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Comsol enters wholesale 5G home broadband market with backing from new shareholders

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1 month ago

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Comsol

Comsol aims to blanket South Africa with around 2,000 base stations, representing one of the country’s largest standards-based and highest-capacity 5G networks

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, August 20, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • New shareholder alignment funds the multibillion-rand buildout of a purpose-built 5G-Advanced fixed wireless access (FWA) network.
  • Wholesale model enables established ISPs, MVNOs, WISPs and new market entrants to access South Africa’s fastest-growing broadband category.
  • Network brings stable, high-speed home connectivity and greater consumer choice to a growing market across the nation, including underserved areas, starting in Gauteng.

 

Comsol (https://Comsol.co.za/), a South African fixed wireless connectivity and private network operator with a history spanning nearly three decades, is entering the home broadband market as a wholesale provider of 5G infrastructure. The move is backed by two new shareholders: Platform Investment Partners, which has made 10 founder-stage fibre investments across four geographies over the past decade, and Wimsey Capital, a privately held investment company.

The new shareholding follows the exit of Nedbank Private Equity, part of Nedbank CIB, from its investment in Comsol. Convergence Partners, a major shareholder and long-standing investor in the business, together with Solcon Capital, is investing additional growth capital. Founder and CEO Iain Stevenson (through Mactavish Investments) retains his stake and is also investing additional capital into the company. RMB arranged and provided an innovative and holistic funding solution that enabled the shareholder transaction and will support the business in its strategic capex roll-out plan.

The move gives South African internet service providers, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and other potential partners access to a standalone 5G-Advanced* network purpose-built for fixed wireless access (FWA). Comsol owns and operates the network as an end-to-end wholesale product, while its partners control the customer relationship and go-to-market strategy, including branding, commercials and support.

One million households in Gauteng already covered

Comsol started building its network six months ago and already covers more than a million households in Gauteng. The company is targeting full coverage of Gauteng by March 2027. Expansion into the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and major regional centres will follow in 2027 and 2028.

Comsol aims to blanket South Africa with around 2,000 base stations, representing one of the country’s largest standards-based and highest-capacity 5G networks. The network creates a new wholesale option for South African service providers, giving them more network capacity choice through new infrastructure, enhancing the competitive landscape to the benefit of the consumer.

“Comsol anticipates where the market is heading and builds ahead of demand,” said Stevenson. “This is why we were investing in licensed spectrum years before its strategic value was widely understood and building private 5G before the market had grasped what it would enable. We see 5G-Advanced for the home as a big growth opportunity.

“ICASA has allocated spectrum to network providers to expand broadband access and increase competition in the market. We believe the way to honour that mandate is to build wholesale infrastructure that extends high-speed broadband to new customer segments and creates a platform for more competition at the well-established service provider layer.”

Backed by investors with deep experience in telecom infrastructure

Comsol anticipates where the market is heading and builds ahead of demand

Shaun Clark, CEO of Platform Investment Partners, added: “We have spent years investing in the construction of open-access digital infrastructure in South Africa, and were founding investors in assets such as DFA, Conduct, Vumatel and N99. Our approach has always been to identify trends in technology adoption and invest behind them. We see fixed wireless as an important part of the connectivity market. Comsol is a natural fit with our portfolio of digital infrastructure businesses, which are all centred around a neutral host model.”

Richard Ladbrook, Director of Wimsey Capital, said: “We see a significant opportunity in 5G fixed wireless access to bring high-quality connectivity to more South African households. Comsol has a multi-decade track record of successfully building and delivering advanced wireless networks in diverse contexts. We are excited to back the business and partner with the world-class Comsol team as they build and scale this next phase of growth.”

Said Andile Ngcaba, executive chairman of Convergence Partners and chairman of the Comsol board: “Comsol is well positioned as the world transitions from 5G to 6G. The depth of its spectrum and nationwide network presence across all provinces creates a significant opportunity to serve South Africa’s enterprise, private and public sectors. Comsol’s platform is equally relevant to urban and rural markets, and to companies of all sizes.”

For Nedbank Private Equity this exit concludes a successful nine-year investment in Comsol. “We are proud to have supported the company’s growth, network rollout and value creation journey alongside management and our co-shareholders. The transaction positions Comsol strongly for its next phase of growth,” said Yougan Moodley of Nedbank Private Equity.

