The widest 3G network in South Africa battle

The Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA) has ruled that Vodacom may not claim to have the “widest 3G network” in South Africa. This followed a complaint by MTN.

A Vodacom print advertisement stated that “Get extra data on the widest 3G network … surf more, download more and stay connected 24/7”.

MTN lodged a complaint with the ASA against Vodacom’s “widest 3G network” statement, arguing that the claim is unsubstantiated and misleading.

MTN said that Vodacom may have the widest coverage in some regions, but it does not have the widest coverage across all regions.

MTN further said that coverage methodology needs to be considered when assessing such claims.

Vodacom responded, saying that it has a substantially wider network than MTN. This, the company said, is evident from the published coverage numbers by all networks, and the actual number of towers deployed by each network.

Vodacom showed that it deployed 6,649 3G towers, whereas MTN has 4,768 3G towers. “These published figures also support the published claims of 90.1% (Vodacom) and 67.7% (MTN) 3G coverage respectively,” Vodacom said.

The ASA was not convinced that a higher number of 3G towers automatically translates into wider coverage.

source:mybroadband.co

Airtel invests Rs. 2bn in 3G

Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced the launch of the initial phase of a comprehensive network expansion exercise across 250 plus sites in urban, sub-urban and rural pockets across all districts of the island.

This project would thereby see Airtel Lanka increasing its 3G presence beyond 1,000 towers and 2G presence beyond 1,800 towers across the island. As part of this extensive expansion project that includes the expansion of transmission network, Airtel will continue to deploy robust and world-class network infrastructure and equipment to strengthen its customers’ high speed data connectivity and mobile internet experience.

Commenting on this latest milestone, Bharti Airtel Lanka’s Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director Suren Goonewardene stated, “At Airtel, it is our ethos of changing Sri Lanka’s telecom landscape and in which businesses operate in Sri Lanka. While we have changed the way mobile communications work in the country through the introduction of several innovative services which includes the concept of no hidden costs, we are now geared to change the language of the telecom business – from a mobile to a mobile internet organization. With this in mind, we have now invested heavily in our 3G network.”

Along with the commitment towards enhancing Airtel’s network presence across Sri Lanka and continuing to work towards new ways of delivering a seamless network experience to customers, Goonewardene further stated, “When it comes to Mobile Internet, Airtel will be the brand loved by all Sri Lankans whether they are prepaid or post-paid customers residing in any part of the country. We have launched customized internet packages and tailor-made handset bundle offers (HBOs), which all Sri Lankans will have the propensity to use. We have also started increasing the number of customer touch points thus giving our customer accessibility to the range of data services which is fresh, youthful, current and innovative”.

Bharti Airtel Lanka commenced commercial operations of services in Sri Lanka on January 12, 2009, and was the fastest operator to reach one million customers in Sri Lanka.

source: www.nation.lk

vodacom must withdraw 3G speed chain

Vodacom has to withdraw claims that it has South Africa’s “fastest” and “widest” 3G network as these have not been substantiated and are therefore in breach of the code of advertising practice.

These are the findings of the Advertising Standards Authority, which has instructed Vodacom to desist from making the claims until it is able to verify them “unequivocally”. The rulings follow complaints by rival MTN.

A third complaint against Vodacom by MTN — protesting against Vodacom’s claim that it has the “fastest network for smartphones” — was not upheld. The authority found that this claim by Vodacom was substantiated.

In a complaint dated 7 November, Webber Wentzel attorneys, on behalf of MTN, lodged a complaint against a Vodacom television advertisement that includes a voice-over that claims Vodacom has the “fastest 3G network” and the “widest 3G network”.

MTN argued that although there could be regions in South Africa where Vodacom has the fastest 3G speeds, this is not necessarily true for the country in general. According to MTN, tests done by Ericsson, using Ookla, showed that in Gauteng MTN had faster 3G downlink and throughput speeds than Vodacom in certain periods.

In the Western Cape, MTN was faster than Vodacom during January 2013, and had been faster since August 2013 to the end of the reflected period. In KwaZulu-Natal, MTN outperformed Vodacom during November 2012, and was on par with Vodacom during February 2013. MTN also had lower latency in many instances.

