Shayd
Expert Member
Thanks Jannie, was worried this was going to be the "new" product we were promised. You have 42 days to blow our socks off. Till then I will only rant when really BAD pricing is released!
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When will iBurst drop prices...?
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Shayd
Expert Member
Any chance we can get a hint at what products you guys are looking at. Not pricing as this will be like throwing a grenade into the forums. Just product ideas
jannievanzyl
Telecoms expert
For the last few weeks we've turned the question around, i.e. what do you guys think? I can probably sum up the main requests as follows:
1) Lower pricing - no surprise here. Even free would not be 'free enough' for some.
2) The OOB rates.
3) Local vs. International.
4) A multitude of other requests, often conflicting but there nonetheless.
Glad to see that the local-only thing made it to the top 3
I think it would be an extremely valuable product offering if the networks guys can get it working. Testing volunteer right here 
I sent in a couple of others to simplified@.... they've no doubt crossed your inbox
Vrotappel
Bulls fan
Don't forget about higher throttled speed - definitely in the top 3.
I personally will pay more for this.
...and in fairness you can see where we are coming from. R250 a gig is extremely expensive.
Nobody is expecting you to make a loss on the sale of bandwidth, we just want a price which is reasonable and fair. If it costs you R200 to offer 10 gigs, then don't charge us 5 or 10 times that (hypothetical).
Also, charging slightly less than the profiteering competitors isn't very moral either. It's like a hijacker who feels good about himself because he only stole 4 cars instead of his usual 5. Sure he may be right, but he is kinda missing the point.
Regarding the crazies who want you to make a loss, well nobody cares what they think and neither should you.
rudirautenbach
Senior Member
+1.
And hopefully we will see a solution to the dreaded OS updates that eat up so much of our bandwidth
All,
Apologies for being so quiet the last two weeks. For those who will understand I can sum it up in one word: "board meetings"
Let me recap what I said a few times already on this forum. My '100 day' strategy was to first address the back-end systems and once that's done, we'll relook the whole product offering. We're now on day 58.
As you know we launched the new system 2 weeks ago and while it's gone pretty well (and I know some of you'll disagree), we did (and still do) have a few issues. So this is still our focus.
So where did this pre-paid product suddenly come from? Clearly it's a big element in a network's product suite, so I asked Engineering to start building it so long and test. This is pretty much where we are at the moment and we asked the community to get involved.
It's very much a user trail with free data to do the trail. This forum has always blasted the network operators for launching products without involving them. So this is exactly what we did here. Invited people to partake in the trail, at our expense. Can't do it much better than that, surely.
Regarding pricing, in all honestly we should not have mentioned any pricing at this point in time as we're not even sure yet what it will be. We're still running the models internally.
And the many 'subtle' hints above WILL be taken into consideration.
Thanks, your response is appreciated, and i think allowing users to test the system on unused modems, for free, is a fantastic idea. I hate the idea of wasted but perfectly good teleco equipment, like old iburst modems and unused installed telkom copper lines.
Price remains the biggest gripe - agree though that even 'free' wouldn't be cheap enough for some people. But there is a wide pricing spectrum which could be considered "reasonable" - and right now, iburst is too far above "reasonable".
I'm sorry but I have not read the whole thread, but feel like I should chip in here too.
I was a iBurst customer for 2 years and was very happy with them the whole time. The only reason I did not continue with their services was the high prices. I have exactly the same bandwidth and speed as I used to have with iBurst but is paying R700 a month less.
I was a iBurst customer for 2 years and was very happy with them the whole time. The only reason I did not continue with their services was the high prices. I have exactly the same bandwidth and speed as I used to have with iBurst but is paying R700 a month less.
Gekco
Expert Member
All,
Apologies for being so quiet the last two weeks. For those who will understand I can sum it up in one word: "board meetings"
Let me recap what I said a few times already on this forum. My '100 day' strategy was to first address the back-end systems and once that's done, we'll relook the whole product offering. We're now on day 58.
As you know we launched the new system 2 weeks ago and while it's gone pretty well (and I know some of you'll disagree), we did (and still do) have a few issues. So this is still our focus.
So where did this pre-paid product suddenly come from? Clearly it's a big element in a network's product suite, so I asked Engineering to start building it so long and test. This is pretty much where we are at the moment and we asked the community to get involved.
It's very much a user trail with free data to do the trail. This forum has always blasted the network operators for launching products without involving them. So this is exactly what we did here. Invited people to partake in the trail, at our expense. Can't do it much better than that, surely.
