Author: Gugu Lourie
The journey for 23-year-old twin brothers Benjamin and Isaac began with their vision to start an IT company, coupled with their ambitious drive to make it succeed. Isaac Mophatlane, CEO of Business Connexion (BCX) reflects on the journey and what they have achieved. Looking back at two decades of ICT excellence 24 August 2015 marked a historic day in the history of BCX and in particular for Isaac Mophatlane, Group CEO, as the company delisted from the JSE, following the successful acquisition by Telkom and after trading for over 11 years as an independent listed company. Ben and I discovered…
WhereIsMyTransport, a South African-based transport solutions start-up has announced a R12 million investment from local and global investors. Now the company is looking to overseas expansion after it set-up an office in London. By Gugu Lourie The transport solutions startup, which was established in Cape Town seven years ago, is dedicated to improving the commuter experience in emerging markets and determined to turn commuter data into a system that serves cities and users alike. The firm also provides to the City of Tshwane a Findmyway, an app providing a point-to-point journey planner integrating public and alternate modes of transport.…
execMobile, a South African company founded by Craig Lowe, has this year so far saved its clients (individuals, SMEs or corporate travellers) close to R100 million in data roaming costs by using its PocketWifi solution. Lowe is also excited about the possibility of an agreement with Telkom, South Africa’s largest fixed-line telephone group. By Gugu Lourie execMobile’s PocketWifi enables clients (individuals, SMEs or corporate travellers) to have their own personal, secure connection to the super-fast 3G internet. This enables users to work wherever and whenever – while at the same time jettisoning huge data roaming costs. “You always strive for…
Today execMobile introduced a 2015 Rugby World Cup data roaming agreement to enable South African travelling to the games in England an affordable, secure and convenient way to remain connected. South Africans travellers to the UK will be able to tweet securely any exciting moments during the World Cup. Also they will be able to post their pictures on Instagram, Facebook, Google+ and WhatsApp. They can also use Skype. By Gugu Lourie South Africans travelling to the 2015 Rugby World Cup hosted by England from 18 September to 31 October will be able to avoid high roaming cellular costs…
Cloud storage offers a means of storing files online, which can be accessed from anywhere to work with, sync and share. It is like having a cloud-based USB drive. Whereas cloud backup solutions address the need for business continuity, with 100 percent data recoverability and a relatively quick restore to status quo. By Staff Writer Vox Telecom has launched CloudBackup PRO, an easy to use hybrid backup application developed for small to medium businesses that stores data safely, in the cloud or on a local hard drive for disaster recovery purposes. “The hype around cloud has blurred the lines between…
Forget the Turing and Lovelace tests on artificial intelligence: I want to see a robot pass the Frampton Test. Let me explain why rock legend Peter Frampton enters the debate on AI. For many centuries, much thought was given to what distinguishes humans from animals. These days thoughts turn to what distinguishes humans from machines. By David Lovell The British code breaker and computing pioneer, Alan Turing, proposed “the imitation game” (also known as the Turing test) as a way to evaluate whether a machine can do something we humans love to do: have a good conversation. If a human judge…
In a South African first, customers can now securely and conveniently purchase apps and content from Google Play using their devices and charge it directly to their Telkom mobile bill or airtime. Staff Writer Direct Carrier Billing, an integrated carrier billing service, for Google Play for smartphones and tablets is now available on Telkom’s mobile network. The service available through the integration of Telkom’s event billing service with the Bango Payments Platform. This will enable Telkom customers to buy books, applications and in-game purchases from the Google Play Store and charge it directly to their mobile phone bill or airtime.…
Martin Benjamin is a young man from Coronation in Johannesburg. He is only 32 years old but he has many ideas and is not afraid to test them. To some, Benjamin is a smart worker in love with the new digital world. To others, especially those in the know about telcos, Benjamin is a worthy skills investment for the future at MTN, Africa and Middle East’s mobile phone powerhouse. By Gugu Lourie Benjamin joined MTN as a data contract agent three years ago and has fast become a star employee with potential for greater things. MTN is an “awesome company”, says Benjamin.…
The future for broadcasters might look bleak, but there are also some likely winners. Streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Apple TV spring immediately to mind, but there is also room in the market for investigative news media such as The Guardian, The Times, or The Economist. By Martin Friesl The review of the BBC’s charter overseen by culture secretary John Whittingdale doesn’t just have important implications for one of the UK’s most iconic institutions, it is also a symptom of a broader phenomenon: the disruption of television by on-demand content. The future for broadcasters might look bleak, but…
Although e-commerce is growing fast in South Africa and across the continent, the majority of the population in African markets is still excluded from buying online. This is no fault of online retailers or service providers – it is simply because many South Africans (and Africans) do not have their own bank account or a credit card. By Staff Writer Research group McKinsey have projected that around 80% of the continent’s population is not connected to formal financial services, while MasterCard says only 2% of retail transactions in Africa are electronic. Without a credit card or access to…