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Question of the Day: How do you normally pay for purchases in stores?
One broadband account to rule them all
- Thread starter rpm
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ajax
Executive Member
It will probably be a new package with rates inbetween.
It can't be lower than the standard HSDPA rate or nobody will pay that anymore.
Once Vodacom has its own fibre backbone, Vodacom will be able to better control its own pricing, i.e. once renting of leased lines from Telkodemonopolies has been sufficiently removed from the equation, but [IMO] it will take quite a while before Vodacom has its own fibre backbone - obtaining permission to dig up municipal ground and lay fibre - especially with municipalities having their own vested broadband interests, is going to be tough - possibly with several visits to courts.
What I want to know, is how Vodacom is going to account for the different infrastructural costs of each access medium, and still offer a single 'bandwidth' account to Vodacom customers that would then use that account with HSDPA, ADSL, iBurst, WiMax and possibly other access mediums as well...
Gatecrasher
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Exactly the question I was going to ask.
The problem is that the prevailing pricing models are quite diverse. Access fee + Cheap(er) bandwidth versus zero access fee + Expensive bandwdith.
It will be interesting to see how they intend to bridge the divide.
I think they'll find huge resistence from ADSL users to paying R200 per Gig after they've already forked out for access rental.
And no way they can afford to charge HDSPA users R50 per Gig.
But perhaps these are just trivial details for a company like Vodacom.
Hi folks
I may add that Vodacom is investigating this product, but that it is definitely a long way off. AS IC suggested I think their fiber backbone will play a big role, and with ADSL Resell and possible LLU it is not impossible that all new bandwidth rates may include access charges – similar to what we see internationally.
I think it is a great initiative, but it will definitely not be a trivial process to get it right.
I may add that Vodacom is investigating this product, but that it is definitely a long way off. AS IC suggested I think their fiber backbone will play a big role, and with ADSL Resell and possible LLU it is not impossible that all new bandwidth rates may include access charges – similar to what we see internationally.
I think it is a great initiative, but it will definitely not be a trivial process to get it right.
Vodacom is certainly making aggressive moves and they have very deep pockets which never hurst
I am very interested to see what their ADSL and WiMax offerings will look like...Vodacom is certainly making aggressive moves and they have very deep pockets which never hurst
They also have the brand and the distribution network, while I'm sure all of us on here would be more than happy to go with Neotel most of the public probably doesn't even know who they are at the moment and would probably be more hesitant to use them. Vodacom's well known and already has a massive customer base, particularly as far as contracts are concerned in the market that's most likely to take up ADSL, Wimax etc. so they're pretty well positioned. I just hope Telkom sells their stake soon.
Yep, LLU is definitely key for ADSL or ADSL2+, but until that happens the only other option Vodacom has is reselling ADSL, and now that the 2-price-ADSL-model exists, Vodacom could strategically position itself for a future where LLU is a reality, by reselling the ADSL Access|Connectivity rental as well as the ADSL ISP account portion to its new ADSL customers, and then later take advantage of LLU like many other ADSL-reseller ISPs hope to do in the future with the owning-the-customer concept.
I have to wonder just how nervous ADSL reseller ISPs are about Vodacom wanting to move into the ADSL space - it's already tough for ADSL reseller ISPs to compete.
xdsluser
Well-Known Member
This is very reallistic, TheRodent from Neology proposed this very same solution years ago. It is actually very simple to do. We have combined ADSL and HSDPA accounts, but with the price of bandwidth on the APN being very close to the cost of direct Internet access via your service provide (MTN/Vodacom) it is not realistic to offer a product like this commercially, unless you are Vodacom/MTN/Telkom.
Pyro
Expert Member
Would be interesting if they were to give you a fixed amount of 'bandwidth'.
Adsl uses up 1:1
HSDPA uses 6:1 (1 Meg downloaded uses 6 of your cap).
IBurst uses 2:1
or something like that. Was wondering why there wasn't a package like this ages ago... But this is SA, we don't work together, we 'monopolise'.
Adsl uses up 1:1
HSDPA uses 6:1 (1 Meg downloaded uses 6 of your cap).
IBurst uses 2:1
or something like that. Was wondering why there wasn't a package like this ages ago... But this is SA, we don't work together, we 'monopolise'.
I suspect what'll happen is one account, with different sub-accounts, each with it's own tariff structure.
And if they get this right, it'll be a user friendly product.
But I'd ask one thing further of the product, that local and international usage if still so expensive, then get metered separately.
And then Vodacom need get out of the thinking that they charge differentiated prices based on a type of package and the time of the phone call and the destination of the phone call. I like Virgin Mobile's approach of a flat rate for everyone/ever call/any destination.
And if they get this right, it'll be a user friendly product.
But I'd ask one thing further of the product, that local and international usage if still so expensive, then get metered separately.
And then Vodacom need get out of the thinking that they charge differentiated prices based on a type of package and the time of the phone call and the destination of the phone call. I like Virgin Mobile's approach of a flat rate for everyone/ever call/any destination.
ldmelsa
Executive Member
That's good to know.
vodacom3g
Vodacom Representative
What I want to know, is how Vodacom is going to account for the different infrastructural costs of each access medium, and still offer a single 'bandwidth' account to Vodacom customers that would then use that account with HSDPA, ADSL, iBurst, WiMax and possibly other access mediums as well...
It will have to be modelled to try and predict usage between the different bearers. I.e. a guestimate.....
Prometheus
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Don't know much about how an adsl network works differently than a hsdpa network but with both the data has to travel through the isps network to the access medium. I can't see how this could cost more on an hsdpa network than on a fixed line network. The only difference might be the cost of access medium and wireless has an advantage here with being able to service hundreds of users with one tower. They will probably charge a flat rate for all access mediums (does this include BPL? ) that is slightly higher than for just adsl access. If they charge too much it won't make sense not to have a separate adsl account. In any case the current hsdpa model won't be compatible with this.
) that is slightly higher than for just adsl access. If they charge too much it won't make sense not to have a separate adsl account. In any case the current hsdpa model won't be compatible with this.