Go ahead for Swazi SPTC mobile
TELECOMS
By BiztechAfrica - April 28, 2011, 4:39 p.m.
MTN Swaziland has lost its court bid to stop the Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC) from offering mobile services.
SPTC’
s fixed wireless network, One Mobile, was launched in May last year, offering discounted mobile services across Swaziland. It was the only competition MTN Swaziland had faced in over a decade of operations in Swaziland.
MTN Swaziland went to the High Court in an attempt to prevent the SPTC from offering services, saying that the model was a conflict of interests.
However, the High Court ruled that there was no conflict of interest preventing SPTC from offering mobile services, since the SPTC is no longer an MTN Swaziland shareholder.
The court battle lasted several months and halted the sale of SPTC’
s One Mobile phones and SIM cards, but reports from Mbabane said customers were again snapping up the products, following the court ruling.
SPTC had been facing financial constraints and the possibility of retrenchments as a result of its not being able to sell its handsets and services.
Swazi MTN is reported to be aiming to appeal against the ruling.
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