iBurst in hot water

ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa), 26 February 2007

iBurst has landed in hot water after the Wireless Access Providers Association (WAPA), which represents 25 Wireless Internet Service Providers (ISPs), has labelled its recent comments about ‘rogue wireless operators’ as ‘inaccurate and misleading’.

WAPA responded to iBurst’s recent press release by making it clear that it’s “most unfortunate that a service provider of the nature of iBurst should choose to place inaccurate and misleading information in the public domain in seeking to further its own competitive agenda” (WAPA hits back at iBurst’s ‘rogue wireless operator’ statements, MyADSL, 19 February 2007). In other words, according to WAPA, iBurst tried to deceive the average Joe, that’s you and me, into believing that some wireless access providers are out to get them through illegal means.

Let’s have a quick glance at the comments iBurst made during the mentioned press release…

“Illegal operators using the public 2.4 GHz frequency band for commercial purposes not only degrade the spectrum they deny ICASA revenue in the form of license fees…” Also, “Ultimately, people must decide whether they want to be customers of the Enrons and Masterbonds of the Internet industry,” “…rogue wireless Internet Service Providers (ISPs) providing Internet access to consumers in contravention of the Telecommunications Act put extreme pressure on South Africa’s scarce radio spectrum” and “We hope that consumers will not be seduced by unrealistic promises and remember that doing business with potential criminals will harm South Africa’s war on crime” (WAPA hits back at iBurst’s ‘rogue wireless operator’ statements, MyADSL, 19 February 2007).

While ADSL South Africa can’t deny or prove the allegations made by either iBurst or WAPA, we shall definitely not worry about a possible loss of revenue in regards to ICASA. We don’t think the ‘babysitter’ needs a babysitter.

If ICASA don’t have the balls or brains to act against so called ‘illegal operators,’ why should we worry about a loss of revenue on their part, which is utter nonsense to start with?

Well, that’s just our take on things in cases where ICASA is labelled as the hopeless victim. They’ve been sucking their thumbs at least for the last decade now. If it’s not the case, why is Telkom for one still taking us for a ride? What about all the revenue the average South African has lost because of ICASA’s inability to act? Besides that “ICASA is funded out of the National Revenue Fund and funding bears no correlation to licensing revenue” (WAPA hits back at iBurst’s ‘rogue wireless operator’ statements, MyADSL, 19 February 2007).

Why would iBurst be interested in defending ICASA’s revenue base?

Not asked in the sense of no support for ICASA at all but rather in the sense of clearly trying to go the extra mile for a ‘thumb sucker’ such as ICASA. Well, it will not be too far fetched to speculate that iBurst has more than one iron in the fire in this regard. In other words, we for one don’t understand iBurst’s sudden outburst of love for ICASA.

One can see why iBurst’s comments, true or not true, clearly have the ability to eat away at the customer base of other competitors. Most of us are not willing to support dodgy or ‘rogue’ ISPs. In other words, iBurst will be on the winning side if people do believe their claims.

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