Regarding pricing, in all honestly we should not have mentioned any pricing at this point in time as we're not even sure yet what it will be. We're still running the models internally.
And the many 'subtle' hints above WILL be taken into consideration.
That should keep people from complaining for the next 42 days...
Think about it...
We have nothing but vague promises about what may or may not be.
So nothing has changed.
Apart from the ONE concrete thing that we have.
The R250 per GIG 'cheapest' "PrePaid" offering.
jannievanzyl
Telecoms expert
That should keep people from complaining for the next 42 days...
Think about it...
We have nothing but vague promises about what may or may not be.
So nothing has changed.
Apart from the ONE concrete thing that we have.
The R250 per GIG 'cheapest' "PrePaid" offering.
Yes, I've noticed that. Some people on this forum just complain, full stop. It's like this forum is an outlet for some pent-up frustration not remotely related to broadband.
But fortunately, as many and probably many more, understand that engaging with one another is a much better and productive process.
No telco can satisfy everyone, just like no motor manufacturer or brewery can. But that's the beauty of the free-market system.
OpenWeb has a 4Mbit UNCAPPED solution at R2899 (month 2 month, not a contract)
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=187922
iBurst for R2899 = R999 (10GB) + 3 x 3 GB + 2 x 1GB = 21 GB.
OpenWeb = R2899 = uncapped at 4Mbit/sec (which means you can theoretically DL 4x as much even if iBurst was able to offer Uncapped 1Mb/sec).
Now I'm not saying iBurst should copy OpenWeb but I am saying that OpenWeb which is a smaller company is able to offer GBs at a cheap rate, not that R3000 is cheap, but they have put in contingency to offer maybe 200GB or more PM for R2899. We don't need those amounts (most of us) but we'd like fair pricing - say doubling or trippling of our present caps at the same price.
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=187922
iBurst for R2899 = R999 (10GB) + 3 x 3 GB + 2 x 1GB = 21 GB.
OpenWeb = R2899 = uncapped at 4Mbit/sec (which means you can theoretically DL 4x as much even if iBurst was able to offer Uncapped 1Mb/sec).
Now I'm not saying iBurst should copy OpenWeb but I am saying that OpenWeb which is a smaller company is able to offer GBs at a cheap rate, not that R3000 is cheap, but they have put in contingency to offer maybe 200GB or more PM for R2899. We don't need those amounts (most of us) but we'd like fair pricing - say doubling or trippling of our present caps at the same price.
jannievanzyl
Telecoms expert
Don't you want to PM Shaun your current package breakdowm?
People complain wherever there is a disparity. In societies where everyone is equal people don't complain about their salaries or jobs but other differences (eg physical beauty, popularity with the opposite sex etc) become sore points too. In the Telecoms market we are seeing the emergence of cheaper data from other providers and seeing those differences many people are complaining.
It is only natural for people to do that. Now I don't think complaints should ever get personal and insulting - that's off - so people attacking you and Shaun are wrong in that regard but some people become so frustrated they find it difficult to complain any other way. Thanks for your hard work and for any future data improvements - even if relatively small, they will still be appreciated.
jannievanzyl
Telecoms expert
It's actually a 15 month (12 + 3) contract. But the concept of a high value, uncapped account is very good.
But if we start charging high amounts for uncapped, the current iBurst users who get uncapped for R199 per month will have a fit again.
It's actually a 15 month (12 + 3) contract. But the concept of a high value, uncapped account is very good.
But if we start charging high amounts for uncapped, the current iBurst users who get uncapped for R199 per month will have a fit again.
MrBeep said it was month 2 month in that thread.
It's actually a 15 month (12 + 3) contract. But the concept of a high value, uncapped account is very good.
But if we start charging high amounts for uncapped, the current iBurst users who get uncapped for R199 per month will have a fit again.
The idea is to create higher grade accounts which are so tempting people will migrate to them because they will see the added value. A much higher speed uncapped account will not be viewed in the same light as a very slow R199 uncapped. Sure there will always be the odd crazy who will complain, but as i said above, nobody should be concerned what they think, and i don't think the majority do.
Just be fair. If a product is not viable then it not viable, end of story. But if it is, consider offering it.
//i would also like to add quite a few users on these forums actively work to counter unfair negativity projected towards a company. Gary is a good example.
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McGuywer
Executive Member
I would more than happily pay R199 per month for an 384kbps uncapped connection.
/just my 2c
/just my 2c
384k is just not viable at the moment. It will be, but not now.
Vrotappel
Bulls fan
I will pay R600 pm for it.
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