Zimbabwe's phones disconnected

[Sneeky]

By Gavin du Venage in Cape Town
05sep05

TELEPHONE services in Zimbabwe were thrown into chaos this weekend after South Africa's telecommunications firm Telkom cut off its services to Zimbabwe for unpaid debts.

http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,16489801%5E401,00.html

Sunday Times
http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimesNEW/business/business1125735840.aspx

Zim Obeserver

he arrangement was that Tel*One, which was a net receiver of revenue from Telkom, would pay for the upgrade of its network by deducting its dues from the money going to Zimbabwe.

However, traffic from SA to Zimbabwe has dramatically dwindled, leaving Tel*One in a deficit with Telkom.

Tel*One is investigating the change in the traffic patterns because it suspects SA is now using alternative routes – such as voice internet protocols – to avoid paying its dues.

Sources said Telkom’s decision had thrown Zimbabwe’s telephone network into chaos.

http://www.zimobserver.com/newsdetail.asp?article_id=1286

 

[Spindrift]

Hi,

I have a family in zim and we have been exchanging phone calls this weekend with no problem. The quality is good and certainly no delay as one of the newspaper article described. We havent noticed the network being anymore worse than usual.


Spinz

 

[Sneeky]

Hi,

I have a family in zim and we have been exchanging phone calls this weekend with no problem. The quality is good and certainly no delay as one of the newspaper article described. We havent noticed the network being anymore worse than usual.
Spinz

Very interesting, the plot thickens.

 

[Albereth]

This should be fairly interesting. (I know that there is a human element to this story but...) Telkom should cut them off for non-payment. They do that to you and me, so why should Zim be any different? Thing is, just how 'independent' is Telkom of the government? How long before the lines are reconnected? And how long before Telkom turns around and says scratch my back on this ICASA ADSL rental thing, and I'll scratch yours on this reconnection thing?

I, for the life of me, fail to understand what we get from Zim - okay garden engineers and cash in transit heist experts aside. Sure, we can sell them some stuff but what do we do with the funny money they have?

 

[Sneeky]

The Zim topic was also discussed here.
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=26639
My views are quite clear in that post on the issue.