South African Information and Communications Technology (ICT) company, BlueTel Communications, has arrived at Rail Live 2025 in Madrid with a clear and strategic mission, to secure international partnerships that can modernise and strengthen Africa’s digital and rail communication systems. The company forms part of the South African business delegation supported by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) through its Outward Selling Mission (OSM), which aims to expand trade, unlock new markets, and position South African firms within global value chains.
Established in 2012, BlueTel Communications specialises in professional support services for the telecommunications industry, offering planning, implementation, maintenance, and after-sales support across the SADC region and parts of East Africa. Operating in a niche market traditionally dominated by global vendors, the company has leveraged its engineering expertise, strong customer relationships, and Africa-wide footprint to become a flexible and competitive partner for organisations seeking outsourced telecom solutions. Its long-term vision is to grow into one of the continent’s leading telecommunications service providers.
Speaking on the first day of the Rail Live Expo, BlueTel’s Director of Business Development and Finance, Mr Hilkia Jacobs, said the event offered unmatched opportunities for collaboration. He explained that the synergies between ICT and railway technologies made Rail Live the ideal platform for expanding the company’s reach into the rail sector.
“Partnerships are the reason I am here. There is enormous alignment between communications technologies and the rail environment, especially on issues like connectivity, data reliability, and communications across moving trains. We came to Rail Live to find innovators and equipment manufacturers we can partner with, learn from them, train our engineers, and bring those technologies back to South Africa and the broader African market,” said Jacobs.
He noted that expanding into the rail sector has long been a strategic ambition for BlueTel, pointing to earlier attempts to collaborate with Transnet on communications improvements for the Blue Train. Jacobs emphasised Africa’s growing demand for modern infrastructure and the company’s commitment to driving technological advancement on the continent.
“Africa is where things are happening. Our goal isn’t to take our expertise to Europe. It’s to bring the best global innovations back home. We want to position ourselves as the bridge between international technology providers and African markets,” he explained.
Since arriving at the expo, BlueTel has already experienced exceptional interest from international firms looking for a reliable partner to enter the South African and broader African markets.
“In the first five to six hours, I made more leads than I normally make in six months. There are strong indications that the companies I engaged with here want to enter the South African market. Because we operate nationally, with offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town, we are well positioned to offer clients an immediate footprint, storage facilities, and a trusted partner on the ground,” noted Jacobs.
BlueTel credited the dtic’s Outward Selling Mission for enabling South African companies to showcase their strengths on a global platform, explore new sectors, and attract partnerships that support South Africa’s industrial growth objectives.
“The support from the dtic has given us exposure we would not have achieved on our own. It has opened doors to opportunities that can shape the future of our business and contribute to the development of Africa’s ICT and rail sectors,” added Jacobs.
BlueTel Communications’ Director of Business Development and Finance, Mr Hilkia Jacobs, shares insights on the company’s partnership-focused strategy during an interview at the South Africa exhibition stand at Rail Live 2025 in Madrid, Spain.
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