According to a report in the Sunday Times, the telecommunications industry is at least one step closer to significantly decreasing the price of fixed-line phone calls and bringing real competition to the sector. Apparently, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa is to invite us - South Africa's exploited consumers - to play a part in the unbundling of the fixed-line infrastructure currently held by state-owned monopoly Telkom. Well, let's see what happens - but I'm not holding my breath. It's impossible to overestimate the level of greed in this country when it comes to charging consumers for products and services... as we are all painfully aware, we have been paying through the nose for bread for years, and as for our fixed-line charges, they rank among the highest in the world. Yet Telkom persists in trying to convince us they are providing a great service at a great price. Well, they are - the price is great... greater than just about anywhere else. I'd love to think that Telkom will look beyond profits and see what their charges have done, and then do the right thing, but I know that if I held my breath in that expectation, I'd pass out.


Rod Baker, Content Manager