-
Join the MyBroadband community
South Africa’s biggest forum. Discuss, discover, and connect with thousands of members.
-
Question of the Day: How do you normally pay for purchases in stores?
Mbeki criticises high telecom rates
- Thread starter rpm
- Start date
If government plans to use this speech to placate us they have another thing coming, seriously, Mbeki's words will be thrown right back at him, and it is the people of the country that have the power to force government to keep its word & act upon it. If it's lip service then Mbeki beware, you will go down in history as the worst self-serving SA president, if you keep your word you might just come close to being as popular as Madiba.
Gooku
Senior Member
In general ,Brodband costs in SA are about 400~500 % the price of similar offering in USA or Western Europe.......
The President 10x times higher may also cover Fixed line voice calls costs,which affects a much larger population(than broband users) and economy as a whole.
We are going to hold the President to his promise...........
His speech is a very pleasant surprise .
The President 10x times higher may also cover Fixed line voice calls costs,which affects a much larger population(than broband users) and economy as a whole.
We are going to hold the President to his promise...........
His speech is a very pleasant surprise .
bb_matt
Executive Member
His speech is bollocks.
Gooku
Senior Member
bb_matt said:
Why ?
I do not see any reasons for pessimism,changes are taking place ,both on the regulatory level and market place.
Just over a year ago,the only option for broband is Telkom's ADSL512 ,now we already have 4 or 5 options.and more options are coming .....
The market is transforming itself from a seller's market to becoming a buyer's market
Consumers always call the shot in a buyer's market.
We are getting closer to there everyday
Last edited:
Strobemeister
Expert Member
Yes, i'm going to be positive about the whole issue, if the prez wasn't serious, he wouldn't have mentioned it, though i do take matt's point over previous issues.
I have a feeling things are taking a turn for the better.
I have a feeling things are taking a turn for the better.
bb_matt
Executive Member
@ Begin Rant
Positive is fair enough, but at the end of the day, it's not a speech by the prez that will change anything !!!
It's BUSINESS.
This countries government has effectively sold it's soul to business in order to garner more overseas investment, therefore, they don't have the power to say Yay or Nay to such key issues as dropping prices.
If they did, then why the fuuck would we STILL be paying the same food prices we were when the rand was R13 to the $ and then more so ? - answer me that ?
Why do we have the highest banking charges in the world - answer me that ?
Why would our car prices amongst the highest in the world - answer me that ?
Because the government LETS business get away with it. Because the government is to all intents and purposes OWNED by big business.
That's the real South African story - or my mad rambling opinion of it.
Trying to put two and two together here is difficult, but my gut feeling tells me our powers that be have sold out to the highest bidders. All the corruption and scandal in government points to it. It all points to a speeding gravy train, sponsored by mega-corporations. The more I hear about the dealings of government, the more it becomes clear that this is the case.
They don't give a **** about the little man anymore than the last regime did.
The fat porcine ministers at the opening of parliment would sooner roll up the windows of thier Mercs as they pass beggars on the street, or better yet, have those beggars taken away before they see them.
More and more I'm seeing our government as a farce and seeing the huge business conglomerates as the real "rulers" of this country - but then, isn't that the same the world over ?
# End Rant
Positive is fair enough, but at the end of the day, it's not a speech by the prez that will change anything !!!
It's BUSINESS.
This countries government has effectively sold it's soul to business in order to garner more overseas investment, therefore, they don't have the power to say Yay or Nay to such key issues as dropping prices.
If they did, then why the fuuck would we STILL be paying the same food prices we were when the rand was R13 to the $ and then more so ? - answer me that ?
Why do we have the highest banking charges in the world - answer me that ?
Why would our car prices amongst the highest in the world - answer me that ?
Because the government LETS business get away with it. Because the government is to all intents and purposes OWNED by big business.
That's the real South African story - or my mad rambling opinion of it.
Trying to put two and two together here is difficult, but my gut feeling tells me our powers that be have sold out to the highest bidders. All the corruption and scandal in government points to it. It all points to a speeding gravy train, sponsored by mega-corporations. The more I hear about the dealings of government, the more it becomes clear that this is the case.
They don't give a **** about the little man anymore than the last regime did.
The fat porcine ministers at the opening of parliment would sooner roll up the windows of thier Mercs as they pass beggars on the street, or better yet, have those beggars taken away before they see them.
More and more I'm seeing our government as a farce and seeing the huge business conglomerates as the real "rulers" of this country - but then, isn't that the same the world over ?
# End Rant
Last edited:
I think the problem is that the line between government & big business have not been re-painted, and entities from both sides are straddling in each others lanes. IOW, corruption is rife...bb_matt said:
Also, government ministers are giving themselves a raise each year far above the average Joe/Jane's salary, so why should the ministerial bovinities have to worry about increased prices...
