Re: Voice spectrum swapped for LTE

On 2013/02/13 06:45 PM, Graham Leggett wrote:

>> Not beyond repair, no, the solution is this:
>>
>> http://mybroadband.co.za/news/telecoms/69146-level-3-in-sa-better-faster-internet-promised.html
>>
>> When international ISP businesses believe the time is right to invest in the ZA market and have a reasonable chance of getting a return on their investment they will march in with their global staff base and take over the market.
>>

I've been hesitant to comment on what is already degrading into a 
groan-fest, however, the above is such a load of codswallop that I feel 
compelled to respond.

International ISP businesses have been investing in the ZA market for 
well over fifteen years already and, as history will show, the only ones 
that have truly succeeded in the ZA market were those that acquired 
established players.

Anyone recall when Pipex entered SA? I see them on Ant's original ISP 
Map dated 11 December 1995. And before you say they were not seriously 
invested, consider that they acquired Internet Africa and renamed it 
Pipex Internet Africa (which subsequently become UUnet Internet Africa 
when UUnet bought Pipex).

How about when Global One entered the SA market?  I see them on a 31 
July 1996 version of an ISP map that I published.

IBM SA anyone? Yes, it's on the 12 Feb 1998 ISP map. And in 2000 that 
network became part of the AT&T Global Network.

And that's all pre-2000. Investment since then has only increased. If 
you want more recent examples, take a look at, for example, Neotel, 
which has substantial investment by Tata. That's without even looking at 
examples like MTN that, while starting in SA, are now international.

Now, as for all that bull about how a foreign ISP will finally invest 
and is going to "fix" our market:
1. The above clearly shows that foreign ISPs have been investing in SA 
since at least 1995 (perhaps earlier);
2. Despite all of the above, the bulk of the market share remains with 
players like Internet Solutions, Telkom, MTN, M-Web and others, which 
would indicate that - despite spurious claims to the contrary - South 
African ISPs have actually been more successful at servicing the SA 
market then foreign ISPs that have entered this market.

I wish Level 3 the best for their entry to SA. I'm a firm believer that 
foreign investment is in the best interests of the country and that 
foreign ISPs competing in SA will bring a new dimension to the 
competitive landscape that will help improve the market as a whole. But 
I'll eat my socks if they "march in with the global staff base and take 
over the market."

I've had the pleasure of working with numerous SA ISPs for ~17 years 
and, IMHO, they're a pretty dynamic bunch.


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