[kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Re: Kenya's Safaricom says to test 4G later in 2010

Thu Apr 1 13:02:29 EAT 2010

@Ombati,

I hear you...and I regret if I did sound pro-Telco or pro-Regulator because I speak for neither. Secondly, plse take my comments as "Part-of" rather than the "End-of" discussion. MJ, CCK, ICT Board and others are indeed most welcome to speak for themselves...even after I have made my position know.

Meanwhile, you will fear not 4G, after you visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4G

walu.

--- On Thu, 4/1/10, Kepta Ombati <kombati at akibauhaki.org> wrote:

From: Kepta Ombati <kombati at akibauhaki.org>
Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Re: [kictanet] Kenya's Safaricom says to test 4G later in 2010
To: "Walubengo J" <jwalu at yahoo.com>
Cc: "Solomon Mburu Kamau" <solo.mburu at gmail.com>, ke-internetusers at bdix.net, "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Date: Thursday, April 1, 2010, 1:20 PM

Walu:

While we agree that unnecessary barriers shouldn't be erected on new services and products that could benefit consumers, we must firmly disagree with you that only CCK and other such govt agencies should comment on new products coming into the market. 

We also disagree that consumers should be a dumping ground. As things stand, many of us feel very exposed due to failures of mandated govt agencies to protect us from poor/substandard products that get dumped on us every day. We also spend a lot of money in expensive experimental products. 

In any case, don't you think that MJ can speak for himself... or that Safcom - and other telcos - has/have enough Customer service people and techies who can speak for the co/cos.? MJ is in fact doing very well from his recent mails to this forum. ICT Board's Kukubo and PS BN have done pretty well in engaging in this forum in the past. 

What exactly is wrong with empowering the consumer with info.? Don't you know that not everyone has the privilege of your industry info. and therefore not everyone is cushioned against opportunism and market distortion. Info asymmetry is a major distorting factor. We need preventive not curative approaches as much as practicable. Put differently, the Kenyan consumer should be protected in all ways possible from being perpetual guinea pig. Your voting with the feet sound good from far but is indeed far from good!

I therefore urge that we permit those who can provide useful information to help us make informed decisions to do so without self appointed police or pro-telcos agencies constraining them. And though it might not cure the ills of market imperfection, apriori info on possible risks certainly mitigates our individual and collective exposure. So Solomon, Alex and all those who have steadfastly played the role of public watchdog, hongera! Keep it up. 

And barbs to anyone trying to stifle consumer education and protection!! And more barbs to the public agencies that are sleeping on the job or in bed with the telcos at the expense of the consumers!

-- 
Kepta Ombati
Akiba Uhaki Foundation - The Human Rights & Social Justice Fund
K-Rep Center, Wood Avenue, Kilimani
Box 27611-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (254) 20 2441204/2441196
Fax: (254) 20 3861576
Mobile; (254) 0 722 659 364/738 550 550
Email:kombati at akibauhaki.org
Website: www.akibauhaki.org
……………………………………..........
“For a Just and Egalitarian East Africa where all persons enjoy their
Rights and live in Dignity”

On Thu, 2010-04-01 at 01:20 -0700, Walubengo J wrote:

I dont think Safcom or any other Telco needs permission from Users(customers) to test new technologies (unless ofcourse these are medically harmful - of which the regulator would have cleared beforehand). 

Futhermore, I dont think CCK licenses peg the introduction of new technologies(4G) on the success or otherwise of the older technologies (2go r3g)... So lets not mix the two issues.  If consumers have issues with the old technologies, they should raise those issues (like Aki did)  INDEPENDENT of subsequent technologies...

Plse dont introduce barriers to new developments(@Jevans), after all if eventually 4g s*cks, the customers will simply vote with their feet...

walu.

--- On Thu, 4/1/10, Solomon Mburu Kamau <solo.mburu at gmail.com> wrote:

    From: Solomon Mburu Kamau <solo.mburu at gmail.com>

    Subject: Re: [kictanet] Kenya's Safaricom says to test 4G later in 2010

    To: jwalu at yahoo.com

    Cc: ke-internetusers at bdix.net, "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>

    Date: Thursday, April 1, 2010, 11:21 AM

    On 01/04/2010, Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni at gmail.com> wrote:

    > Very welcome...LTE or call it 4G will be very good for the last mile, we

    > need it here! We are speaking about insanely fast speeds … potential as high

    > as 150Mbps download and upload speeds as high as 50Mbps … about 100x more

    > bandwidth (much faster) than most 3G networks. Safaricom should go ahead and

    > test!

    >

    IMHO, while this is a great idea it should not just be pegged on the

    speeds but also on the consumer benefit.

    Just to ask, how many consumers outside Nairobi really understand the

    essence behind 3G? Can Safaricom, say, for instance, the viability of

    3G, at the moment from the consumers end? What about areas which are

    not fully covered by 3G?

    Sometimes, the consumer ends up getting confused with this 'new'

    products leaving him with no choice but to subscribe without public

    education, which is an essential tool for helping the end user make

    informed choices at the end of the day.

    > On Wed, Mar 31, 2010 at 4:35 PM, Michael Joseph

    > <MJoseph at safaricom.co.ke>wrote:

    >

    >>  At extreme risk of responding via this list, I ask why should we not be

    >> testing new technology which might benefit both the Kenyan public and the

    >> industry? It did not say we are launching it commercially but merely

    >> hoping

    >> to do a technical trial.

    >>

    >>

    >>

    >> Certainly 3G is more than producing the results – that is why all of a

    >> sudden the other operators want to climb on board when 2 years ago they

    >> said

    >> it was not commercially viable.

    >>

    >>

    >>

    >> Michael

    >>

    >>

    >>

    >> *CEO*

    >>

    >> *Safaricom Limited*

    >>

    >>

    >>  ------------------------------

    >>

    >> *From:*

    >> kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke[mailto:

    >> kictanet-bounces+mjoseph <kictanet-bounces%2Bmjoseph>=safaricom.co.ke@

    >> lists.kictanet.or.ke] *On Behalf Of *Jevans Nyabiage

    >> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 31, 2010 4:20 PM

    >> *To:* Michael Joseph

    >> *Cc:* ke-internetusers at bdix.net; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions

    >> *Subject:* [kictanet] Kenya's Safaricom says to test 4G later in 2010

    >>

    >>

    >>

    >> Has Safaricom fully achieved the benefits of 3G to start testing 4G?

    >>

    >>

    >>

    >>

    >> http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/Kenyas%20Safaricom%20says%20to%20test%204G%20later%20in%202010/-/1006/890190/-/j9u85pz/-/index.html

    >>

    >>

    >>

    >> Jevans

    >>

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    >> ------------------------------

    >>  * *

    >>

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    >

    >

    > --

    > Muthoni

    >

    > My Blog: http://rugongo.blogspot.com/

    > --------------------------------------------

    > Mahatma Gandhi once said:-

    >

    > First they ignore you,

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    >

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