However, corporate and retail customers will have to wait a little longer for alternatives to Telkom.

The SNO was officially unveiled with much pomp and ceremony at an event held at the Theatre on the Track in Johannesburg on 31 August. The long-awaited operator unveiled its uninspired new name, Neotel, and announced the introduction of its first offering: wholesale international services.

The company is, according to its launch announcement, “promising to change the telecommunications landscape in South Africa by introducing high-quality telecommunications services at reasonable prices in accordance with the aims of the Electronic Communications Act”.