The commercial case for advanced home 5G

Comsol’s wholesale 5G-Advanced offering complements existing fibre networks, expanding consumer choice and the reach of home connectivity.  Approximately 15% of South African households are connected to fibre, largely concentrated in dense metro areas where trenching costs are justified. This leaves a significant market adjacent to suburban markets where 5G FWA can be deployed quickly and at a substantially lower cost. The 5G-Advanced FWA network deployed by Comsol provides high capacity to support home broadband at scale, enabling entire towns to be covered in weeks.

Regulatory and technology developments in recent years have further strengthened the commercial case for 5G-Advanced FWA home connectivity. Comsol received its C-band spectrum licence from ICASA in 2022, providing investors with the certainty to fund the network rollout. The allocated spectrum supports speed-tiered plans with competitive pricing for consumers. Meanwhile, declining 5G chipset and CPE costs have lowered the upfront cost for consumers and ISPs entering the 5G FWA market. As a new entrant into the 5G wholesale market, Comsol also benefits from a modern 5G-Advanced standalone core, unencumbered by legacy technologies.

These advantages of 5G FWA are expected to drive significant growth over the next five years. ICASA data shows FWA subscriptions growing by roughly 39% year on year in 2025.** BMIT predicts that 5G may account for up to 67% of all residential FWA connections by 2029, up from 35% in 2024.***

Built differently

Comsol’s network is one of only two production 5G standalone cores currently live in South Africa. The network offers a level of ultra-low latency and dedicated capacity control that hybrid 4G/5G deployments cannot match, along with roughly double the uplink performance of typical 5G mobile operator networks.

Comsol’s implementation of 5G-Advanced is IMT-conformant, taking advantage of standards-based technologies that deliver significantly greater capacity at a lower cost per bit. Comsol’s network is purpose-built to deliver high-capacity 5G home connectivity at scale.

Advantages for partners

Comsol operates as a wholesaler and does not compete with its consumer-facing partners. ISPs and other partners retain ownership of their go-to-market strategies, including product commercials, packaging, billing and branding. Comsol’s API-driven platform enables partners to bring a branded 5G-Advanced FWA offering to market in weeks, while retaining a high degree of control over their products and customer engagement.

Comsol has designed the network to enable ISPs to reach new customer segments with connectivity geared towards streaming, video calls and smart-home use that make up the bulk of home broadband needs. Its API-driven architecture gives partners the flexibility to build differentiated packages for different customer segments and implement or adapt products within hours, enabling them to respond quickly to changing market demand.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Comsol.

 

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Solar, storage and the new realities shaping commercial & industrial energy decisions

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10 hours ago

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October 1, 2026

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Solar

These themes are explored in Solar & Storage Industry Insights Volume, published by ESI Africa, part of VUKA Group, bringing together analysis, industry perspectives and practical insights for businesses operating within the evolving energy transition

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 1, 2026/APO Group/ –The conversation around commercial and industrial energy has moved well beyond whether businesses should invest in renewable power.

Across Africa, energy users are increasingly weighing questions around cost, security of supply, carbon compliance, financing, energy efficiency and the commercial value of storage. At the same time, project developers and investors are under pressure to demonstrate stronger business cases, credible energy claims and clearer pathways from ambition to implementation.

 




 
 

These themes are explored in Solar & Storage Industry Insights Volume, published by ESI Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4rKRXZA), part of VUKA Group, bringing together analysis, industry perspectives and practical insights for businesses operating within the evolving energy transition.

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From renewable ambition to better energy decisions

For commercial and industrial energy users, the challenge is multidimensional. Solar remains an important part of the solution, but organisations must also understand how projects are financed, how energy efficiency can reduce demand before new generation is built, where storage creates measurable commercial value and how sustainability commitments translate into credible reporting and compliance.

Webinar series

ESI Africa is extending these conversations through a series of webinars focused on some of the practical issues facing C&I customers and project teams.

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Moving projects from discussion to delivery

The same questions are shaping face-to-face industry discussions. At the C&I Energy + Storage Summit Johannesburg (https://apo-opa.co/4rIytEM), taking place on 28 and 29 October 2026 at The Maslow Hotel in Sandton, energy users, project developers, financiers and solution providers will examine the strategies businesses are using to improve power security and manage rising energy costs.

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The conversation extends to Zimbabwe on 17 November 2026, where the C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zimbabwe will be co-located with Zimbabwe Mining Week at Rainbow Towers in Harare.

