Despite ongoing challenges in obtaining the spectrum necessary for 4G long-term evolution (LTE) services, South Africa’s ICT sector has seen a number of operators invest billions in rolling out new services and infrastructure as demand for high-speed mobile services soars. Innovation plays a key role in many new offerings, which include pre-paid 4G LTE SIM cards and...
Rising to become a larger economic contributor than agriculture in recent years, South Africa’s ICT sector has shown rapid expansion over the past two decades. The government has increasingly sought to provide support for nationwide development of internet connectivity through the National Broadband Plan, while rising data demand and the burgeoning e-commerce and mobile...
Despite facing fierce competition and slowing revenues in 2014, South Africa’s telecoms operators are well placed to see growth in the near to medium term. The mobile market is approaching saturation and a shift from traditional voice and SMS services to data is expected to drive future growth, particularly in 4G long-term evolution (LTE) services, which are slated to...
Operators push regulator to finalise policy on infrastructure sharing Unbundling the loop The country is facing a dilemma when it comes to network sharing. In the telecoms sector, companies that have invested vast sums in network infrastructure are understandably reluctant to allow competitors to piggyback on their investment; however, South Africa’s comparatively high...
Four main mobile operators and two fixed-line players cater to subscribers in a market that – like much of the emerging world – is seeing slowing subscriber growth and price cuts encourage a shift towards new value-added services. The country’s infrastructure remains among the most competitive on the continent, although operators are grappling with mobile termination...
In 2009 the installation of the first undersea cable providing connectivity to South Africa was heralded as the end of satellites as links to the outside world; however, five years later satellite connectivity remains just as relevant given its cost-effectiveness in expanding broadband coverage to rural and low-income areas. According to the 2014 broadband commission...
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