The Advertising Standards Authority said that MTN went to great lengths to explain why and how speed tests and results can be manipulated, and why Vodacom would not be able to substantiate its claim of having the fastest 3G network in general.

Vodacom, through ad agency Ireland-Davenport, argued, among other things, that the nature of the Ookla tests ensures that any variable that could affect the test results is inherently included. “MTN is incorrect in alleging that ‘too many variables are at play’,” it said. “In addition, the magnitude and nature of Ookla tests negate any possible attempt at manipulation. Finally, the Ookla results are derived from random sampling as well, which further negates any effort to manipulate the results in the manner that MTN suggests.”

source: www.techcentral.co

the widest 3G network in south africa battle

The Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA) has ruled that Vodacom may not claim to have the “widest 3G network” in South Africa. This followed a complaint by MTN.

A Vodacom print advertisement stated that “Get extra data on the widest 3G network … surf more, download more and stay connected 24/7”.

MTN lodged a complaint with the ASA against Vodacom’s “widest 3G network” statement, arguing that the claim is unsubstantiated and misleading.

MTN said that Vodacom may have the widest coverage in some regions, but it does not have the widest coverage across all regions.

MTN further said that coverage methodology needs to be considered when assessing such claims.

Vodacom responded, saying that it has a substantially wider network than MTN. This, the company said, is evident from the published coverage numbers by all networks, and the actual number of towers deployed by each network.

Vodacom showed that it deployed 6,649 3G towers, whereas MTN has 4,768 3G towers. “These published figures also support the published claims of 90.1% (Vodacom) and 67.7% (MTN) 3G coverage respectively,” Vodacom said.

The ASA was not convinced that a higher number of 3G towers automatically translates into wider coverage.

The ASA said that, for a claim of having the widest 3G network to be substantiated, Vodacom needs to show that:

1. It is correct to include all sites that transmit at -100dBm in its “3G” calculations;
2. It is true that Vodacom has more of these sites than any of its competitors; and
3. That these sites are spread wider and more comprehensively across the country than any of its competitors.

“At best, the information shows that Vodacom has more sites transmitting at -100dBm than MTN, but this is as far as it goes,

source: www.mybroadband.co

watching television on mobile phones on the increase

Watching television on mobile phones is expected to become common soon as mobile operators increase value added services on their networks. The move is driven by the increasing attempt by various telecommunication companies to grow revenue streams across Sub-Saharan Africa. The growing number of smartphones in the market and deployment of faster networks by mobile operators are aiding the shift in consumption of TV content. Though delivery of TV content on mobile phone seems futuristic especially in Africa, telecommunications infrastructure firm Ericsson says there will be 913 million mobile connections in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2019. It adds that 65 per cent of these connections would be on the third generation (3G) network.

source: www.standardmedia.co

the widest 3G network in South Africa battle

The Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA) has ruled that Vodacom may not claim to have the “widest 3G network” in South Africa. This followed a complaint by MTN.

A Vodacom print advertisement stated that “Get extra data on the widest 3G network … surf more, download more and stay connected 24/7”.

MTN lodged a complaint with the ASA against Vodacom’s “widest 3G network” statement, arguing that the claim is unsubstantiated and misleading.

MTN said that Vodacom may have the widest coverage in some regions, but it does not have the widest coverage across all regions.

MTN further said that coverage methodology needs to be considered when assessing such claims.

Vodacom responded, saying that it has a substantially wider network than MTN. This, the company said, is evident from the published coverage numbers by all networks, and the actual number of towers deployed by each network.

Vodacom showed that it deployed 6,649 3G towers, whereas MTN has 4,768 3G towers. “These published figures also support the published claims of 90.1% (Vodacom) and 67.7% (MTN) 3G coverage respectively,” Vodacom said.

The ASA was not convinced that a higher number of 3G towers automatically translates into wider coverage.

source: www.mybroadband.co

Vodacom must withdraw 3G speed chain

Vodacom has to withdraw claims that it has South Africa’s “fastest” and “widest” 3G network as these have not been substantiated and are therefore in breach of the code of advertising practice.

