[kictanet] [Skunkworks] 3G prepaid service and tariff - fyi - but get the info confirmed for yourself

Fri May 30 17:41:00 EAT 2008

I note that you agree it makes no sense to use on pre-paid basis, but guess
what? Over 95% of mobile services subscribers are on pre-paid tariffs hence
my calculations are more real than unlikely. May its the whole idea...

Consider this below story (and expect similar shocks will befall many
locally :-( I note your "disclaimer" part of the thread "..but get the info
confirmed for yourself" :)

- - - - -
An $85,000 cellphone bill?

No, it's not a typo. It's what Piotr Staniaszek, 22, from Grande Prairie,
Alberta, saw when he got a Bell Canada bill for two months' use of his
Motorola KRZR.

Bell didn't make the rates clear, "and should have at least alerted him when
his bill started climbing into the thousands," he told the CanWest News
Service <http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=164014>, which goes
on:

"He was using his cellphone as an Internet modem for his computer, believing
it was part of his mobile web browsing package.

"He said he started using the phone as modem in October. His November bill
hit him with a $60,000 charge. Then it grew to $85,000.

But, "They never called me when it got up to $1,000 or $2,000 or $30,000 and
I kept using the Internet," he says in the story.

According to the Globe and
Mail<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071213.PHONEBILL13/TPStory/National>,
in what it calls a "goodwill" gesture, Bell Mobility offered to reduce the
charges to match the best data plan available for using cellphones as a
modem, says company spokesman Mark Langton.

This broiught the bill down from $85,000 to $3,243, says the story.

But, "So far, Mr. Staniaszek has opted to fight the charge, his father
said," the Globe & Mail says.

Meanwhile, Langton said Staniaszek, "downloaded the equivalent of 10 high
resolution movies in one month," says CanWest.
<http://www.p2pnet.net/story/14334>

On Fri, May 30, 2008 at 5:03 PM, aki <aki275 at googlemail.com> wrote:

> Bwana Alex, this is my opinion :
>
> I think a correction is due on the 3G tariffs. The pricing does not work
> out as you have mentioned below. The calculations on the post paid service :
>
> Kshs 2.85/-  to 3/- per Mbyte therefore 250MB = Khs 750/- ( inclusive of
> the taxes ? ).
>
> Their tariffs are as follows for postpaid ( from the print media )
>
> Upto 700MB = 1,999/-
> Upto 2000MB = 3,999/-
> Upto 5000MB = 6,999/-
> Upto 8000MB = 10,000/-
> Upto 30,000MB = 30,000/-
>
> If one were to use it on pre-paid, it makes no sense at 12.60/- per Mbyte.
> Any corrections are welcome.
>
> Rgds,
>
> Aki.
>
>
>
> On Fri, May 30, 2008 at 4:19 PM, Gakuru , Alex <alexgakuru.lists at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> 3G over-enthusiasm wont last long? if were an excited user and lets say
>> downloaded these videos  <
>> http://www.elon.edu/e-web/predictions/igf_interviews_2007.xhtml> Assuming
>> each one is 250 MB, then
>> Safaricom would make about kshs 65,772/= poorer (than I already am). Is it
>> worth it? No! not at shs 12.60/MB.
>>
>> Maths (shs 12.60/MB *18*250  + 16% VAT)
>>
>> Note: Before telcom hiked 128/64 ADSL card to 9,200/= per month,  it used
>> to cost 5,600/=. It is possible
>> to download 18 videos in 1 month;) >> at 56,700/= Safaricom internet price
>> is like 1,000% of early last year's ADSL price. Not costs worth celebrating
>> much over.  Internet costs keep rising instead of falling "with competition"
>> and the companies cause more poverty than prosperity for Africa. prove me
>> wrong!
>>
>> Alex
>>
>>
>>   On Thu, May 29, 2008 at 2:23 AM, aki <aki275 at googlemail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>   OK, I called Safaricom corporate sales and talked to a person called
>>> Mr Peter Oyamo on 427 4099 seeking some clarifications. This guys know
>>> everthing... :)
>>>
>>> - For existing pre-paid users of the bambanet modem who migrate to 3G (
>>> like me ) , I shall continue to pay the 12.60/- per Mbyte with the option to
>>> move to post paid.
>>>
>>> - For postpaid users of 3G, if you chose any package and exceed the
>>> volume, the extra mbytes are charged at 12.60/- per mybte.
>>>
>>> So now you know.
>>>
>>> ( btw, I really dislike my current OS... not open source. Without my
>>> knowlegde, it has already done some silly updates upto 50 MB. So those
>>> using 3G on this OS should be wary of hidden demons that could end up
>>> costing you a lot, incase you wondered where all those Mbytes went... )
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
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>
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