Quintus de Beer on MTN's plan to win at wholesale

Loading player...
For years, Cell C was the only game in town for brands wanting to launch a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). That’s changing -- fast -- and now MTN has said it is positioning itself as the “go-to network backbone partner” in South Africa.
MTN South Africa wholesale executive Quintus de Beer joins Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (TCS) to unpack in detail what this plan means for other network carriers and prospective MVNO players.
De Beer said MTN wants to be the “network of choice” for the wholesale market by 2025, even as rivals Vodacom and Telkom gear up to launch MVNO enablement platforms of their own -- in line with the requirements set out in last year’s broadband spectrum auction.
Already, both Telkom and Cell C both roam on MTN's infrastructure, with a number of MVNOs also launching on the operator’s network, including Pick n Pay’s PnP Mobile and Afrihost’s Air Mobile -- with more to be announced soon, according to De Beer.
In this episode of TCS, De Beer chats about:
* Why wholesale is so important to MTN
* MTN’s relationship with Cell C and Telkom
* The MVNOs on MTN’s network
* What’s involved in supporting MVNOs
* The market size for MVNOs
* Why it took so long for MVNOs to take off in South Africa
Don’t miss a fascinating discussion.
25 Apr 2023 6AM English South Africa Technology · Business

Other recent episodes

Alan Knott-Craig unveils Fibertime’s big bet on township fibre

Alan Knott-Craig’s new fibre internet business has been flying below the radar for some time now, but the serial telecommunications entrepreneur has finally unpacked his plans for the business. Speaking to the TechCentral Show this week, Knott-Craig – who has led a range of well-known tech businesses, including Mxit, World…
15 Aug 5AM 22 min

Pick n Pay’s Enrico Ferigolli on building asap! and taking on Shoprite

Although Shoprite Group stole a march on many of South Africa’s retailers in on-demand online grocery delivery during the Covid-19 lockdowns, Pick n Pay has a clear plan to make up lost ground and compete aggressively for market share. Enrico Ferigolli, who co-founded the liquor delivery app Bottles – which…
14 Aug 8AM 49 min

Britehouse MBO: Graham Parker on what’s next for software firm

A recent management buyout of Britehouse from NTT Data – previously Dimension Data – has put the software development house on a new trajectory. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Duncan McLeod chats to Britehouse executive chairman Graham Parker about the MBO of Britehouse Mobility and what it means…
30 Jul 4AM 25 min

Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

The Lekker Network is a recently launched global business platform designed to help South African expatriates find business and investment opportunities around the world, including at home. Founded by a group of well-known businesspeople, The Lekker Network was launched in March and offers members access to a business directory, a…
7 Jul 10AM 20 min

TCS | South Africa’s Sociable wants to make social media social again

The digitisation of social interactions has made it easier for people to maintain contact and build online communities. However, there has been a decrease in in-person interaction that has contributed to a sense of disconnect. South African-made social media platform Sociable hopes to solve this problem by combining online engagement…
23 Jun 8AM 23 min