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Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 

 




 

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Awow Daniel Chuang Appointed South Sudan Caretaker Petroleum Minister as South Sudan Oil & Power (SSOP) Returns in November

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10 hours ago

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October 1, 2026

By

Etu Energias

South Sudan Oil & Power 2026 welcomes the appointment of Awow Daniel Chuang as Caretaker National Minister of Petroleum ahead of the event’s seventh edition in Juba

JUBA, South Sudan, October 1, 2026/APO Group/ –Awow Daniel Chuang has been appointed Caretaker National Minister of Petroleum of South Sudan by President Salva Kiir Mayardit ahead of the country’s December elections, marking his return to lead the country’s hydrocarbons sector as the government seeks new investment in exploration, production and mature-asset redevelopment.

 




 
 

Minister Chuang brings extensive experience across South Sudan’s petroleum sector, having previously served as Minister of Petroleum as well as Director General, Undersecretary and Technical Advisor within the Ministry. His appointment comes as the country works to strengthen petroleum-sector management and attract international capital and technical expertise across its upstream industry.

Stepping into the role, Chuang has prioritized strengthening institutional cooperation, internal coordination and effective regulation within the Ministry of Petroleum. He has also emphasized addressing administrative and organizational challenges, improving accountability and strengthening coordination with the National Legislative Assembly as part of efforts to enhance oversight of South Sudan’s oil and gas sector.

The appointment comes ahead of the seventh edition of South Sudan Oil & Power (SSOP), taking place November 24–25, 2026 in Juba. Held in official partnership with the Ministry of Petroleum, SSOP 2026 will take place under the theme Resource Renaissance – Energy-Fueled Growth for a New Generation, bringing together government, industry, investors and technology providers to advance cooperation across the country’s energy sector.

SSOP 2026 will feature high-level panel discussions, networking opportunities, project showcases and technical workshops focused on emerging opportunities across South Sudan’s oil and gas value chain.

Upstream investment remans a key priority. South Sudan currently has14 blocks open to investors – A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, B1, B4, C1, C2, D1, D2, E1 and E2 -, creating opportunities for international operators and investors to enter underexplored acreage.

Beyond exploration, the country is seeking investment in mature asset redevelopment and brownfield optimization as it works to increase recovery and production from existing fields. This creates opportunities for oilfield service companies and technology providers across drilling, enhanced oil recovery, field engineering and supporting infrastructure.

Against this backdrop, SSOP 2026 will provide a platform for the Ministry of Petroleum to engage international investors, operators, service companies and technology providers on the next phase of South Sudan’s petroleum-sector development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 




 

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Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Center for Expertise, Evaluation and Certification of Mineral Substances (CEEC) Brings Mineral Certification and Traceability Focus to African Mining Week (AMW) 2026

Published

12 hours ago

on

October 1, 2026

By

Etu Energias

The DRC certification authority will join AMW 2026 as it expands oversight of emerging mineral supply chains and analytical capacity

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 1, 2026/APO Group/ –A delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) state-owned certification authority, the Center for Expertise, Evaluation and Certification of Mineral Substances (CEEC), will participate at the African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 Conference, scheduled for October 14-16 in Cape Town.

 




  

Led by Director General Freddy Mwamba Kanyinku, the delegation will participate in discussions and networking engagements as the DRC seeks to strengthen mineral certification, traceability and value addition across its mining sector.

AMW 2026 coincides with the DRC’s drive to unlock an estimated $24 trillion in mineral wealth, with CEEC strengthening the certification and traceability systems needed to support investment and local value addition.

A key milestone for CEEC in 2026 was the certification of the DRC’s first lithium exports. In July, the agency certified the first lithium lots destined for international markets from Manono Lithium, expanding its role as lithium emerges alongside established Congolese mineral supply chains including copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds and 3T minerals.

The milestone comes as lithium emerges as a new component of the DRC’s critical-minerals strategy and demonstrates the importance of robust certification systems as the country diversifies its mineral production base and brings new projects online.

CEEC is also decentralizing its analytical and certification infrastructure across key provinces to improve operational oversight. Recent developments include the launch of a dedicated traceability office at Kamoto Copper Company in Lualaba Province, aimed at tracking copper and cobalt flows.

The agency is also developing its Lubumbashi National Laboratory to facilitate localized mineral analysis. The facility is scheduled for completion before the end of 2026 and is being developed to support mineral analysis and certification, with the complex targeting ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.

CEEC is also expanding its international engagement as mineral diplomacy becomes increasingly important to the development of critical-mineral supply chains. In 2026, the institution acquired a representative building in Durban, South Africa, creating a platform for greater engagement with regional and international mining stakeholders and supporting the promotion of Congolese mineral products, traceability and responsible sourcing.

Against this backdrop, AMW 2026 provides an ideal platform for CEEC executives to engage with international investors, mining companies, governments, financial institutions and technology providers exploring opportunities across the DRC’s mining sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 




 

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