Local Only 3G / HSDPA Access

vodacom3g said:
I guess the day when local bandwidth is free (i.e no cost to build and carry local traffic) we can make it free.

It's easy enough to split local and international traffic, but I'm battling to see how we can get to free local traffic as the costs are substantial to provide the service.

Who gave you this "feeble excuse", by the way?

At best there could be a reduced rate for local but it would imply separate billing and that will just add to the cost. Rather the current model is to balance local vs international costs in the pricing model, based on average split seen.

When the new infrastructure is in place we'll be able to build new models.
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v3g, could you not request a "local" APN that people could use if they wanted. Charged at a lower rate. A person could then make two seperate connections using their data device. One to the "local" APN and the other to the "internet" APN.

Some people might not understand what it all means, but advanced users can make use of it. The lesser can just stay on whats currently being advertised and used?

Would work in a similar fashion to the ADSL system then.
 
Chermobil said:
Extortion is Vodacom's business, no amount of resoning will get them to bring their prices down.
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You have the choice of 2(3) other mobile voice providers and there is mobile number portability.

There are 3 alternative mainstream wireless broadband providers and a large number of smaller ones. No one's holding a gun to your head.

Vote with your feet if you are that unhappy with the service that you are getting from Vodacom.
 
vodacom3g said:
Some examples where local browsing is desireable?
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Obviously as mentioned local forums and news sites etc.

Local peer to peer connections (includes but is not limted to)
- MSN, Skype Transfers between local contacts
- Most voip calls that work with local bandwidth (peer to peer)

Local VPN access. If the routeables IP addresses can be sorted out.
 
MrG said:
Obviously as mentioned local forums and news sites etc.

Local peer to peer connections (includes but is not limted to)
- MSN, Skype Transfers between local contacts
- Most voip calls that work with local bandwidth (peer to peer)

Local VPN access. If the routeables IP addresses can be sorted out.
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What are the odds of Vodacom providing that?
 
bwana said:
What are the odds of Vodacom providing that?
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Was also smiling at that one :)

We try and do a lot for local broadband (might not always be obvious) but giving the family jewels away is asking a bit much.

@ic, working on the Vodacom site issue. Nearly there...;)

As always, my question was a leading one. So come up with good ideas and let's discuss. I'm still keen to do something with off-peak bandwidth....
 
ic said:
LOL ok :), was just wondering bcos numerous forumites mention the after 7pm thing.

I still think there is a potential advantage for Vodacom, if download traffic that would otherwise involve international links, could be kept on Vodacom's core network, and as such discounted, for example IS achieves this to some extent by providing ftp://ftp.is.co.za/, I know Vodacom also has transparent proxy servers but I don't think they're setup to cache fairly large files >100MB.
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We spoke a few times (here on the forum) about getting a news server going, but every time the conversation fizzled out and I never got a strong feeling for a requirement.
 
vodacom3g said:
We spoke a few times (here on the forum) about getting a news server going, but every time the conversation fizzled out and I never got a strong feeling for a requirement.
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With the data price the way it stands I'm not surprised interest fizzled out.
 
bwana said:
With the data price the way it stands I'm not surprised interest fizzled out.
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No, don't think it's that at all. More that we did not get good suggestions on how to utilise the systems we have better.

What I'm asking for are suggestions that will make it easier for everyone, the news server being a case in point as are the 'after hours' usage ideas.

Even if prices come down or speeds go up, there are always ways to make things more effective and as bunch of technocrats, you guys have our ears....
 
vodacom3g said:
No, don't think it's that at all. More that we did not get good suggestions on how to utilise the systems we have better.

What I'm asking for are suggestions that will make it easier for everyone, the news server being a case in point as are the 'after hours' usage ideas.

Even if prices come down or speeds go up, there are always ways to make things more effective and as bunch of technocrats, you guys have our ears....
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At the risk of sounding too surreptitious you do understand where the interest in a local news server arises from right?

(Unless of course you're considering offering access at reduced prices . . .)
 
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ic said:
Personally I prefer the idea of an on-network ftp server instead of a news server.
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Why? I would think a news server would offer a far more in the way of variety. The news servers are also extensively catalogued.
 
ic said:
Has there been a significant increase in traffic involving SAIX's own news server on the internetvpn & unrestricted APNs? - if there has or will be, then it would be better for Vodacom to provide its own on-network news server rather than have traffic go upstream to SAIX.Off-peak reduced-rate access to an on-network news server sounds good...
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Will see if I can pull stats.

Here's the thing with a news server (if I understand it correctly). We set up a news server and cache a server like giganews. This implies we download everything on that server. The question is how much of that content is actually downloaded by Vodacom users? I.e. where is the sweetspot?

How many people will download movies, etc. over their 3G connection?
 
vodacom3g said:
Will see if I can pull stats.

Here's the thing with a news server (if I understand it correctly). We set up a news server and cache a server like giganews. This implies we download everything on that server. The question is how much of that content is actually downloaded by Vodacom users? I.e. where is the sweetspot?
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My understanding is once the item has been requested and downloaded only then is is cached for subsequent downloads - no demand . . . no download.
How many people will download movies, etc. over their 3G connection?
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Considering a movie will be a minimum of 700mb it would depend on pricing.
 
bwana said:
My understanding is once the item has been requested and downloaded only then is is cached for subsequent downloads - no demand . . . no download.Considering a movie will be a minimum of 700mb it would depend on pricing.
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This is where I need help, not sure if it's a on-demand thing (like a cache) or a full mirror?

So how do we tie it in with after-hours usage? Only make it available during that period? Or leave it open and charge differently after hours?
 
How about making access to the server available only between at absurd hours for a reasonable tariff and block it during the day so its traffic doesn't strain the network
 
ic said:
it was only recently revealed by a forumite that SAIX' news server is accessible from the internetvpn APN [and presumably the unrestricted APN as well].
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Now that is news because as far as I understood it, it was totally impossible to access any of the SA news servers with any other connectivity options other than ADSL. Good to know it is possible though. Even if I knew that it was possible, at R2/mb I would not even have considered it. Even if I had a 2GB bundle, I don't see myself downloading a 700MB *cough* file from the news server Unless there was a severe cut in the costs involved in it. Should be interesting to see the stats from the VC network to the SAIX news server after the "bundle-end"-rush data have been removed.
 
vodacom3g said:
Fair enough, but I'd prefer to put a more complete strategy together. Always easier to sell....
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Just a question: Is it your international transit or your transmission and access network that you are trying to optomise during off peak times?
 
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