch: the rate applies only to on-network calls and, with Cell C being relatively small next to Vodacom and MTN, it’s unclear how many people will benefit from the plan – except least-cost
Telkom’s mobile arm has introduced new contract plans that offer unlimited on-network mobile calls as well as unlimited calling to one user-designated fixed-line number. Some of the new Telkom Mobile “SmartPlan” and “SmartSaver” contract voice plans also offer access to free Wi-Fi
