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Question of the Day: Do you bet on sports?
The 3G battle
- Thread starter rpm
- Start date
Worlwide Average
The worldwide average is between 20c - 30c per min Peak Time and the equivalent half in off peak time 10c - 15c per min. The regulator sways in the direction of the DOC's advice which in turn is instructed by government. Our Govt does not care for the 30 million poor people !
DxL - Mobile
The worldwide average is between 20c - 30c per min Peak Time and the equivalent half in off peak time 10c - 15c per min. The regulator sways in the direction of the DOC's advice which in turn is instructed by government. Our Govt does not care for the 30 million poor people !
DxL - Mobile
Mercurious
Well-Known Member
Well, then why don't they charge very low Virgin-Virgin rates. Many people have got a second phone just to take advantage of the cellC-cellC weekend special and if more people join the network, the number o interconnects will decrease. I know of the 99c promotion but that is only temporary.
pkid
Expert Member
I was one of the 400 000 who left. Their billing was pathetic and their service sucked. I also found more value for money by going back to MTN but I know that how much you pay depends on your usage patterns and so Virgin may be cheaper for other people. I was also frustrated when they launched the free SMS for life campaign only for new people and not the existing customers. Cell C's network is okay but nothing stellar and I enjoy MTN's 3G network more although MTN do also have their problems.
Virgin just doesn't offer anything that would make me want to switch and I think that is an issue for a company who only has 200 000 subscribers who have "lost" 400 000. They need to do something...
Hmmm an interesting insight into CellC's warped thoughts of not needing a 3G network to remain competitive.
brilliantt
Well-Known Member
If Virgin were serious about growing their market share, they would lower Virgin to Virgin call-rates. You cannot say that you only have 200000 users and blast others for having 30 million. Offer something better and you will grow your user base. Another thing, they introduced this policy of expiring airtime after 30 days for prepaid users. Maybe that is a way of attracting 'quality customers' and shedding 'low quality' customers, but I was spending some R500-00 per month on average. Now they have lost me, after being with them since inception. How do you offend your existing customer, without warning or explanation?
In conclusion, Virgin Mobile are losers: They talk like losers, think like losers and act like losers. So much for bringing competition to the market.
In conclusion, Virgin Mobile are losers: They talk like losers, think like losers and act like losers. So much for bringing competition to the market.
brilliantt
Well-Known Member
Ditto. I know people who are itching to give someone their old phones. Besides, phones are so cheap these days - You can buy a new colour screen phone, with a 24 month guarantee including sim card, for R199-00. If I wanted to make use of an honest offer from Virgin, I would easily buy one or 2 of those phones. Another thing is the network. I live in Pretoria where the network is fine, but back in the small towns of NW there is a perception that Cell C/ Virgin do not have enough coverage. If they would only concentrate on their failure and improve, while offering 'real deals' to customers, they would also boast of millions of subscribers. The fact that they are sitting so low is not because of Vodacom or MTN, but their own failure to compete.
The two reasons I no longer use my Virgin SIM are:
1) Cell C's network sucks. It's extremely unreliable and getting a signal is a serious issue.
2) Going back to a GPRS/EDGE network after having 3G and now HSDPA for years will be a serious downgrade. There's no incentive for me, as someone who basically solely uses the internet and SMS on my phone, to use Virgin.
1) Cell C's network sucks. It's extremely unreliable and getting a signal is a serious issue.
2) Going back to a GPRS/EDGE network after having 3G and now HSDPA for years will be a serious downgrade. There's no incentive for me, as someone who basically solely uses the internet and SMS on my phone, to use Virgin.
AirWolf
Honorary Master
Virgin seem to be contradicting themselves - they want the high end market that will be satisfied with EDGE. The high end market would want high end phones with fast data access as well as video calling.
They just don't seem to understand they can't really make any inroads into the high end market without 3G. They should rather concentrate on a mass market ie the low end market. But this situation is more complex in the fact that that is where Cell C have positioned themselves and Virgin was supposed to complement the brand.
The high interconnect fees are certainly a hindrance to competition in the cellular market and you have to feel for the smaller operators.
They just don't seem to understand they can't really make any inroads into the high end market without 3G. They should rather concentrate on a mass market ie the low end market. But this situation is more complex in the fact that that is where Cell C have positioned themselves and Virgin was supposed to complement the brand.
The high interconnect fees are certainly a hindrance to competition in the cellular market and you have to feel for the smaller operators.
They can charge low call rates, give away free phones, do whatever they want. The fact remains at ground level word of mouth is bad. I haven't heard one single person that uses Virgin and is happy. They all complain of horrible service, disconnects, billing errors etc. Why would I move to a company with such a bad rep?
The_Pumpkin_King
Jedi Master
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
/thanks RPM for the good laugh on a monday morning
<moLe>
Expert Member
nah vodacom is cool enough hey.
Rouxenator
Dank meme lord
If they want to survive with EDGE it is easy. Just make it 5c/MB and I am there.
When will people start paying attention to my simple request. is 5c/MB really that much to ask for ?
When will people start paying attention to my simple request. is 5c/MB really that much to ask for ?
pkid
Expert Member
Yes
Good article, and it emphasises and pinpoints Virgin Mobile's (and to a lesser degree, Cell C's) shortcomings.
The fact is Virgin is really just a repackaging of a mediocre network (who still, AFAIK, rides on some of Vadacom's backbone). With no 3G and very shaky connectivity, not to mention a weak brand (Cell C's branding is actually very weak - especially when compared to Vodacom and MTN), Cell C was the worst possible partner to choose by Virgin. I also think Virgin was hoping its strong brand would result in big inroads and good marketshare, but the truth is to the masses in SA, the Virgin brand is a relative unknown.
The fact is Virgin is really just a repackaging of a mediocre network (who still, AFAIK, rides on some of Vadacom's backbone). With no 3G and very shaky connectivity, not to mention a weak brand (Cell C's branding is actually very weak - especially when compared to Vodacom and MTN), Cell C was the worst possible partner to choose by Virgin. I also think Virgin was hoping its strong brand would result in big inroads and good marketshare, but the truth is to the masses in SA, the Virgin brand is a relative unknown.
AirWolf
Honorary Master
If they did offer that rate Cell C's network would collapse in a matter of days.