o/t from "Suggestions for Vodacom data network"

[Prometheus]

Don't understand your question , they're in-line, in the back-end.

You imply that they are checking all the traffic going through. This is simply not the case. Or are you saying we can all throw away our virus and spyware scanners? This will be a disaster as common spyware and virusses still can and do get through.

That's what 'concurrent' means.

I can not agree with that figure. This when Vodacom can not even give real time stats on contract usage with stats up to an hour or more outdated. Didn't Vodacom give stats in the past about having 40 million+ users. Yeah if you multiply the users by 2 or 3 maybe.

Interesting discussion.
Like everything else time will tell & the systems will evolve as the need arises. The crux will be how to merge/run the systems side by side with the least interruptions. It is always very difficult to upgrade/change a very live system like this one & several others. The technicalities behind all this stuff is great to know & see it being discussed. How did other countries & ISP's handle this IP allocation/change over?

They didn't.

Not tottally true. Things are as complicated as we make them. And rightfully said, somewhere else, if things are thought through carefully then the implementation is easier. Unfortunately in today's life and technology it aint so easy. I want it yesterday and working & no bugs. I know I know. (Practice what you preach) Sometimes we practise sometimes we preach.

Well said, and we all know how complicated things can get with the contracts.

 

[Prometheus]

Now this is the problem:
Why is there no website that vodacom administrates that gives its clients good support? Yes, I understand that mybroadband provide an excellent facility to find information. But therein is the problem 'find'. Why cant all of this be under one common area eg. http://www.vodacom.co.za/support? Why do we have to trawl through endless agony to find something which could help us out, or have to post to a forum to get a little help? My time, to me, is just as valueable as, the ceo of vodacom's time, is to him.

Now here is a challenge to any provider out there.
Instead of the usual:
1. Make sure it is plugged in.
2. Install the necessary software.
3. Restart your system.
4. Call technical support. (For what when they go through the same procedure? )

why not give the answers to the user before he has to ask for it? Most people do know how to edit a configuration file to add a string or how to download a tool to change an apn or to monitor a connection. Why not include these "advanced" topics on a website before a user has to ask or search for it to solve the problem anyway?

Just a general comment on all Vodacom's webpages:
Please put the images through an image optimization tool before uploading them to the server. Most of the icons on the homepage of help.vodacom are at least 20KB in size yet someone managed to get the 'email' icon to only be 4.5KB. To put it in perspective... that is (thumbsuck) 3s per image on a good GPRS connection which makes the load time for the page over a flakey GRPS completely unacceptable. Its not inconceivable that people will need to connect to the help site when all their broadband connections are dead

Oh why do everyone not just use IrfanView.

Pity it is down. Tried it just now.

At least www.mybroadband.co.za is up 99.99 percent of the time.

It's been like that from the start, probably why I forgot about it. If by down you mean it's actually broken and only gives blank pages.

What email address did you send your email to? - I send my emails to [email protected] and always receive an automated reply which includes a reference number, although the last 2 emails that I sent last week and received automated replies with reference numbers, have not been replied to by humans...

<added>I have just received a humanoidal reply to one of the emails I sent last week to [email protected], with an apology for the delay.</added>

Now why would a bot care about receiving a human reply.

 

[vodacom3g]

You imply that they are checking all the traffic going through. This is simply not the case. Or are you saying we can all throw away our virus and spyware scanners? This will be a disaster as common spyware and virusses still can and do get through.

I can not agree with that figure. This when Vodacom can not even give real time stats on contract usage with stats up to an hour or more outdated. Didn't Vodacom give stats in the past about having 40 million+ users. Yeah if you multiply the users by 2 or 3 maybe.

So you're calling me a liar?

As per usual, I have to bow to your superior knowledge and expertise in these matters.... Sitting in Dullview, you obviously have much better insight into these issues than the engineers who work with the systems every day.

Or more accurately; As per usual you've got no idea, but this won't stop you at making completely uninformed statements....

You really need to finish school and come and join Vodacom. But first maybe go and study a technical course of some sort.

 

[ic]

Now why would a bot care about receiving a human reply.

I knew it - you're not human, you're a bot...

 

[internaut]

Prom is actually an alien.
This thread's derailed anyway.

 

[AirWolf]

Derailed, it's a mile from the tracks already

 

[Prometheus]

So you're calling me a liar?

As per usual, I have to bow to your superior knowledge and expertise in these matters.... Sitting in Dullview, you obviously have much better insight into these issues than the engineers who work with the systems every day.

Or more accurately; As per usual you've got no idea, but this won't stop you at making completely uninformed statements....

You really need to finish school and come and join Vodacom. But first maybe go and study a technical course of some sort.

