Nashua Mobile, the independent cellular service provider in the listed Reunert Group, on Tuesday signalled its intention to become a major player in South Africa’s broadband and internet service-provider market by launching its new Nashua Mobile Internet division.
Nashua Mobile Internet offers a full portfolio of internet-access offerings including fixed-line ADSL powered by Verizon; wireless broadband from iBurst and Sentech; and cellular technologies — such as GPRS, EDGE, 3G and HSDPA — from all three networks, the group said in a statement.
The division also offers website design, website/email hosting, e-commerce, anti-virus, mobile personal information management, anti-spam and systems-integration solutions.
“Nashua Mobile is evolving from a cellular service provider into a telecom solutions firm that offers corporate, private and SME customers a range of services such as least-cost routing (LCR), PABXs, unified messaging and mobile data, in addition to cellular voice. Internet services form a central part of that vision,” said Nashua Mobile MD Mark Taylor.
“The launch of Nashua Mobile Internet is the culmination of our investments into the internet market over the past two years. The business includes the operations we acquired from BlackDot IT Solutions last year, as well as the former Nashua Broadband business, which also moved under our roof in 2006,” he added.
Taylor added that the continued liberalisation of the South African internet market presents Nashua Mobile with a major opportunity to grow revenues and profits, while offering customers access to world-class data and internet services.
The size of the division could eventually rival that of the Nashua Mobile cellular business.
“Not only are voice and data services converging, but fixed-line and mobile services as well. We’re positioning ourselves to offer customers an integrated portfolio of services that allows them to keep in touch and be productive wherever they are.
“We are in negotiations with other service providers, and will soon add new voice-over IP, WiFi hotspot and instant-messaging services to our offering. Our goal is to offer clients a choice between all the best services on offer in the country,” Taylor added.
Nashua Mobile Internet will operate out of Nashua Mobile franchises and stores around the country, as well as through Nashua Mobile’s corporate account executives.
Sales representatives at all stores have undergone intensive training and have been given a wealth of information about Nashua Mobile Internet’s products to ensure that they can give clients sound advice about the options on offer. — I-Net Bridge