Comments on: TechCentral ejected from Icasa meeting

By: Debbie

Debbie — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:59:25 +0000

Hey Libs [thanks for the recent ban ] I agree with you about the transparency aspect. And here I disagree with you Duncan when you say that ICASA were probably procedurally correct to chuck you out. Show me the Regulations or written protocols on which MTN’s Karl Pienaar can legally base his objection to your presence. Perhaps “Insider” can produce the “industry protocols” he refers to. The only “protocol” I can find is precedent. But precedent – ie, the fact that these sorts of discussions have almost always taken place behind closed doors – is simply not a good enough reason.

Any argument made that ICASA was right to chuck Duncan out can be met with a strong Constitution-based argument that the media had every right-nay, DUTY, to be there.

By: Brett

Brett — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:03:56 +0000

The communications providers will continue to charge what they like, has anyone noticed that the only time anyone gets rapped over the knuckles is if they’re a single company the complaint is being raised against? (Sasol, ,Tiger etc)

Entire industries get away with doing what they like. Our competition and regulatory bodies are just paper tigers.

By: The_Librarian

The_Librarian — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:15:49 +0000

Hey Debbie, good to see you here.

I do hope this backfire in Icasa’s face.

I can understand the need for invitations, but surely what about transparency? This was in the interest of the public, for sure. What weighs the heaviest here – transparency, or secrecy?

Regards

Libs

By: The_Librarian

The_Librarian — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:06:14 +0000

I am most upset at these “behind the door fatcat meetings” which totally exclude the public, and only benefit a select few.

High time the South African consumer gets off their padded posteriors and start doing something concrete about the poor telecoms situation… it will not improve by itself.

The public have EVERY RIGHT to know what is going on in these meetings. Transparent my behind.

And I most strongly object to the date being in February – why not in October, November or December for that matter?

Regards

Librarian

By: Thato Mmusi

Thato Mmusi — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:27:19 +0000

What are they hiding?
there are millions of people who didnt even have an idea of that meeting, the fact that they turned away techCentral away clearly shows that they are not yet ready to be exposed

By: Fritz

Fritz — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:40:02 +0000

Well done Duncan

High time that somebody stir things up a bit.

I’m not sure of the legislation in this regard, but I believe that FULL transparency is the only way that these matters should be dealt with.

Enough with the polite attitude while getting ripped off!!

By: Botha

Botha — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:27:57 +0000

Maybe Dwayne Bailey will reveal to us where the audience can seek for best practices outside of the ignorant South Africa? Maybe the North American market, where certain mobile operators are offering free to anywhere calls, but applicable charges to incoming ones? This is a very brave statement Dwayne Bailey. Could you please explain how the end consumer that currently pays 2.85 R per minute will be affected from interconnect price changes? I doubt that you are pre-paid end consumer of any of the South African Mobile Networks. The “critical mass” are the prepaid subscribers not the post paid/contracts. Sounds like the debates around interconnect prices are stressing primarily the service providers and glorified VoIP resellers. It’s a very convenient to hide behind the “poor end consumer”, that is been ripped off. Who actually is worried? End Consumer or Service providers?

By: Editor

Editor — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:50:00 +0000

Dwayne, this was no stunt. TechCentral was there to report a story.

Agreed about your views on South Africans and rules. We are too bloody polite.

Duncan

By: Dwayne Bailey

Dwayne Bailey — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:15:17 +0000

Go Duncan. South African’s are such rule followers, even dribbling up a 3 point plan explaining how to keep being ripped off, ignorant, misled and in the dark.

Was it a techcentral stunt? Who cares. I’m just happy someone is there able to raise issue with the fact that the public, who have been ripped off by the cellphone industry for so long, are now expected to remain ignorant of the deals behind closed doors. We all know why the incumbents want this, the fact that we think its OK for them to get what they want absolutely blows my mind.

Will I move away from MTN? Maybe. But then I’ll only have to move to another colluder. Me I’d prefer the cold hard reality of fair competition to enter this market so that I can make that decision. Hiding behind closed doors isn’t going to create an economic reality just a smooth avenue for operators to make the profits they’ve loved for so long for longer still.

By: Botha

Botha — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:08:37 +0000

SimonB….yes..for all.

By: SimonB

SimonB — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Botha – price is per minute. and its about time this price is available to everyone in South Africa.

By: Botha

Botha — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:37:57 +0000

SimonB, is the 90c per minute is charged per second or per minute?
It’s about right time this price fixing and community SIM cards to disappear from telecommunications market. How can “market related prices” be lower than interconnection?
Does anyone has idea about interconnect prices outside of the Country to SA Mobile operators?

By: Botha

Botha — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:54:40 +0000

Well Done MTN. I will change my contract to MTN.
Viva MTN!

By: SimonB

SimonB — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:30:14 +0000

Duncan, There are already legal ways to bypass the high interconnect fee’s charged by mobile opperators, even without using services like VoIP. I can for instance make calls to all the local networks during peak periods for under 90c per minute across all networks.

The question is why do these legal loopholes only apply to some people?

The networks will only learn their lesson after they get nabbed for price fixing like tigerbrands! It’s a pity it has to go there…

By: Editor

Editor — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:24:04 +0000

One further comment for clarity’s sake. Having already been told by one Icasa official that the media was not welcome at the meeting, I was preparing myself, under some degree of protest, to wait outside the meeting room until the meeting’s conclusion. It was at this point that I was approached by another Icasa official and told that I should, in fact, go into the meeting via a back entrance and sit at the back of the room. I was effectively ushered into the meeting via the back door. It was at this point that MTN SA’s CEO Karel Pienaar (and several people around him) noticed my presence. Within minutes, Pienar had raised an objection with the Icasa chairman to the fact that I was in the room.

Procedurally, I have little doubt that Icasa was entitled to ask that I leave the room. That’s why I left with little protest when asked to. But the importance of the debate over interconnection rates means that high-level meetings such as this one shouldn’t take place behind closed doors. FWIW.