Mbeki speaks out - for what it's worth

[st3ve]

Story ID 1839154 154 words

BC-MBEKI-COMMUNICATION
MBEKI-COMMUNICATION
JOHANNESBURG Sept 5 Sapa
MORE COMPETITION NEEDED IN COMMS SECTOR: MBEKI

More competition in the information communication and technology
industry was needed to reduce the cost of doing business, SABC
radio news quoted President Thabo Mbeki as saying on Sunday.
The second network operator could ensure the reduction of
telecommunications costs, he said after a three-day meeting of the
Presidential International Advisory Council on Information Society
and Development in the North West.
"In South Africa you pay more than 25c for a line. In India 5c
for the same service. The second network operator will help to
reduce costs. We also need to take wireless technology to the rural
people. A variety of things can be done to reduce the cost."
The second network operator would be granted its license within
a month and could start operating almost immediately, ending
Telkom's monopoly of the market, the SABC reported.


Source : Sapa /th
Date : 05 Sep 2005 6:28

 

[martin]

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=26754

 

[st3ve]

ah

 

[Skonsie]

Last night on ***us Telkom was also under discussion that nothing has been done so far for the farmers and there stuggle for communication, it also came out that if they had outomated lines, they could get access to the internet for information they might need. With the current "plaaslyne" and "nommer asseblief" they can't even send a fax without a struggle.

Shows you, Telkom does not give a damn, as long they suck the consumer, they are happy. Let's hope that the SNO makes a difference....

 

[martin]

ah

Pleasure.

 

[bb_matt]

Hmmm.

"The second network operator will help to reduce costs."

That's not what a LOT of experts in the area say. It's also not what happened when a third cellular operator entered the market.

 

[Strobemeister]

The Introduction of the SNO is unlikely to be the source of any real normalisation of costs. That is only likely to come from pressure from the regulator.

 

[CyberMatix]

The second network operator would be granted its license within
a month and could start operating almost immediately, ending
Telkom's monopoly of the market, the SABC reported.

So the monopoly becomes a duopoly. Using the same international cable for bandwidth. Great stuff! These guys also got their MBA's at Moscow's Fruit Market.

 

[Karnaugh]

25c for a line

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[werner]

let me just try understand this...

1) the dude runs the country
2) being ANC he is loved and respected.
3) Telkom probably owes him a few favours.
4) If you go up the tree, ICASA reports to him.
5) He appoints the minister of communications.

So, whats the problem here..? Surely he can lower the prices himself, if required (given a bit of leaning on the right people) or is this just a bit or pre-election posing going on?

Like, wake up one morning and, as president of s.a., pick the phone up and go "hey telkom, sort out your stuff, or you can suck my yellow b@lls"

I.E. what I am saying is that if he means it then HE (of all people) couldve actioned it easily. The fact that it doesnt happen makes me suspicious

 

[stoke]

Can you spell elektionz ? Um Erektionz ? Um - Fool the poeple ? Um - call for stuff cos it sounds cool to get more votes ?

 

[Roman4604]

That is only likely to come from pressure from the regulator.

Looking at what has happenend in most other countries, it is only real competition that has produced the neccessary pressure. ICASA should be putting all their efforts into creating the right legislative environment to achieve this competition, instead of wasting their time trying to (rather un-successfully) 'shambok' the monopoly or future duopoloy.

SNO isn't going to make much of a difference ... the TNO (10th) definately will.

 

[Karnaugh]

"In South Africa you pay more than 25c for a line. In India 5c
for the same service."

I'm sorry, did no one catch that?

TWENTY FIVE CENTS???????

 

[doobiwan]

I agree Karnaugh I want to know what the hell he's talking about.

 

[stoke]

Letter to our Esteem'd El Persidente:

Your highness, master of all with a depth of knowledge far surpassing everybody; herewith my formal application for the transfer of the tiny bit of your knowledge which you hold so close.

Where the ****ing hell in this country can a persone aquire a ****ing land line for 26c ?

/End Letter.

 

[Slinky511nx7]

I think what he meant was 25c per minute for using the line, but I'm not quite sure that is accurate anyway.

 

[EffKay]

Well hold up a bit people...

I think Mbeki is doing exactly what he's supposed to to make phone calls cheaper.

For those that criticise him, ask yourselves if you were the president EXACTLY how (and I mean think it all through) woud YOU reduce prices?

If you view the presidency akin to the CEO of a LARGE LARGE company then the only way to get something done is to tell your minions (ministers / managers etc) to DO IT.

Which is what he's done I think.

 

[Raithlin]

Perhaps he read the 5 in 59c as a 2, and the 9 as a 5...

 

[Roman4604]

What it seems like he's done, is make press statement ... also usually the job of a CEO. This is not exactly the same as ordering his organisation to action it.

As usually we have no visibility of whats happening behind the scenes ... hopefully it is being driven from above.

 

[Ghatto]

[QUOTE](Tanx to Hellkom.co.za)President Thabo Mbeki labeled the rates charge on fixed lines telephony in South Africa as “unacceptable” in his State of the Nation address in February.



Referring to the deregulation process, he said: “Bold steps have been taken further to liberalise the telecommunications industry. We believe that the unacceptable situation in which some of our fixed line rates are ten times those of developed (OECD) countries will soon become a thing of the past,” said the president.



Regarding the formation and setting up of a second national operator (SNO), Mbeki said: “We also hope that the delays in setting up the second national operator, arising from legal processes which are beyond government's control, will be resolved in due course, and as soon as possible.”



When was that said? 11 February 2005.

What has happened thus far? Nothing.[/B]


It's been 207 days since the promise was made..
[/QUOTE]

The latest press release is the second message on the same subject, the second one 207 days after the first one. Why would he suddenly means what he says now?