According to the latest State of the ICT Sector report in SA, South African telecommunication companies have spent a significant amount of money on batteries and generators to avoid connectivity outages during load-shedding.
The report, compiled by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), covers developments in the telecoms, broadcasting, and postal services sectors. The data, collected through a customised questionnaire, reveals that service providers invested in backup power systems to ensure uninterrupted service delivery during power outages. As power utility Eskom implemented varying stages of load-shedding, companies had to contend with the impact of rolling power outages on business continuity.
The report also highlights that revenue across all three of the ICASA-regulated sectors declined by 2.21% from the previous year. The broadcasting sector experienced a downturn, while the telecoms sector saw a modest uptick in revenue, which was primarily driven by total fixed internet and data revenue.
The report also indicates a noteworthy rise in the demand for fixed internet and data services, alongside decreases in traditional fixed lines and mobile voice services.
The report shows that the country’s 5G population coverage surged from 20% in 2022 to 38.42% by 2023, suggesting a growing accessibility to faster and more reliable mobile networks. South Africa leads the way in Africa when it comes to 5G network rollout, with expectations that more 5G networks will come online across the continent this year.
