Megaupload takedown improving SA BIS speeds?

[Jan]

You can ask the question in the title if the answer is unknown. But if you're actually giving the answer at the end of the article, then what you did is nothing more than cheap sensationalism. -10 points for that.

This is absolutely contrary to journalism training. When you ask a question, answer it, otherwise it'll be a column not a news piece, no? (Unless you're presenting some kind of original research which would be nigh impossible in this case.)

Even if the answer isn't clear-cut (as in the case of "Should free digital TV channels be encrypted in SA?") the article should do its utmost to answer the question.

Also: often journalists don't write their own headlines, so don't assume the worst. That said, I'll own up and tell you now that on MyBB we usually *do* have to come up with our own headlines, so this was all me.

Someone asked this exact question of me on Twitter and I promised to find out from the operators if they had seen any change on BIS or performed any upgrades that might explain it. I got the answers, I wrote the article.

The headline is always the hardest thing to write, and it's even worse for an article like this where even people's observation that BIS had improved was refuted ("Vodacom/MTN/Operators improve(s) BIS speeds" would've been a great headline).

In the end I opted for this one because it represented the line of questioning that lead to the answer.

 

[Jan]

And to answer the OP. MegaUpload's dissapearance had ziltch to do with the performance improvements you saw over the last few days. That was purely down to network engineering. One or two heavy abusers might be bitching, but that's life.

Thanks for the feedback, Jannie. When did these improvements kick in, as a point of interest?

 

[Sodan]

This is absolutely contrary to journalism training. When you ask a question, answer it, otherwise it'll be a column not a news piece, no? (Unless you're presenting some kind of original research which would be nigh impossible in this case.)

Even if the answer isn't clear-cut (as in the case of "Should free digital TV channels be encrypted in SA?") the article should do its utmost to answer the question.

Also: often journalists don't write their own headlines, so don't assume the worst. That said, I'll own up and tell you now that on MyBB we usually *do* have to come up with our own headlines, so this was all me.

Someone asked this exact question of me on Twitter and I promised to find out from the operators if they had seen any change on BIS or performed any upgrades that might explain it. I got the answers, I wrote the article.

The headline is always the hardest thing to write, and it's even worse for an article like this where even people's observation that BIS had improved was refuted ("Vodacom/MTN/Operators improve(s) BIS speeds" would've been a great headline).

In the end I opted for this one because it represented the line of questioning that lead to the answer.

I guess you just couldn't think of a title that is far more representative of the article (which is what a title is supposed to be - I'm sure they teach that in journalism training too), e.g.: "Megaupload takedown not related to SA BIS speed improvement".
Look at that! I squashed the whole article into 9 words. Now that, my friend, is a title worthy of the article.

Anyway, you're entitled to present articles in whichever way MyBB permits, and I'm entitled to my opinion of your journalistic skills (and integrity). And thus I can only wish you good luck.

 

[Jan]

I guess you just couldn't think of a title that is far more representative of the article (which is what a title is supposed to be - I'm sure they teach that in journalism training too), e.g.: "Megaupload takedown not related to SA BIS speed improvement".

(a) You've got that the wrong way round (of course the Megaupload takedown isn't related to the BIS speed improvement, but the BIS speed improvement might be)

(b) "BIS speed improvement not related to Megaupload takedown" is also inaccurate, because Vodacom and MTN denied that there was an improvement at all.

 

[marine1]

I would love to know where these "speed improvements" are happening???
Maybe it is time to move town

 

[Sodan]

(a) You've got that the wrong way round (of course the Megaupload takedown isn't related to the BIS speed improvement, but the BIS speed improvement might be)

*sigh* Fine, I stand corrected.

(b) "BIS speed improvement not related to Megaupload takedown" is also inaccurate, because Vodacom and MTN
denied that there was an improvement at all.

Nomsa Thusi, head of corporate communications at Vodacom, explained that the average data consumption rate on their network is increasing and that any increase in speeds was purely coincidental.

That's not a denial of any speed increase. That's a confirmation that MegaUpload's takedown and any possible BIS speed improvement is unrelated. In fact, this:

And to answer the OP. MegaUpload's dissapearance had ziltch to do with the performance improvements you saw over the last few days. That was purely down to network engineering. One or two heavy abusers might be bitching, but that's life.

says it more directly.

I'm done discussing this with you. I have given my input, and hopefully it will make you a better journalist. There is nothing more for me to say on this topic, and there is nothing more I can do for you. It's up to you now. Good luck.

 

[TheBossMan]

Only reason Blackberry selling so well is because South African Mobile network.. Vodacom, MTN and the rest..
You go apply for a contract.. As for X phone (might be Android or Nokia or iOS)
Sales person allmost forces Blackberry down your throat with all their clever excuses.. This free and that free...
Free slow as hell internet and useless phones constantly having to unplug battery for every single problem. Buttons getting worn out in less than a year... Can go on forever...

Same thing happened when I converted my Vodacom Prepaid to contract.. I specifically asked to Samsung Galaxy Ace and after huge sales pitch about how wonderful Blackberry is.. I had to interupt sales person and politly tell him to stop trying to sell me cr@p and just give me what I asked for in the first place...

allmost sure this is how many people get caught out..

My aunt got caught by MTN sales person I told her last year to go for iPhone 4 on her business contract and some sales person convinced her to go with Blackberry Torch, now she is stuck with a phone with faulty buttons which is constantly needing battery take out and reboot...

Wishing blackberry die allready.

100% wrong. We easily add more BIS users in 3 months that the total Android or IOS user base to date.

Latest VC stats:

Apple devices: 300 000
Android devices: 300 000
Blackberry devices: 2 000 000

And to answer the OP. MegaUpload's dissapearance had ziltch to do with the performance improvements you saw over the last few days. That was purely down to network engineering. One or two heavy abusers might be bitching, but that's life.

 

[Keeper]

An episode that would usually be 350mb is about 75mb from these sites.

Ewww! :erm:

 

[jannievanzyl]

Thanks for the feedback, Jannie. When did these improvements kick in, as a point of interest?

If not over the last weekend, just before. But I'll check 100%.