10GB free data for all won't work, reverse-billing could - Datafree CEO

[Pegasus]

Just give everyone an uncapped connection throttled at 512k.

 

[CaptainJustice]

So who is paying for that 10gb?

It doesn't matter 10gb is 10gb of data whether you use it for selected services or open services. Maybe the road accident fund can pay for it, maybe we can call it ICASA tax so telecoms companies pay for it. Data is virtual and in reality it should be free like water, its a basic human right in 2022

 

[BBSA]

It doesn't matter 10gb is 10gb of data whether you use it for selected services or open services. Maybe the road accident fund can pay for it, maybe we can call it ICASA tax so telecoms companies pay for it. Data is virtual and in reality it should be free like water, its a basic human right in 2022

It does matter, and you know the tax payers will have to pay for it. It is not rocket science.

Pay for your own data if you want to watch porn!

 

[Budza]

If you go the 10GB route it creates vast opportunities for so much tendtrepreneurship. You can't just give 10GB to every sim. I'd walk away with almost 100GB per month.

You'd have to create a place where people can apply, have it approved, a system to link up this special sim as a 10GB one, keep track etc.

So much tendtrepreneurship to be had It's a connected individual's wet dream.

10GB/ID number?

What's this really worth? R10? Look at cost/GB for larger packages.

What's this worth in comparison to the FBE & FBW grants? 50kWh & 3kL respectively...

How do I access free basic municipal services? | South African Government

www.gov.za

 

[Cactus]

10GB/ID number?

What's this really worth? R10? Look at cost/GB for larger packages.

What's this worth in comparison to the FBE & FBW grants? 50kWh & 3kL respectively...

How do I access free basic municipal services? | South African Government

www.gov.za

I've got multiple simcards linked to my ID, so you would still need systems in place.

Though you make a good point. 10GB is very little and pretty cheap, especially in bulk. Can't argue that.

 

[konfab]

This guy is wrong as well. The fact of the matter is that mobile spectrum is a very limited resource, no matter what the government says. Which means the best way to distribute it is as a free market system. A lot of the stuff that mobile devices consume doesn't use a lot of data. Like Whatsapp , Telegram, basic search, news and email, and the market has already catered for these services with very cheap data bundles that are suited for them.

The better option is to leave the mobile spectrum alone as a priority service and rather provide free wifi hotspots at all municipal buildings with a fibre connection. Heck if they were clever they would provide a way for private businesses to provision these hotpots.

This is how it could work:

For comparatively peanuts the state could develop a captive portal system that allows a private company to setup a free public wifi hotspot system on their internet. Said captive portal system is linked to the business's tax profile and a small automatic tax break is applied to it based on the usage of the connected users via the portal. This should be setup with FUPs and such, such that it doesn't break the businesses's internet and that said business doesn't abuse it.

Every mall and large shop would instantly do this, as most of them have fibre connections anyway. Hell most already do provide free wifi.

 

[Budza]

I've got multiple simcards linked to my ID, so you would still need systems in place.

Though you make a good point. 10GB is very little and pretty cheap, especially in bulk. Can't argue that.

Same here- you'd need to pick one SIM for the free data. As I mentioned in the other thread, I'd pick 1SIM for data and another for calls/more data if ever needed.

Would likely be Telkom SIM as main one with MTN SIM for the 10GB free data. Not certain I'd ever topup/use MTN SIM for anything else though, so MTN loses 100% in this case.

Not sure how that'll go down with the MNOs?

Edit: the FBE/FBW is for indigent households. 10GB data sounds like it's for every household. Different scale if that's the case...

 

[Swa]

I don't think giving freebies is a good idea at all. MTN made Twitter free for a while, and people used it to distribute porn.

You would get far more mileage by zero rating something like Udemy than limit it to 10 GB per month. Imagine taking a 30 hours course on Udemy only to be cut off 5 hours in due to 10 GB limit reached and having to do a week's course over 3 months due to data limitations.

The goal should be to help people get on their feet, not make them dependent on 10 GB free data for the rest of their lives. Teach a man to fish and all that.

The real issue is the cost of data. 10GB shouldn't cost more than R10 and you shouldn't have to buy 100GB to get that. The networks created this problem by treating data as a scarce resource. Now they see 10GB as something that will affect their bottom line. Simply put giving people 5 SMSes a day won't affect the bottom line because those that use only the 5 weren't going to pay for it in any case. Same giving people 10GB shouldn't either and those who need more shouldn't have to sell a kidney.

 

[Swa]

Same here- you'd need to pick one SIM for the free data. As I mentioned in the other thread, I'd pick 1SIM for data and another for calls/more data if ever needed.

Would likely be Telkom SIM as main one with MTN SIM for the 10GB free data. Not certain I'd ever topup/use MTN SIM for anything else though, so MTN loses 100% in this case.

Not sure how that'll go down with the MNOs?

Edit: the FBE/FBW is for indigent households. 10GB data sounds like it's for every household. Different scale if that's the case...

The FBE is for everyone in Ekurhuleni as it is tariff based and not income based. The FBW is a bit more complicated but is also open to everyone as it is based on property value.