“Secret” report reveals truth about South Africa’s mobile prices

probably the worst possible methodology to use but anyway I don't see anything actually revealed that a 5 year old who can use Excel and browse the internet couldn't plonk together
 
This writer loves the use of the word "debunk"...

Surely SA must have a much cheaper landed cost of international data, than most other African countries i.e. input costs for the major networks would be lower ?
 
Paul Hjul said:
probably the worst possible methodology to use but anyway I don't see anything actually revealed that a 5 year old who can use Excel and browse the internet couldn't plonk together
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A 5 year-old with a tremendous aptitude for languages, clearly ;)
 
Jan said:
A 5 year-old with a tremendous aptitude for languages, clearly ;)
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unless I get to actually read the report I will reserve judgment on that one - especially have read many of these sorts of reports
 
What was the methodology for the selection of comparison countries?
 
DJ... said:
What was the methodology for the selection of comparison countries?
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I think that was where the skill was required in compiling this report. Choose the right countries to prove our point,but don't make it too obvious.

So steering away from Sub Saharan Africa was a conscious decision
 
DJ... said:
What was the methodology for the selection of comparison countries?
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" demographics, geography, GDP and other relevant factors."

so basically factors which would confirm the intention of the comparison - I imagine a restricted market with few dominant players was a big one
in fact if I was up to it I'd check whether having two large operators and two smaller operators and an historically dysfunctional fixed line sector isn't the dominant relevant factor because looking at geography simply doesn't work - Egypt. South Africa and Peru ...
 
Ha! There's not a single country on this continent that is analogous with SA on those points, so one has to question the outcomes, and particularly, the relevance...
 
In 2012 South Africa’s mobile operators commissioned a report to establish how local mobile prices compare with international standards.
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It is understood that all the parties involved in this report, including the mobile operators, were sworn to secrecy through strict non-disclosure agreements.
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While I'm not going to comment on the other aspects of this report before I've had a fair amount of coffee, this joint secrecy operation is going to result in quite a few conspiracy theorists going ballistic as far as collusion amongst cellular network operators is concerned.
 
imranpanji said:
I think that was where the skill was required in compiling this report. Choose the right countries to prove our point,but don't make it too obvious.

So steering away from Sub Saharan Africa was a conscious decision
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Wonder how the Saudis felt being compared with us?
 
A secret report which we may not see, paid for by the operators, debunks nothing but confirms that they take us to be stupid.
 
Sorry big mobile companies, nobody really cares about your top secret report. All the countries you "selected" are not the ones we actually care about.

Also this mention of "effective" rate again.... why can't you just have simple enough billing that people don't have to have a damn maths doctorate to figure out what they will be paying for a call?
 
Paul Hjul said:
probably the worst possible methodology to use but anyway I don't see anything actually revealed that a 5 year old who can use Excel and browse the internet couldn't plonk together
Click to expand...
Care to explain how you would've done it, Paul?

How will you get direct access to all the mobile operators billing records as explained in the article?
 
j4ck455 said:
While I'm not going to comment on the other aspects of this report before I've had a fair amount of coffee, this joint secrecy operation is going to result in quite a few conspiracy theorists going ballistic as far as collusion amongst cellular network operators is concerned.
Click to expand...
Without a doubt. ;)
 
Paul Hjul said:
probably the worst possible methodology to use but anyway I don't see anything actually revealed that a 5 year old who can use Excel and browse the internet couldn't plonk together
Click to expand...

Paul Hjul said:
Jan said:
A 5 year-old with a tremendous aptitude for languages, clearly ;)
Click to expand...
unless I get to actually read the report I will reserve judgment on that one - especially have read many of these sorts of reports
Click to expand...

hmmm mind fart / article fart. You got to really laugh hard at these, they always come around lacking links and hard hitting questions. Always 'cause X said so style or in DLC format, oh wait there is more, there is another, out of the cookie cutter...

Well at a stage there was more investigative type of news or things aimed to bring real change instead of the above.
 
jannievanzyl said:
Care to explain how you would've done it, Paul?

How will you get direct access to all the mobile operators billing records as explained in the article?
Click to expand...
Just curious as to why you need access to the billing records? Pricing is public knowledge, so we know what the various networks charge for their services? Sorry if I'm being naive here, but it's just comparing pricing...
 
How to get to the true truth

To get to the truth about our murder rate, we should be compared with Mexico. To get to the truth about our justice system, we should be compared with Saudi Arabia. To get to the truth about our climate, we should be compared with Poland. To get to the truth about our foreign policy, we should be compared with Turkey. To get to the truth about our country's stability, we should be compared with Egypt. To get to the truth about murderous gangs, we should be compared with Morocco and Algeria. To get to the truth about our use of helicopters, we shoule be compared to Peru. To get to to the truth about the truth in our statistics, we should be compared with Venezuela.

There's an appropriate measure to manufacture each true truth.
 
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