These are the findings of the Advertising Standards Authority, which has instructed Vodacom to desist from making the claims until it is able to verify them “unequivocally”. The rulings follow complaints by rival MTN.

A third complaint against Vodacom by MTN — protesting against Vodacom’s claim that it has the “fastest network for smartphones” — was not upheld. The authority found that this claim by Vodacom was substantiated.

In a complaint dated 7 November, Webber Wentzel attorneys, on behalf of MTN, lodged a complaint against a Vodacom television advertisement that includes a voice-over that claims Vodacom has the “fastest 3G network” and the “widest 3G network”.

MTN argued that although there could be regions in South Africa where Vodacom has the fastest 3G speeds, this is not necessarily true for the country in general. According to MTN, tests done by Ericsson, using Ookla, showed that in Gauteng MTN had faster 3G downlink and throughput speeds than Vodacom in certain periods.

In the Western Cape, MTN was faster than Vodacom during January 2013, and had been faster since August 2013 to the end of the reflected period. In KwaZulu-Natal, MTN outperformed Vodacom during November 2012, and was on par with Vodacom during February 2013. MTN also had lower latency in many instances.

The Advertising Standards Authority said that MTN went to great lengths to explain why and how speed tests and results can be manipulated, and why Vodacom would not be able to substantiate its claim of having the fastest 3G network in general.

source : www.techcentral.co

vodacom must withdraw 3G speed chain

Vodacom has to withdraw claims that it has South Africa’s “fastest” and “widest” 3G network as these have not been substantiated and are therefore in breach of the code of advertising practice.

These are the findings of the Advertising Standards Authority, which has instructed Vodacom to desist from making the claims until it is able to verify them “unequivocally”. The rulings follow complaints by rival MTN.

A third complaint against Vodacom by MTN — protesting against Vodacom’s claim that it has the “fastest network for smartphones” — was not upheld. The authority found that this claim by Vodacom was substantiated.

In a complaint dated 7 November, Webber Wentzel attorneys, on behalf of MTN, lodged a complaint against a Vodacom television advertisement that includes a voice-over that claims Vodacom has the “fastest 3G network” and the “widest 3G network”.

MTN argued that although there could be regions in South Africa where Vodacom has the fastest 3G speeds, this is not necessarily true for the country in general. According to MTN, tests done by Ericsson, using Ookla, showed that in Gauteng MTN had faster 3G downlink and throughput speeds than Vodacom in certain periods.

In the Western Cape, MTN was faster than Vodacom during January 2013, and had been faster since August 2013 to the end of the reflected period. In KwaZulu-Natal, MTN outperformed Vodacom during November 2012, and was on par with Vodacom during February 2013. MTN also had lower latency in many instances.

The Advertising Standards Authority said that MTN went to great lengths to explain why and how speed tests and results can be manipulated, and why Vodacom would not be able to substantiate its claim of having the fastest 3G network in general.

Vodacom, through ad agency Ireland-Davenport, argued, among other things, that the nature of the Ookla tests ensures that any variable that could affect the test results is inherently included. “MTN is incorrect in alleging that ‘too many variables are at play’,” it said. “In addition, the magnitude and nature of Ookla tests negate any possible attempt at manipulation. Finally, the Ookla results are derived from random sampling as well, which further negates any effort to manipulate the results in the manner that MTN suggests.”

Vodacom said MTN “appears to dismiss of the legitimacy of the Ookla data, while at the same time it uses the same Ookla data in support of its complaint”.

source: www.techcentral.co 

MTN Nigeria partners to upgrade 3G network

MTN Nigeria, the largest domestic telecom operator with over 47 million subscribers, has signed a new contract with Cambridge Broadband Networks (CBNL) to upgrade and expand its 3G network facilities in order to meet up with consumer’s demand.

Under the terms of the contract, CBNL will undertake the supply, installation and commissioning of the new VectaStar backhaul equipment to improve the telecom giant’s services. It would also offer programme management, deployment, and support services to ensure efficient, cost effective and timely delivery of the upgraded network.

