ICASA Statement RE VANS

K

Karnaugh

Banned
Joined
Jul 23, 2003
Messages
1,575
Reaction score
4
Location
Durban, South Africa
Subject: [IOZ] Bad news, folks...
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 10:11:01 +0200

MATSEPE-CASABURRI ? CLARIFYING SOME MINISTERIAL
DETERMINATIONS

Following from the public hearings pursuant to the
Ministerial Determinations of 3 September 2004, the
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has
advised me of certain concerns with regard to the
interpretation of the intention of these Determinations.
As a result, and to remove any doubt whatsoever, I have
decided to make a public statement clarifying the
government?s intentions and outlining the envisaged
government policy in this regard.
I do so against the imperative to avoid any delays with
implementation of the Determinations and the speedy
introduction of competition and the lowering of prices to
the end consumer.
I also do so within the context of regulatory lag that will
arise as a result of possible amendment of the
Telecommunications Act, and / promulgation of the
Convergence Act, once assented to by the President.
The regulations that I have received from the Authority for
approval in this regard, have been drafted in this spirit.

LICENSING OF VANS
The issue of self provisioning was issued in the
government?s policy determinations only in relation to
mobile cellular operators in terms of fixed links, to give
full meaning to the intention to reduce the costs of
telecommunication services in South Africa, it is the
intention that value-added network operators may obtain
facilities from any licensed operator and as specified in
the determinations.
It is not the government?s intention to license every
single activity that can be provided by a VANS operator.
This would lead to an absurd result. I can assure the
sector that the Convergence Bill, when tabled in
Parliament, will bring much needed certainty to the sector
in this regard.
I am confident that this clarification will dispense with
any doubt as to the government?s intention in this critical
sector of the economy, which are, amongst others, the
continuation of managed liberalization and the resultant
reduction of costs.
Click to expand...

Would seem the "Feb 05" story applied only to cellular operators ability to procure their own fixed lines.

"VANS" must still purchase and resell connectivity from licensed operators - This quite obviously remains Telkom, Vodacom, MTN, Faeries, Unicorns and other mythical creatures like the "SNO".

At least this is what I can decypher...
 
Unless there will be more operators like a TNO, FNO etc. A Third Network Operator, Fourth Netowork operator etc....

Kinda silly all these acronyms! Why not just call it the competition to Telkom.

Cheers
Ant
 
On the other hand the acronyms do lend themselves to a bit of comedy...

It does seem like the new competition to Telkom has got a SNO balls chance in hell of getting off the ground before the end of the year...

;)


Cheers
Ant
 
All we'll have for the foreseeable future is an ONO, Only Network Operator..

Kinda like having the only bakery in Somalia - you can charge what you want.
 
Why does the gov go out of its way to make it easier for already very profitable businesses (e.g. cellphone service providers) to generate even greater profits. But learners, students and joe sixpack in the streets gets NOTHING. NOTHING.

What's more important to ZA: CSP profits or affordable (data) communications for the masses?

:cry:
 
Last edited:
Record in Guiness World Book of Records: The worst communique by a Minister of Communications in the World - and a copy for this ludicrus clarifying statement, as well as the first "Liberalising" statement.
 
So Ivy's so called "Big bang liberalisation" consists of allowing cell providers to interconnect their own towers and for VANS to do VOIP?

F**k ... call me underwelmed.

(a) Cell providers arn't going to pass on those savings to consumers.
(b) VOIP means **** all to 95% of home users who pay per second dial in rates to be able to VOIP in the first place.

Good *** ... can the DOC be any more anti-consumer

:disgusted: :disgusted: :disgusted:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If the sentiment of the DOC is more profit based than community based, it'll turn around and bite them in the bum one day, the problem is, it'll bite everyone else too.

If prices don't improve :-

1. SOHO will suffer
2. The digital divide will grow
3. Foreign investment will suffer
4. The economy will shrink.

G0d forbid that the outlook of Ivy and her cronies is one of the short term "I'm all right jack" grab it while you can mentality - if it is, this country is hurtling up **** creek without a telephone.

When the majority of a population cannot afford a fixed landline, let alone internet access, Ivy, we have a problem. It's all very well pandering to big business, but if you don't grow from a grass roots level, you starve the business sector from the bottom up.

When the price of 24/7 broadband is 50% of the average formal sector wage and double to triple that of the informal sector, can anyone truly say the DOC actually give a damn about the average South African ?

What about the BIG PICTURE ? - sometimes I really despair - sometimes I figure "well, what the heck, welcome to Africa, land of the quick buck at the expense of the consumer"
 
Last edited:
would it not be something to hear a well-set out argument in support of whatever it is the DoC et al is trying to do- something to balance the arguments presented here

it just goes on and on and on with nobody saying this is what we are trying to achieve and then tying the actions up to the objectives

in the absence of this it is just too easy to believe the worst
 
dominic said:
would it not be something to hear a well-set out argument in support of whatever it is the DoC et al is trying to do- something to balance the arguments presented here

it just goes on and on and on with nobody saying this is what we are trying to achieve and then tying the actions up to the objectives

in the absence of this it is just too easy to believe the worst
Click to expand...

Exactly - there's no transparency at all. No conclusive plan.
A LOT of hot-air and double-talk, plenty of pandering to the big boys but no indication of what it may mean to your average aspiring South African.

Lets face it, there are millions with the drive in this country to get small businesses going in the IT sector, but this half-assed farting around by ICASA and DOC is helping nobody.

