South African mobile operator 8ta has clinched a five-year sponsorship deal with the Premier Soccer League (PSL), less than week after Telkom had appeared to ditch the brand.
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HumanIPO reported on Monday, part state-owned Telkom was “re-positioning” 8ta rather than losing it altogether and the five year deal suggests it will be staying for the long term.
The agreement means all PSL mobile voice and data products will use 8ta’s “081” prefix, while also working together in branding and marketing activities.
Cambridge Mokanyane, acting chief executive of the PSL, said: “Football is about emotional connection while Telkom and 8ta are about connecting people. As the League, we always seek partnerships to enhance our product.
“Africa has seen massive growth in both online and mobile network market. Pretty much everyone now has a cell phone that enables them to develop and connect with communities that share the same interests.”
Concerning the future of 8ta, Manelisa Mavuso, managing director of consumer and retail services at its parent company Telkom, said: “Going forward we will serve some parts of the market through the Telkom Mobile brand and some parts of the market through the 8ta brand.
“Our offerings under each brand will be based on the way customers actually use voice and data rather than be limited by traditional marketing models.”
