Author: Gugu Lourie

The greatest barrier to extending internet use in South Africa, and indeed in most African countries, is the cost of data. In South Africa one gigabyte of data on mobile networks – the only means of accessing the internet for most – is R149 (pre-paid). This means that for millions of people in the country data is a luxury. By Indra de Lanerolle So when mobile operators start giving some of this valuable commodity for free it warrants attention. From July, the country’s third-largest mobile services provider Cell C started offering some services such as Facebook and Wikipedia for free without paying…

The Democratic Alliance has uncovered a press release  from Chinese telecommunications giant Shenzhen Skyworth Digital stating that it has, through “its factory in Johannesburg – co-owned by local company BUA Africa – successfully completed its first shipment, delivering a total of 70 000 set-top boxes (STBs) across South Africa”. By Marian Shinn, DA’s Shadow Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services. BUA Africa is not one of the 26 South African companies awarded a share of the R4,3 billion STB manufacturing and distribution tender managed by the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) in April 2015. While BUA Africa did…

MTN, South Africa’s second biggest mobile phone provider that has failed to clinch a radio access network (RAN) sharing deal with Telkom, believes the information memorandum relating to the licensing of the radio frequency spectrum allocation issued by ICASA provides much-needed clarity.  But the telco is still studying the contents of the memorandum. By Gugu Lourie MTN said on Tuesday it welcomed the industry’s watchdog, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), publication of the information memorandum relating to the licensing of the radio frequency spectrum. “The publication by ICASA provides much-needed clarity that is required.  MTN…

Telkom is fast-tracking its goal to reach 500 000 homes with fibre by the end of 2016. The telco announced on Tuesday that its open access fibre broadband network would include more than 25 additional areas, suburbs and communities by the end of September 2015, which includes suburbs of Atholl, Bryanston, Dunkeld, Forest Town, Menlo Park, D’urbanvale, Oude Westhof, etc. By Staff Writer The news follows CEO Sipho Maseko’s commitment on 7 September, at the annual Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference, that Telkom fibre would be accessible to one million homes by March 2018, with half a million homes…

MTN is investing about R1.2 billion to upgrade its network in Kwa-Zulu Natal, which includes the deployment of fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) in the scenic suburb La Lucia. By Staff Writer The deployment of this high speed fibre network in La Lucia marks MTN’s first deployment of FTTH in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal and an extension of MTN’s FTTH footprint outside of Gauteng and Western Cape. Earlier this month, MTN announced that it has begun civil works to deploy FTTH in Fresnaye and Bakoven in the Western Cape and approximately 1 000 homes are expected to be connected to MTN’s…

We all know there are thousands; if not millions of South Africans using WeChat to communicate with their loved ones and friends, and now you can use the app to order and securely pay for food from your favourite restaurant, fast food outlet or corner café without leaving your WeChat platform. By Staff Writer OrderIn, an online food ordering service, has opened an official account on WeChat that lets users easily and securely to order and pay for food using the WeChat app! Launched in 2013 by former Goldman Sachs New York banker Dinesh Patel and former Groupon COO…

Vodacom, the country’s biggest mobile phone operator with more than 33 million customers in South Africa, believes that the much-needed spectrum allocation would enable it to bulk-up mobile broadband in rural areas. By Gugu Lourie Vodacom welcomed the publication of an Information Memorandum by ICASA that provides guidance to prospective applicants regarding the process and criteria to be applied by the Authority in the licensing of the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum. The allocation of spectrum will enable telcos to alleviate the current strain on voice services due to the interim measure of re-farming existing spectrum to support data…

Telkom would consider options about whether to bid for a much needed spectrum when the industry watchdog, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) makes it available through auction. By Gugu Lourie ICASA is getting ready to auction the country’s much-needed spectrum for broadband deployment. In a Government Gazette published on Monday Icasa said it is favouring auction process used by Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Czech Republic. Telkom, the country’s biggest fixed-line telephone group that is keen on delivering broadband to most South African households, is keeping its options open at the moment on whether…

A global survey of more than 5,500 companies in 26 countries, including South Africa, conducted by Kaspersky Lab in cooperation with B2B International in 2015 showed that the most expensive types of security breaches are employee fraud, cyber espionage, network intrusion and the failure of third party suppliers.  By Staff Writer The average budget required to recover from a security breach is $551,000 for enterprises and $38,000 for small and medium businesses. Averaging the variety: A serious breach of IT security systems leads to many business issues. With damage being so diverse, it’s sometimes hard for the victims themselves…

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s capital market participants, such as brokers, traders, market data providers and the carriers can finally enjoy high speed connectivity after Dark Fibre installed direct fibre links to Teraco’s data centre in Sando, Johannesburg. By Gugu Lourie. The route, which spans 32 km, enables the Teraco community to provide capital market participants with solutions for high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity. In real terms, this link offers a sub-500 microsecond round trip and is a virtual extension of the JSE’s ‘meet me room’ into Teraco. Jan Hnizdo, chief financial officer, Teraco, says that the new route is significant for all…