BlueTel Communications, a South African ICT company, is attending Rail Live 2025 in Madrid with a strategic goal of forming international partnerships to enhance Africa’s digital and rail communication systems. The company forms part of the South African delegation supported by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) through its Outward Selling Mission, which aims to expand trade opportunities and connect local businesses to global markets.
Founded in 2012, BlueTel provides telecommunications planning, implementation, maintenance, and support across the SADC region and East Africa. With a strong engineering base and a growing continental footprint, the company is positioning itself as a competitive partner in a sector traditionally led by global vendors.
BlueTel’s Director of Business Development and Finance, Mr Hilkia Jacobs, said Rail Live offers a valuable platform to collaborate with innovators and explore the integration of ICT into rail environments, particularly in areas such as connectivity, data reliability and communications across moving trains. He emphasised that the company’s goal is to bring global technologies back to Africa and act as a bridge for international firms entering the continent.
Jacobs reported significant interest from potential international partners within the first day of the expo, noting that BlueTel’s national presence — with offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town — positions the company as an ideal on-the-ground collaborator.
He credited the dtic for providing exposure and creating opportunities that support both the company’s growth and Africa’s broader technological advancement.
Caption: BlueTel Communications’ Director of Business Development and Finance, Mr Hilkia Jacobs, engages media at the South Africa exhibition stand at Rail Live 2025 in Madrid, Spain.
