We are convergence, says Telkom Business

By Phumeza Tontsi for Telkom Business
Johannesburg, 11 Jul 2013

Telkom Business is claiming its position as South Africa's converged solutions enabler in its recently launched advertising campaign.

Mala Suriah, Executive of Strategic Marketing at Telkom Business, says that while still relatively new in South Africa, convergence is a worldwide ICT mega-trend. Telcos now deploy converged offers as part of their traditional business.

It is a brand's responsibility, when it takes a leadership position in introducing a new idea into the market, to educate the market on the concept before even attempting to sell products and services. "This campaign aims to simply achieve the educational job. The world of telecommunications has changed, as has the way we consume data and video. Telkom Business is proud to be a change agent of society and business.

"Convergence is, in effect, any combination of capabilities that come together to address a communication need," says Suriah. "We are the only telecommunications company that truly offers any combination of solutions."

She adds that convergence at Telkom Business includes data, voice, cloud, IT, fixed and mobile capabilities. With its next-generation fibre and mobile networks, as well as its world-class data centre, Telkom Business is best positioned to bring this service offering to the market.

According to Suriah, internal customer research indicates varying definitions of the concept of convergence. "In general, people perceive convergence to be some magical gadget. The reality is that it is not simply about an all-in-one device; it is much more than devices or gadgets."

Convergence is a philosophy that can be a fundamental driver for business transformation. The deployment of converged solutions in any business will yield benefits that include increased overall business productivity, cost savings and convenience.

This campaign sets the tone for the overall Group's convergence campaigns, with Telkom Business taking the lead with the kick-off message. Says Suriah: "Telkom Business is already starting to educate customers by spreading the message that we are their ideal partner when it comes to convergence."

The journey to convergence is twofold. Thanks to constantly evolving technology, the capabilities that can feed into convergence and the different possible configurations thereof are yet unknown. "For our customers, it is also about solutions, helping them to discover their optimum communications requirements," explains Suriah. "The return on investment for the customer comes in the form of cost-effectiveness, improved productivity and convenience.

"Through this campaign, we are telling the market that we are more than just a landline operator. More importantly, we offer tailor-made fixed mobile solutions specifically for small and medium-sized businesses.

"Even in our forthcoming product advertisements, convergence will remain a common thread throughout. It is also important that we continue to reinforce the message that we are one solution, one service provider," concludes Suriah.

Telkom

Telkom is a leading communications services provider in South Africa and on the African continent. It had consolidated operating revenue from continuing operations of R33.1 billion and profit for the year from continuing operations of R179 million for the year ended 31 March 2012. Total assets from continuing operations amounted to R52.6 billion and equity attributable to the owners of Telkom to R29.7 billion as of 31 March 2012. The group generated free cash flow of R2.1 billion for the year ended 31 March 2012.

It had consolidated operating revenue of R16.1 billion and profit after tax of R222 million for the six months ended 30 September 2012. Total assets amounted to R53.3 billion and equity attributable to the owners of Telkom to R29.8 billion as of 30 September 2012. The group generated free cash flow of R1.5 billion for the six months ended 30 September 2012.

As of 30 September 2012, it had approximately 3.9 million telephone access lines in service and 99.9% of its telephone access lines were connected to digital exchanges. It offers business, residential and payphone customers a wide range of services and products, including:

* fixed-line subscription and connection services to post-paid, prepaid and private payphone customers using PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines, including ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) lines, and the sale of the subscription-based, value-added voice services and customer premises equipment rental and sales;

* fixed-line traffic services to post-paid, prepaid and payphone customers, including local, long distance, fixed-to-mobile, international outgoing and international voice-over-Internet protocol traffic services;

* interconnection services, including terminating and transiting traffic from South African mobile operators, as well as from international operators and transiting traffic from mobile to international destinations;

* fixed-line data centre operations and Internet services, including domestic and international data transmission services, such as point-to-point leased lines, ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) services, packet-based services, managed data networking services and Internet access and related information technology services;

* e-commerce, including Internet access service provider, application service provider, hosting, data storage, e-mail and security services;

* mobile communication services, including voice services, data services and handset sales through its mobile brand called 8ta and Telkom Business Mobile; and

* other services including directory services, through Trudon, wireless data services, through Swiftnet, and Internet services outside South Africa, through iWayAfrica Group (integration of Africa Online and MWEB Africa).

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