IT News
Vodacom Launches Widest 5G Network in KZN
Vodacom has announced its plans to roll-out the widest 5G network in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Its 5G network is currently available on 156 live 5G sites across the KwaZulu-Natal province and supports both mobile and fixed wireless access services. To launch the 5G network in KZN, Vodacom used the temporary spectrum assigned by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), including 1×50 MHz in the 3.5 GHz, 2x10MHz and 700MHz. Vodacom has decided to use the 700 MHz band for wide-scale mobile, 5G coverage and is supplementing network capacity with 3.5 GHz where required. “Vodacom now offers the widest 5G network coverage in KwaZulu-Natal and we expect to expand our national 5G footprint significantly once we get access to new spectrum. We are confident that the r...
Reddit Aquires Video Platform Dubsmash
Image sourced from Reddit Reddit is officially set to acquire TikTok rival – Dubsmash. The social news giant says that this deal will bring to key strengths to its platform. First, Dubsmash’s mission is unique among social platforms and is aligned with Reddit’s own mission of bringing community and belonging to everyone in the world. Just as Reddit is a place for content users won’t see anywhere else on the Internet, Dubsmash provides a welcoming platform for creators and users who are under-represented in social media. Second, Reddit says it will integrate Dubsmash’s innovative video creation tools into its own platform, which will empower its creators to express themselves in original and authentic ways. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_f92.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_f92.td-a-rec-img...
South Africa’s Top 10 Google Searches in 2020
Image sourced from Search Engine Land Google provides a unique insight into the major moments and top trends of 2020 based on the most popular searches conducted in South Africa. Search trends information is gleaned from data collated by Google based on what South Africans have been searching for and asking Google. The information goliath processes more than 40 000 search queries every second. This translates to more than a billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide. This year’s trending searches show South African’s keen interest in the world and people around them. The US election, COVID-19 and Sasol shares captured the nation’s attention. From pineapple beer recipes to Kobe Bryant and Joe Biden, South Africans use search to find out about the things that matte...
vivo V20 to Launch in Kenya
vivo is set to launch its latest premium device – the vivo V20 – in Kenya. The photography-focused smartphone is said to offer extraordinary photography and videography solutions. The vivo V20 features a signature 44MP Eye Autofocus selfie which can shoot up to 4K selfie video with additional unique features such as the—Slo-Mo Selfie video, steadiface selfie video, Dual-view video for back and front viewing at the same time and the Super Night Selfie — that enhance selfie quality and empower users to record life’s special moments. On the back, the V20 sports have a triple camera set up that brings a 64MP-8MP-2MP back camera featuring Super Night Mode on the main lens, which supports tripod shooting, wide-angle night scenes, and a stylish night filter, enabling users to capture stunnin...
Why 5G is Crucial to Closing the Digital Divide
It’s safe to say that high points during the COVID-19 pandemic have been few and far between. South Africans were, however, met with at least one welcome development earlier this year with the launch of the country’s first 5G which supports both commercial mobile and fixed wireless 5G services. Although people were confined to their homes for an extended period of time during lockdown, many South Africans living in major metros were able to use 5G technology to stay in touch, work from home and keep themselves entertained. Not surprisingly, the demand for data during this time was greater than ever before. Vodacom recorded a 40% increase in mobile data traffic in South Africa during the last week of June during the peak of the pandemic, compared with pre-COVID-19 lockdown levels. As the ci...
Apple iPhone 12 Available for Pre-Order in South Africa
The Apple iStore customers can pre-order the iPhone 12 range – for both cash purchases and contract upgrades – from 11 December 2020. The devices will then be delivered straight to their door starting 18 December. The full range of Apple devices includes: iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Mini iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max “Pre-ordering from iStore is a great way to secure upgrades for both cash and contracts purchases early. We offer flexible delivery, so no matter where you are in South Africa during this holiday season, we will get your iPhone to you. To make the experience even better, we have over R3000 worth of free benefits only available to iStore iPhone 12 customers,” says Chris Dodd, CEO of iStore. How to pre-order the iPhone online for cash Pre-ordering online for cash gives custo...
