CAM - Action Group
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Following a decade of empty promises, "imminent" delays, monopoly protection, government strangleholds, ICASA incompetence, political interference and ministerial changes, a consumer group known as CAM: Consumers Against Monopolies has stepped up to the fore to take up the challenge of representing consumers in the telecoms industry in South Africa.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/252372164843399/
"Over the last decade, all inroads into the development of our telecommunications industry have been as a result of private companies going against the grain and making bold decisions, in spite of the Department of Communications and ICASA, as opposed to being in lieu of their input, which one would expect", says CAM founder Shaun Kaplan.
Shaun points to a recent statement made by South Africa's communications minister, Dina Pule as a perfect example of this. "In a time where our economy could do with a major boost, it appears that our new communications minister is hellbent on preventing this, by basically placing an important decision such as LLU (local loop unbundling) into the hands of the very company that is trying to prevent it from taking place - Telkom." Telkom have for years argued against local loop unbundling, going as far as to threaten legal action against the process. A process that would not only help with quality of communications in South Africa, but also penetration - something Dina Pule claims to be "top of her agenda". ICASA, the oversight body for the telecommunications industry have proven inept in even enforcing their own deadlines imposed for this process, which has now dragged on for over a decade.
CAM are angered over what they and many consumers feel is a protectionist attitude towards Telkom by our government, who happen to be the single largest investors in Telkom. Telkom maintain that they are a wholly private company independant of government, but CAM believes that the evidence points to the contrary, despite these assertions.
"Telkom would have imploded years ago and the industry responsibilities would have been rightfully distributed to actual private companies had it not been for the DoC and ICASA regulations." says CAM. "And now their share price has fallen off a cliff since the Vodacom sale; they have been hit left, right and centre with fines all around the continent; they are about to be smacked with a hefty fine from the competition tribunal if justice is to serve its course; they conduct themselves with impunity from their very own customers. And this is the company who our government has handed a monopoly to, and continues to protect, despite the growing consumer frustration and associated economic pitfalls? This is nonsense and it must stop!" says CAM.
CAM are hoping to garner enough support through their Facebook page to stage an all out war against the telecoms industry players, by instigating an organised and peaceful boycott of all telecommunications devices and service providers on 29 February 2012 from 17:00, continuing for ten hours. CAM state that their intentions are not to disrupt businesses relying on telecommunications services, as this is contrary to their core values. However they do hope to begin to make a dent into the income of major industry players, to alert them to the consumer revolt against the current state of affairs.
"If at first we don't succeed, we will use our existing support group to try again. And again. And again. Until somebody acknowledges our call and action begins to take place. Switching off a phone in the evening and forgetting about it can actually be a blessing - we'd suggest everyone try it."
CAM believe that organised action can be effective enough to dent the industry's income by up to R1.3bn, should it come to that. While those calculations are admittedly "rough", consumers certainly have enough clout in this day and age of communications mobility to enforce change, as has been evidenced throughout the world.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/252372164843399/
"Over the last decade, all inroads into the development of our telecommunications industry have been as a result of private companies going against the grain and making bold decisions, in spite of the Department of Communications and ICASA, as opposed to being in lieu of their input, which one would expect", says CAM founder Shaun Kaplan.
Shaun points to a recent statement made by South Africa's communications minister, Dina Pule as a perfect example of this. "In a time where our economy could do with a major boost, it appears that our new communications minister is hellbent on preventing this, by basically placing an important decision such as LLU (local loop unbundling) into the hands of the very company that is trying to prevent it from taking place - Telkom." Telkom have for years argued against local loop unbundling, going as far as to threaten legal action against the process. A process that would not only help with quality of communications in South Africa, but also penetration - something Dina Pule claims to be "top of her agenda". ICASA, the oversight body for the telecommunications industry have proven inept in even enforcing their own deadlines imposed for this process, which has now dragged on for over a decade.
CAM are angered over what they and many consumers feel is a protectionist attitude towards Telkom by our government, who happen to be the single largest investors in Telkom. Telkom maintain that they are a wholly private company independant of government, but CAM believes that the evidence points to the contrary, despite these assertions.
"Telkom would have imploded years ago and the industry responsibilities would have been rightfully distributed to actual private companies had it not been for the DoC and ICASA regulations." says CAM. "And now their share price has fallen off a cliff since the Vodacom sale; they have been hit left, right and centre with fines all around the continent; they are about to be smacked with a hefty fine from the competition tribunal if justice is to serve its course; they conduct themselves with impunity from their very own customers. And this is the company who our government has handed a monopoly to, and continues to protect, despite the growing consumer frustration and associated economic pitfalls? This is nonsense and it must stop!" says CAM.
CAM are hoping to garner enough support through their Facebook page to stage an all out war against the telecoms industry players, by instigating an organised and peaceful boycott of all telecommunications devices and service providers on 29 February 2012 from 17:00, continuing for ten hours. CAM state that their intentions are not to disrupt businesses relying on telecommunications services, as this is contrary to their core values. However they do hope to begin to make a dent into the income of major industry players, to alert them to the consumer revolt against the current state of affairs.
"If at first we don't succeed, we will use our existing support group to try again. And again. And again. Until somebody acknowledges our call and action begins to take place. Switching off a phone in the evening and forgetting about it can actually be a blessing - we'd suggest everyone try it."
CAM believe that organised action can be effective enough to dent the industry's income by up to R1.3bn, should it come to that. While those calculations are admittedly "rough", consumers certainly have enough clout in this day and age of communications mobility to enforce change, as has been evidenced throughout the world.
