First and foremost RPM and troops:
Thanks for the Inputs, updates and representation at DoC Colloquium
I am sure without Your efforts we would not have seen this light of day, whether it would soon bear fruit or only later we have to wait and see. But it will improve the current situation.....eventually
rpm said:
Hi folks
We are given the opportunity to comment on the first DoC Colloquium Report. Can you please give your comments on the issues raised in the report, with specific focus on broadband issues. We will then accumulate all the comments and send them through to the DoC.
The document is available at
http://www.doc.gov.za/_colloquium/images/ict_report.pdf
You can simply give your comments in this thread.
Regards,
RPM
1) Dr Reynolds hit the nail on the head and seems to either have followed MyADSL threads since 2003 or as I think had the common sense to see what is happening.
the absence of the Minister of Communications, the Honourable Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri,
and the Director General of Communications, Ms. Lyndall Shope-Mafole, both of whom were
busy preparing for an important Cabinet Legkotla
This is a slap in the face of South Africa as here it is stated there are more important things than this DoC Colloquium. Maybe some reporters can give us some idea on their whereabouts, in Hr's, while the DoC Colloquium was in progress to ratify such important diversions. In particular, the bit I read on DR Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri's speech is a indication why the conditions is what it is in the broadband arena and leaves a mark on the quality of ministry in this country.
2) Dr. Cohen only seemed to try very hard to justify the status quo and their lack of progress or actions and seek further applause or approval off the 3.5% Telkom increases, approved already, instead of reductions
A third document would be published in the coming week, containing the findings of the ADSL
enquiry, and which would contain opinions on all the issues that are covered including the
question which Mr. Reynolds raised on Bit Caps.
This is a bit late and should have been available before this DoC Colloquium, this makes the whole issue suspect based on the contents of her speech and the absence of the
NOT SO Honourable Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri and Ms. Lyndall Shope-Mafole
There was a lot of lip-talk, boot shining the president and quotes of unknown people in Dr Cohens speech but I saw nothing of concrete directives as reference to the current situation regards to telecom and broadband in particular. No future guidelines and no timetables for implementation except reference to that something must be done to improve business by tax cutting etc.. Her Job is communications, not business development. That is someone else's portfolio
Other initiatives were underway to reduce costs of doing business in South African, for example by
reducing the tax rate on companies, and it is clear that the communications sector needs to take similar deliberative action
Her statement makes me think that she is unsure what the real issue is. Only competition will work nothing else ! She utters a lot about delays, regulation, and legal frame works, avoiding direct questions with referrals to other processes. She refers to that we are now in the third round, How many are there? in boxing there is ten unless there is a knockout which only ICASA. and the GVT can produce to telecom's or Telkom. From this report it appears that there is little inclination for this
3) Deputy-Minister Padayachie:
Should be minister. I hope to see fruition to his promises, and I don't mean the SNO as we know as with Cell C it meant little progress or benefits if any to the consumer and they are not reliant on a single Incumbent like Telkom.!
The other speakers were in general on par with the situation.
The referral of one speaker that Telkom will make profits at all cost by giving some and then steal it back somewhere else got colour considering they lowered ADSL prices for August and implement new rules from 1 Nov to not only recover the 20% but steal more by making ADSL unusable, No VoIP, No downloads, No P2P, No ....whatever.....,All to enhance their own VoIP and 4G triple play to come for more profiteering and protect current income bases.
4)The other main players also had the protectionist attitude towards their pricing structures:
Telkom's defense need no discussion, It is as bad as what have been expected
Ms. Mahole drew attention to the significant investment that had been made in infrastructure, and trusted that policy would continue to be made in such a way that it didn’t discourage investment, and to remember that adequate returns were needed in order to encourage ongoing investment. She said that Telkom was not recovering its installation costs
This is BS How could they then have showed the extreme profits lately ?? did they get it for free? We should discourage further investment by Telkom by allowing others to invest and compete without any prohibitions and laws to protect Telkom and this includes SAIX which seems to be a legal front for Telkom to protect their Monopoly and have ransom over competition and consumers in this country
The cell network speakers made references to R3.00 starterpacks and community services and the other. That do not answer the cost problem. If telecoms were cheaper they would not need their cheap handouts in the first place, cost of which they recover more than 100% at least anyway. I do not feel sorry for them.
MTN's absence speak for themselves as they have no excuse or real answer for their profiteering ventures. More honourable than trying to defend their case I presume
The feedback from the working groups were vague but appear more or less in the framework for required change, quickly and effectively.
I saw no reference to Telkom / Saix unhealthy ownership/relationship.
I see no reference to time tables. Five Years is a long time and where will we be then in 2011 compared to the rest of the world at that time. Fifty Years behind at Telkoms controlled allowable progress. Telkom is worse than befuddled communism
I see no final objectives and how to achieve it. Only lip-talk what should and could be.
Whatever happened to install infrastructure and recover the costs over 10 Years + running costs. Cost of developing infrastructure and trial and terror experiments like W-Fi should be paid out of the company's profit or GVT subsidies. Not recovered from current consumers now ??
We wait in anticipation for developments the next few weeks and will hold Deputy-Minister Padayachie 's promises at heart to see the will and determination of ICASA and the GVT relating to these issues. Come December we should know where to spend our Money for new regulation in February 2006 (Like Feb 2005, just look at the developments since then)
