Johannesburg, 20 Apr 2005
At a ceremony hosted by Vodacom last night, Minister of Communication, Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri and South Africa`s leading Cellular Network, announced the signing of five agreements between Vodacom and Under Serviced Area Licensees (USALs), announced by the Department last year says Shameel Joosub, Managing Director, Vodacom (Pty) Ltd: "Vodacom supports Minister Matsepe-Casaburri`s initiatives to provide vital communication to thousands of previously disenfranchised people in rural areas. This initiative further entrenches the indispensable role cellular technology can play in empowering ordinary people to not only communicate with the outside world, but possibly become economically active as well.
"We have often spoken of the cellphone `democratising` telephones, and this is the best example we have of bridging the digital divide, while creating jobs, alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life of ordinary South Africans," he said.
Vodacom engaged the five USALs (Bokamoso Consortium, Karabotel, Bokone Telecomms, Amatole Telecomms, and Kingdom Communications), as independent licensed telecommunications operators in the industry.
In terms of the signed wholesale agreements, Vodacom`s offering to the USALs essentially entails the provision of the following services:
* A regional roaming service enabling USAL customers to make and receive calls and SMS`s within the licensed area of the USAL, using the Vodacom network.
* A voicemail service, including the provision and maintenance of voicemail boxes.
* Access to emergency services.
* Assistance with respect to the manufacturing of SIM cards and prepaid re-charge vouchers (with USAL branding and programmed on the USALs number plan).
* Skills transfer and learnership programmes. Vodacom invited the USALs to select their appropriate employees and make them part of the learnership programmes in Vodacom that are available through the SETA grants. This will enable the USALs to get skills transfer into their respective organisations which are vital for a smooth start up phase of their businesses. This will also include technical skills transfer where needed.
According to Joosub: "Vodacom has embraced the spirit of entrepreneurship and true empowerment in that the commercial agreements recognise the USALs` rights and obligations to develop their own network infrastructure and distinctive services. Thus, USALs will be able to move their customers off the Vodacom network and services over time, as and when the USALs construct their own network infrastructure.
Even though some of the USALs have opted not to initially build their own networks, they will at minimum, develop and sell their own services, under their own brand at their own retail tariffs.
"Roaming on the Vodacom network means that USALs will not have the burden of having to construct capital intensive network infrastructure and of servicing the debt through their businesses in the initial phase."
Says Joosub: "These agreements will enable USALs to focus on building a customer base and a unique brand within the shortest possible timeframe, thereby creating positive cash flows, which can then fund the infrastructure roll-out as imposed by their licenses".
Yebo Gogo!
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