RUMOUR has it that former Vodacom CEO Alan Knott-Craig, who was seconded by Telkom to help build a cellphone network back in the heady days of pre-election 1993, could be going back to his old home to help it build its mobile business.
Telkom says it is unaware of any development in this regard, and so can't comment on speculation.
But that doesn't mean it is not a possibility bubbling on behind the scenes.
Although Vodacom might be a bit peeved if Knott-Craig used his expertise to help Telkom compete better with his old company, it makes a lot of sense otherwise.
While still within the Telkom fold (its 50% stake is in the process of being sold to Vodafone and the rest unbundled to shareholders), Knott-Craig and Telkom CEO Reuben September had a good relationship, according to both parties, and tried to find ways for the companies to work together more closely. But it was not to be.
And now Telkom is throwing its weight behind its own cellphone start-up. To do so, it will undoubtedly have to poach cellphone experts from Vodacom, MTN and Cell C. What could be better than convincing one of the fathers of the SA mobile industry to help, if only in a consulting capacity?
Knott-Craig left Vodacom in 2008 after suffering two heart attacks and saying he needed time to concentrate on his photography.
Just as an aside, I once called Knott-Craig in the middle of a very busy period - during the time Vodacom was trying to get into Nigeria, if I remember correctly - and he was outside somewhere photographing owlets while talking to me about the firm's Nigerian aspirations in hushed tones.
Since leaving Vodacom, he's got married, taken a lot of pictures (I am sure) and joined the Nedbank board in a non-executive capacity (effective from the beginning of January).
But it seems unlikely that this would keep a visionary like him busy enough for too long.
The acceptance of the Nedbank position seems to signal his first toe in the water back into the world of business.
Although Knott-Craig should look after his health, it seems his expertise would be wasted if he doesn't channel it back into the telecommunications industry. Perhaps he might prefer to help an underdog rather than join one of the big guns.
He was on holiday with his wife at the time of writing so we couldn't pin him down. However, it will undoubtedly be fascinating to see what Knott-Craig decides to do as his new career.
On the road
Another interesting tidbit I picked up on recently relates to the laying of fibre-optic cabling along Joburg's highways and byways.
Everyone will have cursed the expansive freeway improvement project under way in the province. The South African National Roads Agency is widening and upgrading highways and will put an electronic tolling system in place. To do that, it naturally has to include cabling ducts.
It is apparently using the opportunity to lay fibre-optic cabling that can be used by incumbent and aspirant telecoms operators.
We weren't able to confirm this as the project manager couldn't be reached at the time of writing and his media team were all either on sick leave or still on holiday. But it would be a very clever and forward-thinking move by a government department if he were to confirm this later.
It's all part of an exciting infrastructure rollout that will see SA telecoms access improve and prices eventually come down.
And it's a sign that the new emerging operators are probably not going to be the obvious potential players.
It also points increasingly to the trend of infrastructure sharing, the philosophy that Dark Fibre Africa is building its business on.
Asked late in 2008 for a view of what changes would take place in the SA telecoms market this year, Dark Fibre Africa CEO Richard Came said the major operators would intensify the pace of infrastructure rollout.
Infrastructure sharing would become more prevalent, driven by the need to reduce costs and preserve capital as access to debt became more difficult post the global financial crisis, and pressure from the metro and road authorities to minimise disruption and environmental damage, Came said.
What could make more sense than a single duct running under the cement along the highway carrying all the necessary electric and fibre-optic cables?
- Fin24.com