Author: Gugu Lourie
MTN has earned another feather in its cap after being named as the Icon Brand and a winner of the Ask Afrika Internet Service Providers Category in the 2016/2017 Icon Brands Survey. MTN scooped this prestigious award in 2015 and this marks the second consecutive year that MTN is being conferred this accolade. An Icon Brand is a brand that unites South Africans, used and loved by South Africans across age, income, race and language groups. These brands define a common experience and South Africans affirm their belief by using them daily and seek them when they are travelling…
The WDB Seed Fund – which has been developed by Seed Engine, the WDB Investment Holdings (WDBIH) and Grovest – is seeking to raise R100 million to invest in early stage businesses. By Staff Writer The fund is targeting to initially raise R40 million by February 2017. The fund has been developed as a response to the dearth of funding for early and growth stage businesses. It will also offer significant tax advantages and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) points for corporates. Corporates can select the sectors of entrepreneurs the business wishes to develop including ICT, Education, Healthcare, Services, Retail,…
This week marks one year since the launch of what is arguably Microsoft’s most ambitious – and possibly most controversial – operating system: Windows 10. By Vidyasagar Potdar Windows 10 represents a fundamentally different approach compared to the earlier versions of Windows that many of us have used, such as the highly popular Windows 7. One of the things that made Windows 7 so successful was that it represented the culmination of more than a decade of experience developing operating systems for just a single platform: the desktop. Microsoft understood what desktop users wanted and delivered a product to satisfy their…
With one week left in close of nominations, MTN SA announces the expert panel of adjudicators for the inaugural Women in ICT – Partnership for Change Awards. The panel will meet on 12 August 2016 to judge the entries submitted and the finalists in the different categories will be announced on 15 August 2016. List of adjudicators include: Mteto Nyati – CEO MTN Steven Ambrose – CEO Strategy Worx Loren Braithwaite-Kabosha – CEO SACF Mark Harris – Group CEO Kagiso Media Ben Kelly – IT Web Alpheus Mangale – Chief Enterprise Business Officer, MTN Graham de Vries – Corporate Services…
If you want free and relevant African-focused, local content delivered by a cool brand, watch Tuluntulu. By Gugu Lourie Tuluntulu, which is an African mobile video on demand (VOD) service, has been selected by Interbrand as a global ‘break through’ brand. The inaugural Breakthrough Brands, and the Future Growth Report celebrates a new breed of upstarts and challengers, the next generation of brands that are reshaping the market and embody a critical characteristic—growth. “Breakthroughs reflect the times we are in—the Age of You— when brands and businesses need to move faster than ever before. That’s because they are expected to move…
BMW has been connecting driver and vehicle for years now with ConnectedDrive. With the launch of BMW Connected in August in selected European markets, BMW is bringing out an all-encompassing digital concept that provides a seamless services experience covering all aspects of personal mobility. By Staff Writer Using a flexible platform called the Open Mobility Cloud as a basis, BMW Connected seamlessly integrates the vehicle into the user’s digital life via multiple touchpoints, such as an iPhone or Apple Watch. “Over the coming years, digitalisation is set to have a substantial impact on how we use our cars: digital services will…
Automation: The recent fatal accident involving a Tesla car while self-driving using the car’s Autopilot feature has raised questions about whether this technology is ready for consumer use. By David Lyell But more importantly, it highlights the need to reconsider the relationship between human behaviour and technology. Self-driving cars change the way we drive, and we need scrutinise the impact of this on safety. Tesla’s Autopilot does not make the car truly autonomous and self-driving. Rather, it automates driving functions, such as steering, speed, braking and hazard avoidance. This is an important distinction. The Autopilot provides supplemental assistance to, but is not…
Over the past two decades, the world has witnessed a new stage of technological revolution through the Internet. By Staff Writer Globally, around 5,5 million new devices connect to the Internet every day, with more than 205 000 new gigabytes of data created every second. Termed the Internet of Things (IoT) – where any device with an on and off switch can connect to the Internet or to one another – this revolution has huge potential. However, while some companies have already started to capitalize on the IoT, many are still fearful of the concept, says Professor Johan Joubert, researcher at…
