SABC and FoneWorx in WASP Partnership!
The SABC and Foneworx today announced that they would partner to establish a best-of-breed WASP (Wireless Application Service Provider) for the National Public Broadcaster.
The Partnership is a result of a lengthy process during which the SABC evaluated several competitive proposals. Foneworx emerged a clear winner. Foneworx is a subsidiary of JSE listed Interconnective Solutions.(“Isolutions”).
Isolutions Chief Executive, Mark Smith is very happy to be associated with the SABC and is confident that Foneworx can, in association with SABC MOBILE, develop and host exciting and innovative interactive services which will provide viewers with enhanced value. “Foneworx has very good technology skill sets and has developed some exciting products embracing the convergence of telecoms and multimedia and we are excited about working with the SABC and extending this intellectual property to the SABC viewer and other stakeholders of the SABC”.
Mark Jakins, Chief Executive of the SABC’s Commercial Enterprises, expressed his satisfaction with the partnership.
“Broadcasting and telecoms are converging at a rapid rate and the SABC will do what is required to leverage mobile platforms to best effect, in line with International best practice”.
The SABC WASP partnership comes one year after SABC established a Mobile business unit. Philip van Tonder, who heads up SABC MOBILE, says that the SABC has been using IVR and SMS very effectively to create interactivity with viewers and listeners. “In this regard we have built strong relationships with the WASP community and these will continue. However, we intend taking audience participation to the next level, and we are taking TV and Radio content to the mobile phone. The partnership with Foneworx provides us with the opportunity to do it professionally and effectively”.
SABC MOBILE can be contacted at the following email address: mobile@sabc.co.za or contact Philip van Tonder on 0117146388.