Shoprite Holdings CEO Pieter Engelbrecht Shoprite has completed its acquisition of R&A Cellular, taking an initial 51% of the eMalahleni company whose point-of-sale devices sit behind the counter in spaza shops and informal stores across South Africa. The transaction became effective on 14 August 2026, according to Shoprite Holdings’ results for the 52 weeks to…
Retailability, the South African retail group founded in 1984, has officially launched Edgars Connect, the brand’s first dedicated standalone cellular store concept. The rollout represents a strategic expansion into the high-growth telecommunications and digital accessory sectors, aiming to leverage the existing footprint of the historic Edgars brand across Southern Africa. Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile…
MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita MTN Group has agreed to acquire the shares in IHS Towers that it does not already own, in a deal that would see Africa’s largest mobile operator take full control of nearly 29 000 towers across the continent – effectively reversing years of selling off its passive infrastructure. The IHS board…
Quectel Wireless Solutions, an end-to-end global IoT solutions provider, today announces the launch of the world’s first 5G-advanced (5G-A) automotive-grade cellular module, the AR588MA, establishing it as the industry’s highest-performing and most reliable wireless communication product for vehicles. Based on MediaTek’s latest-generation MT2739 platform, the AR588MA supports 5G-A communication technology and is the world’s first…
AST SpaceMobile on Wednesday announced a deal with Verizon to provide cellular service from space beginning next year. This deal aims to bring direct-to-service connection via space to cell phone users “when needed” on Verizon plans, according to AST. It marks an expansion of a partnership between the two companies announced last year. AST shares…
Prepaid mobile subscribers will be affected by increased verification costs, says the Association of Comms and Technology. South Africa’s mobile network operator umbrella body has slammed the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for its 6 500% increase in the cost of biometric verifications. It says the move is contrary to government’s own socio-economic endeavours. This…
Donald Trump is entering the telecommunications market with a new cellular brand, Trump Mobile, announced today by Donald Trump Jr. The new venture will offer a single wireless plan called “The 47 Plan” and will also sell a gold-accented smartphone, “The T1 Phone,” purportedly manufactured in the United States. Read: iPadOS 26 unleashes Mac-like productivity…
