SA: Telkom and Tencent launch music streaming platform

The app is powered by Joox, a popular music streaming platform across Asia that was launched in South Africa in 2017. Telkom Music is now available on Google Play Store and Huawei AppGallery.

Telkom says the new service is designed to use less data and space on smartphone devices. Users can stream and download songs using less data than “any other music streaming app” with an app size of 10MB. The platform is also focused on letting users share music experiences.

Telkom Music joins a market dominated by foreign-owned services such as Spotify, Deezer, Tidal, Apple Music, YouTube Music and the Africa-focused Boomplay. It offers two tiers, including a free plan with limited features, while Telkom subscribers will get the “all-access VIP package” for R60 (about $4) per month – the same price point that most major music streaming services charge for their premium subscriptions. Telkom has neither indicated the quality of streaming offered on the platform nor the size of its music catalogue.

“We’ve introduced a bouquet of products recently to cater to the content needs of our customers, including video on demand and gaming services, and this closes the loop neatly for us from a content viewpoint,” Telkom executive for smart home and content Wanda Mkhize said.

Tencent Africa Services CEO Brett Loubser said: “The future of music streaming will include shared, social experiences ... the team at Telkom Mobile and at Tencent Africa have put a huge amount of effort into delivering the most accessible music streaming product possible.”

The app takes from Joox and includes new options, including a button that users can turn on and off to control their data usage. Additionally, the service offers a variety of features under the Mods section of the app including Music Guru, which tests users’ music knowledge against other listeners. Radio allows users to find new tracks to discover and share new music, while Flock lets users collaborate on playlists physically or virtually.

Telkom’s app comes a week before the MTN-owned Simfy Africa will officially shut down its low-cost music streaming service MusicTime, offering previous Simfy subscribers an alternative option.

Telkom has been introducing several ways to give users more access to music streaming services. In December, the telco gave prepaid and post-paid customers an option to pay for Apple content and services such as Apple Music using airtime, or by adding those charges to their contract bill.

Telkom Music is not the company’s first attempt at a streaming service. Last year, it launched TelkomONE, a South Africa-facing video and audio streaming service that offers local shows, international programmes, popular TV channels, and music.

Joox is the most downloaded music streaming app in Asian markets like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong. Last year, Music In Africa reported that its parent company was eyeing the music streaming market in Africa with the rollout of Joox to the rest of the continent. The Chinese company, which houses several other music platforms, also owns a 10% stake in Spotify through an alliance deal. Tencent’s majority shareholder is Naspers, a South African multinational group that owns approximately 31% of the company.