Outspoken Du CEO, Osman Sultan is of the opinion that network operators themselves should consider becoming over-the-top providers in their own right, in order to head off the threat of players from outside the telco industry entering it and reaping benefits on infrastructure investments they have not made.
Why can’t telcos become OTT’s?
November 30th, 2013 — Issue 40 October/November 2013
The ripple effect
November 24th, 2013 — Issue 40 October/November 2013
In September Vodafone announced it had finally confirmed the deal to sell its 45 per cent stake in Verizon Wireless to Verizon for a total consideration of US$130 billion. While much of the proceeds from the sale are set to be distributed to Vodafone shareholders, the sheer size of the transaction and its implications for Vodafone’s global strategic positioning have analysts and commentators speculating on the knock-on effects of the deal
Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao says the pending US$130 billion US transaction will reward shareholders for their long-term support and will provide Vodafone with a strong balance sheet, and strategic flexibility to make further investments in the business (Image by: Dominic Lipinski/PA)
Smart moves
November 19th, 2013 — Issue 40 October/November 2013
Jay Srage, Qualcomm’s SVP and president for MEA and South East Asia talks to Comm. about the company’s prospects in the region, and why it has been so successful in converting the mobile broadband opportunity
Srage was appointed to oversee Qualcomm’s activities in South East Asia earlier this year 
Reducing the cost of consumption
November 14th, 2013 — Issue 40 October/November 2013
Alcatel-Lucent continues to make strong progress in the Middle East and North Africa. The company’s president for the region, Pierre Chaume, sat down and detailed the company’s areas of progress
Pierre Chaume says Alcatel-Lucent in MENA is well set to mobilise the full range of the company’s assets and resources to achieve a decisive swing in the group’s industrial focus in line with ‘The Shift Plan’
A new deal
November 10th, 2013 — Issue 40 October/November 2013
Last June, Dubai-based FRiENDI Group entered into a strategic partnership with Virgin Group, which saw the UK conglomerate combine its South Africa mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), Virgin Mobile South Africa (VMSA), into FRiENDI Group’s portfolio of MVNO operations. The creation of Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa (VMMEA) resulted in the VMSA management reporting line being extended to VMMEA’s Dubai headquarters, from where operational and strategic direction has been rendered, and the results on the ground have been nothing short of exceptional
Anton Landman was appointed CEO of Virgin Mobile South Africa in July 2013, having previously been the company’s CFO
