Vodacom spent R1 billion on batteries in the last 6 months

[Jamie McKane]

Vodacom spent R1 billion on batteries in the last 6 months

Over the last six months, Vodacom spent R1 billion on batteries to ensure its network stayed up during load-shedding.

Speaking to The Money Show, Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub said the power outages this year forced them to increase their backup power investment.

 

[ProfA]

How much electricity (kwh) does an average cell tower use in a day?

 

[Neuk_]

How much electricity (kwh) does an average cell tower use in a day?

That is dependent on how many conspiracy theorists connect to it.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

so is this why they try all these tricks to get you to sign up to R2 a day subscriptions, and blatently rob you for your airtime?

to keep their network online? with Battery theft, load shedding and Vandalism

 

[Wall]

so is this why they try all these tricks to get you to sign up to R2 a day subscriptions, and blatently rob you for your airtime?

to keep their network online? with Battery theft, load shedding and Vandalism

I don't think so

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

How much electricity (kwh) does an average cell tower use in a day?

Nothing at all....if there's no batteries attached to it during loadshedding.

I would LOVE to see where Vodacom buys these batteries.....

 

[Grouter]

Well Shameel, I can point you in the direction of four of your batteries.
A client of mine was bragging about his lekker "new" Leoch Li-Ions in his solar setup. I said straight away "Those are cell tower batteries - I saw them on Carte Blanche!"
The guy nearly had kittens - he had no idea. Said he bought them from a "friend" in his church.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

why doesn't Vodacom/MTN simply go on Gumtree and simply bust all these people with Leoch batteries?
I mean just type in Leoch into gumtree and see how many you get.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

why doesn't Vodacom/MTN simply go on Gumtree and simply bust all these people with Leoch batteries?
I mean just type in Leoch into gumtree and see how many you get.

and for another thing, why dont the Supplier (Leoch) simply engrave all their batteries with who they were sold to from the start?
so a Vodacom/MTN or Cell C,

and since so many are out there already, have an amnesty program, bring in a Leoch battery and get R200, or R200 in airtime.

 

[TelkomUseless]

Ja well government/Eskom is not very concerned about electricity. It will be fixed when it's fixed attitude

So give the R2b expense to ANC...

 

[Grouter]

and for another thing, why dont the Supplier (Leoch) simply engrave all their batteries with who they were sold to from the start?
so a Vodacom/MTN or Cell C,

and since so many are out there already, have an amnesty program, bring in a Leoch battery and get R200, or R200 in airtime.

The ones I saw at this guy's place were indeed hand-engraved, on the brushed aluminium front face, with various codes. I'm sure they have a meaning to the original owners. Amongst the letters, numbers and slashes was 'voda', amongst other things.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

The ones I saw at this guy's place were indeed hand-engraved, on the brushed aluminium front face, with various codes. I'm sure they have a meaning to the original owners. Amongst the letters, numbers and slashes was 'voda', amongst other things.

so an amnesty program, bring your mast batteries to Pick and pay and get a R100 voucher.
after that, time to catch these guys as its super simple, you have a leoch battery, jail time or heavy fine.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

So every tower of Vodacom has new batteries, including those that did not need them.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

The ones I saw at this guy's place were indeed hand-engraved, on the brushed aluminium front face, with various codes. I'm sure they have a meaning to the original owners. Amongst the letters, numbers and slashes was 'voda', amongst other things.

You sure that was not Yoda ...

 

[Kola_CT]

They spent f-all on batteries in our area...

As soon as load shedding kicked in, the Vodacom signal here would be gone.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

They spent f-all on batteries in our area...

As soon as load shedding kicked in, the Vodacom signal here would be gone.

Yeah, so it goes, no one supposedly important stays nearby ...

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

They spent f-all on batteries in our area...

As soon as load shedding kicked in, the Vodacom signal here would be gone.

probably stolen already, or nobody cares.
or nobody reported it to vodacom,

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

probably stolen already, or nobody cares.
or nobody reported it to vodacom,

Or Vodacom "forgot" they have a tower there that needs batteries, because the maintenance bloke needed batteries for his Solar installation more.

 

[JustJack]

Leoch batteries

Had to Google that

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Had to Google that

just check gumtree how many leoch batteries out there.
completely insane the nerve of these people to sell stolen mast batteries on Gumtree/OLX/FBmarketplace.
without shame really.

I mean what next, stolen cars/cellphones/appliances/people?