Budget documents released last week by the department of communications state that Sentech will close its wireless high-speed internet product, MyWireless, and the Biznet service to help the company to profitability. It will also come up with a strategy for the network technology product VSAT.<\/p>\n
Sentech should also come up with a marketing strategy for its decoder business, Vivid – that is if the Independent Communications Authority of SA will let it continue the poorly marketed service. <\/p>\n
According to the latest media reports, the government lacks confidence in Sentech's management. As a result, the department of communications and the treasury are working together to help restore its corporate governance, financial management and strategic focus to bring it back into the black.<\/p>\n
Instead of making an outright response to defend itself, Sentech has opted to release a "consolidated and comprehensive response" in the next 10 days. It was quick to add that "the long-term future of the company is a lot more positive than appears from what is currently in the public domain". That is hard to believe. <\/p>\n
If Sentech is unable to make a success of MyWireless and other related products, what guarantees are there that it will be able to handle the multibillion-rand national broadband network, especially after more than 100 resignations a year ago? <\/p>\n
The department of communications recently gave Sentech R500 million to start with the network roll-out to take telecoms services such as the internet to hospitals, schools and rural areas.<\/p>\n