TC|Daily | Q-KON’s Dawie de Wet on big changes sweeping the satellite industry

Loading player...
There has never been a more exciting time to be in the satellite communications industry, says Dawie de Wet, CEO of Pretoria-based Q-KON.
In this episode of TC|Daily, De Wet, who is one of South Africa’s leading experts in satellite communications technology, tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the huge changes happening in the satellite space and what they mean for consumers and for industry.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get the latest episodes of TC|Daily
In the interview, De Wet talks about:
* The origins of Q-KON;
* Why satellite is going through something of a renaissance, despite the proliferation of terrestrial and subsea fibre infrastructure;
* GEO (geostationary orbit) vs MEO (medium-earth orbit) vs LEO (low-earth orbit) satellites – what are they, and what are the latest developments in each?;
* How satellite technology has advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years;
* Why it might not be the mobile operators that drive a consumer revolution in satellite adoption, but why a revolution is coming anyway;
* Starlink, OneWeb, Lightspeed, O3b mPower, AST SpaceMobile and other projects – and is there overinvestment taking place?;
* How Africa’s needs are different to the rest of the world’s; and
* Q-KON’s role in all of this.
This is a fascinating discussion about an often overlooked area of the technology industry – don’t miss it.
10 Oct 2022 English South Africa Technology · Business

Other recent episodes

TCS+ | Inside MTN's big brand overhaul

The Better Connection. Everywhere You Go. Or simply just Y’ello. Brand identity matters, and MTN South Africa – one of South Africa’s most valued brands – is keenly aware of that fact. Indeed, when a big consumer brand changes its brand positioning, it’s always a big deal – not only…
11 Apr 31 min

TCS | Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner on tech, AI and the future of banking

Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner believes technology is fundamental to the company’s success. Kallner, an actuary who joined Discovery in its early days as a medical insurance company and who has held various senior leadership roles over the years, tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the group’s decision to launch…
23 Mar 37 min

Across South Africa in an EV: how one man did it before charging stations

Shaun Maidment crossed South Africa in an electric car, a BMW i3, before there was a network of charging infrastructure along the national routes – and he has a heck of a story to tell about his adventure. Charging infrastructure along South Africa’s national routes is now so commonplace that…
13 Mar 40 min

Meet the CIO | Kerissa Varma on what it takes to be a top CISO

Being a chief information security officer (CISO) in 2025 is a daunting role, but one that TechCentral’s guest in this episode of the Meet the CIO relishes. Kerissa Varma, who was recently appointed as chief cybersecurity advisor in Africa for Microsoft, previously served as group CISO at Vodacom and before…
10 Mar 43 min