Author: Gugu Lourie

The Wi-Fi Forum of South Africa (the Forum) chairman Andile Ngcaba has called on telecommunications operators to embrace open access to their networks and stop holding South Africa back. By Gugu Lourie Ngcaba, also a chairperson of global technology group Dimension Data Middle East and Africa, says operators restricting access to their networks is counter-productive and is holding South Africa back from achieving universal access and poverty-beating economic growth. He previously called for the adoption of open access model in licensing high-demand spectrum in the so-called “digital dividend” and 2.6GHz bands to be able to provide broadband access to…

The veil of secrecy around the placing of orders for 1,5 million set-top boxes (STBs) to three suppliers, in the first phase of producing 5 million free STBs and antenna to identified poor households as a key element of South Africa’s migration to digital broadcasting, must be lifted. By Marian Shinn, DA’s Shadow Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services. My call last week to Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi, to clarify the status of these orders has gone unheeded. My request to Mr Zami Nkosi, CEO of the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) which is managing the…

“We’d like to Tell-Com-Petitors off but their customers already did,” says Cell C in an advert placed in the Sunday Times newspaper, taking a veiled jibe at Telkom after it aired a radio ad saying Cell C’s contract buy-out plan doesn’t offer real value. By Gugu Lourie Taking a veiled jibed at Telkom, Cell C said on Sunday in an advert published in the Sunday Times that a competitor recently aired a radio ad saying contract buyout doesn’t offer real value, which is not true at all. “Now, the rules say that we’re not allowed to mention their name…So…

The new gold iPhone 6s crocodile embossed leather and Swarovski style crystal logo collection will set you back close to R43, 000.00 ($3,198.64). While the new gold iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus Diamond RockStar limited edition is priced at R158, 000.00 (R11, 860.00). By Gugu Lourie Goldgenie has expanded its range of iPhone 6s customisation designs to incorporate crocodile embossed leather. It also includes custom 24K Gold finish with the Apple logo encrusted with Swarovski style crystals. iPhone 6s Crocodile Skin This iPhone 6s Crocodile Skin is priced at R43, 000.00 ($3,198.64). Each phone is presented in…

Telkom, South Africa’s largest fixed-line telephone group, has launched a new summer ad and continues with its theme of featuring babies that talk high-tech to illustrate the ease of use it offers consumers who use its products. By Gugu Lourie Telkom promises customers a 2015 summer with unlimited calls and data to surf the internet with ease on its unlimited network. The ad posted on its YouTube channel yesterday, continues on reinforcing Telkom’s new brand campaign with the tagline “Tomorrow Start Today”. The featuring of babies that talk high-tech reinforces the concept of “tomorrow” and evoke emotions of hope…

BMW South Africa is making public charging for its electric cars and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles easily accessible to encourage South African to purchase these innovative cars. It has installed the first phase of public charging infrastructure in Melrose Arch precinct, Johannesburg. By Gugu Lourie The first BMW South Africa public charging infrastructure, which is targeting 150 electric vehicles, is located in the heart of Melrose Arch shopping precinct opposite the Protea Fire and Ice Hotel. The public charging station can charge an electric vehicle like the BMW i3 to 80% battery charge in under two and a half…

Vodacom Business Africa is placing Machine-to-Machine (M2M) services expansion at the heart of plans to grow its market share in the continent. By Gugu Lourie Vodacom Business Africa wants to leverage its parent company Vodafone’s infrastructure and that of its stand-alone subsidiary XLink Communications – a provider of wireless data M2M services. M2M services are also referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT) – a concept of connecting devices to the internet ranging from refrigerators, geysers and smart electricity meters to coffee makers – in such a way that they communicate without the need of human intervention. Vodacom…

It’s the middle of the month, and “ping” there’s that dreaded alert from your inbox, proudly announcing your cell phone invoice has arrived. What to expect, as you scratch your head and reluctantly click the cursor over the attachment? It opens up and you’re in shock – bill shock. By Staff Writer One of the biggest complaints received on a monthly basis in the telecommunications industry are billing complaints, 60% of which are based on bill shock, specifically data usage. The proof is in the “Hellopeter” pudding as the complaint statistics prove this trend does not only fall at…

The draft Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill currently out for public comment is timeous in that it proposes legislation that will bring South Africa in line with international laws governing internet-based crimes. However, the Bill is excessively far-reaching – beyond practical plausibility in many instances – and it grants a concerning level of discretion to the State’s security cluster. By Mongezi Tshongweni, executive: legal and regulatory affairs at Internet Solutions At present, South Africa has no legislation that addresses cybercrimes, whether it is to describe what constitutes a cybercrime, how to enforce the law governing cybercrime, or to determine appropriate correctional…

One of the main benefits of cloud computing is agility. For a start-up or SME, being able to adapt to uncertain market conditions or quickly change direction of their business to better fit with the needs and wants of customers is critical. Being able to quickly change their strategy is leading to many smaller organisations taking on older, more established players which is disrupting many, often decades old, industries. By Attila Narin, head of EMEA solutions architecture and business development at Amazon Web Services Over the past few years we have seen cloud computing is becoming the new normal for…