No, I'm saying that the bean counters that devise these formulas used by Vodacom to calculate these customers and "concurrent" users probably don't know when they are lying. And I am not the only one to have picked up on that. Now as per usual I welcome you to explain how Vodacom can make such inaccurate and false statements and still expect us to believe any statement it makes.

I knew it - you're not human, you're a bot...

Don't try to turn it around.

 

[ic]

No, I'm saying that the bean counters that devise these formulas used by Vodacom to calculate these customers and "concurrent" users probably don't know when they are lying. And I am not the only one to have picked up on that. Now as per usual I welcome you to explain how Vodacom can make such inaccurate and false statements and still expect us to believe any statement it makes.

The fact is that you don't have any evidence to support your claims.

Evidence that contradicts your version of reality:

1. The vast majority of South African citizens do not have access to a Telkodemonopolies copper line whether ADSL or ISDN or just ordinary old Analogue. The vast majority do not have iBurst or Sentech or WiMax coverage. However the vast majority do have cellphones, and a significant number of those would GPRS capability, and would have coverage [recent news article suggests that only less than 2m South Africans do not have cellular coverage]. Now where do you think the youth of today will obtain internet connectivity if not from a GPRS cellphone and one of the cellular networks?
2. Vodacom's internet APN exists in order to provide a large number of NAT'ed private IP address access to the internet, why do you think Vodacom decided to implement such a system if the growth did not motivate making such a decision?

 

[Prometheus]

The fact is that you don't have any evidence to support your claims.

Evidence that contradicts your version of reality:

1. The vast majority of South African citizens do not have access to a Telkodemonopolies copper line whether ADSL or ISDN or just ordinary old Analogue. The vast majority do not have iBurst or Sentech or WiMax coverage. However the vast majority do have cellphones, and a significant number of those would GPRS capability, and would have coverage [recent news article suggests that only less than 2m South Africans do not have cellular coverage]. Now where do you think the youth of today will obtain internet connectivity if not from a GPRS cellphone and one of the cellular networks?
2. Vodacom's internet APN exists in order to provide a large number of NAT'ed private IP address access to the internet, why do you think Vodacom decided to implement such a system if the growth did not motivate making such a decision?

Vodacom made claims in the past about millions of users which if taken into context would actually exceed the number of people in the country that would have a cellphone. I and others pointed this out at the time. Also was the claim about signing up 100,000 customers if memory serves correct during a two week period with number portability, also pointed out to likely be existing customers just renewing their contracts.

I am not disputing that there are enough simultaneous users to warrant NATed IPs but in light of the false claims and advertising made by Vodacom in the past you have to admit that 5 million simultaneous users is an outrageous claim. Vodacom only reports 21 million customers and with most cellphones in circulation probably not gprs capable only half of those are probably using the net. It's hard if not impossible to believe that half of those would have a grps connection active all at the same time especially since they are primarily phone users and not using it for a primary net connection and even then the number of simultaneous users are usually less.

Instead of me providing facts to contradict an outrageous figure which is not a reasonable request both because I am NOT required to disprove a claim and in light of Vodacom's track record it would be better for V3g to provide facts to back up his claim instead of the usual ad hominems and non sequiturs.

 

[Csnoopy]

LOL Derailed you say? What was the original topic of this thread then? Did I miss something somewhere?

 

[Csnoopy]

He hee Some highjackers normally get shot or land up in jail for a short period & get out on good behaviour LOL

 

[ic]

Vodacom made claims in the past about millions of users which if taken into context would actually exceed the number of people in the country that would have a cellphone. I and others pointed this out at the time. Also was the claim about signing up 100,000 customers if memory serves correct during a two week period with number portability, also pointed out to likely be existing customers just renewing their contracts.

IMO my memory is reasonably good, and I don't recall such a discussion if it was posted somewhere on MyBroadband, post links so I can see for myself.

Also, are you claiming that Vodacom does not have millions of customers into 20 million and upwards? - if so, do you realise that the majority of South African citizens do have a cellphone and SIM card and are within cell coverage and that Vodacom has more customers than MTN and MTN has many more customers than CellC?

I am not disputing that there are enough simultaneous users to warrant NATed IPs but in light of the false claims and advertising made by Vodacom in the past you have to admit that 5 million simultaneous users is an outrageous claim. Vodacom only reports 21 million customers and with most cellphones in circulation probably not gprs capable only half of those are probably using the net. It's hard if not impossible to believe that half of those would have a grps connection active all at the same time especially since they are primarily phone users and not using it for a primary net connection and even then the number of simultaneous users are usually less.

GPRS phones have been available for quite a few years.

MXit has millions of South African users - using their cellphones to connect to the internet and stay on MXit for as long as the connection lasts, that is just one example of an application that has people connected via their cellphones, do you dispute that this actually happens on a daily basis?

