Some queries on new MTN data offer

[Daveogg]

* In terms of the current regulatory regime in South Africa, please note that these tariffs and the MTN GPRS, GPRS+, EDGE or 3G technologies may not be used to transfer or generate Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) traffic. Should it be found that VoIP traffic was carried over the MTN network using these tariffs or technologies, MTN reserves the right to cancel the agreement that you have with MTN, with immediate effect. You will also be charged retrospectively at R21.93 per Megabyte (VAT excluded) for any VoIP traffic transferred by such means.

That has too be the biggest load of shyte ever written. Its is now quite legal to use VoIP. Why does MTN not just be honest.

You cant use VoIP because we would hate to provide you with a way of getting arround our extortionary pricing for voice calls.

By the way i made a skype call from my Jasjar on the mtn network this very morning. Quality was pretty crap - been much better on Vodacom. Feel free to cancel my contract and charge me R25/Gb for the data.

 

[Pitbull]

To be honest this is how I see it.

Vodacom and MTN is ready to charge R 25 per MB for VOIP.(Refering to the terms that is)

Now I think the power struggle is the following.

Neither wants to be the first to start charging that amount. If MTN starts it leaves the door open for Vodacom to win clients and the in the second breath also start charging but @ a little lower rate.

I think there is currently some strategies that is being discussed. Who would be the first should be the big question not when and how much !

 

[YelloFever]

That has too be the biggest load of shyte ever written. Its is now quite legal to use VoIP. Why does MTN not just be honest.

You cant use VoIP because we would hate to provide you with a way of getting arround our extortionary pricing for voice calls.

By the way i made a skype call from my Jasjar on the mtn network this very morning. Quality was pretty crap - been much better on Vodacom. Feel free to cancel my contract and charge me R25/Gb for the data.

Like I said we won't charge that if VC don't but I can assure you that this is something they'll also consider

MTNDD

 

[Pitbull]

That has too be the biggest load of shyte ever written. Its is now quite legal to use VoIP. Why does MTN not just be honest.

You cant use VoIP because we would hate to provide you with a way of getting arround our extortionary pricing for voice calls.

By the way i made a skype call from my Jasjar on the mtn network this very morning. Quality was pretty crap - been much better on Vodacom. Feel free to cancel my contract and charge me R25/Gb for the data.

If MTN/Vodacom was your company you would have done the same. It's called protecting your interrests.

 

[Daveogg]

Why are you so worried about VoIP?

A tiny minority of your users are ready to start using mobile VoIP and i am willing to bet that most of these users would not use voip for general calling. Why put them and a whole lot of other users off with this ridiculos idea.

By the time Joe Average is ready to use VoIP on a regular basis, the Cell companies had better hope that he even wants to use their network as their are going to be a few other options. Wimax anyone??

 

[Pitbull]

Well as long as Telkom Throttles VOIP and MTN/Vodacom charge R 25 per MB how else u thinking of using it ?

 

[Daveogg]

If MTN/Vodacom was your company you would have done the same. It's called protecting your interrests.

You are NOT protecting your interests.

Number of people with VoIP enabled cell phone 0.00001% of phones out their.

Number of people who have a PC at home still using a Teklom land line to connect to internet - Millions. Target those people - show them how they can save hundreds of rand phoning Aunty betty in New Zealand on Skype using your E220 modem.

Jeez it makes no sense to me.

Edit: Telkom does not throttle Skype - It works just fine.

 

[Jongi]

Has MTN adopted an international standard here?

 

[diabolus]

VOIP probably isn't used by most "average joes" out there, so not as many people are using it to the extend that they are shutting down their voice contracts.

Now the funny part is, just when this start happening [which means VOIP became MAINSTREAM] then VC/MTN is gonna slap this onto everyone's bill. That's like working in reverse and almost plunging everyone back into an older technology...BAD.

