WBS ordered to pay Vodacom R41m

] WBS needs to pay almost R41.5 million for interconnection fees for the period October 2013 to May 2014.

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Wireless Business Solutions (WBS) has reportedly been ordered by the South Gauteng High Court to pay Vodacom over R41 million in interconnection fees.

According to media reports, the court handed down the judgement in September, ordering WBS to pay almost R41.5 million to the telecoms operator, plus interest and legal costs.

The dispute stems from an outstanding payment for interconnection fees for the period of October 2013 to May 2014.

WBS argued the 2013 short message interconnection agreement with Vodacom was invalid and unenforceable, but the court ruled in Vodacom's favour, saying the telco was entitled to charge a short message interconnection fee at an agreed rate.

WBS was last year acquired by network management company Multisource. Shareholders and directors in the company include FirstRand founder Paul Harris, MTN's ex-CTO Phumlani Moholi, former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan, technologist and entrepreneur Brandon Leigh, Design Indaba founding CEO Ravi Naidoo, and Multisource group CEO Duncan Simpson-Craib.

WBS plans to build a high-speed 4.5G national data network in South Africa, over the next five years, worth billions of rands.

WBS had not responded to requests for comment by the time of publication.