CNBL is a world leader in the development and deployment of next generation microwave backhaul and access solutions. Its VectaStar platform, one of the most diverse multipoint microwave backhaul platforms utilized in over 41 countries, will be deployed for MTN Nigeria.

CBNL Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigel Webb, explained that: “The Nigeria upgrade requires both product expertise and local knowledge to ensure effective transition, with minimal downtime and disruption to MTN’s customers.”

“Our significant local presence enabled us to work closely with MTN planners to model detailed scenarios, prior to deployment. This will deliver a smarter, more efficient and resourceful network to support the traffic needs of today and for future capacity and coverage requirements,” 

source: www. ventures-africa.com

TCIL's strength comes from taking up new challenges

A prime engineering and consultancy company, Telecommunications India Ltd (TCIL) is a wholly-owned public-sector enterprise under the administrative control of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. TCIL provides Indian telecom expertise in all fields of telecom, civil and IT to developing countries of the world. With core competency in areas such as switching, transmission systems, cellular services, rural telecommunication, optical-fibre-based backbone transmission systems, IT and networking solutions, application software, e-governance, 3G network, WIMAX technology and civil construction projects, TCIL is also pushing the cause of sustainable development. Chairman and managing director Vimal Wakhlu outlines how brand equity is one of TCIL's mainstays. 
TCIL has been involved in every facet of the telecom sector. During the times of wireline boom until the early 1990s, TCIL had executed such projects in most African nations, West Asian countries, South Asian and other countries.
TCIL also formed JVs with a number of companies to enter into other areas such as cable manufacturing as TTL (Tamil Naidu Telecom), TBL (TCIL Bell South) for billing solution for Telecom, ICSIL (Intelligent Communications Systems India).
With the advent of mobile communication system, TCIL formed a JV and obtained a mobile licence for operation in the states of Rajasthan and the north-east states. This is currently known as BHL (Bharati Hexacom). Apart from this, TCIL also started UTL Nepal along with MTNL and VSNL (now Tata Communications). Also, TCIL rolled out cellular networks in Bhutan and Afghanistan. When it comes to broadband, TCIL was the pioneer in rolling out FTTH (fibre to the home) project for Kuwait. Now TCIL is a major player in this domain in various countries including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Mauritius. This has made us a unique company with outstanding credentials in this area in India. TCIL had also been involved in the design and business modelling of the RASCOM Satellite, Africa's own satellite. We were also involved in the rollout of a number of satellite-based networks. TCIL has also rolled out an OPGW (optical power ground wire) project for Sonalgaz Algeria, wherein 4,000 km of this cable was laid along the ground wire of high tension power lines under live conditions. Thus TCIL has been at the forefront of telecom technology. Apart from this, TCIL has played a major role in the restoration of telecom services in Kuwait after its liberation from Iraq, and also in Afghanistan after the 2002 war over there.
source: bussiness-standard .com

Africa's mobile subscription predicted to surpass 1.2 bn in 2018

Informa Telecoms and Media, organisers of the on-going AfricaCom conference in Cape Town, South Africa, has said the mobile subscriptions in Africa will surpass 1.2 billion by the end of 2018.

The forecast, according to Informa Telecoms and Media, is based on the continued increasing growth of mobile subscriptions in Africa, even though its penetration level among major world regions, which is currently put at 68.81 per cent, is still low, when compared with the global average of 90.48 per cent.

Principal Analyst, Middle East and Africa (MEA) at Informa Telecoms and Media, Mr. Matthew Reed, who gave the prediction during a keynote address on Tuesday at the opening session of the 2013 AfricaCom conference, said: "Africa had 745.34 million mobile subscriptions at the end of 2012, representing 15.24 per cent year-on-year increase, the highest rate of growth among major world regions.

Corroborating Informa Telecoms and Media’s prediction, Chairman, Mobile Monday, Mr. Richard Walton, said the Africa mobile subscription growth rate was amazing and encouraging.
According to him, mobile subscriptions in the sub-Saharan Africa, contributed immensely to the Africa's mobile subscription number, attributing the growth to Apps culture, especially in the area mobile banking applications, he said, would be propelled by the adoption of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology that is gradually spreading across the globe.

