Cell operators' battle to connect

[rpm]

http://www.mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=6278

 

[Freshy-ZN]

Icasa is scheduled to hold public hearings into mobile termination fees next month.

Yay, more 'public' hearings involving ICASA. Whoop dee flipping doo.

 

[Syndyre]

Cell C, he says, would like asymmetric regulation of termination rates, where it will pay less to other operators to terminate calls than other companies pay it.

Looks like Cell C wants special treatment because they can't compete in the real world.

 

[Tanarri]

Looks like Cell C wants special treatment because they can't compete in the real world.

They are not prepared to offer cheaper prices for mobile telephony. It will hurt the gold mine that rips everybody off here in SA - telecommunications.

 

[Abe]

How can Cell C offer cheaper rates when they are already making a loss. Most of the calls go out of their network. They still have to pay for the infrastructure on their side. Drop the interconnect rates and then they can drop their rates. If they don't, then everyone will have a good reason to bitch. Remember 90% of their calls will be going out of their network to VC and MTN.

 

[Syndyre]

How can Cell C offer cheaper rates when they are already making a loss. Most of the calls go out of their network. They still have to pay for the infrastructure on their side. Drop the interconnect rates and then they can drop their rates. If they don't, then everyone will have a good reason to bitch. Remember 90% of their calls will be going out of their network to VC and MTN.

If that was the only reason for their rates they could at least offer cheap on-net calls.

 

[Rikus Clone 20070428]

How can Cell C offer cheaper rates when they are already making a loss. Most of the calls go out of their network. They still have to pay for the infrastructure on their side. Drop the interconnect rates and then they can drop their rates. If they don't, then everyone will have a good reason to bitch. Remember 90% of their calls will be going out of their network to VC and MTN.

If that was the only reason for their rates they could at least offer cheap on-net calls.

Amen!

 

[Abe]

If that was the only reason for their rates they could at least offer cheap on-net calls.

They do offer cheaper on-net rates, obviously not as cheap as we would like. Lets say they offer cheaper on-net calls, what is going to subsidise the off-net calls? I would love their rates to be better but I can't see how they can drop prices when they are not making money at the moment. Remember in the begining, they were a lot cheaper then MTN and VC but still did not get the subscribers.

Example: For their Friends and Family rates, how much do you think it cost them to run their network because they are only receiving about 10c per second for outgoing calls to other networks.

Active Chat 100 Rates

friends & family peak
Cell C to Cell C R 1.50
Cell C to other mobiles & landlines R 1.65

friends & family off-peak
Cell C to Cell C R 0.75

peak call p/m
Cell C to Cell C R 1.70
Cell C to other mobile R 2.35
Cell C to telkom R 1.70

 

[Syndyre]

They may offer slightly cheaper calls but I think most people would agree their service/standard isn't up to standard, IMO anyway.

 

[nthdimension]

Their service standard seems to be about par with that offered by Vodacom and MTN. Which is to say not particularly good.

 

[noxibox]

I'm surprised MTN thinks they can get away with withholding interconnect fees.