South Africa fights to keep phone networks up as lights go out

 

• Mobile operators spending millions on fuel, backup systems
• Added costs forcing diversion of capital from 5G, rural networks
• Rampant theft of batteries, generators driving up expenses
• Industry seeking relief from competition laws to soften blow

On a recent Friday morning north of Johannesburg, the head of South Africa's largest telecoms company surveyed the arsenal of backup systems keeping just one of his 15,000 network towers online amid the worst power cuts on record.

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/south-africa-fights-keep-phone-networks-up-lights-go-out-2023-04-05/