WhatsApp calling is not impacting Vodacom

[Newsfeed]

WhatsApp calling is not impacting Vodacom

WhatsApp calling is not inflicting a significant blow to Vodacom’s voice calls.

This is according to Jannie van Zyl, Executive Head: Innovation at Vodacom, who was speaking at the 2018 MyBroadband Conference.

 

[Nick333]

WhatsApp calling is not impacting Vodacom

WhatsApp calling is not inflicting a significant blow to Vodacom’s voice calls.

This is according to Jannie van Zyl, Executive Head: Innovation at Vodacom, who was speaking at the 2018 MyBroadband Conference.

Give it time. I think people have issues with it that they need to get over - that you use your own data to take calls for one. There is no law that says that only the originator should pay for a call and I reckon it works out cheaper than cell calls at the end of the day, so it will become the norm eventually.

Other issues are quality and 3G/4G coverage.

 

[Nobody Important]

I personally prefer to just make a normal phone call. Partially because I have no qualms paying the few Rands that it costs, and partially because I barely make any calls anyway.

Give it time. I think people have issues with it that they need to get over - that you use your own data to take calls for one. There is no law that says that only the originator should pay for a call and I reckon it works out cheaper than cell calls at the end of the day, so it will become the norm eventually.

Other issues are quality and 3G/4G coverage.

Perhaps. And yes there is no law that says the originator must pay for the call alone (in fact I believe in some parts of the world you pay to receive like we used to have to pay a fee in the early days of cellular use here too), but I would not like to subsidise people calling me to waffle on or even spam sales calls.

I have nothing against Whatsapp calls and in fact my family communicate using Whatsapp video calls fequently when someone is away for an extended period but the quality/latency issues aren't worth the hassle for regular use imo.

 

[access]

izzit, so youve got an eye on it. what kind of priority is the data getting

 

[Johnatan56]

I have nothing against Whatsapp calls and in fact my family communicate using Whatsapp video calls fequently when someone is away for an extended period but the quality/latency issues aren't worth the hassle for regular use imo.

Haven't had quality/latency issues since the early days. Still prefer Telegram's quality though.

Cost wise, Telkom FreeMe comes with social data, a call is around 200KB per minute on high quality, lower if put in data saver mode. My Telkom FreeMe social data bundle is 2GB/200KB/s = ~7 days of calling. Cost wise for both sides to pay doesn't really matter. Vodacom's R2/MB OOB = 5 minutes of calling, R0.40/minute though both sides, so R0.80 a minute on high quality. Do note Vodacom did up their price back to R1.20/minute and most of us have data bundles/access to WiFi.

 

[Nobody Important]

Haven't had quality/latency issues since the early days. Still prefer Telegram's quality though.

Most noticeable when travelling abroad or even local but using free wifi hotspots. Almost impossible when using the onboard wifi on airplanes. That's all I use it for, nice to see your families faces when they are faraway.

 

[Johnatan56]

Most noticeable when travelling abroad or even local but using free wifi hotspots. Almost impossible when using the onboard wifi on airplanes. That's all I use it for, nice to see your families faces when they are faraway.

Yeah, noticed that with calls from e.g. Germany on WhatsApp, didn't have the same problem on Skype or Telegram, but that was a year ago now. Most of my calls are within CT though, so no problem there.

 

[milomak]

i don't do a lot of whatsapp calls.

the few i have done have been inevitably poor though

 

[marine1]

I never accept a WA call unless on wifi, it doesnt work well on cellular and they do it on purpose.

 

[Grubscrew]

I don't answer WhatsApp calls for the same reason I don't respond to a please call me. Poor people shouldn't be allowed to communicate with the rest of us.

 

[Johnatan56]

I don't answer WhatsApp calls for the same reason I don't respond to a please call me. Poor people shouldn't be allowed to communicate with the rest of us.

Well that reasoning is stupid.

 

[Nobody Important]

I never accept a WA call unless on wifi, it doesnt work well on cellular and they do it on purpose.

Who does what on purpose, and why? Sorry I don't follow what you mean.

 

[system32]

WhatsApp calling is not impacting Vodacom

So why all the Vodacom submissions to ICASA to regulate OTT (WhatsApp) services?
See
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/cellular/145437-vodacom-wants-whatsapp-regulated-in-south-africa.html

Are the number of voice minutes/revenue still increasing as in the days before WhatApp? NO.

How do they know who's using WhatApp?
A significant portion of WhatsApp calls are on Wifi which Vodacom can't detect.

I often use WhatApp video (which Vodacom calls can't do) when I'm on wifi.

 

[isie]

I don't answer WhatsApp calls for the same reason I don't respond to a please call me. Poor people shouldn't be allowed to communicate with the rest of us.

So if a poor person got extra free call minutes and makes a regular call(like some sort of caveman) to you , how would know they are poor and ignore the call

Well that reasoning is stupid.

yuup

 

[Scooby_Doo]

I don't answer WhatsApp calls for the same reason I don't respond to a please call me. Poor people shouldn't be allowed to communicate with the rest of us.

Ok grandpa, not everyone can embrace change.

 

[Grubscrew]

So if a poor person got extra free call minutes and makes a regular call(like some sort of caveman) to you , how would know they are poor and ignore the call


yuup

Well it take normally takes about 5mins from my secretary answering my call to me actually talking to the person. Poor people would have hung up by then.

Also it is very easy to screen for poor people. They normally have numbers starting with 06/07.

 

[isie]

Well it take normally takes about 5mins from my secretary answering my call to me actually talking to the person. Poor people would have hung up by then.

Also it is very easy to screen for poor people. They normally have numbers starting with 06/07.

does your secretary answer your cell phone after office hours?

And plenty of rich people have 07 and 06 numbers

 

[Johnatan56]

Well it take normally takes about 5mins from my secretary answering my call to me actually talking to the person. Poor people would have hung up by then.

Also it is very easy to screen for poor people. They normally have numbers starting with 06/07.

My number starts with 08, I am student. Just checked my phone book, have someone "rich" with an 076 number. I think your filtering system sucks.

Personally, I would have hung up on you as well, I am not going to wait 5 minutes to get service.

 

[isie]

My number starts with 08, I am student. Just checked my phone book, have someone "rich" with an 076 number. I think your filtering system sucks.

Personally, I would have hung up on you as well, I am not going to wait 5 minutes to get service.

i think he might be poor , can't afford the data costs when someone whatsapp call him - so he tries to act all high and mighty

 

[Nick333]

I don't answer WhatsApp calls for the same reason I don't respond to a please call me. Poor people shouldn't be allowed to communicate with the rest of us.

You must be trolling. It must suck for you that you have to share the roads with non Merc drivers, or do you have the back windows tinted black and a partition between you and your chauffeur?