Cell Phone Consumer Boycott Now!

J

Jonpad

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Dear ALL
Is the time not ripe for full on consumer boycott action for cell phone users? The economy is slowing down and One Day of Switch Off is all this country needs to send a clear message to the "service" providers that we will no longer tolerate this blatant theft. I always tell friends that every time you pay for a sms you should pay R100 for a loaf bread.

Check out the Nigerian experience, google " cell phone boycott 19 September 2003"
This campaign is ideal to kick off action from battered consumers on a personal level.

I know ICASA is planning punitive measures but surely South Africans need to take matters into their hands and in this case it literally is so.
Look at the Competition Boards action on the bread price fixers. Yes hefty fine were paid but the price of bread did not drop.

All we need is a catchy sms, a date to switch off and start sending.
Jonathan
 
Cosatu tried (with vodacom) and failed, if those guys cant pull it off (experts at boycotting, and generally causing chaos when their demands are not met), i dont think anybody can.
 
catweasel said:
Cosatu tried (with vodacom) and failed, if those guys cant pull it off (experts at boycotting, and generally causing chaos when their demands are not met), i dont think anybody can.
Click to expand...

Lol, but sadly true. If they can't, I doubt we can.
And I cannot afford to switch my phone off for a day.
 
face it, we need them more then they need us at this stage. especially if one uses cellphones for business purposes.
 
don't boycott companies, boycott CEOs, again my spear is aimed at mr knott-craig, former ceo of vodacom, we need to boycott anything he is in, if he's employed at iburst then we need to stop using iburst products, end of story, this should make any CEO in power today think twice about messing with us consumers, they will be without work for the rest of their lives if we so much as think they were screwing with us. period.
 
Jonpad said:
Dear ALL
Is the time not ripe for full on consumer boycott action for cell phone users? The economy is slowing down and One Day of Switch Off is all this country needs to send a clear message to the "service" providers that we will no longer tolerate this blatant theft. I always tell friends that every time you pay for a sms you should pay R100 for a loaf bread.

Check out the Nigerian experience, google " cell phone boycott 19 September 2003"
This campaign is ideal to kick off action from battered consumers on a personal level.

I know ICASA is planning punitive measures but surely South Africans need to take matters into their hands and in this case it literally is so.
Look at the Competition Boards action on the bread price fixers. Yes hefty fine were paid but the price of bread did not drop.

All we need is a catchy sms, a date to switch off and start sending.
Jonathan
Click to expand...

Cool idea
You first
 
Kawak said:
don't boycott companies, boycott CEOs, again my spear is aimed at mr knott-craig, former ceo of vodacom, we need to boycott anything he is in, if he's employed at iburst then we need to stop using iburst products, end of story, this should make any CEO in power today think twice about messing with us consumers, they will be without work for the rest of their lives if we so much as think they were screwing with us. period.
Click to expand...

From another thread:
bwana said:
You understand there are two Knott-Craig's prominent in SA's telecommunications history right? Alan Knott-Craig Snr - the former CEO Vodacom and Alan Knott-Craig Jnr the former CEO of iBurst.
Click to expand...
 
rudirautenbach said:
Hmmm...the apple did not fall too far from the tree then ...
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Damn i fully agree with u.

I say we boycott them all, look at iburst prices???? omg:eek:

do they even know what real world prices are like?

either way, i think my idea will work, these fat cats are being hired for their ability to screw with us, so why allow them to continue?
 
Instead of boycotting all the networks, rather boycott the 2 networks that caused this problem and support the other networks for the day, but make sure you don't call the 2 culprit networks other wise you are still supporting them.
 
Thanks for the comments. Most of these comments reflect the poverty that is rampant in this country. But "I'm not poor" you say indignantly. My definition of poverty is based on a mental state of disempowerment and I see this disempowerment in 8 of the 9 responses.
I refute 2 claims:
1) Cosatu threatened a boycott of Vodacom but did not follow through and this was based on the big sale that they thought could cost many jobs. They lost the court case.
2) Yes you can live without a cell phone for the day. Just leave a message for your clients saying that you are observing the boycott and leave a land line number. Then say at a land line for a day and enjoy being away from our dangerous roads.

Once upon a time, businesses and people made arrangements without the use of microwave frequencies.
This is possible and not a request to send a mission to Mars.
I will explore other online networks to gather support. You can help by emailing my original post to your address book
 
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Good luck...

I'll keep using my cellphone and not inconvenience myself while you switch yours off and achieve nothing.
 
ToxicBunny said:
Good luck...

I'll keep using my cellphone and not inconvenience myself while you switch yours off and achieve nothing.
Click to expand...

I disagree, I think a lot will be achieved with this, as the timing is right now in SA, there is pressure on ICASA and the Competition Commission to investigate and sort out the high costs of calls in SA at the moment.

Its the perfect timing for a group action like this, I still feel we need a large group like a union or unions to get involved to throw their support behind this sort of group action. They also have the skills to organise this sort of event countrywide.
 
I know nothing will be achieved by this,

because you will get at BEST 10000 cell phone users to boycott, which is but a dent in the 30m+ cell phones out there...
 
Cool Warwickw. This is turning from a one man show to a 2 man show. so that a 100% growth rate for this movement.
I'm going to copy and paste my first post to letter to Star Newspaper. and try something on Facebook? Do you have any other ideas as to how to get word out. You have solid points but I don't know how to approach Cosatu,
I'm on Wits campus so Ican write to our student newspaper
 
Its not just going to be my vote... the majority of cellphone users will not boycott their cellphone for a day.

South Africans have in the past shown to be indifferent to a "boycott".. it has been tried a number of times against a number of companies/industries and has been ineffective because the majority of consumers would rather not inconvenience themselves.
 
ToxicBunny said:
Its not just going to be my vote... the majority of cellphone users will not boycott their cellphone for a day.

South Africans have in the past shown to be indifferent to a "boycott".. it has been tried a number of times against a number of companies/industries and has been ineffective because the majority of consumers would rather not inconvenience themselves.
Click to expand...

Reality bites.....:(
 
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