ICASA ADSL Draft Regulations

[Megabyte]

I have to say all in all a very good range of regulations. I know some will have problems with one or two but all in all a fair outcome for where we are right now The only item I have a problem with is the regulation of the maximum upstream. Why regulate that? What happens when some one wants to provide ADSL2+ in the future or will a new regulation need to be passed to make this possible?

 

[YAPOC]

So ICASA do have some balls.

 

[Moederloos]

Can someone please explain what are the advantages of having a fixed IP?

Security is also big here. How can my hosted server authenticate me via a firewall without a static ip. Sure I can stuff around with VPN or certificates etc, but why should I have to? A simple entry on the server to allow ip address 196.x.x.x and all is done.

 

[antowan]

I would like to push ICASA in assembling a basket of overseas services to compare ADSL with. I would then like ICASA to force Telkom to never be out of line with the cost average of the said basket by more than 15 or 20 percent.

This will safegaurd South Africans in the sense that we will not be hugely out of line with International trends. The importance of this should be apparent to anybody aware of how critical the net has become for economic development...

I see no concrete cost guidelines to limit the high cost of ADSL in these draft regulations....

 

[BTTB]

Guts or Balls.

So ICASA do have some balls.

Maybe it is Guts?

GUTS or BALLS ?


We've all heard about people having guts or balls. But do you really
know the difference between them? In an effort to keep you informed, the
definition for each is listed below ....

GUTS - is arriving home late after a night out with the lads, being
assaulted by your wife with a broom, and having the guts to ask: "Are
you still cleaning, or are you flying somewhere?"


BALLS - is coming home late after a night out with the lads, smelling of
perfume and beer, lipstick on your collar, slapping your wife on the ar*e
and having the balls to say: "You're next."

I hope this clears up any confusion on the subject.

 

[Emjay]

Can start hosting your own website from home for one thing. Another is that it will be much easier to set up VPNs, since you don't have to change the config files everytime... Also, you won't need to rely on Dynamic DNS anymore, but can access your own machines from anywhere via the fixed IP. And these are just a couple of the advantages...

Thanks ettubrute.

 

[rsd]

YAPOC: How so? They're only publishing what they're thinking about doing; nothing more. I'll say they have balls when I see a change in the amount I pay every month for my ADSL.

If there is no more reset, it will imply a fixed IP. Just hope this will be true!

Having a guaranteed static IP is very different from having an IP that "should" be static most of the time. If there is any chance of it changing, even once during the course of a year, it isn't static in the true (read useful) sense.

 

[IdlePhaedrus]

So ICASA do have some balls.

This still has to be implemented and enforced. We shall see then if they do, and just how big they are...

 

[MaD]

I foresee a problem here in that Telkom has given all responsibility for everything to ISP's with regards to caps and the like.

Telkom will shrug this off - its too late, they have already made the changes to shift the responsibility from themselves to the ISP's.

Telkom will wash their hands and say "We can't control what the ISP's offer so it's unfair to ask us to do anything - its out of our control".

 

[bwana]

Correct me if I'm wrong but most of these regulations will apply just as much to IS and UUNET?

 

[lewstherin]

Its great that there's a document and all, but lets just assess the situation for a second.
- Its taken over 4 months to produce a 4 page document by an authority that has no actual power to enforce any of these regulations.
- The regulations apply to a company that has quite easily told the Competition commission and ICASA to get stuffed several times with no apparent retaliations.
- The same government that has a majority interest in the profits of Telkom is the only entity with the power to actually enact the above regulations into law.

So I have to say...
IBIWISI

 

[bwana]

Telkom will wash their hands and say "We can't control what the ISP's offer so it's unfair to ask us to do anything - its out of our control".

Perhaps but ICASA will have final say wrt wholesale pricing disputes if I'm reading 2.5 correctly.

Its great that there's a document and all, but lets just assess the situation for a second.
- Its taken over 4 months to produce a 4 page document by an authority that has no actual power to enforce any of these regulations.

Doesnt ICASA have the power to revoke a license?

 

[Megabyte]

On an aside is there any truth in the rumour that Telkom Execs have just canceled their christmas

 

[w1z4rd]

nice one, when does this become offical?

 

[noxibox]

hold the country to ransom again by threatening to stop ADSL all together as they did in the past.

Such threats should be viewed and treated as terrorism. Those making the threats should be subject to arrest.

 

[Moederloos]

I foresee a problem here in that Telkom has given all responsibility for everything to ISP's with regards to caps and the like.

Telkom will shrug this off - its too late, they have already made the changes to shift the responsibility from themselves to the ISP's.

True. But they are also an ISP in the form of TelkomInternet.
In addition, SAIX, IS and UUNET will need to differentiate between local and international, which is a big thing for me. Transfers to and from my server at IS run over 30GB a month (and because of the cap, I simply drive there rather than use ADSL). Local being separated means I can do my transfers and still use ADSL for surfing.
Last, but not least, is the stupid line rental might go the way of the dinosaurs (as we hope will Telkom )

 

[antowan]

I foresee a problem here in that Telkom has given all responsibility for everything to ISP's with regards to caps and the like.

Telkom will shrug this off - its too late, they have already made the changes to shift the responsibility from themselves to the ISP's.

Telkom will wash their hands and say "We can't control what the ISP's offer so it's unfair to ask us to do anything - its out of our control".

Yup! These regulations were the driving force for Telkom to make the 1st of November changes in the 1st place.

This is why I am so concerned about the cost of ADSL and where I believe ICASA should have been more firm. In fact, thinking about it now, I believe Telkom had insights into this drafting behind closed doors.

I am also starting to think that ICASA is being delibarately ambiguous in these draft regulations...

 

[antowan]

If Telkom shrugs the legislation as "not being their problem" the ISP's are going to charge us R600+ per month just to cover their bandwidth costs charged by Telkom.

ICASA, you are going to get a mouthful from me come oral presentation time...

 

[bwana]

If Telkom shrugs the legislation as "not being their problem" the ISP's are going to charge us R600+ per month just to cover their bandwidth costs charged by Telkom.

ICASA, you are going to get a mouthful from me come oral presentation time...

I think 2.5 covers this.

The Authority shall, at the request of the parties, intervene and make a determination whenever there is a disagreement on wholesale rates

I do however think that "request of the parties" be changed so that only one party needs to request the review.

 

[Farquaon]

Could someone maybe debbie2 or rpm or somebody that is allowed, release like a "press statement" saying that they welcome the draft regulation and are very happy with the suggested plan and blah blah, and post it on the front of the site, and maybe get other ISP's to respond too, and then get one massive voice approving the draft? No telkom can change those facts then? I would, but i have seen that debbie2 is extremely articulate and me just a boertjie ingels