Asia Pacific focussed telecommunications consultants. Telecoms industry market research.

South Africa - Broadband & Internet Market
Synopsis South Africa's Internet and Broadband market is finally taking off after years of stagnation due to an expensive operating environment created by Telkom SA's dominance in the fixed-line and international bandwidth market. Wireless broadband, including 3G/HSDPA mobile data services now rival available ADSL offerings in terms of both speed and price, and consequently subscriber numbers. With its fixed-line network reaching less than 10% of the population, the incumbent has reacted by launching its own 3G network and the country's first commercial WiMAX service, but various competitors are hard on its heels rolling out the same technology, including second national operator Neotel. A new converged licensing regime has created hundreds of companies licensed to offer Internet services. There has been consolidation in the sector which is expected to continue. The arrival of Seacom as the second international submarine fibre optic cable in South Africa in 2009 has brought down the cost of international bandwidth dramatically. Previously, Telkom had been monopolising access to the only major cable serving the country, SAT-3/WASC/SAFE. Several other cables are scheduled to go live in 2010 and 2011.
Last Update: 15 Feb 2010 Number of Pages: 23

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South Africa - Convergence - VoIP, NGN & Digital Media
Synopsis With its relatively well developed and diverse infrastructure, South Africa is taking a regional lead role in the convergence of telecommunication and information technologies with the media and entertainment sector, promising reductions in telecommunication costs and better availability of information and services. The legalisation of VoIP Internet telephony in 2005 marked the beginning of a fundamental change in the country's telecoms landscape. Billions of dollars are being invested into IP-based NGN that are capable of delivering converged services more efficiently. Telecom carriers and ISPs are moving into delivering audio and video content over their networks, while in turn the traditional electronic media carriers are discovering the potential of their infrastructure for telecommunications service delivery. Digital media and social media have reached a level of development to foster an associated advertising and marketing industry. Online advertising in South Africa is growing at the fastest rate among all countries in the English-speaking world, and the country has more Twitter users than Japan, China, Spain and the Netherlands.
Last Update: 15 Feb 2010 Number of Pages: 19

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South Africa - Fixed Line Market and Infrastructure - Overview & Statistics
Following years of delays, the second national operator Neotel has finally launched services in competition to Telkom SA, using wireless technologies such as CDMA and WiMAX to provide alternatives to the incumbent's copper access network. In addition, the government has created InfraCo, a national infrastructure company to provide cheap backbone network capacity to service providers. The arrival of new international submarine fibre optic cables to the country's shores in 2009 will bring down the cost of international bandwidth dramatically. The government is planning to licence a third fixed network operator in 2009, along with a fourth mobile operator. Despite the significantly increased competition between different service providers, many municipalities in South Africa are implementing their own fibre and wireless broadband networks, including all of the major metro areas.
Last Update: 2 Jan 2009 Number of Pages: 24

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South Africa - Key Statistics, Telecom Market & Regulatory Overviews
Synopsis South Africa's telecom sector boasts the continent's most advanced networks in terms of technology deployed and services provided. Following years of delays with its licensing, the second national operator Neotel has finally launched services in competition to Telkom SA and is gaining traction in the market. This, in combination with other sweeping liberalisation measures - also delayed by years - is beginning to change the country's telecoms landscape fundamentally and bringing prices down. Under the new regulatory regime, hundreds of alternative service providers are now pushing into the market with converged services. The end of Telkom's monopoly on international submarine cables has reduced the cost of telecommunication in South Africa dramatically. Key regulatory events shaping the market in 2010/11 will be the unbundling of the local loop (ULL, or LLU) and the auctioning of WiMAX spectrum.
Last Update: 15 Feb 2010 Number of Pages: 22

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South Africa - Mobile Market - Overview & Statistics
Synopsis South Africa has a vibrant mobile market that has seen rapid uptake since competition was introduced to the sector 15 years ago. With market penetration above 100% and number portability available, the network operators - Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and Telkom SA - are increasingly forced to find innovative ways of distinguishing themselves from the competition in order to gain and retain customers. In addition, Virgin has entered the market as a MVNO. 3G/HSDPA mobile broadband services now rival available DSL fixed-line offerings in terms of both speed and price, and consequently subscriber numbers. While emerging as the country's leading broadband providers, the major mobile operators are also aggressively entering the fixed-line market in a rapidly converging environment. Fixed-line incumbent Telkom SA has reacted by launching its own 3G mobile network.
Last Update: 15 Feb 2010 Number of Pages: 24

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