{"id":549080,"date":"2006-06-06T07:41:59","date_gmt":"2006-06-06T07:41:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8888\/wordpress\/technology\/549080-telkom-exploring-opportunities-beyond-sa.html"},"modified":"2006-06-06T07:41:59","modified_gmt":"2006-06-06T07:41:59","slug":"telkom-exploring-opportunities-beyond-sa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/technology\/549080-telkom-exploring-opportunities-beyond-sa.html","title":{"rendered":"Telkom exploring opportunities beyond SA"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><font size=\"2\">According to Telkom CEO Papi Molotsane, the focus is on data acquisitions and fixed\/mobile opportunities. He says a detailed evaluation process is followed on each opportunity to ensure it is a strategic fit, all risks and resource requirements are understood and the potential returns exceed Telkom&#8217;s minimum requirements. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">The telecommunications group, which still maintains a monopoly in South Africa although a second fixed-line network operator licence has been granted by the government, recently confirmed that it had been approached by Portuguese investors to participate in a rival bid for a stake in Portugal Telecom SGPS SA.<\/font> <\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">However, it said it had decided not to pursue the opportunity &#8211; one of many it said it had been approached about. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">In other areas, the group says the evolution to an IP centric network is a business imperative which cannot be delayed. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">&quot;It is imperative that the company increases investment in its network to reduce the cost of operating the network and to be able to deliver fully converged products and services to meet customer needs in a rapidly changing technological environment,&quot; says Molotsane. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">Acceleration of Telkom&#8217;s broadband penetration is a critical element of this strategy. Molotsane says the technology has reached critical mass and is set to become the technology of choice as demonstrated globally. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">&quot;The evolution to a Next Generation Network is a phased approach based on sound commercial criteria and will be required to exploit new opportunities in the ICT solutions market and bring down the cost of telecommunications in South Africa. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">&quot;The first phase, expected to last 3 years, is mainly concentrated on enabling the network for broadband services. The second phase is the conversion of existing products and services to NGN. Depending on customer demand and profitability, this phase is expected to be complete by 2015 when Telkom should have a predominantly IP network with most products and <br \/>services on the new platform.&quot; <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">Molotsane says that delaying the investment will result in lost opportunities and erode Telkom&#8217;s ability to retain existing customers through new services, features and functionality. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">&quot;Given the centrality of ICT to economic growth and social development, Telkom remains strategically important to the achievement of national objectives and will continue to invest significantly in the development of a viable and vibrant marketplace. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">&quot;In this context, Telkom is also exploring opportunities outside South Africa&#8217;s borders where there is potential for growth,&quot; Molotsane adds. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">He says that Telkom&#8217;s vision is to be a leading customer and employee- centred ICT solutions service provider. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">&quot;Telkom is focused on balancing the needs of all stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainable and profitable growth of the business for shareholders. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">&quot;The accelerated liberalisation of the market, in particular the implications of the Electronic Communications Act, the emergence of new technologies and customer demand is clearly material to Telkom&#8217;s strategic intentions. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">&quot;Telkom believes that it is strongly positioned to compete in a liberalised market. Customer service excellence through a skilled and dedicated work force, greater product and service choice as well as added value for customers will ensure long-term value creation. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">&quot;Telkom will also pursue opportunities to provide the full spectrum of ICT solutions including voice, data, video and Internet services increasingly through broadband penetration,&quot; says Molotsane. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">To ensure that Telkom can sustain the creation of value relative to developments in its dynamic market environment, he adds, management have determined certain shifts in strategic emphasis. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">He says Telkom will focus on the following imperatives to sustain long- term value creation for all its stakeholders: <\/font><\/p>\n<p><font size=\"2\">\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Investing in the development of employees to maintain competitive advantage <br \/>\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Enhancing customer satisfaction through customer centricity <br \/>\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Retaining revenue and generating growth <br \/>\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Evolving to a next generation network in order to support profitable growth through prudent cost management <br \/>\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Repositioning Telkom stakeholder management to create healthy external relationships. <\/font><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/vb\/showthread.php?t=45189\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><font color=\"#0000ff\" size=\"2\">Discuss this article<\/font><\/a> <\/p>\n<p \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>South African telecommunications giant Telkom (TKG) said it is exploring opportunities outside the country&#8217;s borders where, it says, there is potential for growth, healthy returns and long-term value creation for its stakeholders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sma_x_autopost_status":"idle","_sma_x_autopost_error":"","_sma_x_post_id":"","_sma_facebook_post_id":"","_sma_instagram_post_id":"","_sma_threads_post_id":"","_sma_x_attempts":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-549080","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549080"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=549080"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549080\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=549080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=549080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=549080"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}