“The growth in smaller operators is good for the customer and good for the country. It increases competition, creates jobs and drives rural broadband penetration. Larger operators tend to cut jobs and cherry-pick customers in the most lucrative suburbs and business parks,” said the chairman of WAPA .
The wireless provider believes that South Africa needs to build up a strategy that complements large and small players to coexist and play to their strengths. Operators who are nationals also need to provide truly neutral and open wholesale service in order to open the market to competition.
WAPA and many of its members enjoy an excellent relationship with Neotel, which has proven that strong, wholesale providers with a commitment to rural rollout can complement smaller operators with existing presence and experience in those areas.
So what does Neotel have to say about the opposition? If Neotel is up for the deal, could there be any possibility for this opposition to have impact in the decision they will make? could it be possible that WAPA is afraid of a little competition, or is Vodacom stepping in someone’s territory. If only we could get clear answers from WAPA,Vodacom and Neotel.