What is the Demographic and Socioeconomic makeup of highspeed users

[Smiley_lauf]

Hi There

Firstly, let me make it clear that I do not want to start a flame here. This post is ascertain the characteristic of the users of highspeed/broadband internet services in SA.

A little background: South African telecom system has been running on a monopoly for many years now. There is no real competition for this service, not even in the near future (even though Neotel will be in the market). Access to the highspeed internet does not come cheap (source: see all the adverts and TELKOM pricing structure). There are many disgruntled and unsatisfied customers. Reasons for this unhappiness are many, but to mention a few: high costs, poor service delivery, unjustifiable usage and bandwidth restrictions, ignorance, etc.

Very recently the ICASA CEO stated that there is not enough evidence to suggest unrealistic pricing of ADSL services by TELKOM, and this has angered the ADSL users even more; when, infact, there is sufficient evidence to the contrary (see todays posts here).

The question arises as to why there is a difference in perception betweeen USERS, service providers (TELKOM) and regulating bodies (ICASA). We know that TELKOM and ICASA share the same umbilical cord and so will have motivations to protect their interests. But, why is it that USERS are still very unhappy?

Is it that TELKOM/ICASA know that the people who can afford these services are not the massess (low-medium income), but rather the upper middle-high income bracket people. And so, they do not see why they should make this service widely affordable and available (and thus accessible).

I am asking here, do we know what the current socioeconomic and demographic composition is of the ADSL users (outside bussiness)? Is there separated by racial affiliation, or socioeconomic. Who really uses ADSL services currently?

There has been a national call to narrow the global digital divide by making internet more accesible to the massess of Africa, but there does not seem to be a sense of urgency from TELKOM/ICASA to make this happen. The massess in this country are in the low-middle income bracket, and are mostly African black. Is the answer to these questions not that obvious? When developed nations (UK, US, and Japan, etc) make these communication services accessible (not just very affordable, cheap) when a vast majoriity of theor population is educated and informed, then one wonders where our prioroties lie as a nation still in its developmenatal infancy.

It is time to wake up: USERS, who can afford these services complain about ADSL pricing, service etc, are doing it not because it is expensive (that too), but because it will help make communication services more accessible to the more needy in our society.

Thank you for reading.
SM

 

[bwana]

It is time to wake up: USERS, who can afford these services complain about ADSL pricing, service etc, are doing it not because it is expensive (that too), but because it will help make communication services more accessible to the more needy in our society.

Thank you for reading.
SM

Exactly - everyone benefits from making telecommunications more affordable.

 

[Smiley_lauf]

http://www.mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=4317

this posting here is also worth reading (PS: I only saw this after I had written my post)

 

[general_koffi]

Well, other than businesses...

White and upper income almost exclusively.

 

[Logo]

Well, other than businesses...

White and upper income almost exclusively.

I would disagree, I would say upper income, race not really in the picture, I know a number of black upper income people who are highspeed users. I would also throw in predominantly male.

 

[Darth Garth]

It is time to wake up: USERS, who can afford these services complain about ADSL pricing, service etc, are doing it not because it is expensive (that too), but because it will help make communication services more accessible to the more needy in our society.

Jeez .... what a bunch of boloney.

Poor people in S.A need jobs, housing, running water, electricity and access to healthcare first before we come up with such nonsense as communications services.

 

[Kasyx]

Poor people in S.A need jobs, housing, running water, electricity and access to healthcare first before we come up with such nonsense as communications services.

Yes but SA does not have the technology to provide more jobs, housing, running water, electricity and access to healthcare being abused and overcharged for by a money-hungry monopoly.

We have the infrastructure to give pretty much everyone in a vaguely urban area cheap access to communications services, yet we are not doing so.

The same cannot be said for electricity, housing and so on.

So why ignore something the government has the ability to provide and wait for a lower unemployment rate and running water before rolling out affordable communications?

 

[general_koffi]

I would disagree, I would say upper income, race not really in the picture, I know a number of black upper income people who are highspeed users. I would also throw in predominantly male.

The vast majority of high-income South Africans are white.

