#47: Vodacom - How the South African Telco became one of the largest telecommunications companies in Africa
Afrobility: Africa Tech and BusinessPlay episode
Show notes
Overview: Today we’re going to talk about Vodacom - The South African telecommunications company. We’ll explore the Vodacom story across 5 areas:
South African telecoms sector context Vodacom's early history Vodacom's telco & non-telco businesses Vodacom's operating & financial performance Overall outlook This episode was recorded on Mar 13, 2022
Companies discussed: Vodacom, Vodafone, Safaricom (M-Pesa), Telkom, MTN, Airtel & Glo
Business concepts discussed: Telecommunications (Telco) strategy, Mobile money, Internet connectivity, International telecommunication expansion, Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO), Cell Towers spinoffs, Rain & Telco regulation
Conversation highlights:
(00:45) - Vodacom context (07:50) - Vodacom early history (20:50) - Vodacom International expansion (38:04) - Vodacom’s telco business (45:44) - Non-telco businesses (55:50) - VodaPay and Safaricom (M-Pesa) (1:10:12) - Vodacom - Financials & customer (1:19:15) - Bankole’s overall thoughts and outlook (1:29:52) - Olumide’s overall thoughts and outlook (1:36:10) - Recommendations and small wins
Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:
Recommendation: The Truman show: I rewatched this, it's marvelous, dystopian and funny. That movie is a work of art. Recommendation: I got a satchel aka man bag aka man purse. I like it, it works because I typically have too much shit to fit in my pockets Small win: Bankole's wedding in Chennai. It was epic Interested in investing in Africa Tech with Olumide: Read about Adamantium fund & contact me at olumide@afrobility.com Founders looking for funding: If you're a B2B founder working on Education, Health, Finance or Food, please contact me for funding at olumide@afrobility.com
Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:
Recommendation: Good Economics for Hard Times by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo & Cold Outside - Timaya and Buju Small win: I got the new Macbook M1 Pro. Beautiful, sweet machine. Other content: Governance of Telecommunications: Two Decades of Reform in South Africa & Vodacom and DHL in Africa
Listeners, Operators & Investors: Email info@afrobility.com, we’d love to partner or get your feedback.
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