The [Port Edward] Campaign Has Started....

[vodacom3g]

One question that seems to go unanswered;

If doing the above will create more revenue for Vodacom (which is the end-goal of any company), why aren't they doing it?

What you seem to suggest is that the clever financial guys at Vodacom are saying they should not pursue an opportunity to grow the business? Quite a weird stance from a company that's rated as one of the most successful in SA, 0 to 100 Billion in 10 years?

Now what don't they know, you do?

 

[ic]

IMO what would help forumites understand Vodacom's self-provisioning strategy|policy, is some stats - perhaps not the number of actual self-provisioning links that Vodacom already has in place, but rather ongoing stats that indicate percentages of how much of Vodacom's own network traffic passes over Vodacom's own links [as opposed to Telkodemonopolies provisioned links]...

 

[Prometheus]

Prom, I've asked for the Network Planning guys to create a position for you and it's all in place. When can you start? Best way for you to understand the whole network environment is to jump in !

I don't know whether to take this as serious or as a joke, I am perfectly content where I am however.

One question that seems to go unanswered;

If doing the above will create more revenue for Vodacom (which is the end-goal of any company), why aren't they doing it?

What you seem to suggest is that the clever financial guys at Vodacom are saying they should not pursue an opportunity to grow the business? Quite a weird stance from a company that's rated as one of the most successful in SA, 0 to 100 Billion in 10 years?

Now what don't they know, you do?

Well, that is the one thing which never gets answered. I know all these companies want to make more money, but everything they are doing speaks to the contrary however. We all know that if Telkom install their whole backlog of adsl installations they will make even more than they are making now and they have the manpower to do it, but still it has been there for years. Sentech recently discontinued the only service that makes them a worthwhile option and as such will probably have to leave the market as a result of that or leach money from taxpayers. I know everyone wants to make money, but once they have a couple of billion it seems like they are content with that. I would like to believe that Vodacom wants to grow their business, but everything I see in the market indicates that that isn't necessarily the case just because we are told that it is. Building your own network also seems to be a better option in other countries, but here it seems it is not. I would like to know what makes our market so special that only municipalities can save on Telkom costs by deploying their own redundant even networks.

 

[Prometheus]

IMO what would help forumites understand Vodacom's self-provisioning strategy|policy, is some stats - perhaps not the number of actual self-provisioning links that Vodacom already has in place, but rather ongoing stats that indicate percentages of how much of Vodacom's own network traffic passes over Vodacom's own links [as opposed to Telkodemonopolies provisioned links]...

That would be ideal. I don't see it as happening however. It's most likely confidential business practice as always. What would settle this is how much it costs Vodacom to use Telkom's links and how much it would cost them to install and use their own links. I have no doubt we will see a saving there, the only question is in which amount of time.

I think a good starting point would be the link from Vryheid to Durban. How much does it cost Vodacom for a circuit on this link every month and how much would a new link cost to build and to maintain every month.

 

[TowerGuru]

Great! you guys are still going at it.

okay so i misread it said software upgrade. so i have to send my phone up to Umhlanga and wait 2weeks for them to send it back just to flash the phone? i dont think so. i tried to do it myself but the damn SE update software she no working.

Any news from Brad's side??? I would SMSd you but i know youre kinda busy. You have no idea how sad it is to see 3G & HSPDA ENABLED on my cellbroadcast and not have 3G!!!

 

[ajax]

Gaytechie, what phone do you have?
It is quite likely that there is 3G signal where you stay but your phone "chooses" the stronger GSM 900 signal.

 

[vodacom3g]

I know everyone wants to make money, but once they have a couple of billion it seems like they are content with that. I would like to believe that Vodacom wants to grow their business, but everything I see in the market indicates that that isn't necessarily the case just because we are told that it is.

If being content was the goal, there would have been no Vodacom 3G/HSDPA network.

Quite the opposite happened, Vodacom deployed both 3G and HSDPA as an early adopter and today has the biggest HSDPA network (by far) in both South Africa and worldwide in the Vodafone group.

Building your own network also seems to be a better option in other countries, but here it seems it is not. I would like to know what makes our market so special that only municipalities can save on Telkom costs by deploying their own redundant even networks.

Building your own transmission network is a simple matter of economics and scale. South Africa is a big country with a relative small population per km2.

Even Neotel indicated they're not going to build an extensive transmission network.

 

[Prometheus]

If being content was the goal, there would have been no Vodacom 3G/HSDPA network.

Quite the opposite happened, Vodacom deployed both 3G and HSDPA as an early adopter and today has the biggest HSDPA network (by far) in both South Africa and worldwide in the Vodafone group.

True, but was that not also a preemptive move? If they didn't then MTN would have had the biggest 3G network and they would have been the first as they want to claim.

Building your own transmission network is a simple matter of economics and scale. South Africa is a big country with a relative small population per km2.

Even Neotel indicated they're not going to build an extensive transmission network.

Must be a nightmare then to build one in the US with 31/km² over our 39/km². Didn't seem to matter to Telkom however. Doesn't make sense to compare things to Neotel. They are leasing the network at cost+4% or something which means they hardly have to be in a hurry to build their own.

 

[vodacom3g]

True, but was that not also a preemptive move? If they didn't then MTN would have had the biggest 3G network and they would have been the first as they want to claim.

Must be a nightmare then to build one in the US with 31/km² over our 39/km². Didn't seem to matter to Telkom however. Doesn't make sense to compare things to Neotel. They are leasing the network at cost+4% or something which means they hardly have to be in a hurry to build their own.

If you're content (which was your point) why worry about who's the biggest?

What's the average disposable income per household in the US vs SA?

 

[Prometheus]

If you're content (which was your point) why worry about who's the biggest?

What's the average disposable income per household in the US vs SA?

Umm, point being that just because you are content doesn't mean you'll stay that way. If you don't want to lose your market share you have to come up with new products and/or more attractive offerings.

Don't see your point exactly. We know that the average income per household is more in the US than in SA. Still they pay even less than us for communication when compared according to the exchange rate. Here everyone who lives in a shack seems to have a prepaid cellphone. So we might have the same or even more users per km².

Anyways, this game of cat and mouse is going nowhere and is getting pretty stale so GT can have his thread back and I'll retire and see what the future shows us to be correct.

 

[TowerGuru]

if you do not know what phone i have then read this thread again... i wish i knew what v3g and prom are arguing about... oh well..