From ancient stars to satellite networks
16 January 2026
Jane Ielmini, Co-Founder/ Chief Operating Officer, Orbotic Systems Inc.
For centuries, sailors voyaged by the stars. Navigators across oceans and deserts relied on clear skies and celestial constellations, unobstructed, reliable, and constant, to guide their journeys. Today, our guiding lights are very different: tens of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) power everything from communications to GPS, remote sensing to disaster response. But unlike the uncluttered heavens of old, Earth’s orbital lanes are now crowded, dangerously so.
Read the full article Secure wireless communications for nature conservation
31 December 2025
Rob Nel, Business Owner and Head of Technology, OmniComs Africa
Africa’s wild places are under increasing pressure. Expanding human populations, organised wildlife crime syndicates, climate change and shrinking natural habitats all pose escalating risks to biodiversity. For conservationists, park rangers and local communities, technology has become an indispensable ally. From real-time monitoring of endangered species to coordinating ranger patrols across rugged landscapes, secure wireless communications now sit at the heart of modern conservation.
Read the full article
To RCS or not to RCS – the African dilemma
30 December 2025
Jentje Umpleby, Sales Specialist, Openmind Networks
The suspension of Google’s RCS guest services in multiple African MNOs has created a peculiar dilemma, leaving consumers, brands, and operators highly frustrated.
RCS is an advanced form of SMS, offering interactive features such as images, buttons, carousels, verified senders, and read receipts. It operates directly within the phone’s native messaging application, eliminating the need for external third-party apps. RCS is widely supported on Android, and its availability on iOS is increasing.
Read the full article Rethinking Africa’s mobile networks
24 December 2025
Yogan Naidoo, Vice President, Aircom, a TEOCO company
Designing mobile networks in Africa is never a neat, linear exercise. The continent’s sheer diversity creates a planning environment where every kilometre introduces its own engineering puzzle. Geography, climate and regulation all pull in different directions, and yet the demand for reliable, affordable connectivity keeps rising. Turning this complexity into workable networks requires deep technical discipline, strategic ingenuity and a remarkable amount of patience.
Operators across Africa face a blend of challenges that shift dramatically from one region to the next. Many must balance limited power infrastructure, constrained backhaul, fragmented spectrum, and relatively low ARPU levels. At the same time, they must prepare for surging urban data demands, emerging technologies and political priorities that evolve as quickly as the markets they serve. Planning and operating networks here is less about following global templates and more about designing systems that can withstand the continent’s unique and often unpredictable conditions.
Read the full article