Instead of me providing facts to contradict an outrageous figure which is not a reasonable request both because I am NOT required to disprove a claim and in light of Vodacom's track record it would be better for V3g to provide facts to back up his claim instead of the usual ad hominems and non sequiturs.

You're the one disputing v3g's posts and accusing v3g of not having accurate info, but so far you have not provided anything concrete to support your version of reality, now you're saying that you don't have to provide facts or anything bcos everyone must just accept that you know everything...

 

[vodacom3g]

No, I'm saying that the bean counters that devise these formulas used by Vodacom to calculate these customers and "concurrent" users probably don't know when they are lying.

No, actually you called me a liar and I take offense to your statement. I gave a number that I know is factually correct but you, in your infinite wisdom, decided that I'm wrong and you know better.

What has bean counters to do with running a report of a network engine that show the number of concurrent users?

Actually don't answer, I'm not going to get into a debate with a school kid who's got no grasp of the real world. I'm done debating with you. As per usual your statements just highlight your complete lack of knowledge on the subject.

 

[Darknet]

So you're calling me a liar?

As per usual, I have to bow to your superior knowledge and expertise in these matters.... Sitting in Dullview, you obviously have much better insight into these issues than the engineers who work with the systems every day.

Or more accurately; As per usual you've got no idea, but this won't stop you at making completely uninformed statements....

You really need to finish school and come and join Vodacom. But first maybe go and study a technical course of some sort.

That's a very offensive attitude for a company representative. Getting personal is a sign you are losing the argument/ Also, why don't you fight your own battles?

 

[AirWolf]

That's a very offensive attitude for a company representative. Getting personal is a sign you are losing the argument/ Also, why don't you fight your own battles?

Prometheus takes his arguments too far and tries to impress with his "knowledge" which many times are way off base.

 

[vodacom3g]

That's a very offensive attitude for a company representative. Getting personal is a sign you are losing the argument/ Also, why don't you fight your own battles?

 

[Iam3G]

That's a very offensive attitude for a company representative. Getting personal is a sign you are losing the argument/ Also, why don't you fight your own battles?

Clearly you havent been following the run of events... My advice is that you read through the thread carefully before you take sides, use it dont use it

 

[Prometheus]

IMO my memory is reasonably good, and I don't recall such a discussion if it was posted somewhere on MyBroadband, post links so I can see for myself.

This would be a lot easier if this site was working correctly. Google no longer indexes the news sections when all articles older than a few days gets pushed of the radar.

Also, are you claiming that Vodacom does not have millions of customers into 20 million and upwards? - if so, do you realise that the majority of South African citizens do have a cellphone and SIM card and are within cell coverage and that Vodacom has more customers than MTN and MTN has many more customers than CellC?GPRS phones have been available for quite a few years.

I haven't claimed anything of the sort. The problem is with the figures provided by Vodacom that do not correlate with each other. 21 million customers claimed by Vodacom. Do you believe the statement that 5 million of them have a gprs connection active at the same moment in time?

MXit has millions of South African users - using their cellphones to connect to the internet and stay on MXit for as long as the connection lasts, that is just one example of an application that has people connected via their cellphones, do you dispute that this actually happens on a daily basis?

MXit is irrelevant if you can't say how many of those users are using it at the same time. This forum has 37,618 users meaning 37,618 people are browsing it at the same time, am I correct?

You're the one disputing v3g's posts and accusing v3g of not having accurate info, but so far you have not provided anything concrete to support your version of reality, now you're saying that you don't have to provide facts or anything bcos everyone must just accept that you know everything...

Again maybe you don't understand this concept. I am not the one that made a claim. I do not have to disprove it or provide facts to disprove it although I have provided them. The ad hominems does not bother me.

 

[Prometheus]

No, actually you called me a liar and I take offense to your statement. I gave a number that I know is factually correct but you, in your infinite wisdom, decided that I'm wrong and you know better.

What has bean counters to do with running a report of a network engine that show the number of concurrent users?

Actually don't answer, I'm not going to get into a debate with a school kid who's got no grasp of the real world. I'm done debating with you. As per usual your statements just highlight your complete lack of knowledge on the subject.

I didn't call you a liar but if you took offenese to that statement (which I didn't make) I do apologise. Now you may believe the figure you gave but that tells us nothing about how you actually got to it or from where you got it. Your reluctance to back this up tells me one thing: that maybe you are not so sure of this figure or don't know how it was obtained.

 

[Prometheus]

Prometheus takes his arguments too far and tries to impress with his "knowledge" which many times are way off base.

Tell us if you believe that 5 million users are using the net all at the same time when there are only 21 million users.