Vodacom
Encyclopedia
Vodacom is a pan-African mobile telecommunications
company, and was the 1st cellular network in South Africa. It provides GSM service
to more than 35 million customers in South Africa
, Tanzania
, Lesotho
, Mozambique
and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2008 was 48.178 billion South African Rand
. It was owned on a 50:50 basis by the South African telecommunications group Telkom and the British mobile phone operator Vodafone
. On 6 November 2008 Vodafone announced that it had agreed to increase its stake to 65%, and Telkom said that it would spin off its remaining holding by listing it on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. On April 1 2011, Vodacom officially unveiled its new change in branding from blue to red. This is in keeping with its UK parent company, Vodafone.
Vodacom provides coverage to Mount Kilimanjaro
, which used to make it the highest point in the world to be covered by GSM. It no longer is, as China Mobile now provides coverage at the top of Mt. Everest, the highest point in the world. Vodacom was aided by its optimistic advertisements at the early stages of the democratic South Africa, this includes the yebo gogo campaign which is still in effect today in South Africa. Vodacom is the leading cellular network in South Africa with an estimated market share of 58% and more than 23 million customers.
(3rd generation) or UMTS network in South Africa and is also offering HSPA+ 21.1 Mbit/s and HSUPA (2100 MHz). Vodacom is also offering 42 Mbit/s on a trial basis, and should be commercially available in 2011. In terms of other technology Vodacom has its hand in Wi-Fi,WiMAX and LTE. Vodacom to date is upgrading the whole South African system to introduce these new technologies.
, they are the sponsors of the Pretoria
-based Vodacom Blue Bulls
.
In soccer they sponsor two clubs in the Premier Soccer League, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. They also sponsor the South African Football Association
and the national teams Bafana Bafana
(men), Amajita (under 20's), and previously Banyana Banyana
(women). However, MTN was the sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
held in South Africa.
Vodacom also owns the naming rights
to several stadiums, among them Vodacom Park
in Bloemfontein and Loftus Versfeld
in Pretoria.
, a court dismissed a joint COSATU and ICASA application to stop Vodacom's JSE listing. Chegoane Mabelane, the South African article writer and prominent supporter of both African National Congress
and its alliance; in one of his articles stated that the interdict to stop listing was fair.
In January 2010 the Sunday Times alleged that Alan Knott-Craig, former Vodacom CEO, helped his son with business ventures using Vodacom resources. He also allegedly awarded a multi-million-rand contract to a marketing and advertising company run by family members.
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
company, and was the 1st cellular network in South Africa. It provides GSM service
GSM services
GSM services are a standard collection of applications and features available to mobile phone subscribers all over the world. The GSM standards are defined by the 3GPP collaboration and implemented in hardware and software by equipment manufacturers and mobile phone operators...
to more than 35 million customers in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Tanzania
Vodacom Tanzania
Vodacom Tanzania Limited is Tanzania's leading cellular network company. As of May 18, 2010, Vodacom Tanzania had over eight million customers and became the largest wireless telecommunications network in Tanzania...
, Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2008 was 48.178 billion South African Rand
South African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
. It was owned on a 50:50 basis by the South African telecommunications group Telkom and the British mobile phone operator Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
. On 6 November 2008 Vodafone announced that it had agreed to increase its stake to 65%, and Telkom said that it would spin off its remaining holding by listing it on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. On April 1 2011, Vodacom officially unveiled its new change in branding from blue to red. This is in keeping with its UK parent company, Vodafone.
Vodacom provides coverage to Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
, which used to make it the highest point in the world to be covered by GSM. It no longer is, as China Mobile now provides coverage at the top of Mt. Everest, the highest point in the world. Vodacom was aided by its optimistic advertisements at the early stages of the democratic South Africa, this includes the yebo gogo campaign which is still in effect today in South Africa. Vodacom is the leading cellular network in South Africa with an estimated market share of 58% and more than 23 million customers.
Technology
Vodacom was also the 1st provider to deploy a 3G3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
(3rd generation) or UMTS network in South Africa and is also offering HSPA+ 21.1 Mbit/s and HSUPA (2100 MHz). Vodacom is also offering 42 Mbit/s on a trial basis, and should be commercially available in 2011. In terms of other technology Vodacom has its hand in Wi-Fi,WiMAX and LTE. Vodacom to date is upgrading the whole South African system to introduce these new technologies.
Sports sponsorship
Vodacom is a sponsor of South African sports. In provincial rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, they are the sponsors of the Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
-based Vodacom Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
.
In soccer they sponsor two clubs in the Premier Soccer League, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. They also sponsor the South African Football Association
South African Football Association
The South African Football Association or SAFA is the governing body of football in South Africa.-History:The South African Football Association was founded on 8 December, 1991, the culmination of a long unity process that was to rid the sport in South Africa of all its past racial division.Four...
and the national teams Bafana Bafana
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
(men), Amajita (under 20's), and previously Banyana Banyana
South Africa women's national football team
The South Africa national women's football team, nicknamed Banyana Banyana , is the national team of South Africa and is controlled by the South African Football Association.Their first official match was held in 30 May 1993 against Swaziland....
(women). However, MTN was the sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
held in South Africa.
Vodacom also owns the naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
to several stadiums, among them Vodacom Park
Free State Stadium
The Free State Stadium , also known as Vodacom Park, is a stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, used mainly for rugby union and association football...
in Bloemfontein and Loftus Versfeld
Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Loftus Versfeld Stadium is a rugby and association football stadium situated in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The stadium has a capacity of 51,762 for rugby union and hosted the 2009 Currie Cup final...
in Pretoria.
Controversies
On May 17, 20092009 in South Africa
-February:* 4 February – Jacob Zuma appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.* 4 February – Jimmy Mohlala a Mbombela Local Council Municipality speaker was shot dead in his Nelspruit home...
, a court dismissed a joint COSATU and ICASA application to stop Vodacom's JSE listing. Chegoane Mabelane, the South African article writer and prominent supporter of both African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
and its alliance; in one of his articles stated that the interdict to stop listing was fair.
In January 2010 the Sunday Times alleged that Alan Knott-Craig, former Vodacom CEO, helped his son with business ventures using Vodacom resources. He also allegedly awarded a multi-million-rand contract to a marketing and advertising company run by family members.