Vodacom Group is lining up a deal with South African media and internet company, Naspers, to carry content on its network.<\/p>\n
This is according to Bloomberg, citing Vodacom CEO, Shameel Joosub.<\/p>\n
The South African operator is exploring an option whereby it would charge a fixed price to download content onto a customer’s mobile device, instead of billing per megabyte, Joosub\u00a0 told Bloomberg.<\/p>\n
A deal between Vodacom and Naspers, which offers pay-to-view digital satellite TV service through DStv, first surfaced in 2013.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where we\u2019ll evolve,\u201d Joosub said on Monday (18 May), after announcing the group’s annual results, which showed a slight decline.<\/p>\n
Vodacom Group reported a 2.7% drop in service revenue to R47 billion for its South African operation during the year ended March 2015.<\/p>\n
Customers who want to download films or other content from the DStv unit of Naspers would be able to do so through Vodacom\u2019s network, Joosub said.<\/p>\n
The bulk of Vodacom\u2019s network is already on fibre or high transmission.<\/p>\n
In March, Vodacom announced a partnership with Fibre Connect to launch its new \u201cBroadband Fibre to the Home\u201d service.<\/p>\n
The group is also preparing to roll out an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, offering video streaming to subscribers on a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) trial being conducted at an estate in Pretoria.<\/p>\n
Vodacom has already tried a venture into the television sector. In 2007, the operator launched DStv Select. In 2011, however, MultiChoice took over the running of the DStv Select bouquets, previously administered by Vodacom.<\/p>\n
Vodacom unveils fibre-to-the-home with pricing<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Vodacom in talks with Naspers: report<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n