He however challenged telecoms operators to turn data growth into revenue growth, while still maintaining cost efficiency in mobile broadband in Africa.

Speaking on some of the challenges on mobile subscriptions, some of the telecoms operators that spoke, identified size of their business, connectivity issues and the drive to discover more markets and business opportunities, using new brands, as some of their major challenges.

According to Reed, "The number of mobile subscriptions in Africa is still growing at a higher rate than in any other major Wot prod region. Mobile data subscriptions and  revenues are rising strongly on the continent, albeit from a low base. The rollout of 3G and 4G networks combined with expanded back haul and submarine capacity, should enable further growth in Africa's data sector."

He explained that big international information technology (IT) companies such as Google, Intel and Microsoft, are targeting Africa's telecoms market because of its growth potential, particularly in data services.

"The story of Africa's telecoms market continues to be about growth, but the emphasis is shifting from basic mobile services to data and internet services, even though the basic mobile services like voice telephony still dominate the market," Reed said.

Giving details of the growth rate, he said Africa's mobile subscriptions as at October 2013 was 800 million but predicted that in 2014, it would rise to 900 million, and at the end of 2015, it would further increase to 1 billion. He also predicted that by the end of 2016, the figure would increase to 1.1 billion and at the end of 2017, it would further rise to 1.18 billion, before surpassing the 1.2 billion mark in 2018.

source: www.thisdaylive.com

South Africa slipping in mobile broadband..: smile telecommunications

South Africa is slipping behind some other African markets in providing mobile broadband, Tom Allen, the chief operating officer of Smile Telecommunications, the telecoms operator founded six years ago by former MTN executive Irene Charnley.

Allen, speaking at an Alcatel-Lucent press conference at the annual Africa Com telecoms event in Cape Town, reiterated comments he made at last year’s show that Smile is keen to enter the South African mobile broadband market if it can get access to radio frequency spectrum, particularly in the 800MHz band currently used by analogue terrestrial television broadcasters.

“Smile is very interested in South Africa, if we could get spectrum,” said Allen. “We wouldn’t be interested in 2,5GHz. We have 800MHz everywhere else. If we could get 800MHz here, then we’d be keen to go for that. If there’s a competition, we’ll be there to play.”

The relatively lower frequencies at 800MHz offer better propagation than signals at 2,5GHz, which is seen as more appropriate for use in dense urban areas.

“If the regulator was to realise how far behind South Africa is compared to what’s happening in Tanzania and Uganda, I would have thought they would have moved quicker than they have,” Allen said. “The 3G network in South Africa is not great, to be honest. Compared to Europe, it’s poor.”

Smile Communications operates fourth-generation (4G) broadband networks in Uganda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company is backed by Saudi Arabian firms Al-Nahla Technology and Atheeb Trading Company.

source: www.techcentral.co

Sandvine provides econet wireless Zimbabwe withusage based plans

Sandvine, a provider of intelligent broadband network solutions for fixed and mobile operators, announced it is providing Econet Wireless Zimbabwe with network policy control products to roll out new service packages for the growing demand for mobile data.

According to a release, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, the largest subsidiary of Econet Group, serves over 8.5 million subscribers on its 3G network and became aSandvine customer in March 2013.

Sandvine noted that Econet Wireless Zimbabwe is using its Usage Management product with plug-and-play capabilities that will enable them to roll out new revenue-generating services for their pre-paid and post-paid subscribers. Sandvine was selected based on its ability to fulfill the technical requirements of usage-based charging over Gy and policy enforcement over Gx, which are critical for rolling out new services such as roaming notifications, bill shock prevention, family plans and data bundles.

"Sandvine's technical accuracy and scalability gives us confidence that as our network and subscriber adoption continues to grow, so too will our service offerings," said Leon de Fleuriot, General Manager: Products and Services, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe. "We are committed to maintaining our leadership position in Zimbabweby rolling out new services that meet the growing demand for mobile Internet data across the country."

