Communications regulator Icasa has gazetted an update to its consumer-protection rules that will materially change how mobile data, voice and SMS bundles work – and sharply limit how operators bill customers once those bundles are depleted. Published in the Government Gazette on 23 January, the end-user and subscriber service charter amendment regulations introduce stricter requirements…
European Commission tech chief Henna Virkkunen. Nadja Wohlleben/Reuters Europe’s telecommunications operators will get a major boost under a European Commission proposal announced on Wednesday, allowing them to use radio spectrum for an unlimited duration, but their demand that Big Tech be required to help fund the cost of rolling out broadband went unheeded. The commission’s…
The Sentech television broadcasting tower in Auckland Park, Johannesburg Communications regulator Icasa has published draft regulations that will, when introduced, significantly tighten oversight of Sentech’s terrestrial broadcasting signal distribution business, formally declaring the state-owned company to have significant market power across television, FM radio and AM radio transmission services. The proposed signal distribution services regulations,…
Climate change is no longer just about melting ice or hotter summers. It is also a financial problem. Droughts, floods, storms and heatwaves damage crops, factories and infrastructure. At the same time, the global push to cut greenhouse gas emissions creates risks for countries that depend on oil, gas or coal. These pressures can destabilise…
By any measure, the landscape of youth entrepreneurship is changing fast. Business opportunities for young people today are no longer confined by geography, access to capital, or traditional gatekeepers. Instead, they are increasingly shaped by digital accessibility, sustainability, and flexible, service-based model. Across the continent, young Africans are harnessing technology, creativity, and lived experience to…
New York City, United States – Since the recent termination of the nearly decade-old trade rule called “de minimis,” United States consumers and businesses have been exposed to slower shipping, destroyed packages and steep tariff fees on international goods – foreshadowing what could make for a chaotic holiday shopping season. For major international carrier UPS,…
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa are set to benefit from enhanced support to meet international trade standards, as the World Trade Organization (WTO) launched a new initiative aimed at empowering businesses to comply with global regulations. Speaking in pre-recorded opening remarks at the “Beyond Tariffs: How Standards and Regulations Shape Agribusiness Competitiveness” forum…
A retail CBDC is defined as a purely digital banknote, denominated in the national unit of account, says SARB. The South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB’s) position paper on a retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) in South Africa has concluded there is no compelling immediate need for its implementation. In a statement, the central bank…
The director of the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine division told agency staff in a memo that an internal review found that at least 10 children died “after and because of receiving” the Covid vaccine. The 3,000-word memo, obtained by NBC News, was written by Dr. Vinay Prasad, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics…
Africa’s efforts to scale up clean energy are being held back by financing rules that do not align with the needs of mid-sized renewable projects, according to investors and developers. They say current lending systems are designed for large-scale infrastructure, leaving smaller ventures struggling to move forward. Speaking at the Africa Investment Forum on November…
