MTN permanently shuts down 53 cell towers

[noxibox]

The problem comes in people are happily paying the R149 so its not robbery.

Begrudgingly, considering how often people complain about the cost of mobile data in South Africa.

Why would anyone invest in this shithole county?

Big risk, big rewards. Same reason there are people who mop up tanking stocks. High risk and potential lose the entire investment, but when it pays of the return is huge.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Human poo also has lots of potential for energy generation. That doesn't mean I would want to spend millions on preventing it from going down the toilet.

You are right, you need to earn it first

 

[Neville]

Nobody steeling from Vodacom or any of the others?

 

[Origin248]

At R350 million to repair a base station I think maybe they need to get a competitive quote.

Cost to MTN != cost to replace. Just means that MTN thinks it's lost around R350 in damages and revenue lost. Also not ONE base station even if you assume that R350 is to replace 53 sites.

 

[r00igev@@r]

“But even worse, 53 base stations have been completely destroyed and have had to be terminated nationally – 39 in Tshwane and 15 in Johannesburg.”

Someone please teach mtn to count properly...

One disappeared down a worm hole.

 

[r00igev@@r]

Get rid of the humans and automate everything using IoT. There is a significant amount of insiders at the operators benefiting by providing info about where and how to hit the base stations.

 

[Milano]

If I had a R350 mil asset I would have a security guard, wouldn't you??
Surely this figure is wrong

Do these sites not have armed response? I understand out in the middle of nowhere but they mention Tshwane and Johannesburg

Yeah the only way that cost would be true is if MTN was an SOE and the Guptas held the service contract.

 

[Bad1]

If I had a R350 mil asset I would have a security guard, wouldn't you??
Surely this figure is wrong

Do these sites not have armed response? I understand out in the middle of nowhere but they mention Tshwane and Johannesburg

They dont want to spend on security, this will impact shareholders in other countries negatively.

 

[Zoomzoom]

Nobody steeling from Vodacom or any of the others?

YES!!! And it has taken more than a year of persuasion to get them to replace the battery. Supposedly it has been done now, but no way to test it until the next power outage.

 

[Bad1]

Mtn and vodacom say this will impact the consumer negatively, so if we own businesses and get robbed, should we also put the price of bread and other food items up?
Lets turn the tables :
International bandwidth prices have decreased marginally over the last 6years,but mtn and vodacom held the price of one gig at R149, so now when profits take a hit suddenly the consumer must pay for theft?

Mtn and vodacom never did anything about crime rate in South Africa, these 2 company's make billions in profit, they are in a position to invest in community policing, cameras, armed guards in high crime areas, but do you think any of theses networks care if your property is stolen?
So if you see a person stealing batteries turn the other cheek and be glad those criminals are not breaking into your house or hi jacking you, unless you the lucky one that gets call from vodascum and mtn crap asking how u doing, batteries can be replaced over and over human life cannot

 

[Martin_P]

They dont want to spend on security, this will impact shareholders in other countries negatively.

MTN has +-14000 sites in South Africa 1 security guard for each.

R7000 per month = R98 Million per month, R1,76 Billion a year, no one can afford to pay that.

 

[neoprema]

Honestly, you can't justify the robbery and theft of their cell towers because they charge too much for data unless you're hideously short sighted.

A telco is there to make money, its simple. And they build these towers with MANY MANY YEARS of ROI calculated in them as part of their business plans and strategy. Nevermind any other compliance acts they are falling under.

Allowing criminals to destroy them causes a problem that spans many avenues, not just their bottom line. It doesn't matter if MTN had R99999999999 billion in the bank - their business relies on infrastructure and any impact to that affects shareholders, staff, clients etc.

Not forgetting, that mobile networks in almost all countries (ours too?) are considered critical infrastructure and should be designed to remain online during terrorist attacks, national disasters etc. How can we even try do that if we have people stealing them?

It all comes back to the usual "I want, I want, I must take" mentality.

 

[Bad1]

What makes you think they don't spend on security? Where did you get your information from?

the security they spending on doesn't seem to be working,

 

[Bad1]

Honestly, you can't justify the robbery and theft of their cell towers because they charge too much for data unless you're hideously short sighted.

A telco is there to make money, its simple. And they build these towers with MANY MANY YEARS of ROI calculated in them as part of their business plans and strategy. Nevermind any other compliance acts they are falling under.

Allowing criminals to destroy them causes a problem that spans many avenues, not just their bottom line. It doesn't matter if MTN had R99999999999 billion in the bank - their business relies on infrastructure and any impact to that affects shareholders, staff, clients etc.

Not forgetting, that mobile networks in almost all countries (ours too?) are considered critical infrastructure and should be designed to remain online during terrorist attacks, national disasters etc. How can we even try do that if we have people stealing them?

It all comes back to the usual "I want, I want, I must take" mentality.

If you have, have, have then you don't mind the price of data, this is South Africa, cellphone networks are not critical because you forget the majority of the South African population can function perfectly without a cellphone signal, 70% of South African population live off less than minium wage, they wouldn't care if the networks suddenly stop, but you on the other hand will have a sudden heart attack not able to watch your favourite series, while 70% of South Africa cant be bothered, this Africa, nothing is critical, dont fool yourself majority of people wouldn't care if your fancy R20000 cellphone lost signal

 

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

If you have, have, have then you don't mind the price of data, this is South Africa, cellphone networks are not critical because you forget the majority of the South African population can function perfectly without a cellphone signal, 70% of South African population live off less than minium wage, they wouldn't care if the networks suddenly stop, but you on the other hand will have a sudden heart attack not able to watch your favourite series, while 70% of South Africa cant be bothered, this Africa, nothing is critical, dont fool yourself majority of people wouldn't care if your fancy R20000 cellphone lost signal

Talking about heart attacks. Hope nobody of yours has one when the parties do what you condone.

 

[jax_maxit]

Normally I wouldn't care, but I'm a Cell C subscriber and we will be roaming on MTN soon - if not already...I wouldn't know since I have good signal everywhere I go.

I don't know much about these batteries, but what happens if you bury them beneath the tower, or lock them inside a safe for eg? Use the same metals as ATM's. I think they should come up with solutions other than just going offline at affected areas.
Make criminals use explosives or dig through concrete to get to the batteries.

 

[Bad1]

Talking about heart attacks. Hope nobody of yours has one when the parties do what you condone.

No I'm ok i have a backup plan, plan b for me and my family

 

[Bad1]

Normally I wouldn't care, but I'm a Cell C subscriber and we will be roaming on MTN soon - if not already...I wouldn't know since I have good signal everywhere I go.

I don't know much about these batteries, but what happens if you bury them beneath the tower, or lock them inside a safe for eg? Use the same metals as ATM's. I think they should come up with solutions other than just going offline at affected areas.
Make criminals use explosives or dig through concrete to get to the batteries.

Batteries need ventilation, dangerous gases need to escape during the charging period and they need to be kept cool

 

[neoprema]

If you have, have, have then you don't mind the price of data, this is South Africa, cellphone networks are not critical because you forget the majority of the South African population can function perfectly without a cellphone signal, 70% of South African population live off less than minium wage, they wouldn't care if the networks suddenly stop, but you on the other hand will have a sudden heart attack not able to watch your favourite series, while 70% of South Africa cant be bothered, this Africa, nothing is critical, dont fool yourself majority of people wouldn't care if your fancy R20000 cellphone lost signal

My cellphone was R28 900.00

 

[Quicks]

The cost of doing business in Africa!

Why would anyone invest their money and time, if it just so easily gets taken away again?