The US International Development Finance Corporation said on Wednesday it would invest up to US$155-million in African digital infrastructure provider Wiocc Group, underscoring Washington’s support for projects seen as critical to the expansion of US technology companies. Washington has increasingly backed telecommunications and digital infrastructure projects in Africa as it seeks to provide alternatives to…
Octotel CEO Trevor van Zyl Octotel CEO Trevor van Zyl joins the TechCentral Show to talk about where South Africa’s fibre market goes next – including a potential merger with MetroFibre Networx. Van Zyl told TechCentral that Octotel and MetroFibre Networx are assessing a combination that would create the country’s third-largest fibre network operator, with…
The Development Bank of Southern Africa reported R7.8 billion profit, while backing connectivity and infrastructure development across Southern Africa. The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting South Africa’s digital infrastructure sector, with investments made to local businesses contributing to the deployment of 47 545km of fibre during the year…
Abraham van der Merwe and Shane Chorley Frogfoot Networks, internet service provider Vox and prepaid fibre brand Hypa have raised new equity and are expanding their debt facilities in a transaction that values the businesses at R14.4-billion and is meant to more than quadruple the rate at which Frogfoot connects South African homes. The target…
Abraham van der Merwe, Group CEO of Vivica Group. Local telecoms and connectivity businesses Frogfoot Networks, Vox and Hypa have secured new equity capital and debt facilities in a transaction that values the companies at R14.4 billion. The three sister firms sit under Vivica Group: Vox is the main telecoms business, while fibre infrastructure provider…
The AI boom is transforming national energy planning, as hyperscalers prioritise power-rich locations for future data centre campuses. Artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally changing the global data centre industry, with access to electricity replacing fibre connectivity as the most important factor determining where the next generation of data centres will be built. This is according…
Openserve has mounted a defence of its decision to launch its own internet service provider, telling TechCentral that the Telkom-owned wholesale fibre operator is “well below the threshold for dominance” in competition law – and that the bundled deals ISPs warn they cannot match are available to every provider on its network on the same…
AFL introduces FOCIS Flex3 and FlowScout Quad OLTS to improve fibre inspection and certification workflows. AFL, which positions itself as an industry-leading manufacturer of fibre-optic cables, connectivity, equipment and related services, announces the launch of the FOCIS Flex3 Connector Inspection System and FlowScout Quad OLTS Certification Test Set. Together, these solutions enable technicians to quickly…
Fibertime founder Alan Knott-Craig Fibertime, the pay-as-you-go township fibre network founded by serial telecoms entrepreneur Alan Knott-Craig, has reaveled that it has recorded download speeds of 1Gbit/s on its network in Alexandra, Johannesburg – a notable marker for a service better known for its price than its raw performance. In a post on LinkedIn, Knott-Craig…
Government officials and Vuma executives with communications minister Solly Malatsi. South African fibre network operator Vuma has connected 1 000 schools across South Africa to date, extending broadband access to an estimated 860 000 learners and 40 000 teachers. The milestone was commemorated at Molamo Primary School in Limpopo this week, where government officials, educators…