Last edited:
sybawoods
Expert Member
Well, the implication of that statement in the context of your post is that big business in South Africa profits by high telecoms costs, which is certainly not the case. Big business have been campaigning for lower telecoms costs as much as we have - obviously for different reasons.bb_matt said:
But, like you said, lets not be naive. Big business the world over has some influence over government. It is only the degree that matters from country to country.
Again, not denying the influence of big business. But do you really believe that if government was completely in the pocket of big "business conglomerates" we would have had legislation like the Employment Equity Act, Labour Relations Act, Basic Conditions of Employment Act etc passed? Even seemingly innocuous legislation like the banning of Plastic Bags, Smoking in Public places etc were vigorously opposed by big business. I'm not claiming to support all aspects of the legislation above, but just pointing out that there has indeed been some healthy ding-dongs between government and business in South Africa. More so than in many other more "developed" countries
SW, my personal opinion is that government as a collective institution is not in the pocket of big business, it is however clear that a fair number of highly placed individuals from the 2IC down are free to do whatever they want, and persue any personal agenda they want - inlcuding moving from government to big business with "top secret" government insider info that puts competitors at a major disadvantage - IMO those people should be persued for treason. Nuf said.
Mbeki Criticizes Debilitating Costs of Telecommunications
Another version:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200502110850.html
Another version:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200502110850.html
The biggest problem facing Telkom and it's majority shareholder is that Telkom
just cannot operate competitively.
If Telkom had to offer (even retaining its monopoly AND with noSNO) :
a. fixed rate local telephony as in US
b. competitive dedicated / leased lines as in US
c. competitive broadband as in the free world.
Telkom would simply go bangkrupt.
It is quite simple to establish where the monopoly makes its money -
a. Variable rate LOCAL telephony
b. Exhorbitant dedicated / leased lines - BANDWIDTH
c. Income from variable rate mobile phone business - Vodacom.
Ignore Telkom's past squeeling about high cost of international bandwidth
This is a minor part of the equation.
Telkom just cannot provide a world class telecommunications service to the people of South Africa - SBC always knew this.
Regrettably the President might have taken note of the situation but there is little will to do anything about it.
Sadly nothing will come of this for some years.
just cannot operate competitively.
If Telkom had to offer (even retaining its monopoly AND with noSNO) :
a. fixed rate local telephony as in US
b. competitive dedicated / leased lines as in US
c. competitive broadband as in the free world.
Telkom would simply go bangkrupt.
It is quite simple to establish where the monopoly makes its money -
a. Variable rate LOCAL telephony
b. Exhorbitant dedicated / leased lines - BANDWIDTH
c. Income from variable rate mobile phone business - Vodacom.
Ignore Telkom's past squeeling about high cost of international bandwidth
This is a minor part of the equation.
Telkom just cannot provide a world class telecommunications service to the people of South Africa - SBC always knew this.
Regrettably the President might have taken note of the situation but there is little will to do anything about it.
Sadly nothing will come of this for some years.
stoke
Honorary Master
Opening Statement: Bold steps have been taken to ensure that I can fly.
I may now purchase feathers from one provider, and sometime in the next milennium, 2.
But I may not do anything with my feathers except tickle myself with them.
But, lucky me, the governmint hopes that the legal problems with getting 8 different companies with 8 different expectations and 8 different ways of doing business sort themselves out miraculously, and do this by june this year. When this miracle happens, I just have to wait for an angel to provide the air for me to flap against.
In the meantime, governmint are going to setup hundreds of expensive Wings centres allover the country, which governmint will probably give away to BEE at the first sign of trouble. These Wings centres will not do anything for me in my struggle to fly, but they will do something that is probably exactly the same as what the existing expensive municipality buildings are supposed to do.
All I want to do is fly, and all governmint has to do is change regulation so that I can get my feathers from anybody I choose, and then be allowed to fly.
Somebody please educate the president.
I may now purchase feathers from one provider, and sometime in the next milennium, 2.
But I may not do anything with my feathers except tickle myself with them.
But, lucky me, the governmint hopes that the legal problems with getting 8 different companies with 8 different expectations and 8 different ways of doing business sort themselves out miraculously, and do this by june this year. When this miracle happens, I just have to wait for an angel to provide the air for me to flap against.
In the meantime, governmint are going to setup hundreds of expensive Wings centres allover the country, which governmint will probably give away to BEE at the first sign of trouble. These Wings centres will not do anything for me in my struggle to fly, but they will do something that is probably exactly the same as what the existing expensive municipality buildings are supposed to do.
All I want to do is fly, and all governmint has to do is change regulation so that I can get my feathers from anybody I choose, and then be allowed to fly.
Somebody please educate the president.
CreepyCrawley
Well-Known Member
dunno when... but can tell you where.
Anywhere but here.
Anywhere but here.
MBS, jaded - since when? You are normally upbeat & positive 
- perhaps I strayed into an alternate universe...
- perhaps I strayed into an alternate universe...kilps
Expert Member
1 small step forward - lets hope it helps