ADSL Broadband: Web Africa cuts ADSL prices

ADSL Broadband price cuts are always welcomed and it’s not different this time around. Web Africa has recently dropped their per GB ADSL Broadband prices to very reasonable levels.

R10 per GB ADSL…

It seems that Web Africa has taken note of calls to join the broadband price cut party in a more splendid manner, especially after the first salvo of ADSL price cuts by them earlier this year triggered criticism.

The above is especially true if one considers that they have dropped their per GB ADSL prices to as low as R10 through the unveiling of their ‘Titan DSL Specials’ recently. In addition, Web Africa has decided to drop the ADSL top-up rate to R15 per GB for their data and complete subscribers. The ADSL top-up rate refers to the rate one pays per GB if one wishes to top up one’s ADSL Broadband bandwidth. This normally happens when one’s regular/fixed monthly bandwidth allocation or ADSL Cap is depleted or reached...

Read the rest of the article here.

Skaap is down and out

VoIP Service Provider Skaap is down and out after less than two years in business, despite aggressive marketing campaigns up to the end. ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa) has made this shocking discovery earlier this week in a MyBroadband article.

ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa) reported in September 2006 on ‘Skaap’s sheer brilliance and drive in creating a low cost call environment’ (Skaap: Sheer brilliance and drive, 19 September 2006). We also reported on Skaap’s eagerness to take Telkom head-on in the market place and quoted the MD of Skaap, Brett Magrath, as saying that interest... “in the Skaap service has been phenomenal and is rapidly growing as people realize that they don’t necessarily require an ADSL line to make cheap international calls. Our rate of sign-ups more than double on a weekly basis. We are simply responding to the great demand for cheaper international calls that exists in this country” (Skaap: Sheer brilliance and drive, 19 September 2006).

What happened?

Details on why Skaap closed remains sketchy because Skaap representatives not only failed to comment on the reasons for failure, but also seem to have different ideas on whether Skaap is closed or not when MyBroadband contacted them earlier this week. Skaap representative, Keri Davies, however commented that Skaap was “working on new things” when MyBroadband contacted them again. Rumours that the company has failed to refund users who still had funds in their accounts will not sit well with consumers in South Africa. “Working on new things” is not going to restore the public’s trust in you if these rumours are true.

The Skaap case serves as an excellent example of how easily things can change in the SA telecoms market, especially when you lose the trust and support of The Average Joes. A lesson Telkom is currently learning the hard way.

The ADSL South Africa Team