If South African companies were proactive and progressive, they would've done this instead:

Create a VOIP policy and a SERVICE that runs seperate from the data usage and sell it as such RIGHT NOW. The "service" itself can include VOIP phones, a special incoming number [similar to what skype offers USA/UK people] and all those things. Maybe a monthly fee combined with a data tariff that balances out and not totally ruin your voice system.

End result?

a) At least you're not a sitting duck and waiting till the consumer forces your hand (which is clearly the current modus operandi of all cellphone operators ).
b) You will gain VOIP specific customers [i.e. international callers] who prefers to have the VOIP support and service. (instead of it being considered a loophole)
c) Competitors won't be able to go "Come to us!, you can VOIP via our normal data rates"... They CAN'T advertise this fact because it's obvious they don't WANT people using VOIP via their normal data services (as it will crush their cash cow).

Essentially whoever brings out a proper VOIP service will indirectly gain control over their own data services without upsetting everyone AND force competitors hands. Only serious VOIP users will suddenly jump ship (from the more expensive structured service offering to the loophole-imminent-to-change-data system), and clearly VOIP-users are seen as a liability wherever they are.

Embrace the freaking tech, what's wrong with South African companies with their "lets see what happens" attitude ?

 

[hanno p990i]

@ diabolus

Have to agree on this one. You talk sense.

Hanno

 

[YelloFever]

VOIP probably isn't used by most "average joes" out there, so not as many people are using it to the extend that they are shutting down their voice contracts.

Now the funny part is, just when this start happening [which means VOIP became MAINSTREAM] then VC/MTN is gonna slap this onto everyone's bill. That's like working in reverse and almost plunging everyone back into an older technology...BAD.

If South African companies were proactive and progressive, they would've done this instead:

Create a VOIP policy and a SERVICE that runs seperate from the data usage and sell it as such RIGHT NOW. The "service" itself can include VOIP phones, a special incoming number [similar to what skype offers USA/UK people] and all those things. Maybe a monthly fee combined with a data tariff that balances out and not totally ruin your voice system.

End result?

a) At least you're not a sitting duck and waiting till the consumer forces your hand (which is clearly the current modus operandi of all cellphone operators ).
b) You will gain VOIP specific customers [i.e. international callers] who prefers to have the VOIP support and service. (instead of it being considered a loophole)
c) Competitors won't be able to go "Come to us!, you can VOIP via our normal data rates"... They CAN'T advertise this fact because it's obvious they don't WANT people using VOIP via their normal data services (as it will crush their cash cow).

Essentially whoever brings out a proper VOIP service will indirectly gain control over their own data services without upsetting everyone AND force competitors hands. Only serious VOIP users will suddenly jump ship (from the more expensive structured service offering to the loophole-imminent-to-change-data system), and clearly VOIP-users are seen as a liability wherever they are.

Embrace the freaking tech, what's wrong with South African companies with their "lets see what happens" attitude ?

Watch This Space

MTNDD

 

[Jonny Two Shoes]

VOIP probably isn't used by most "average joes" out there, so not as many people are using it to the extend that they are shutting down their voice contracts.

Now the funny part is, just when this start happening [which means VOIP became MAINSTREAM] then VC/MTN is gonna slap this onto everyone's bill. That's like working in reverse and almost plunging everyone back into an older technology...BAD.

If South African companies were proactive and progressive, they would've done this instead:

Create a VOIP policy and a SERVICE that runs seperate from the data usage and sell it as such RIGHT NOW. The "service" itself can include VOIP phones, a special incoming number [similar to what skype offers USA/UK people] and all those things. Maybe a monthly fee combined with a data tariff that balances out and not totally ruin your voice system.

End result?

a) At least you're not a sitting duck and waiting till the consumer forces your hand (which is clearly the current modus operandi of all cellphone operators ).
b) You will gain VOIP specific customers [i.e. international callers] who prefers to have the VOIP support and service. (instead of it being considered a loophole)
c) Competitors won't be able to go "Come to us!, you can VOIP via our normal data rates"... They CAN'T advertise this fact because it's obvious they don't WANT people using VOIP via their normal data services (as it will crush their cash cow).

