Why Telkom’s betting on mobile data

[rpm]

Why Telkom’s betting the company on (mobile) data

Is this a brave bet? Or insanity from a company stuck in a corner?

[Sokkie Dans]

I believe that Telkom can do all this, that's if it does not get nationalized.

[Hummercellc]

I take my hate off to Pinky she was left with one hell of a mess that she has to clean up! and so far she seems to be dealing with it very well, and i hope she continues with her great work. Granted not much has changed from a customers prospective but it does take time to fix a network. You can't expect it to happen over night.

+1 for Pinky!

[FaSMaN]

You know the one thing we really need is uncapped mobile broadband, like some of the US mobile operators are offering, uncapped mobile for R350 +/- first 5-10gigs at full 24mbps , then 1mbps untill you hit a 100gigs fair use.

But that probably wont happen any time soon as our mobile operators are keeping data packages expensive, vs international rates.

[MickeyD]

You know the one thing we really need is uncapped mobile broadband, like some of the US mobile operators are offering, uncapped mobile for R350 +/- first 5-10gigs at full 24mbps , then 1mbps untill you hit a 100gigs fair use.

But that probably wont happen any time soon as our mobile operators are keeping data packages expensive, vs international rates.

That's not uncapped.

[FaSMaN]

By definition, no its not, but thats similar to what other mobile operators are calling uncaped internationally

[Nether]

You know the one thing we really need is uncapped mobile broadband, like some of the US mobile operators are offering, uncapped mobile for R350 +/- first 5-10gigs at full 24mbps , then 1mbps untill you hit a 100gigs fair use.

But that probably wont happen any time soon as our mobile operators are keeping data packages expensive, vs international rates.

With this expectation from you, you'll see the true meaning of massive network failure, there is a reason why internatiol operators are now capping they're mobile offerings. Granted, its nowhere near as low as ours, but 100gigs? Why would anyone need such a large amount of data on a mobile phone, that's only an invitation to abuse.

But you would think that with 4 mobile operators we would see much faster data changes for cheaper around here... Something smells fishy.

[FaSMaN]

A large number of 3g users in south africa are not using the service from there phones at all, but as a replacement for a fixed internet connection where there is none (like rural areas where adsl isnt available at the moment)

As for systematic collapse, limiting the speed to 1mbps(throttling) should cope with this, especially if you add shaping and other protocols during peak times,but a lot of market research would have to be done by the operators to see, what exactly there network can handle and when.

100gigs could be considered extensive, but this is the peak , and absolute max the fair use terms would allow, and once again the number would require market research from the operators to properly set.

As for the abuse argument, I thought that got nullified when adsl launched uncapped, and the isps' found that while most users did download close to peak for the first few months it then dropped down and normalised dramatically.

The figures I quoted where just off the top of my head, what I am getting at is it should be possible if the network providers do proper research and come up with sustainable margins,with a larger uptake and userbase, rather than just looking at it from a pure profit perspective.

[sSslik]

For what it's worth, I believe that we should grow into technology and not the other way around. In other words, technology should set the pace.

I'd rather have 100GB mobile data and eventually use it by watching HD movie trailers from my phone (which is very possible today already!) when I'm bored than have to keep pushing the service provider to grow into my needs.

These days I see more people on iPhones, iPads (replace with your favourite tablet or smartphone) and Netbooks than ever before. The need for high speed, uncapped mobile access is closer than we may think ...

[Mr.CookieMonster]

8ta better not give us data deals like Vodacom or MTN

[eshwar]

Given their current service levels on the data network, I hope they keep it up and this can only only be good ! Its just a question of them doing their part. I don't see much wrong with the strategy!

[ads]

The whole of South Africa needs to hope and pray Moholi, Schindehütte and the rest of the excellent management team she’s assembled get it right.

This is an appalling, biased statement, and brings Hilton Tarrant down several notches in my estimation. We do not need inefficient government-owned dinosaurs to succeed, at least not in an industry where there are plenty of efficient, competitive private companies that we need far more. One might as well say that the survival of the country depends on Sentech, or Broadband Infraco. It doesn't. If it's a question of the infrastructure, break it up, sell it to private companies that can run it properly. Frankly, even nationalising Telkom and running it into the ground won't actually do that much damage - it's simply not that important any more. Some of the assets are useful, but there's very little that absolutely essential today. As for mobile, if 8ta disappeared completely tomorrow, few end users would notice for more than a week or two, and would probably be better off.

It seems that few people have realised this, and continue to talk about Telkom as if they dominate the market: in international connectivity - they don't; in national networks - they don't any more; in metro fibre networks - they also don't dominate any more; even in mobile backhaul, they are no longer a critical factor. About the only asset they have which isn't duplicated is the copper access network, and that should probably be nationalised, like in Australia. That network certainly has reach, and needs to be preserved, but there's no reason to keep Telkom alive in its current form just for that.

One of the useful side-effects of Telkom collapsing will be the removal of the brakes that they have put on the telecoms industry in South Africa over many years, either directly, or through sheer political influence (trying to destroy the ISP industry, their extended 6 year monopoly, delaying competition, stopping LLU etc).

[MickeyD]

in national networks - they don't any more; in metro fibre networks - they also don't dominate any more; even in mobile backhaul, they are no longer a critical factor.

Other than the main routes DBN-JHB-CPT who else has national fibre rings to all the dorpies?

[malier]

Other than the main routes DBN-JHB-CPT who else has national fibre rings to all the dorpies?

Good Point

[MickZA]

... We do not need inefficient government-owned dinosaurs to succeed ..

... About the only asset they have which isn't duplicated is the copper access network, and that should probably be nationalised ...

Aren't you contradicting yourself here? Leaving congested exchanges out of the equation the local loop is probably the biggest stumbling block in ADSL implementation.