I was chatting to my brother today about it - we're both small businesses owners and this indecision is making life difficult.

I've been considering cancelling my ADSL because I don't know if it's worth having ! - for G0ds sake, my business is web design and basic hosting and the extra R790 a month for ADSL at home on top of my office rental and ADSL costs is killing my profit margins, but I absolutely NEED to be connected at home and the office - I've often helped clients out at 10pm at night or 5am in the morning - without a home connection, I can't do it - but I also don't know if I can afford it anymore ?

Multiply that by 100 000 small business operators in South Africa and we end up with a BAD situation. A situation where small business operators are unable to compete globally.

That's yet another aspect of my business - I picked up a great UK client but ended up spending 20% of my profit margin on phone calls !

ARhghghghg !
 
Last edited:
Paging MBS ... he's the gov's chief apologist around here.

Perhaps he could shed some light *shudder*
 
Hi all!

We need to see where all this leads and how the industry responds to it. We need to see which options become available and how the market reacts in five to six months. I hate the fact that no major players have come out and promised us anything mouth watering. This probably means that the status-quo won't change much. On the other hand some people just might not want the cat out of the bag yet. Who knows? We need to be up there and awake when these things do start to swing about. It can be either good or bad, either way, we must be ready to accept it or start doing something.

The existence of this here forum is one of many islands of hope in a sea of digital desperation in South Africa and the continent for that matter. I have had so many conversations with people on this topic that I cannot even begin to count. It always revolves around the importance and priority of water, food and housing to the country. It is imperative that we get these things right, indeed! We cannot however lull ourselves into believing that we can neglect the technology that forms the backbone of all that makes South Africa the best country in Africa to stay in. The telecoms industry has turned into a political football, like many things in our wonderful country. We hear promises of liberalization and deregulation. We hear promises of competition and better service and pricing for the poor. We hear all these things and yet at the same time nobody in a decision making capacity can come clean and be honest for one brief moment on national TV or radio to spell out to us what we can expect from the minister as far as support goes and how she really believes she can change our world.

What is happening in the corridors of decision making or is the Telkom lobby so strong that it can tame a freedom movement like the ANC? How can it be that freedom for the people can get watered down to such travesty where only the rich can afford to communicate? Sure, the excuse will be that there are millions of South Africans communicating via mobile phone technology. They will give us the figures and tell us that more people are communicating today that 10 years ago.

True! More people are able to pick up a phone of some sort and say hello. But are they able to communicate more? Having the ability to talk has nothing to do with how much talking you can do. We can talk very little in South Africa. The less we can talk compared to the rest of the world, the less we can compete and do business. Our economy is in the upswing, but it is safe to say that Telkom is a hell of a damper on this. Sure it will go out and try very hard to prove the contrary but we all know the truth. Each and every one of us can honestly say it would be better if we could do more.

Think of all the new business opportunities that could arise from simply making an old technology like dial-up Internet flat rated and on twenty four hours a day, seven days a week? More on-line business. New business models for old and dated companies. We need leadership in the ministry that can show some backbone and say the things that need to be said. Communication in Africa is treated like oil. It is controlled and priced by the unit. Why? Why should we accept these obviously dated ideas of per second fees? The electricity in the phone grid is consumed whether there are no calls or one million calls. The switching cost in modern times are virtually nil because of technology in the modern grids. These grids are fully automated (to such an extent that problems report themselves at HQ) and yet we are paying as if it is the nineteen sixties. There is no denying that data networks will become the basic transmission networks for all forms of communication. We should be an industrious nation opting to install the networks of the future from the get go. We do not have the hassle of having to pull out old technology to install the new. Countries like the United States and most of Europe are suffering this problem and yet they have better systems. Why?

It is not because we do not have the skills. It is also not because we do not have economies of scale. The per customer cost is the same no matter where you are. We are suffering a beating from a beastly monopoly of which movies will one day be made. We are suffering the tirany that is TELKOM! There is no reason for this other than that they seem to be able to buy their way out of any fix they find themselves in. The more time goes by the stronger the monster gets. We have the odds stacked up against us for the simple reason that ignorance prevails (to a large degree because of Telkom's brilliant advertising and marketing campaigns) and our country's people has never experienced anything better.

We need to ride the storm and when the time comes welcome the better service if government is indeed serious about making it happen. If not I am getting ready for a tougher stance. This tougher stance will be dictated by us all. But that bridge will be crossed when we come to it. The time for talk is still here and we must hope it never passes because I can promise those who think communication technology to be a trivial matter in Africa that it is not! It is an imperative matter that needs careful attention for things like this can make or break governments. It can allow for the proper functioning of democracy or the abysmal failure of it. It can make or break economies.

We are over regulated and we know it. The question remains what the minister is going to do about it.

Regards
Ant
 
where does this whole thing leave iburst?
are they one of the registered operators that can lay down their own Infrastructure?
 
Sent an email to Carte Blanche about the whole thing and I got a reply back

"We are running a story on Sunday about Voice Over IP. It will deal in part with the so-called liberalization of telecoms and what this means for the consumer."

just for info
 
freek.... i think so.

ic... so you telling me that wireless networks are ok but not landlines?
 
ic, as per your PM request here are the links....
Real Access
Digital Divide

Unfortunately, I can't say much about the issue at hand (VANS: ICASA statement) as I'm still try to really understand what is VANS, how do they work, who benefits from VANS and why should I be interested in them.

If you feel you can enlighten me, please do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X