I'm not saying that high-income black people won't use ADSL, but there are just a lot less of them.

When I say "high-income", it's a relative term.

 

[Kasyx]

Why doesn't MyADSL do a user survey?

How old are you?
How much do you earn per annum?
What is your race?
Is ADSL used by your business/at home?

and so on...

 

[Smiley_lauf]

I was about to suggest a survey as well. Glad u brought it up.
Can anyone who knows how to set up one do it?

 

[bwana]

Jeez .... what a bunch of boloney.

Poor people in S.A need jobs, housing, running water, electricity and access to healthcare first before we come up with such nonsense as communications services.

The Millennium Development Goals recognise the importance of technology and communication in developing a global partnership for development - too bad you cant.

The country needs a lot of things - an able government shouldnt be limited to addressing only one or two of the shortcomings you mentioned at any one time.

EDIT - unless you feel like acknowledging that your government really is inept?

 

[Smiley_lauf]

Yes, bwana, well put. I was just reading the mdg 2005 report http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/pdf/MDG Book.pdf

thanks

 

[Kasyx]

think we need to talk to rpm about it?

Not sure who the mods/admins are on this site...

 

[bwana]

Yes, bwana, well put. I was just reading the mdg 2005 report http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/pdf/MDG Book.pdf

thanks

If you're interested it's Goal 8, Target 18

 

[Darth Garth]

The country needs a lot of things - an able government shouldnt be limited to addressing only one or two of the shortcomings you mentioned at any one time.

And these oh so little trifle issues I mentioned above makes a world of difference to poor people ... there is a big difference between dealing with reality and attending a lofty UN govt sponsored backslapping free drinks and snacks conference where nobody attending knows what poverty is.

So why don't you drive to a township and ask the people there what they want and if broadband and the internet feature at all on their priority list ???.

 

[bwana]

And these oh so little trifle issues I mentioned above makes a world of difference to poor people ... there is a big difference between dealing with reality and attending a lofty UN govt sponsored backslapping free drinks and snacks conference where nobody attending knows what poverty is.

So why don't you drive to a township and ask the people there what they want and if broadband and the internet feature at all on their priority list ???.

Did I say they were trifling? You seem to be focused on ignoring the fact that government is multi faceted and therefore should be able to tackle more than one objective at a time. They recognise it even if you fail to, pledging their support for and working towards all of the MDGs and not just the ones you feel are important.

So why dont you take a stroll though a township tomorrow and suggest to them that you dictate what they need because you obviously know better.

 

[Kasyx]

And these oh so little trifle issues I mentioned above makes a world of difference to poor people ... there is a big difference between dealing with reality and attending a lofty UN govt sponsored backslapping free drinks and snacks conference where nobody attending knows what poverty is.

So why don't you drive to a township and ask the people there what they want and if broadband and the internet feature at all on their priority list ???.

I refer you to a reply of mine to your first comment: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showpost.php?p=676801&postcount=7

I shall say again:

Why should the government concentrate wholly on solving issues it is not fully equipped to deal with when there is a telecommunications infrastructure already in place that is not being utilized? Of course poverty and unemployment are more important, but why should something the government is able to provide (telecommunications) be ignored as they attempt to remedy that which takes preference?

And now, the famous MyADSL analogy:
My computer is too slow, my main priority is to upgrade it completely - new motherboard, RAM, gfx card. Thus far I have only managed to buy the RAM, so now it is sitting on my desk, waiting to be used. I believe that a new processor is far more important than RAM, so am I to wait until I can get a new processor before installing the RAM I already own and am able to use?
By installing the RAM now, I would have less trouble and less work later on.

The point of my ramble is this: Do what you have the ability to do now.

 

[Telkomhater]

The vast majority of high-income South Africans are white.

I'm not saying that high-income black people won't use ADSL, but there are just a lot less of them.

How can you just make this statement? Based on what statistics or what report or evidence? Is this just from your observations or what?

From my "observations" the richest (ie. high income earners) people in our country are black people. While I have also "observed" that the poorest people in our country are also black people.