Sentech has launched Freevision Play, an OTT platform designed to grant South African viewers free access to a number of local TV and radio channel. Freevision Play is accessible to all South African residents with an active Internet connection and is compatible across all screens – smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. To access the service, […]

Avanti Communications, the multi-orbit satellite technology provider, has announced the launch of Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity services in South Africa. Avanti has partnered with Q-KON, a satellite engineering enterprise for southern Africa, to deliver seamless LEO connectivity from Eutelsat OneWeb. The new deal is set to improve business operations nationwide in what is a challenging […]

BBC Studios has announced the extension of its partnership with Switch Media in South Africa to enable customers on the Vodacom network access to BBC Kids by paying for the service through add-to bill (for postpaid customers) or through airtime (for prepaid customers). The video destination aimed at families with children aged 0-12 can be […]

Canal+ has made an all-cash mandatory offer to acquire all the shares of South African broadcaster MultiChoice that it does not already own for SAR35 billion (€1.73bn), both companies have confirmed. That offer at SAR125 per share follows an indicative offer of 105 rand made by Vivendi-owned Canal+ on February 1st, which MultiChoice rejected on […]

South Africa’s telecoms regulator ICASA wants to cut the fees telcos charge each other to carry calls between their networks. ICASA says these charges should be cut by 50 per cent. ICASA’s notice published in the Government Gazette on March 22nd that it wants mobile termination rates slashed from 9c/minute today (13c for smaller operators) […]

South Africa’s SABC public broadcaster has its staff deadlocked in what are long running pay negotiations. The powerful Communication Workers Union (CWU) is now threatening a full blown strike. SABC and CWU have been talking since July 2023 about a pay rise. SABC offered 6 per cent, which was accepted by the CWU but the […]

CMC Networks, a global Tier 1 service provider, has added Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellite connectivity to its portfolio of solutions. This multi-orbit approach addresses the diverse connectivity needs of remote regions and challenging environments across Africa and the Middle East, removing the limits on digital transformation. […]

Last week saw multiple cable breaks around Africa which badly affected broadband connectivity for much of Africa but especially for South Africa which is the most commercially important nation. According to Microsoft, four undersea cables off the coast of Abidjan and the Cote d’Ivoire were severed and the breaks caused by “seismic activity”. These are […]

Avanti Communications has announced the appointment of Chris van Rooyen as its new Sales Director. The industry veteran will support the company’s growing footprint in South Africa. Avanti opened its first African office in South Africa in 2018 and is now focussed on creating more local employment opportunities across the country. Gamze Aydin, Senior Vice […]

South African pay-TV operator DStv will raise its subscription fees for South Africa-based subscribers on April 1st, and admits they rises are higher than in previous years. DStv is sweetening the pill a little by saying that clients who take out a 24-month contract will not face any further rises for the length of the […]