The state of MTN’s business in SA and plan for expansion is the focus of this edition of Business Day Spotlight.
Host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Charles Molapisi, CEO of MTN SA.
According to Molapisi, MTN does not see satellite providers such as Starlink as direct competition, but rather as a complementary technology and option for connectivity, contrary to the now-pervasive view that Elon Musk’s company would threaten SA’s mobile operators if it were allowed to start operating locally.
This comes as the debate around ownership rules in telecommunications rages on following government’s move to consider alternatives.
SA operators say they have no problem with more players entering the market as long as there is regulatory parity, Molapisi explains.
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The telecoms executive also outlines how MTN’s move to provide cheap smartphones for R99 is part of a broader push to increase data usage on its network.
SA’s second largest cellphone provider launched a programme to put these into the hands of 1.1-million, with the aim of increase data traffic and usage on its network.
Topics of discussion include the potential entry of Starling in SA; satellite versus mobile and fibre technology; bringing cheap smartphones to SA; and efforts to grow in a saturated telecoms market.
Molapisi also unpacks the company’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) strategy.
Business Day Spotlight is a MultimediaLIVE Production.
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