Earlier news articles:
Telkom launches prepaid uncapped fibre starting at R99
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Thu 04 Nov, 2021
Telkom has launched prepaid fibre, saying consumers who previously couldn’t apply for a broadband fibre line for credit-vetting reasons can now do so. The service is available on the fibre network built and run by Telkom’s wholesale business, Openserve. Rival Vumatel has launched a similar prepaid fibre service, called Vuma Reach, though it’s only available in selected areas. Telkom said it expects its prepaid fibre service to appeal not only to thos... Read more
Telkom asks Icasa for more spectrum for broadband
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Tue 19 Oct, 2021
Communications regulator Icasa has revealed that Telkom has asked it for additional spectrum in the 2.3GHz frequency band — and the company is willing to give up its holdings at 2.4GHz to make it happen. In a notice published in the Government Gazette dated 15 October, Icasa said it received an application from Telkom at the end of July for an amendment to the assignment of the two bands.... Read more
Rain comes out guns blazing against Telkom in spectrum fight
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Sun 17 Oct, 2021
Wireless broadband operator Rain has sprung to Icasa’s defence in the communications regulator’s legal showdown with Telkom over temporary spectrum. TechCentral has learnt that Rain filed papers in the high court this week warning that Telkom is trying to license spectrum via the back door and saying that if the company is successful in securing an interdict against Icasa, there could be permanent harm done to competition in the telecommunications indu... Read more
Openserve fast-tracks fibre roll-out in war with copper thieves
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Fri 08 Oct, 2021
Openserve, the wholesale infrastructure division of Telkom, has started deploying fibre in city and suburban blocks, rather than across entire areas, especially where it is up against endemic copper cable theft. That’s according to Openserve managing executive Selby Khuzwayo, who said in an interview with TechCentral this week that although mobile communications can serve as a backup where copper infrastructure has been stolen, it’s far from ideal, esp... Read more
MTN drops a bombshell: Uncapped LTE for R499/month
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Thu 07 Oct, 2021
MTN South Africa is going uncapped – not on fibre, but on its wireless network, launching uncapped fixed-LTE plans starting at R499/month in a challenge to rival Rain. The speed-based fixed-LTE plans will offer customers a "bottomless data experience", MTN said, though they do include a fair-use policy. The plans are month to month, though 24-month contracts are available, too, if a "free" router is bundled in.... Read more
Frogfoot expands with acquisition of Link Africa Western Cape FTTH network
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Tue 28 Sep, 2021
Frogfoot, a licensed open-access infrastructure provider, has announced its acquisition of the Link Africa Western Cape FTTH network, which helps solidify the company’s position as one of the leading Fibre Network Operators in the country.... Read more
Data price hike warning for South Africa
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Mon 27 Sep, 2021
Telkom warns that Icasa will inadvertently cause degradation in mobile network quality and an increase in data costs. This is because Icasa plans to take back the radio frequency spectrum that it temporarily assigned at the start of South Africa’s national state of disaster due to the Covid–19 pandemic. If the regulator follows through on its plan, it will likely lead to a negative effect on the South African economy at a time when we can least afford ... Read more
Alphabet’s laser-Internet sends 700TB of data with 99.9% uptime
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Thu 23 Sep, 2021
Google's parent company, Alphabet, is still experimenting with hooking up remote towns to the Internet via frickin' laser beams. Today, Alphabet's moonshot "X Lab" shared an update on Project Taara, its experimental point-to-point optical communication system, often described as "fiber optics without the fiber." The company built a working installation in Africa and has been blasting a 20Gbps link about 5 km across the Congo River to a town of millions of ... Read more
New R499 Rain 5G service tested - with impressive results
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Wed 22 Sep, 2021
Rain’s new Unlimited Home 5G Basic service, which costs R499 per month, is an excellent option for people who want an affordable, uncapped broadband service for their home. This was MyBroadband’s finding after we tested the product in a real-world environment to assess its performance.... Read more
Vumatel and DFA now worth R27 billion
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Wed 22 Sep, 2021
Remgro released its financial results for the year ended 30 June 2021, which revealed a strong performance of Community Investment Ventures Holdings (CIVH). CIVH is a growing telecommunications player through its subsidiaries, Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa Proprietary (DFA). These two companies did well during the pandemic.... Read more
Big business slams Icasa over spectrum withdrawal
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Wed 22 Sep, 2021
Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) has torn strips off communications regulator Icasa over its intention to withdraw temporary spectrum from operators at the end of November. Speaking to television news channel Newzoom Afrika on Tuesday, BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso said that if Icasa proceeds with its plan to take back the spectrum, it will be tantamount to creating "digital load shedding". "We are saying as business that the timing makes no sense," Mavuso s... Read more