Is there really hope?

[Toxin]

Hi All,

This is my first thread and post in this forum, so please forgive me if this issue has been raised before. I've read some of the topics here and I can safely say that I feel at home with your comments and believes. Like all of you I feel excited about the prospect of a new SNO doing the rounds here in South Africa. The prospect of adding competition to what we can safely say is a complete monopoly run by people who just don't seem to care.

But unfortunately I've got this little pessimistic side of me that's wondering if anything is really going to change. Are we pinning all our hopes and prayers on something that might come round and screw us in the end? I am afraid that in the end it will just end up like the cell phone industry where everyone has got basically the same prices for the same phones without having anything decisive separating them.

Can anyone reassure me in any way? Give me back my hope that there are good things out there just waiting to happen?

The new guy.

Toxin

PS: Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks Telkom sucks

Soz I just needed to get that out of my system.

 

[bb_matt]

Logic would say that prices have to go down or else we face further economic woes.

However, logic also would say that for prices to be in line with europe, the USA or asia would require a far larger market than we currently have.

Good things have happened already, albiet at a snails pace and via a monopoly. The introduction of ADSL has at least made broadband access a little more affordable than it was, even if that cost is still exorbitant and out of reach for the average south african.

I dought if we'll ever see sub R200 a month fees for broadband anytime soon, but I think we'll see R300 to R350 within two years.

Of course, the biggest question is whether we'll ever see the ridiculous 3gig cap increased ...

 

[bb_matt]

Oh yeah - don't hold any hope of the SNO improving the lot of home internet access anytime soon ...

I believe that wireless, when they finally get it right, will be way to go in relation to cost and packages.

Unfortunately, the current wireless options are cr@p.

 

[martin]

Toxin, like you I don't hold much hope for the SNO. MTN and Cell C did nothing to decrease prices in the cellular market. The one ray of hope for me is that Tata is a shareholder in the SNO and they are offering decent broadband packages in India which like us, is a third world country. Hopefully they'll see the same opportunities here.

The main onus is still on us, Joe Public. We have to educate as many people as possible about the current state of telecommunication in this country. We also have to start working together with organisations such as CUASA and the various political parties to start putting continued pressure on the Department of Communication until they can no longer ignore us.

The toxicity of our city - System of a down

Love that song

 

[KikzAzz]

The one ray of hope for me is that Tata is a shareholder in the SNO and they are offering decent broadband packages in India which like us, is a third world country. Hopefully they'll see the same opportunities here.

What makes me worry, and I hope it is unfounded, is that Telkom is actually providing service cheaper to the rest of Africa that locally!

 

[Vio]

The real question is whether SNO will compete with Telkom or whether they will benchmark there pricing against Telkom. If they compete it will lead to lower prices overall. But if they just benchmark there pricing like other wireless and cell phone companies do then it will be cartel style all over again.

 

[ic]

The real question is whether SNO will compete with Telkom or whether they will benchmark there pricing against Telkom. If they compete it will lead to lower prices overall. But if they just benchmark there pricing like other wireless and cell phone companies do then it will be cartel style all over again.

Yep, but that's where ICASA needs to step in with a price cap - preferably lower than the ripoff prices being charged now by Telkomonopoly.

 

[alchamy]

I am keen to see what ICASA rules with regard to pricing in the next few weeks, esp with the negative feedback regarding local cellular calls.

 

[bekdik]

Me thinks many are missing the point. Once the SNO is operative, telkom de facto "has competition". Kills all arguments about monopolies.

SNO only works if Telkom has "effective opposition". anyone want to take a bet on that happening? In your lifetime?

 

[KikzAzz]

If I have to take the cellphone market as an example, then the aswer is no!. I wouldn't even consider taking a bet!

 

[Toxin]

After I sat down and thought about it I feel I have to reconsider what I said about the cellular industry. Even though we haven't seen any real decrease in price the technology has been increasing. In other words we've been paying the same price for contracts over the last say 4 years, but we've gotten better equipment to work with. Also coverage has been getting better as well. 4 or 5 years ago the "in" phone was the Nokia 3310 or 3330 and when it came out you paid R129 per month for a two year contract. Now you can get phones with 1.3 mega pixel cameras with WAP, MMS and Bluetooth for the same contract price. Yes, calls aren't cheaper, this per second thing can be a joke sometimes but at least we're getting better toys to play with.

 

[Clipse]

You guys are now complaining bout the wrong things, Cellphone contracts and packages in SA are not expensive compared to majority of overseas countries. We have really good comparable packages and prices. They can allways drop costs, Im all for that but at the current time its not a big deal.

Lets focus on stuff that is affecting our everyday life, Telkom.. Telkom... and Telkom....