How people can get involved

[rpm]

Hi folks

I am often receiving requests from people asking how they can get involved in improving telecoms in South Africa and creating awareness amoung others regarding broadband pricing and the need to improve our local situation. We want to create a list of easy things to do to get involved which is easy and doable. Here is a short list of what we thought up so far:

• Write Blogs on sites other than MyADSL, Helkom or Antitrust (maybe even have a basic template that can be easily edited and posted everywhere)
• Inform others about MyADSL, Hellkom, Antitrust. This can be done through email, setting the home-pages of people to one of these sites (much better than MWeb anyway) etc.
• Have a company that specializes in flyers (all-in-one…printing, handing them out etc). We can then just publish their details and if they get money in they can simply send out a batch of the already designed flyers.
• Contact the DoC, your local political representative, your local newspaper (Not the larger ones…they will see it as spam) regarding the issue. A template letter can be drafted to assist in this regard…makes it easier for members.
• Support organizations like JAWUG to build wireless networks

Please give your views regarding this issue. The things that can be done must be easy, preferably free and it will be great if it can be done from a PC (like the emails, blog writing etc.)

Regards,

RPM

 

[love56k]

Inform others about MyADSL, Hellkom, Antitrust. This can be done through email....

.... the easiest way of "advertising" these sites is to add them to all your outgoing email messages.

for those who don't know how to set up a default signature in outlook express:

click on
- tools
- options
- signatures
- new

select "add signatures to all outgoing messages"
de-select "don't add signature to forwards and replies"

under "edit signature" select "text" and type your own favourite anti-telkom statement or just paste www.myadsl.co.za www.hellkom.co.za www.antitrust.co.za into the text block

click on apply
click on OK.

if you're sending email to someone that you would not want/need to inform about these sites, just delete your signature, from that particular email, before you start typing your message.

 

[Debbie]

Speak to people, speak to people, speak to people about the situation. Some of the facts that seem to outrage people the most (I have found) are:

1. Telkom's R6.8 billion profit in the last financial year.
2. Price comparisons with other countries.
3. The Competition Commission's finding that Telkom had "engaged in a pattern" of abusive and anti-competitive behaviour; and the recommendation to the Competition Tribunal that Telkom be fined the maximum allowed (over R3 billion at the time). Also, Telkom's subsequent argument to the High Court that the Competition Commission has no authority over them in this matter.
4. The fact that we have a residential fixed line penetration rate of around 5%.
5. Various concrete examples of Telkom ignoring the law, side-stepping the law, and continually making application to be above the law (i.e. COA/CAM saga; rate regime saga 2002; PFMA; shareholders registry; etc etc).

 

[w1z4rd]

Dont forget the part where 85% of this country cant afford a basic telephone.

 

[antowan]

I also suggest we create a little button peeps can put anywhere on their websites, personal blogs etc that link to myadsl.co.za or hellkom.co.za or a unified domain with a page informing people of what is going on in South Africa...

Perhaps the button can say something like 'One click for better telecoms in South Africa!' or the likes...

Regards
Antowan

 

[antowan]

Oh and please diss any stupid Telkom ads in public if you have the guts to do it. Boo their friggin ads in cinemas for instance. I do that. Be careful to do it tactfully. That usually involves doing it as loudly as possible. I get applause most of the time and good laughs all of the time! Do this only if you have the guts!

 

[BTTB]

Thanks love56k.
Done.

 

[-toady-]

Going to see about getting a bumper sticker made:

Don't just sit there!
- Go to myadsl.co.za -

Read & Register

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!

__________

Course mine will have Tards & Planks may join safely at the bottom


WretchedToad
Downright Dangerously Dim-witted