I’m currently at Sage Summit, the world’s largest gathering of entrepreneurs and leaders of Small & Medium Businesses. I am presenting on how a modern Payroll/HR and Talent Management suite helps businesses leverage the latest HR trends. By Coenette Bosman A few years ago, the tech and statistics geeks revolutionised the ways in which corporate marketing departments work. They transformed them into digitally-powered teams that use data to make decisions in real-time and to deliver personalised experiences to customers. Now, they’re set to do the same to the human resources (HR) function. The result is that HR is about to…
South African schools and universities are struggling with the high costs of textbooks and other educational materials, a shortage of teachers in key subjects like maths and science, and difficulties in funding IT infrastructure. However, technology continues to offer some compelling answers to these challenges. By Ernst Wittmann A combination of falling data connectivity prices, more widespread fibre and 3G/4G/LTE networks, and affordable, reliable tablet computers means that schools and tertiary institutions can start tapping into the cloud for learning materials. Here are a few reasons education is likely to head for the cloud in the years to come. No…
South Africa’s Telkom is partnering with Extramarks to offer zero-rated e-learning services to existing and new mobile and fixed post-paid customers. The company said the Telkom e-Education online service, provided by Extramarks, is the most structured and interactive of its kind currently in the marketplace. It covers English, Life Science, Physical Science, Natural Science and Maths from Grade R to matric and is structured into multimedia-rich ‘Learn’, ‘Practice’ and ‘Test’ modules. The Extramarks’ offering is aligned to the official school curriculum in South Africa, and offers live chat functionality for additional assistance. The learners also benefit from other services such…
There is an escalating technological arms race underway between governments and hacktivists. As governments step up their surveillance, the hacktivists find new ways to subvert it. By Monique Mann and Michael Wilson This cat and mouse game has been described as a crypto war and it’s been going on for decades. Top secret documents released by Edward Snowden confirmed the extent of global internet surveillance by government agencies. For example, the United States National Security Agency (NSA) obtained access to systems maintained by tech companies and intercepted undersea cables to monitor global internet traffic. New laws, new powers The motivation behind the…
MTN is proceeding with the listing of its Nigerian operation on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. By Gugu Lourie Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator is planning to list the Nigerian business in 2017. “At present, MTN Nigeria is targeting that the listing takes place during 2017, subject to suitable market conditions,” the company informed investors on Thursday. MTN has established a management task team with the responsibility to guide the company towards listing the operation in Nigeria. MTN Nigeria has appointed Stanbic IBTC Capital, Standard Bank of South Africa and Citigroup Global Markets as its joint transaction advisors and joint global coordinators with…
The global phenomenon that is Pokémon Go has taken over America. The augmented reality (AR) based smartphone game is now making waves in Europe. But Pokémon Go is much more than just a game. It demonstrates a future in which we start to understand and experiment with different ways to interact with people, and for businesses, their customers. By Lee Naik If you’ve been living under a rock and have no idea what Pokémon Go is all about, allow me to bring you up to speed: two weeks ago, Niantic Labs partnered with gaming company Nintendo and Pokémon Co, and released Pokémon…
Telkom announced on Wednesday that it was experiencing congestion on some sections of its 2300Mhz LTE network due to an exceptional demand increase in recent months. However, the telephone group added that it was working with its provider, Huawei, to solve the problem. By Staff Writer Telkom said the congestion was caused by a remarkable increase in customers using its data services. “Due to the popularity of our … mobile broadband network, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of customers making use of our mobile data services and specifically the data services on LTE. This is in…
Africa is no stranger to connectivity. While Africa may be behind when it comes to IT infrastructure compared to more developed nations, the fact is that more than double the population of sub-Saharan Africa has mobile phone access. By Brett Parker, MD SAP Africa With smartphone usage on the up and IT literacy expanding, bringing Internet of Things (IoT) level connectivity is a natural progression for this tech-hungry continent. The future is connected The IoT should be considered more than just technology. Rather, it is an ecosystem of products and services – from software to cloud technology – where effective connectivity…
Consider this: right now, you are not where you think you are. In fact, you happen to be the subject of a science experiment being conducted by an evil genius. By Laura D’Olimpio Your brain has been expertly removed from your body and is being kept alive in a vat of nutrients that sits on a laboratory bench. The nerve endings of your brain are connected to a supercomputer that feeds you all the sensations of everyday life. This is why you think you’re living a completely normal life. Do you still exist? Are you still even “you”? And is the…
