Challenge to Vodacom: Give us the 1st "unlimited bundle"

[Mams]

@Mams, perhaps an idea to edit your post#1 in this thread, and create a table that lists all the comparative info & services that you have gathered so far...

i just dont seem to find time these past week..
infact i got a few PMs from Yotch with other possible low data rates but just cant get the time to check it out...
some time next week, ill try and put it all together...
or if some kind soul with time can do it,it will be highly appreciated

[Yotch]

@3G4me: I think it would be really difficult to find more expensive HSDPA rates in Europe than in South Africa! Europe is more geared for contracts than prepaid though. Take a look at Mams thread on pricing. The only country in Europe with higher rates appears to be France and there are several reasons for this - there are 3 operators, two of them have a much larger market share than the other. Sound familiar? The operators were also forced to pay ~5 billion Euros for their 3G licenses i.e. approximately TWENTY FIVE times the cost of Vodacom's entire 2 billion Rand HSDPA rollout just for their license before the actual cost of the equipment. Makes you wonder doesn't it ...

[Csnoopy]

@3G4me: I think it would be really difficult to find more expensive HSDPA rates in Europe than in South Africa! Europe is more geared for contracts than prepaid though. Take a look at Mams thread on pricing. The only country in Europe with higher rates appears to be France and there are several reasons for this - there are 3 operators, two of them have a much larger market share than the other. Sound familiar? The operators were also forced to pay ~5 billion Euros for their 3G licenses i.e. approximately TWENTY FIVE times the cost of Vodacom's entire 2 billion Rand HSDPA rollout just for their license before the actual cost of the equipment. Makes you wonder doesn't it ...

Hey don't highjack this thread. This is for v3g travelling only. Should be moved to @mams thread. . Thanks ic.

[TheBossMan]

Vodafone Announces Unlimited 3G data for €49 Per Month
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/July2006/3317.htm

49.00 EUR = 464.392 ZAR (Thanks to http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi)



Vodacom Prepaid
1. R189 for 500MB
2. R289 for 1 GB
3. R389 for 2 GB

Telkom
1 GB TelkomInternet- AllAccess R79
2 GB TelkomInternet-AllAccess R 149

Ok here goes:

1GB R289 - R79 = R210
2GB R389 - R149 = R240

Paying more than R200 more per GB.. at least if we had data carry over it would soften the blow a bit. Shame on you Vodacom

[Csnoopy]

Vodafone Announces Unlimited 3G data for €49 Per Month
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/July2006/3317.htm

49.00 EUR = 464.392 ZAR (Thanks to http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi)



Vodacom Prepaid
1. R189 for 500MB
2. R289 for 1 GB
3. R389 for 2 GB

Telkom
1 GB TelkomInternet- AllAccess R79
2 GB TelkomInternet-AllAccess R 149

Ok here goes:

1GB R289 - R79 = R210
2GB R389 - R149 = R240

Paying more than R200 more per GB.. at least if we had data carry over it would soften the blow a bit. Shame on you Vodacom

For what connectivity is the Telkom pricing??

[AirWolf]

For what connectivity is the Telkom pricing??

Those prices for Telkom are just the data cost - the line rental and ADSL access charge are not included.

[Csnoopy]

Those prices for Telkom are just the data cost - the line rental and ADSL access charge are not included.

Oh ok I see. Data is data. I suppose it depends how much VC is paying per Megabyte from Telkom.

[AirWolf]

Vodacom's cost will include the data cost from Telkom as well as the cost to deliver that data to the customer.

[Prometheus]

How about the following post snippet:unless you're of the opinion that bandwidth grows on trees, you should be able to agree that laying fibre is a primary method of investing in bandwidth infrastructure. Now here is the translation of the false assertion that you posted: `Telkodemonopolies has sufficiently invested in its local SA bandwidth, to the point where there is actually spare capacity which is not being utilised´ which might be true in a dorpie like Poffadder, but certainly not in major cities.

No, you're reading it wrong. The network IS underutilised which is not an assertion but a fact and there have been articles on this in the past. A conclusion from that may be that they have sufficiently invested in the network OR that they are artificially constraining it through high prices. Regardless of whether or not they have, it is pointless to upgrade it while still charging the same and expect the extra capacity to suddenly be utilised.

Laying fibre is also not the only means to increase bandwidth.

i just dont seem to find time these past week..
infact i got a few PMs from Yotch with other possible low data rates but just cant get the time to check it out...
some time next week, ill try and put it all together...
or if some kind soul with time can do it,it will be highly appreciated

Same here, I want to do an article but just can't seem to get around even reading the email you sent me.

[Syndyre]

Oh ok I see. Data is data. I suppose it depends how much VC is paying per Megabyte from Telkom.

They don't pay per MB, they lease lines at a specific speed for a specific cost.

[Prometheus]

They don't pay per MB, they lease lines at a specific speed for a specific cost.

As already said they also pay for the amount of data unless it both originates on their network AND the destination is on their network. Or do you think they will get constant 1Mb/s international access on SAT-3 for a single monthly amount?

[Syndyre]

As already said they also pay for the amount of data unless it both originates on their network AND the destination is on their network. Or do you think they will get constant 1Mb/s international access on SAT-3 for a single monthly amount?

Source? I suppose because they use SAIX as upstream they might but the only justification I've ever seen for that is people referring to ADSL reseller prices which is a totally different issue. For instance MTN use MTNNS for upstream who AFAIK rent international circuits at a certain speed for a specific amount, although Vodacom's model may be different.

[AirWolf]

@ic, any particular reason the SAT-3 is being throttled?

[AirWolf]

But surely if bandwith was made cheaper there would be far more people using the internet and a smaller profit made on a much larger population wouldn't adversely affect Telkom's bottom line.

[Prometheus]

In the distant past, it was true that Telkodemonopolies' local network could handle 1+ million dialup bandwidth consumers, but that was the past - there are now quite a few broadband bandwidth consumers, and the cracks have started to show. If you still disagree then kindly post links to recent news articles where this is disproved.

Believing that Telkodemonopolies' local network infrastructure is underutilised does not magically explain away the R30billion that Telkodemonopolies has committed itself to investing over 5 years into new local network infrastructure - a large portion of that R30b will go towards laying fibre here there & everywhere.

Apart from laying fibre, what do you suggest that Telkodemonopolies et al should do to create or increase local bandwidth?

I feel it is necessary to add, that if you were referring to SAT-3 bandwidth, then yes, that has always been throttled by Telkodemonopolies, and still is being throttled to far below its actual capacity.

I don't think there is much difference between Telkom's local network and SAT-3 usage. Not with Telkom lumping local usage with international. IS's network is probably more utilised than Telkom's. The point I am trying to make is that it can't be fully utilised with the price they are currently charging.

Yes, they are investing in the network but a lot can happen in 5 years and they do know that they won't be able to charge the price they are charging now and that usage would increase over this period as a result. In the short term though I think the focus should be on decreasing the price rather than pushing for an upgrade that will most likely prevent this and thus won't even be needed. A large portion of that R5bn is also for shortening the local loop which is needed if they are to roll out their IPTV services.

Do I have to remind you that Telkom is limiting the speeds on it's network so it can charge even more for it's use. There is certainly spare capacity that is not being used. To increase throughput on a cable you simply need to increase the number of "channels" and laying new fibre is only really needed when there's not already any in the vicinity.