At least someone is seeing the business sense. Sh. 2 bob per minute is good for a desperate customer, but to an operator that's closing shop soon, its very bad news. The bad news is, when the competitors creep from the market or die, its the new dominant player (e.g. KPLC) that will hike prices at will, then we are back to square one. Government has to protect the industry and Kenyans.
Zain arm twisted the government into reducing interconnectivity charges and now they are trying to use the same to undermine the market. They are using the savings from interconnectivity fees and 3G license to undermine the market in the name of marketing war chest. Zain was Kencell, sold to Celtel, sold to Zain, and noooow, sold Bharti. Now, they'll kill other operators and sell at a profit to Mabati Rolling Mills. That can't happen in a free market economy. Prices have to be dictated by market fundamentals, not underhand tactics. I hope the government knows Bharti airtel is constructing their HQ next to CCK HQ, and thats a very stupid thing to do.
Its also stupid to blare music at your neighbours shop in the name of "bend over". Bend over for what? Its my shop and I decide what I do there, the prices for my products and so on.
If Safaricom closed today, think of the shareholders, think of MPESA and the value that it brings to the ordinary people (who remembers Posta Pay and the high cost of sending and receiving money), think of a network thats been dependent on by millions upon millions - think of emergencies and evacuations because the network is accessible even in remotest of places. Think of that call that makes your spouse, girlfriend, children, mpango wa kando and so on beam with joy. Think about that job opportunity or business that you lost because your phone was off. Think about someone close that passed away and since they could not reach you, you never knew. Think about that positive change that the call brings when you really needed someone to talk to. Thats what Safaricom has done to us. It has given us options in life. You let it live, you get changed, you switch off, thats a lost opportunity. Its because everyone I know of that has a Zain, Orange or Yu line, is a die hard Safaricom customer. The others are a "by the way". Its because its a trusted network.
They sponsor almost all sporting events, they sponsor medical camps, they sponsor the young techies become guru's. Safaricom does so much for this country, and like most Kenyan spouses, we keep complaining and thinking the grass is greener on the other side. Its never been greener. Its probably drier. If its greener, shit is happening there, there's a heavy unsustainable cost and toll to the owners.
I'll never move away from the Safaricom network even if they charged Sh. 100 per minute, because I care that the money I pay them is not shipped to India or China, but its spent in Kenya in uplifting the living standards of ordinary Kenyans, be it sports people, rotting talent or sending that small payment to improve the rural economy, or employment in dealerships that span the width and breadth of this country.
I stand by the government that there shall be no arm twisting of players in the telecommunications sector. Let them sell us a service for a profit, a decent profit that will help them improve their services, employ the folks at a decent salary, and give back to society in ways we've never seen. No other company in Kenya has been that committed to Kenya than Safaricom. Ask me what Zain has done in the last year or so with their "profits", in community development, and you know the answer. Zain will become a free network, but even then, I will not migrate even if im the only one on the Saf network.
I hope Ndemo, Bharti Airtel, Essar and Orange are reading my statement.
My several cents on masaa ya kubamba, on kubamba tariff, on my bambanet modem.
Its me
Peter
On Fri, Sep 10, 2010 at 5:56 PM, Phares Kariuki
<pkariuki@gmail.com> wrote:
Hmm... Seems the Government may be yielding to pressure to raise the interconnect rates... The Zain CEO won't be the happiest guy around...
Don't wait for success; hunt it down like there's no tomorrow.