Richard Branson’s Virgin Group is planning to dilute its shareholding in mobile virtual network operator Virgin Mobile SA by selling a portion of its shares to Dubai-based telecommunications company, the Friendi Group. At the same time, Virgin Mobile
AppChat, the mobile voice specialist founded recently by former ECN Telecommunications CEO John Holdsworth, will launch a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) this year and is promising, in the process, to slash the cost of mobile calls in SA. Holdsworth isn’t saying yet which network operator AppChat is partnering
Altech Autopage Cellular, SA’s biggest independent cellular service provider, has backed away from plans to launch a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) after giving serious thought last year to the idea of launching one. Altech CEO Craig Venter said as recently as September 2011 that Autopage Cellular was considering
MTN SA urgently requires access to spectrum bands that will allow it to build a commercial network using next-generation long-term evolution (LTE) technology and MD Karel Pienaar believes the operator should be given early access ahead of a formal spectrum licensing process by the Independent Communications
Virgin Mobile SA and Cell C will compensate local BlackBerry users for the service problems experienced this week. Jonathan Newman, chief strategy and marketing officer at Virgin Mobile, says the compensation only applies to SA customers and that all
JSE-listed technology group Altech is considering big changes at its largest subsidiary, Altech Autopage Cellular. Options on the table include launching a mobile virtual network operator and bidding for radio frequency spectrum to build its own fourth-generation
Virgin Mobile has launched a mobile broadband product, offering consumers a 3G data modem for R50/month over a 24-month contract term. However, unlike competing offerings in the market, the product does not include bundled data
The deadline for consumers to comply with SA’s Sim card registration law is 30 June and, according to communications minister Roy Padayachie, no extension will be granted. This comes after the original deadline of 31 December 2010 was extended
Virgin Mobile SA, the mobile virtual network operator, believes changes in the regulatory environment, especially ongoing cuts in call termination rates, will put it in a strong position to “challenge the status quo” in
Mobile virtual network operator Virgin Mobile SA has switched on its first third-generation (3G) mobile services, piggybacking off Cell C’s new network, and offering
