WhatsApp, Skype and other “over the top” services should be regulated in the same way as telecommunications operators, especially as there is a risk that these new competitors will threaten cellphone companies’ ability to invest in their networks. That is the view of
Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub has called for a debate on how so-called “over the top” services such as WhatsApp, Skype and Viber should be regulated in light of the risk be believes they
Let’s start at a common point of departure: the mere notion of mobile operators hoping that so-called “over-the-top” services be regulated is insanity. One can understand how an operator and its executives can think this rational, though. After all, an operator only knows how
Well-known ICT sector businessman Andile Ngcaba has warned that South Africa’s mobile networks “risk redundancy” if they fail to develop innovative ways to benefit from over-the-top technologies. Ngcaba, speaking in his capacity as chairman of the Wi-Fi Forum
Global technology groups Microsoft, Google and Facebook strongly rebuffed arguments put forward by mobile operators on Tuesday that they do not pay taxes, did not provide their own infrastructure
Parliament’s discussions about regulating over-the-top services kicked off on Tuesday with an expert saying that networks fear becoming pure infrastructure players. OTT services such
The Internet Service Providers’ Association says South Africa’s mobile operators need to develop new ways of partnering and competing with “over-the-top” services such as Skype and WhatsApp instead of trying to have them regulated. In a statement
The advent of new technologies continues to disrupt competition in a number of traditional markets, many of which have operated in the same manner for decades. Examples of this include the metered taxi industry, where Uber is quickly becoming both a
The growing pressure on margins as telecommunications moves from a voice-driven industry to one where data is predominant is the main reason South Africa’s incumbent mobile operators are keen for so-called “over the top” providers like WhatsApp and Skype to be
Thumbing a nose at its competitors in the raging debate over “over the top” (OTT) services, mobile operator Cell C has announced it will provide free WhatsApp calling to some of its customers. However, the offer is limited in that it will only be available
