Cell C's choice on transferring licence control - fight Icasa or comply

If anyone is still using Cell C, then they are blind to what's coming. This network is as good as dead.

I would dump them if I had their sim card.
 
Somebody is lying.
 
If anyone is still using Cell C, then they are blind to what's coming. This network is as good as dead.

I would dump them if I had their sim card.
They're the only ones offering data at ~R2/GB on a perpetual basis. If they fold I don't know where I'll get another good deal like that that costs me like R100 a month.
 
They're the only ones offering data at ~R2/GB on a perpetual basis. If they fold I don't know where I'll get another good deal like that that costs me like R100 a month.
They always have been cheap, that I can't take away from them. I ported to them back in 2010, I think, and then back to Vodacom about a year later.

Their network was horrible then, was only decent when everybody was asleep.

I don't see them around in a year or two at the most.

It is actually a pity cause they tried, and to a point succeeded, in bringing prices down by forcing the cartel's (Vodacom and MTN) hands.
 
They're the only ones offering data at ~R2/GB on a perpetual basis. If they fold I don't know where I'll get another good deal like that that costs me like R100 a month.
What bundle is that?
 
They're the only ones offering data at ~R2/GB on a perpetual basis. If they fold I don't know where I'll get another good deal like that that costs me like R100 a month.
Cheap data is useless if you can't use it. In buildings or malls there's usually no signal and the rest of the time it rarely goes above 10Mbps.
 
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Yeah...pretty sure they're trying to offload assets ahead of a potential insolvency proceeding.
 
Why Cell C must transfer control of its crown jewels

Fight the regulator or comply.

That is the choice Cell C faces with respect to transferring its network, service, and spectrum licences to parent The Prepaid Company.
hmmmm....not sure that is what the regulatory expert is saying...rather that
(1) there is a change of control over the licences held by Cell C (Pty) Ltd due to planned transactions - this must be regularised through an application by the licensee for permission to change control. The name on the licences remains Cell C (Pty) Ltd
(2) this is different from a change of ownership of the licenses, i.e. where Cell C(Pty) Ltd sells to TPC in which case - if an application for change of ownership is approved, the name on the licences changes to TPC
(3) nothing in (1) above requires the change of ownership of the licences from Cell C to TPC

spot on.

Asked about Thornton and Vodacom’s feedback during a recent media briefing at Blue Label’s offices in Sandton, Mendes became visibly frustrated.

“I don’t know what else to say,” he said.

“We’ve shown you the documents… the forms we had to fill in… This is what the regulator requires,” he said.

Reading between the lines, whether or not regulations support Icasa’s requirements for this is entirely academic to Cell C.

It does not have the luxury to fight the regulator on this, leaving it with one option — comply.

A single form is used which covers both (1) and (2) above
https://www.ellipsis.co.za/wp-conte...ication-to-Transfer-an-Individual-Licence.pdf

i think the conclusions drawn are incorrect - there is no issue here that requires a fight with ICASA. Cell C are required to follow the process as per (1) above [which again, does not require a transfer of ownership]
 
hmmmm....not sure that is what the regulatory expert is saying...rather that
Then why does Vodacom still own and control its licence after Vodafone took control of it in 2008?

I also can't find anything that mentions control of Neotel's licences going to Econet (which owns Liquid).

Here's the 2016 notice for transfer of control from Neotel to Liquid — https://www.ellipsis.co.za/wp-conte...uency-spectrum-licences-to-Liquid-Telecom.pdf

Even if a transfer* of I-ECS/I-ECNS is necessary (maybe I missed something), why is a transfer* of the spectrum licence necessary?

Does being an offshore company confer special privileges on you with respect to licence control?

Something is different for Cell C and no one has an adequate explanation of what or why.

*For the sake of clarity: Whenever I write "transfer", I mean "transfer of control". It's just tedious to type every time.
 
They always have been cheap, that I can't take away from them. I ported to them back in 2010, I think, and then back to Vodacom about a year later.

Their network was horrible then, was only decent when everybody was asleep.

I don't see them around in a year or two at the most.

It is actually a pity cause they tried, and to a point succeeded, in bringing prices down by forcing the cartel's (Vodacom and MTN) hands.
People have been saying it for the last decade. Fact is nobody wants to let Cell C go but nobody has a clue how to run it and focus on its strengths.

What bundle is that?
Homeconnecta Flexi.

Cheap data is useless if you can't use it. In buildings or malls there's usually no signal and the rest of the time it rarely goes above 10Mbps.
Can use it just fine. With every network you have to check in your area before committing.
 
Then why does Vodacom still own and control its licence after Vodafone took control of it in 2008?

I also can't find anything that mentions control of Neotel's licences going to Econet (which owns Liquid).

Even if a transfer* of I-ECS/I-ECNS is necessary (maybe I missed something), why is a transfer* of the spectrum licence necessary?

Does being an offshore company confer special privileges on you with respect to licence control?

Something is different for Cell C and no one has an adequate explanation of what or why.

*For the sake of clarity: Whenever I write "transfer", I mean "transfer of control". It's just tedious to type every time.
Vodafone/Vodacom - different legal dispensation but: Vodafone took control of Vodacom therefore Vodacom still holds the licences (i.e. there was a transfer of control not a transfer of ownership)

spectrum licences are separate from service licences and different sets of regulations apply but for both there has to be an application to transfer ownership or transfer control

re offshore companies - not special privileges, but indirect ownership

nothing is different for Cell C: what it looks like is Cell C have got confused by the title of the application form which covers both transfers of ownership and transfers of control - this is supported by Blue Lable explicitly stating it is an application for transfer of control + https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202312/49831gen2216.pdf the icasa notice on the application

bottom line: no reason to change the name on the licences or transfer ownership of the licences. TPC sd not become owner of the licences - it will have control over Cell C which is the owner of the licences

ps. ICASA is clueless about control and does not use correct language which makes this more difficult than it should be
2.7 The transfer applications seek approval from the Authority to transfer the I-ECS and I-ECNS licences from the Applicant to the Transferee....
 
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