By MTHULISI  SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG – ONE of South Africa’s largest independent telecommunications provider, Vox Telecom, will invest R550 million (US$40,6 million) to accelerate its growth in a fibre rollout programme to homes and business on the national grid.
The company will also create up to 450 jobs in the next 18 months.
Shareholders have approved the investment.
Jacques du Toit, Chief Executive Officer of Vox, says the investment will be directed into extending the Vox fibre rollout through its wholly owned subsidiary Frogfoot Networks, bolster job creation and improve efficiency through enhanced automation.
“The capital injection into our operations endorses our conversion strategy,” says du Toit.
“We are moving away from being just an Internet service provider (ISP) into a Telco that provides connectivity and integrated services. We are laying the foundation to secure market share and growth in key geographic precincts around South Africa.”
Vox will deploy the bulk of the investment to fast-track its fibre-to-the-home and fibre-to-the-business programme. In the past 18 months, the company has secured 86 000 fibre-to-the-home and just over 10 000 fibre-to-the-business opportunities.
“We now have more than 300 coverage areas where we are able to provide fibre related services.”
Vox will also invest in growing its sales force across the country from 280 to 450 people in the next 18 months. Over the last 24 months Vox has invested R50 million into the first phase of its sales expansion programme.
Vox provided voice and data services to the southern African market. The group has offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
– Guardian