Telkom will take the wraps off its new mobile telecommunications network in just three weeks from now, on 14 October, and in the process launch SA’s fourth cellular operator.
That’s the obvious conclusion to be drawn from an invitation that the JSE-listed telecoms group issued on Tuesday, in which it has invited media and VIPs to an event at Lanseria airport, north of Johannesburg.
The invitation is headlined “The time has come — Telkom is stepping into a new era with unlimited possibilities”.
Accompanied by a picture of a rising sun over a lake, the invitation (pictured at top) does not give much detail away.
However, with Telkom having promised to unveil its mobile service before year-end, all indications are that the group is preparing for a mid-October launch.
Telkom SA MD Nombulelo Moholi has indicated previously that Telkom will offer both post-paid and prepaid services, and says the company’s market research has shown it should do well in both segments.
The corporate market, where Telkom is already strong with fixed-line and data services, is likely to be a key focus area for the group. Here, it will be able to cross-sell solutions and offer discounts to big business customers.
Competitors Vodacom, MTN and Cell C will be watching Telkom closely in the next few weeks. They’ll be concerned that the fixed-line incumbent may seek to trigger a price war to gain market share in a mature cellular market.
Moholi told TechCentral in July that Telkom is “responsible” and will not do anything that destroys value for its shareholders. But, she said at the time, “if it’s value-enhancing, we will do it”.
Telkom is also expected to unveil new branding for its mobile offering. The new business will not be called Telkom Mobile, though Moholi has been coy about the name the company has chosen. Perhaps the word “time” in the invitation is a clue.
The company, which will roam on MTN’s second- and third-generation networks outside of its mainly urban coverage areas, is spending about R6bn on infrastructure roll-out. — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral
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