Many undergraduates in Nigerian universities dabble in internet fraud. Nicknamed “yahoo-yahoo” after the international web portal and search engine, this perfidy has become a way of life for the young con-artists. Many of these fraudsters – dubbed “yahoo-boys” – have become filthy rich. By Oludayo Tade Some have been caught by the law. In April 2012, Olasaidi Dare, an undergraduate of the Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ago-Iwoye, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for an attempt to obtain money under false pretences in a cyber-café. On June 5 2012, a Federal High Court in Kaduna State sentenced Imonina Kingsley, of the…
Cell C, the country’s third biggest mob ile phone operator supports the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services Siyabonga Cwele’s plans to review ICASA’s decision to invite telecommunications firms to apply for the high demand radio frequency spectrum. On July 15, ICASA today officially invited telcos such as Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Telkom, etc, to apply for 4G licenses to provide much-needed broadband services. Applicants will be vying to apply for the radio frequency spectrum licenses within the designated range: the 2.6GHz band and the 800 MHz band and the 700MHz band for the purposes of providing national broadband wireless access services. “After…
The City of Johannesburg and Microsoft South Africa have joined forces to train one million disadvantaged residents, free, on digital skills and literacy over a period of five-years. By The NewsAgency The City’s Mayor Parks Tau announced this on Tuesday, in Johannesburg, saying registration commences early in August and the curriculum is expected to begin in September. The initiative is termed JoziMS1million. He said 800 000 of the one million to benefit from the programme will be youth between 18 and 34 years of age, and the rest will be those above 35 but still need to access the job market…
IBM today announced the results of a global study which found that the average cost of a data breach in South Africa is R1 548. By Staff Writer The report analysed the financial impact of data breaches on a company’s bottom line. Sponsored by IBM and conducted by the Ponemon Institute, the study included a first time benchmark study on the cost of data breach incidents specifically for companies in South Africa. The study found the average cost of data breach is R1,548, with a total organisational cost of R28,6 million. Globally, cybersecurity incidents continue to grow in both volume and…
More than half a billion people across Africa are now subscribed to mobile services as the continent continues to migrate rapidly to mobile broadband networks, reveals a new GSMA study. By Staff Writer ‘The Mobile Economy: Africa 2016’ report published today also highlights the increasing contribution of Africa’s mobile industry to the regional economy, including employment and public funding, and mobile’s role a platform for digital and financial inclusion. The report finds that there were 557 million unique mobile subscribers across Africa at the end of 2015, equivalent to 46 per cent of the continent’s population, making Africa the second-largest…
South Africa’s Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago has forecast zero percent growth for 2016, 1.5% in 2017 and 1.7% in 2018. This spells disaster for the country, particularly the unemployed. The jobless rate is expected to rise from its current level of nearly 27%. What must be done to improve the economy? Sibonelo Radede, The Conversation Africa’s business and economy editor, asked Lumkile Mondi to share his thoughts. What company is South Africa keeping in the world? What are the main common drivers? We are in the company of some of our chosen friends in BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India…
Technological innovation has – and continues to – transform the world we live and work in but can it potentially change the way we vote by streamlining and simplifying voting by completely digitalising the process? According to Mark Chirnside – CEO at local tech solutions company, ThisIsMe – the answer is a resounding yes. At a time when local municipal elections are top of mind, Chirnside highlights that this is a domain where technology could potentially offer a solution, simplifying the often admin-intensive process. “While a complete solution will require years of research, planning and testing, there are platforms currently…
Fans of singer-songwriter Alicia Keys were greeted with a simple message earlier this year when they entered the Highline Ballroom, in New York, to watch her perform. By Brett Hutchins This is a phone free event. Their smartphones were placed in a lockable pouch distributed by the consumer electronics company, Yondr. They carried the pouch with them, only opening it when they exited the venue by tapping on a metal disc located at the main door. No mobile video or audio recording, live streaming, tweeting, status updates, texting or phone calls occurred while Keys performed on stage. Alicia Keys performing in…