PayCentral and Mastercard Partner to Launch DigiCentral
PayCentral has partnered with Mastercard to launch DigiCentral, a secure online platform that provides small business owners with a simple way of paying out incentives, rewards, gifting, corporate expenses and even salaries to their employees through a prepaid virtual card. The virtual card replaces a physical plastic card and can be used for eCommerce and in-store purchases. To complete a purchase online, DigiCentral virtual cardholders receive a 16-digit card number, security code and expiry date, which they would use much like a physical card. It can be linked to online retail apps like Uber, Uber Eats, Checkers 60 Sixty and others. For in-store purchases, the virtual card can be loaded to any Masterpass-enabled digital wallet. Once loaded, the cardholder can use their mobile phone to s...
SEACOM Appoints New CEO
SEACOM has appointed Oliver Fortuin as its new CEO – effective 4 January 2021. He will succeed Byron Clatterbuck, who joined the ICT company in 2012 as its Chief Commercial Officer and became SEACOM Group CEO in February 2015. Fortuin, who is currently the Group Chief Enterprise Officer at MTN, has worked for over two decades in the ICT sector, across South Africa and the rest of Africa, with industry-leading organisations such as IBM, BT, and, most recently, MTN. “The SEACOM team has built an excellent data connectivity platform in the markets where we operate. We now hope to expand upon this, as well as to develop more industry-leading services that today’s corporate customers in Africa require. Our key focus will be to strengthen our customer base in the corporate segment by offering a ...
Kenya’s Top 10 Google Searches in 2020
Image sourced from Pymnts Google provides a unique insight into the major moments and top trends of 2020 based on the most popular searches conducted in Kenya. Search trends information is gleaned from data collated by Google based on what Kenyans have been searching for and asking Google. The information goliath processes more than 40 000 search queries every second. This translates to more than a billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide. This year’s trending searches show Kenyass’ keen interest in the world and people around them. The US election, COVID-19 and football captured the nation’s attention. From the EPL standings and coronavirus treatments to Kobe Bryant and Money Heist, Kenyans use search to find out about the things that matter to them. Here’s a ...
Telkom Partners with YahClick to Expand Access to Satellite Connectivity
Telkom Consumer and YahClick have signed an agreement which enables individual and business consumers to make “high-quality” voice calls and access broadband data packages from anywhere in South Africa using only a satellite connection. For Phase 1, Telkom will commence with migrating a number of identified consumer customers first and launch to new customers in early 2021. This is expected to significantly expand access to affordable connectivity in rural areas nationally without access to fibre. YahClick Satellite Services will deliver the Telkom data and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) packages through its Satellite Platforms, using Hughes Gateway and Ground Segment technology. “This agreement enables us to seamlessly connect our customers nationwide. Our data service with YahClick ...
Altron People Solutions to Empower Organisations to do Business through the Virtual Business Academy
When South Africa and the rest of the world went into lockdown, it was clear for organisations that they had to reinforce the way they work and do business. Crucial to the current situation was realising that having remote employees and policies in addition to technology was going to be the solution to keep the doors open. However, working remote may be isolated now and then with nobody nearby that you can immediately ask help. Also, some employees will not openly admit to needing help to finish a task nor reach out if they have issues with technology compared to a conventional office setting. On the opposite hand, employers face the dilemma of how to successfully support remote working and ensure business continuity through increased productivity and effectivity. It is against...
ProStream Boosts its Enterprise Portfolio through New Hitachi Vantara Partnership
Marcel Fouché, Networking and Storage General Manager at Networks Unlimited Africa Enterprise systems solutions expert ProStream has announced that it has become a member of the Hitachi Vantara Partner Program in order to strengthen its range of offerings. Hitachi Vantara offers storage solutions for enterprises and mid-sized organisations, as well as hardware, software, data analytics and consultation services for many areas of information technology (IT) and businesses. “Networks Unlimited became a proud distributor of Hitachi Vantara within sub-Saharan Africa during 2019,” says Marcel Fouché, Networking and Storage General Manager at value-added distributor Networks Unlimited Africa. “We pride ourselves on building supportive working relationships with our systems integrators and ...
