Telkom Media takes delivery of pay-TV licence

Industry regulator ICASA has issued Telkom Media with a pay-TV licence, it was announced yesterday, Tuesday, 5 August 2008. While the licence was granted last year, the actual delivery of the licence means that the Telkom Media may now operate a commercial subscription TV broadcasting service.

Stated Mandla Ngcobo, CEO of Telkom Media, “Our business plan consists of a dual platform, multi-technology service that exploits the full range of convergent technologies, including IP, and will offer consumers a competitively priced spectrum of entertainment and interactive services through a single service provider.”

According to Ngcobo, the award of a subscription pay-TV licence to Telkom Media will extend competition and offer South African TV consumers more choice at attractive prices.

“We look forward to providing inspiring, dynamic and refreshingly different programming for our subscribers,” he said.

On the question of Telkom's announced intention to sell part of its shareholding in Telkom Media, Ngcobo indicated that he could not comment at this stage and would await Telkom to make any announcement in this regard; however, indications were positive.