Author: Gugu Lourie

MVN-X, which is led by ex-Virgin Mobile boss Steve Bailey, is interested in buying an Internet Service Provider (ISP) as part of its growth strategy that includes looking for mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) opportunities in other parts of Africa. By Gugu Lourie The Durban-based firm, led by Bailey and instrumental in the launch of me&you Mobile, iSmart and mrpmobile, is targeting ISPs for acquisitions around the country. MVN-X, which was founded 18 months ago, aims to form mutual beneficial partnerships with leading retailers and brands diversifying into the mobile space. It acts as a middleman between the mobile phone…

Adroit Technologies scooped the Mind2Machine Award of the Year 2015 for their App that was built on the REMOTEWORX Machine2Machine Platform. The App monitors, controls and manages a geographically distributed set of mobile and fixed generator sites by  inspecting power, fuel and alarm systems of the generators. By Staff Writer Moses Joseph Mayimela walked away with the Breakthrough Developer of the Year award for his prototype monitoring system that allows for the tracking of perishable and non-perishable goods that are being stored in fridges and transported by vehicles over long distances. The system provides an early warning prompt to…

Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi is aiming to target a tech-savvy market in South Africa, says a distributor. By Duncan Alfreds, NewsAgency The manufacturer, which has seen success in mainland China for its devices, is bringing the Redmi 2 and Mi 4 to SA through a distribution partnership with MIA Group. “The phones that we’re bringing in – the Mi 4 and the Red Mi2 – they’re coming in at a very affordable price and I think that is how they’re going to differentiate themselves in this market,” Kerry Taoushiani marketing executive at MIA told Fin24. She said that the company known…

With Cell C planning to add another mobile virtual network operator next year, MVN-X and me&you Mobile are showing good subscriber growth. By Gugu Lourie me&you Mobile, which was launched successfully by MVN-X, has managed to garner more than 6000 customers in the past six months. The operator is an agile business that has high a average revenue per user, making its foray into the telco space profitable. Brett Howell, me&you Mobile CEO, told TechFinancials.co.za that the firm is planning to increase its customers to between 20 000 and 25 000 by the end of 2016. “It’s been encouraging…

Imagine a media company diversifying its revenue streams by becoming a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) like FNB Connect, Virgin Mobile, me&you Mobile, SmartMobile and mrpmobile. MVN-X is assisting a South African media firm to do just that. By Gugu Lourie Former Virgin Mobile boss Steve Bailey, who was instrumental in the launch of Me&You Mobile and MRP Mobile through his firm MVN-X, is assisting a local media firm to launch a successful MVNO. Bailey disclosed in an interview to TechFinancials.co.za that MVN-X was working hard to establish another MVNO in South Africa. “We are very upbeat about it. So, we’ve got…

Expanding your business north of the Limpopo is an excellent growth strategy if you’re looking to capture new markets and become a truly international operation. But while heading up into the rest of Africa can be a lucrative and exciting move for your business, it should be done for the right reasons. Rocketseed South Africa – a home-grown tech company that helps organisations to cultivate marketing capital through email branding – recently embarked on an expansion drive into Africa. Since the first deal was done in August 2014, Rocketseed is active in two African countries outside of South Africa…

Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services Dr. Siyanbonga Cwele has served charges on his department’s Director-General (DG) Rosey Sekese. By Gareth van Zyl, NewsAgency This comes after Cwele put Sekese on precautionary suspension in August for two months amid a probe being launched into leadership problems at the department. Business technology publication ITWeb reported in March this year that insiders said Sekese has allegedly been on a “witch hunt” to purge staff members who oppose her. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Telecommunications and Postal Services did not, on Wednesday, want to comment on what Sekese has been charged with until the…

Coming shortly after Tiger Brands CEO, Peter Matlare, decided to throw in the towel, partly due to a Nigerian mess, the fall of MTN Group CEO, Sifiso Dabengwa, comes to entrench the view that Nigeria stands as a poisoned chalice for a number of South African corporations. By Ujuh Reporter With the largest population (about 178.5 million people) on the African continent, Nigeria has for a while been touted as the holy grail within the ‘Africa Rising’ narrative. This was capped by the rebasing of the Nigerian GDP calculation which positioned the country as the largest economy on the African…

If South Africa’s Competition Tribunal does not give the go-ahead for Vodacom to buy Neotel, the country’s biggest mobile phone operator still has an ace up its sleeve. By Gugu Lourie The tribunal is set to hear Vodacom’s application for the acquisition of Neotel between 23 November 2015 and 11 December 2015. The proposed R7 billion transaction has already been approved by the country’s communications watchdog, ICASA. However, the deal is being opposed by rivals Telkom, MTN and Cell C. ICASA’s decision to approve the proposed transaction has also been taken on review in the High Court by Telkom,…

The sudden resignation this week of MTN Group CEO Sifiso Dabengwa over the Nigeria $5.2 billion fine fiasco resulted in Africa’s largest mobile phone operator losing more than R80 billion of its market value. MTN old hand Phuthuma Nhleko has been put back in charge for six months to steady the ship, the question is who will take over after that? By Gugu Lourie MTN has swiftly moved to install non-executive chairman and board member Phuthuma Nhleko at the helm of the company, while it tries to find an amicable solution with Nigerian authorities over the staggering US$5.2 billion…