Additionally, Sandvine recently published its semi-annual Global Internet Phenomena Report identifying that video accounts for less than 6 percent of traffic in mobile networks in Africa but is expected to quickly grow towards the 40 percent levels seen in other regions.

"The African market is especially unique, as most users are connecting to the Internet for the first time through mobile devices, and using applications like BBM, Facebook and WhatsApp," said Tom Donnelly, COO, Sales and Global Services, Sandvine. "We expect that Africa will be a fast video adopter and forward- thinking operators like Econet Wireless Zimbabwe are rolling out creative device-and application-based service tiers to drive revenue and increase adoption of mobile Internet."

source: hispanicbusiness.com

in Africa , Bharti shifts focus from volume to value

The Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel is shifting from a volume-based strategy to a value one in Africa.

Africa has been a higher average-revenue-per-user (ARPU) market.

For the September quarter, it saw signs of growth in Africa after three quarters on a shift from just customer acquisition. Now, the strategy involves focusing on markets with high-value customers and high-ARPU retail customers. The company is trying to draw people to data-based services.

“Initially, Airtel needed to grab subscriber market share to penetrate the market. Now, it is time to inculcate value out of it,” said an analyst with a management consulting firm.

During the quarter, Airtel’s customer base in Africa increased three per cent, while the monthly churn dropped to 6.6 per cent from 6.7 per cent the previous quarter. Voice ARPU increased four per cent, while voice usage a customer rose seven per cent compared to the previous quarter. During the quarter, data customer base increased 13 per cent; at $1.5, a 15 per cent increase was seen in data ARPU, while data usage per customer increased 21 per cent. Total data usage on the network jumped 34 per cent. Year-on-year, data ARPU rose 46 per cent, and total MB on network increased 97 per cent. But, voice ARPU declined 15 per cent on the year-on-year basis. “Clearly, Airtel is focusing on data-based services, which is the under-penetrated segment and would boost net realisation in the coming quarters,” said a telecom analyst with a management consulting firm.

Meanwhile, Airtel’s net realisation in Africa, voice and data, fell in July-September. While voice realisation dipped two per cent to 3.3 cents, data realisation (an MB) dropped four per cent to 1.74 cents, compared to the previous quarter. “After three tough quarters, the Africa market is again buzzing and showing good growth momentum. The mobile customer base is growing again, rates are stable, mobile internet is growing and mobile commerce is booming,” Managing Director Manoj Kohli had said, after announcing the quarterly results.

Revenue from Africa operations rose two per cent to $1.1 billion during the quarter, against $1.09 billion a year ago.

Quarter-on-quarter revenue growth for the Africa business was about 5.4 per cent, primarily backed by net addition of about 2.18 million subscribers and a rise of seven per cent in minutes of usage on the network. At 29.6 per cent, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) margins for the Africa business were almost flat.

“The revenue growth in Africa reflects the inherent potential in the world’s most promising continent. I am also pleased to see the evolution of Airtel Money, a significant service in geographies that are relatively under-banked,” Mittal had said in a statement.

A Bharti Airtel spokesperson said, “For us, Africa is a growth market and we are there for the long term. We have always said we wanted to bring affordable and innovative services to Africa and that is what we are investing in. We have already done the hard work by overhauling the network and technology across our operations, and are now focused on growing the market. We have the largest 3G network in Africa, across 14 countries, and have rolled out Airtel Money across all our 17 markets.”

source: www.businesss-standard.com

MTN Nigeria partners CBNL to upgrade 3G network

 MTN Nigeria, the largest domestic telecom operator with over 47 million subscribers, has signed a new contract with Cambridge Broadband Networks (CBNL) to upgrade and expand its 3G network facilities in order to meet up with consumer’s demand.

Under the terms of the contract, CBNL will undertake the supply, installation and commissioning of the new VectaStar backhaul equipment to improve the telecom giant’s services. It would also offer programme management, deployment, and support services to ensure efficient, cost effective and timely delivery of the upgraded network.