Essentially whoever brings out a proper VOIP service will indirectly gain control over their own data services without upsetting everyone AND force competitors hands. Only serious VOIP users will suddenly jump ship (from the more expensive structured service offering to the loophole-imminent-to-change-data system), and clearly VOIP-users are seen as a liability wherever they are.

Embrace the freaking tech, what's wrong with South African companies with their "lets see what happens" attitude ?

My thoughts exactly. VOIP can have serious advantages if used correctly.

Slightly off topic here but has anyone given any consideration to the fact that maybe MTN, Vodac, Cell-C etc fall under an oligopoly whereby their top people get into a boardroom and discuss exactly who does what. In other words they are working together once again at the expense of the consumer.

Its no conspiracy, I definately think that this is possible and nothing thus far has convinced me otherwise. Prove me wrong? Well try...I dont see these companies compete as competitors should.

Hence even this latest MTN offering tends to be a mind blowing thing with regards to future tariffs. Its not goin to kill Vodac or Cell-C by any means. I think its a little tester these guys are throwing in to the public, there are catches so beware

 

[Daveogg]

@ Jonny. All this talk of "we wont until vodacom does" and if we do vodacom will follow certainly gives that impression.

 

[Jongi]

The nature of the industry means that they don't even need to sit together in a boardroom to act in a manner that looks like they are colluding.

 

[Oupoot]

Diabolus, your spot on - the cellphone providers should embrace the technology. VOIP, P2P, live streaming, etc is rapidly becoming an integral part of the internet, so charging a different rate for them (or only VOIP) makes little sense. It will simply alienate potential customers and encourage them to use other mobile internet service providers such as iBurst, Sentech, etc (if they can provide good quality service and coverage). MTN, VC, CellC, etc need to structure their data packages to take this fact into account. Mobile VOIP (using a similar device to existing cellphones) is slowly gaining momentum overseas, but it is still a long way before it will replace the ease of use of cellphones in SA (say about 10 years), so it gives the SA cell co's enough time to restructure their products/services to "stay ahead of the trend" or they will see their market share in broadband internet diminishing.

 

[Daveogg]

Oupoot you spot on.

The cell phone providers seem worried that voip will replace their core business of voice calls.
I use voip daily. I probably average 5 hrs a week on skype to friends in NZ,predominantly on adsl/iburst but occasionally use vodacom (and very occasionally) mtn as the data carrier. The cell networks seem to be thinking that when they see voip data on their network that represents lost call revenue - well it does not. I would not have made the call if skype was not available.

 

[surreytj]

Prepaid bundles

I've been seraching the forums, called 173 twice and been to 2 stores and nobody seems to know much about the bundles.

My question is...if you take out the data bundles on prepaid do you get the extra gig as well??

 

[fskmh]

@surreytj

From the MTN advert in Sunday Times (25 Feb.):

"- Subscribe to the 1GB data bundle and receive an extra 1GB of data FREE for three consecutive months from date of activation.
- Get the Extended Data 1GB contract and receive an extra 1GB of data FREE every month for the duration of the 24 month contract."

 

[surreytj]

@surreytj

From the MTN advert in Sunday Times (25 Feb.):

"- Subscribe to the 1GB data bundle and receive an extra 1GB of data FREE for three consecutive months from date of activation.
- Get the Extended Data 1GB contract and receive an extra 1GB of data FREE every month for the duration of the 24 month contract."

I don't have a sim card yet, so does this mean I can buy a prepaid sim, load R400 then convert it to a data bundle and I would automatically get a free gig?

 

[diabolus]

I don't have a sim card yet, so does this mean I can buy a prepaid sim, load R400 then convert it to a data bundle and I would automatically get a free gig?

Yes. (if you convert to a 1GB bundle)