The mobile-phone market in South Africa has evolved rapidly since competition was introduced to the sector 15 years ago, and the market has reached a mature stage. Future growth in mobile subscriptions will therefore be restricted by the already high levels of penetration, which have reached more than 140%.
Telkom, the former incumbent, plans to spend around Rebn over the next five years on its own mobile-phone business, having divested its 50% stake in Vodacom, the country's principal mobile operator, in May 2009. Losses at Telkom Mobile (previously 8ta) remain substantial. Although mobile revenue in the six months to end-September 2013 increased by 55.4% on the year-earlier period to R926m (US$84m),and mobile data revenue was up by 50% to R3O3m, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) losses increased by almost 8%, to R773m.
Ongoing losses have sparked speculation that MTN, another mobile operator, and Telkom Mobile are in the process of forging a deal involving tower and network sharing, and a more extensive roaming agreement. Telkom officials have denied this, however. Meanwhile, Telkom Mobile's market share continues to lag behind that of its competitors, at an estimated 2.3%, compared with 17.2% for another competitor, Cell C.

Telecommunications report 2

Mobile 2

Fixed 5

Internet 6

Industry publishing schedule 8

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