Vodacom gets stake in be-Mobile?

Monkagedi Gaothobogwe | Monday October 28, 2013 16:27

 

Sources say the transaction could be officially announced in two months. Be-Mobile is said to be struggling to roll-out 3G cellphone technology, trailing behind the likes of Mascom, which is supported by Portugal telecom, and Orange, which is powered by Orange International.

Twinning with Vodacom is thus envisaged to enable Be-Mobile to not only smoothly offer 3G technology but also prepare it to launch 4G technology, also known as LTE.

Vodacom, which currently powers Be-Mobile's roaming capacity in Southern Africa, is owned by British company, Vodaphone, which also owns Kenya's cellphone company, Safaricom.

Already, Vodacom and other South African cellular networks offer the latest 4G technology for cellphones, which among others, enables the creation of a  wifi area in homes for the Samsung smart tv experience, links smart phones to banks, car tracking devices and tele-medicine, to name a few.

Be-Mobile spokesperson Golekanye Molapisi referred The Monitor to the Public Enterprises Evaluation and Privatisation Agency (PEEPA), which is handling the matter.

Although PEEPA could not be reached at press time for comment, the  Minister of Infrastructure Nonofo Molefhi said in future, Be-Mobile may look for a technical partner. He said he has been informed that nothing has been concluded yet in that area. 

He said the Be-Mobile privatisation exercise will see government remaining with a 51 percent shareholding, with 5 percent going to Botswana Telecommunications Corporation employees and 44 percent reserved for Batswana.