The broadband battle goes low-end

Both are targeting the low end of the market, possibly the more unsophisticated end of the market. What these poor souls probably don't understand is that 100Mb is only enough to check a few e-mails, etc. It is understandable that Vodacom will make this available on contract soon - it is so much easier to rip customers a new one with OOB rates!
 
Broadband in South Africa has become a battleground where telecoms operators are pushing hard to gain market share in a [-]competitive[/-] collusive environment.
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  1. Rather than launching "starter packs", why not just reduce rates to gain market share? Regardless of what Vodacom and MTN might think, customers will easily move to a different operator to pay less for data. No MNP issues - buy a sim, RICA it and off you go! I don't even know what the number of my WHOOOSH sim is!
  2. What competitive environment?
 
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i really feel that mtn n vodacom can do much better than atm
if cellc could do it why not them
 
Keep in mind that Vodacoms WebBox keyboard will uitilize Opera's compression tech....will compress web pages by about 90%. This will make the 100mb go much further. Also, the keyboard supports GPRS/EDGE only, so the users wont be able to burn through it very quick by doing massive downloads. This is designed mostly for browsing and email.
 
What are the users of these new products going to pay for the data they use after the 100 MB disappears. That is the number that counts.

And if they both charge the same rate the competition commission needs to get involved.

As for the compression rate of Opera, the figure of 90% is almost certainly a 'best case' result. All it takes is a few photo-laden emails and uploading them to Facebook and that 100 MB is history

I can't express the contempt I have for these companies ripping off the public with their extortionate data pricing hidden behind lies that they are bringing internet access to the masses out of a sense of community or social responsibility.

The fact that the data price isn't even mentioned says it all.
 
ocleroux said:
Keep in mind that Vodacoms WebBox keyboard will uitilize Opera's compression tech....will compress web pages by about 90%. This will make the 100mb go much further. Also, the keyboard supports GPRS/EDGE only, so the users wont be able to burn through it very quick by doing massive downloads. This is designed mostly for browsing and email.
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What's the traffic like getting to Vodaworld in morning?
 
Aztech said:
I can't express the contempt I have for these companies ripping off the public with their extortionate data pricing hidden behind lies that they are bringing internet access to the masses out of a sense of community or social responsibility.
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Ditto, lowering the barrier of entry is another way of saying, finding a new and misinformed consumer to screw.
 
Antonf said:
Both are targeting the low end of the market, possibly the more unsophisticated end of the market. What these poor souls probably don't understand is that 100Mb is only enough to check a few e-mails, etc. It is understandable that Vodacom will make this available on contract soon - it is so much easier to rip customers a new one with OOB rates!
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IMO a possible solution to cheap computing and a big boost to ‘the other side of the technology divide’ is the potential for ‘cloud computing’. With all the broadband cables landing in the country, it is feasible to extend access to rural areas (the bandwidth is available). The cost of a ‘dumb terminal’ (little more than a display and a keyboard) and decent Internet access with all heavy duty computing, software, memory storage and apps along with skilled maintenance, etc. in central positions, will bring-down computing costs radically and put them within reach of rural populations. With fast Internet, lag would not be significant in computing and people would have normal Internet access with all its advantages (knowledge, ecommerce, etc). Similar to the old mini/mainframe computing model with their dumb terminals except instead of a local intranet, they are tied to the Internet.
 
Will be interesting to see how the LSM this product is intended for respond to the offer... Internet access via a TV in rural areas sounds like a great idea - but Vodacon never looks out for the consumer so I doubt they really have SA's best interests at heart... It should be a once of fee for the device (like a once of fee for a TV set) and then a once of fee for usage throughout the year (like a TV license) - usage should be unlimited since it's GPRS/EDGE only... that would empower the less fortunate.
 
I am fascinated by their marketing strategies. They say the products are aimed at lower income groups, yet the charges involved are more geared to the middle class segment, and for those that can actually afford these prices, I'm sure they will already have a PC tucked away somewhere, which makes the product redundant. I dunno, these okes are probably a lot smarter than me, I just don't get it.

Noble idea, but pricing (device and access) is all wrong IMHO.
 
MFour said:
I am fascinated by their marketing strategies. They say the products are aimed at lower income groups, yet the charges involved are more geared to the middle class segment, and for those that can actually afford these prices, I'm sure they will already have a PC tucked away somewhere, which makes the product redundant. I dunno, these okes are probably a lot smarter than me, I just don't get it.

Noble idea, but pricing (device and access) is all wrong IMHO.
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It's not about being smarter, and it's definitely not noble. It's about being able to look your customer in the eye and smile as you sink a knife into his belly, straight through his wallet, and then going home and sleeping like a log because you traded your conscience in for share options years ago.
 
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