Telkom applies for mobile licence

South Africa’s fixed line incumbent Telkom has applied for spectrum in the 1800MHz band from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), reports ITWeb. Telkom, a 50% shareholder in Vodacom, the country’s leading cellco by subscribers, is potentially looking to become the fourth mobile operator, competing with Vodacom, MTN and Cell C. Telkom is thought to be seeking a sale of its Vodacom holding, which should provide enough cash to build its own mobile infrastructure. Commentators believe that with Vodacom making its own inroads into the fixed line market, Telkom would find it easier to offer fixed-mobile converged services if it had control of its own mobile network.