CNBL is a world leader in the development and deployment of next generation microwave backhaul and access solutions. Its VectaStar platform, one of the most diverse multipoint microwave backhaul platforms utilized in over 41 countries, will be deployed for MTN Nigeria.

CBNL Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigel Webb, explained that: “The Nigeria upgrade requires both product expertise and local knowledge to ensure effective transition, with minimal downtime and disruption to MTN’s customers.”

“Our significant local presence enabled us to work closely with MTN planners to model detailed scenarios, prior to deployment. This will deliver a smarter, more efficient and resourceful network to support the traffic needs of today and for future capacity and coverage requirements,” 

opera sofware ASA : MTN group renews agreement with opera software

Opera Mini is a mobile web browser that compresses webpages to as little as 10% of their initial size,which helps customers to save on data costs and network operators to save on bandwidth, thus enabling more people to access the mobile web.

In the past two years, MTN has rolled out a co-branded version of Opera Mini in 17 markets including Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Sudan, Zambia, Uganda, Congo, Rwanda, Swaziland, Cameroon, Benin, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Afghanistan, Cyprus, Guinea and Yemen.

The MTN co-branded Opera Mini browser has seen phenomenal uptake since it was first launched, with its user base more than doubling in the past 12 months alone.

MTN and Opera have worked together to promote the co-branded browser via different campaigns in all regions in which it has been rolled out. Opera has also partnered with local MTN operations to embed Opera Mini on devices sold by MTN.

Under the new agreement, Opera Mini remains available for new and existing MTN subscribers in each market, providing one-click access from the home page to services such as MTN Play and MTN Football.

According to MTN Group Chief Commercial Officer, Pieter Verkade, "The renewed partnership with Opera Software will allow MTN customers to continue to have the best possible digital experience of the internet using their mobile devices, while accessing content in a fast and affordable way."

He adds that this is in line with MTN's vision to lead the way in bringing a bold new Digital World to its customers, as Opera Mini works on 3,000 handsets and does not require a 3G network to access the web, providing customers with a fast and functional web experience.

"Our relationship with MTN is a strategic one, and we look forward to building on the success we have had in the 17 MTN markets where Opera Mini has already been rolled out. Our goal with Opera Mini is to make the internet more accessible to people via mobile phones, as well as to increase the efficiency of operators in keeping up with an ever-growing mobile web demand," says Lars Boilesen

source : www.4traders.com

Vodacom data usage soars

Data usage on Vodacom South Africa's network grew 79% in the past year‚ driven by lower handset prices and data costs.As a result of the demand Vodacom is investing in increasing network capacity‚ providing innovative solutions and improving customer service. The group plans to increase its data coverage on its 3G network from 88,9% to 100% in South Africa in near future.

According to Frost & Sullivan the growing demand for data services, triggered by the proliferation of smartphones with innovative‚ value-added services and customer demand for converged voice and data services‚ is driving the broadband market in southern Africa.

Vodacom reported a 29% rise in data revenue to R6.1bn for the six months to September driven by bundle sales and integrated offers. In South Africa‚ Vodacom has 15-million active data customers up 13.4% from 2012. 

"Mobile data is one of the biggest opportunities facing us‚ with smartphone and tablet penetration still at low levels in all our markets‚" says Vodacom's chief executive Shameel Joosub.

Research by Informa Telecoms and Media found that smartphone users in South Africa spend on average US$31 per month on their mobile phone. Of the 12 countries surveyed‚ South Africans are the fourth biggest spenders‚ behind consumers in the US‚ Saudi Arabia and the UK.

Mobile data usage rising sharply

Africa's mobile data business is worth US$8.5bn a year and will rise to more than US$23bn in 2018‚ according to the report. 

"It is consumer demand that is driving this growth‚" says principal analyst at Informa Telecoms and Media‚ Nick Jotischky. "But retail prices are still too high‚ smartphones are too expensive and there is a lack of investment in connecting parts of rural Africa. These are barriers restraining greater consumer demand."

Vodacom has been providing finance for consumers who cannot afford to buy smartphones upfront. The company says in South Africa‚ handset financing underpins its strategy of putting data capable devices into customers' hands.
source : bizcommunity.com