206 million customers in 30 years for Vodacom

[Daniel Puchert]

From 1 to 206 million in 30 years

Vodacom signed up its first customer on 1 June 1999. Thirty years later, it serves 205.6 million customers in South Africa, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Tanzania.

Vodacom's origins date back to 1991 when an investigation into the potential of cellular networking in South Africa began. The country decided on GSM technology.

 

[epah]

Now if they could use some of those profits from the 206 million customers to pay Makate. Now that would be incredible and newsworthy!

 

[Captain Beer]

From 1 to 206 million in 30 years

Vodacom signed up its first customer on 1 June 1999. Thirty years later, it serves 205.6 million customers in South Africa, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Tanzania.

Hard to believe 1999 was 30 years ago.

 

[epah]

Hard to believe 1999 was 30 years ago.

These are the same guys who ferked up a simple contract and are now liable to pay someone billions of rands, Obviously their maths is in shambles too.

 

[PaulGherkin]

They couldn't have signed up their first customer in 1999... I was already on Vodago prepaid in late 1998.
My company phone in 1997 was a Nokia 2110 on Vodacom contract

Vodacom's origins date back to 1991 when an investigation into the potential of cellular networking in South Africa began. The country decided on GSM technology.

LOL as if there were other options. GSM was already a standard, being deployed by 1991 in the then EEC. Already by 1991 the analogue cellular systems were deemed obsolete.

Poegert... you need to check your facts... oh wait, this was long before you were born!

 

[FiestaST]

Hard to believe 1999 was 30 years ago.

Same WA group lol

https://twitter.com/x/status/1855886621184237612

 

[UB40]

ChatGPT has the dates wrong in this article

 

[Dolby]

Now if they could use some of those profits from the 206 million customers to pay Makate. Now that would be incredible and newsworthy!

Isn’t he demanding like the first 15 years worth of revenue anyway because he thought of an idea?

 

[epah]

Isn’t he demanding like the first 15 years worth of revenue anyway because he thought of an idea?

An idea that made Vodacom Billions. They would be worth less than Cell C had they not implemented Makates idea.

 

[Dolby]

An idea that made Vodacom Billions. They would be worth less than Cell C had they not implemented Makates idea.

But he did demand it, right?
He demands everything?

I'm not sure they'd be worth less than Cell C.

They'd probably in the same postion actually, without someone demanding stuff from them

 

[epah]

But he did demand it, right?
He demands everything?

I'm not sure they'd be worth less than Cell C.

They'd probably in the same postion actually, without someone demanding stuff from them

He is demanding what he was promised, nothing more, nothing less.

Vodacom being in the same position as Cell C would be good for them, that would mean their business is dead, so thanks to Makate their business is thriving, because of the Billions Makate made then they were able to grow and sustain the company.

 

[Dolby]

He is demanding what he was promised, nothing more, nothing less.

That's what I said?
He's demanding everything?

so thanks to Makate their business is thriving, because of the Billions Makate made then they were able to grow and sustain the company.

I think we're misunderstanding each other .

Makate added nothing to Vodacom revenue.

I thought we all agreed on that point at least?

Are you saying Makate built Vodacom AND demands $1trn?

 

[epah]

That's what I said?
He's demanding everything?

I think we're misunderstanding each other .

Makate added nothing to Vodacom revenue.

I thought we all agreed on that point at least?

Are you saying Makate built Vodacom AND demands $1trn?

No if he is demanding everything then he would've simply asked for the Pink slip to Vodacom, But that is not what he is doing. He only wants a percentage of the revenue HIS IDEA made. Which is more than fair and which is what he was promised in any case!

What do you mean he added nothing, even vodacoms says he made them billions, so why do you dispute that? Is vodacom lying?

 

[Dolby]

No if he is demanding everything then he would've simply asked for the Pink slip to Vodacom, But that is not what he is doing. He only wants a percentage of the revenue HIS IDEA made. Which is more than fair and which is what he was promised in any case!

What do you mean he added nothing, even vodacoms says he made them billions, so why do you dispute that? Is vodacom lying?

Not at all.

I mean Vodacom would have launched it anyway?

They copy from each other other all the time, so it would be foolish to assume it would have launched.

 

[Dolby]

He only wants a percentage of the revenue HIS IDEA made

Firstly, we have to use the word 'demand' with Makate.

Secondly, we've already discussed that he demands a percentage of the stolen non-executed idea. We don't need to do this again

 

[Dolby]

@epah Vodacom would still have launched its ‘Please Call Me’ service, even if Kenneth Nkosana Makate had never shared his idea with his former employer.
“Vodacom arrived at PCM simply because, in the seven weeks after MTN launched CallMe, over 100 million CallMe text messages had transited over the public networks,” stated Kahn.

Even without Makate’s “Buzz” idea Vodacom would have launched Please Call Me

Please Call Me inventor Ari Kahn asserts that Vodacom would have launched the service even if Kenneth Nkosana Makate had not shared anything with his former employer. Vodacom agrees.

mybroadband.co.za

What did Makate add?

 

[epah]

We don't need to do this again

You are the only one doing this again, its the Dolby show once again. Catch it on MYBB every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.

 

[epah]

@epah Vodacom would still have launched its ‘Please Call Me’ service, even if Kenneth Nkosana Makate had never shared his idea with his former employer.
“Vodacom arrived at PCM simply because, in the seven weeks after MTN launched CallMe, over 100 million CallMe text messages had transited over the public networks,” stated Kahn.

Even without Makate’s “Buzz” idea Vodacom would have launched Please Call Me

Please Call Me inventor Ari Kahn asserts that Vodacom would have launched the service even if Kenneth Nkosana Makate had not shared anything with his former employer. Vodacom agrees.

mybroadband.co.za

What did Makate add?

Could've, would've, should've. Bottom line is they promised him money, so they owe him!

 

[Bernoldus Niemand]

Hard to believe 1999 was 30 years ago.

The days are long but the decades are short.

 

[Dolby]

Could've, would've, should've. Bottom line is they promised him money, so they owe him!

But then it makes your earlier statement wrong.

Makate added nothing, Vodacom would have launched the service and they'd be in a better off place now.