In an article by Jan Vermeulen, the potential threat posed by Starlink, SpaceX’s Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite network, to South Africa’s mobile network operators, Vodacom and MTN, is discussed. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) recently declared the use of Starlink in the country as illegal, citing the need for specific licenses. Regulatory expert...
While 5G subscriptions are still in the infancy stage in Sub-Saharan Africa, they will represent 16% of all mobile subscriptions in the region by 2029. This is equivalent to 180 million 5G mobile subscriptions by 2029, reveals the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report. Released bi-annually, the report highlights key growth forecasts across the wireless industry, from...
The year 2023 has been marked by unprecedented technological advancements that have reshaped industries and daily life. From artificial intelligence to biotechnology, here are the top five technologies that have revolutionized the landscape. Newsgpt: Redefining News Delivery with AI At the forefront of the technological revolution is Newsgpt, a groundbreaking AI-driven platform that has reimagined...
There is a lot of enthusiasm surrounding the arrival of 5G mobile connectivity in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to have 226 million 5G mobile network subscriptions by 2030, reflecting a 17% adoption rate compared to 0.2% in 2022, according to the report by GSMA. Twenty-seven operators have already launched commercial 5G mobile services in...
Orange, a leading telecommunications provider, is set to revolutionize digital experiences in Africa with the launch of its super-app, Max it. Building on the success of My Orange and Orange Money applications, Max it aims to simplify daily activities for over 22 million users and beyond. Developed by Orange teams in Africa, the app combines...
The report highlights that 5G should benefit most sectors of economic activity, even if the majority of the benefits expected by the end of the decade will be concentrated in the manufacturing and services, which have a high capacity for integrating use cases of this technology. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to have 226 million subscriptions...
With an anticipated 70 per cent broadband penetration in Nigeria by 2025, many African countries may still be grappling with how to bring their populations into the fold of globalisation. A third of the global population is without internet, and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) believes it could be addressed by 2030 in line with...
Morocco was the first African country to introduce 3G technology and has boosted internet penetration significantly in recent years. Morocco topped a list of Africa’s 15 most technologically advanced countries. The country ranked ahead of countries including South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya, according to a report from Monkey Insider. The report is based on data...
Solcon Capital, businessman Andile Ngcaba’s global investment firm, is exploring investment opportunities within the tokenisation of real-world assets sector. This was the word from Ngcaba, chairman, founder and majority shareholder of Solcon Capital, speaking last week at Africa Tech Festival 2023, in Cape Town. Convergence Partners Investments, the deep-tech investor founded by Ngcaba in 2003, rebranded to Solcon...
Vodacom Group is experimenting with different forms of satellite connectivity but thinks direct to mobile will be the most disruptive. Chief technology officer Dejan Kastelic, speaking at a Q&A event in Cape Town this week, said direct-to-mobile satellite connectivity is going to be a “game-changer” for promoting cellular phone coverage to rural communities in South Africa and...
