Re: [kictanet] Sasanet not working?
Hi Walu, What Alex is expressing is the free sms service that sasanet gives.Everything else is up and running except the free sms service thats why we use it. I copied and pasted this from the site FYI "Due to a system upgrade that is currently in progress, the Sasanet Free sms service and purchase of sms credits are temporarily unavailable. Please check back again later." We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused, but strive to continually improve our service to you. Best Regards, Njuki-Imwe ----- Original Message ---- From: John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com> To: ngunjirijnr@yahoo.com Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 7:45:48 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Sasanet not working? well, am not a subscriber to them - i got jittery when their registration form had too many of what I thought were personal questions without equivalent demonstration of how they would secure my data... Nway, I just checked their website and it is up and running...so what do you mean when you say they are no longer working? walu. --- Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru@yahoo.com> wrote:
Wouldn't you be curious to find out a very popular free internet-based www.sasanet.co.ke is now no longer working? I wonder why?
/Alex
Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com> wrote: Alex,
Thank you for sharing the blog on the anti-consumer setting in the country. The blog has very useful information that is not being shared with Kenyan consumers and it is key that consumer rights are upheld. Your blog out to be brought to more attention of key stakeholders in ICT and to consumers alike.
Yes, the Ministry and CCK are best placed to authoritatively comment on such an issue. However I believe that what AT&T is discontinuing is the ability to use a "call back" number from Kenya to the US. It is very likely that the call back numbers which are 0800 numbers are no longer profitable for AT&T especially given that they cost as high as $3/min. Technically they are supposed to be cheaper to use than if one was to "call back" the US direct from any other country be it Kenya or the UK. However with AT&T's rate to call the US from Kenya as high as it is and with local providers beating their tariffs they may have opted to drop this service. What this might do, is it might leave AT&T US based customers unable to call the US using their AT&T calling cards for what would otherwise be exorbitant prices.
The wording of the AT&T notice on the lack of no future support for calls originating from Kenya wasn't very clear and after some digging around it appears that it referred to users of AT&T who utilize call back services while traveling overseas, it might just be due to stiff competition now that VOIP has been deregulated and tariffs have fallen (though not low enough) and that no one in their right mind would be willing to pay $3+ per minute for a call to the US when for a extremely small fraction one could make the same phone call at a lower rate.
Even then the tariffs in general are not fair enough for Kenyan consumers and it is an uphill battle to enforce changes when some of the largest tax payers happen to be communication providers. It is unthinkable that the government would do much to jeopardize a large and steady tax revenue stream to save the honorable consumer. Increasingly huge profits in a formerly depressed and now recovering economy like ours raise the question whether the consumer is getting a fair deal. It is akin to oil companies making several times over some nations GDP in profits and claiming that they are struggling themselves and offering the best prices possible. Price regulation in the industry is something that should be looked into to further to try and strike a fair balance between consumers needs and investors return on equity.
Mike
On 2/18/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru@yahoo.com> wrote: Mike:
Although this is a consumer issue, you may notice we have quite some domestic wars with the prevailing anti-consumer setting, http://ictconsumer.blogspot.com/ for example.
By engaging foreign networks, I am afraid the ICT Consumers Association of Kenya could be considered acting ultra vires thus the Ministry of Information and Communications, CCK, and perhaps also Foreign Affairs are best suited to comment.
Would a provocative question, like "why has a private US telco unilaterally cut-off communication from Kenya to the US jeopardizing both a basic human right and the national outsourcing strategy" earn a quick response from government?
rgds,
Alex
Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com> wrote: As an after thought, this may mean calls dialed through this number which by itself is a very expensive option and which may reflect the effects of voip and lowered costs of international calls:
Kenya 0-800-2201-15 (608)
On 2/18/07, Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com> wrote: Does anyone know why the below might be the case ? AT&T printed this in small print on bills sent to customer in January. Considering that AT&T is the largest telco in the US this is a serious issue :
International Call Origination: Effective March 1, 2007, our International Call Origination service will change. Current access numbers for calls originating internationally will change. Please visit att.com/dialing-guide to print the new dialing-guide for your reference; or call the number on your bill to order a new dialing guide. Calls from Kenya to US will no longer be supported. International to international calling from St. Martin will no longer be supported. Also, International service will be expanded to over 60 additional countries. To find out rates and countries where we provide service, please visit att.com/intl-rates.
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In simpler English, Sasanet gives its subscribers an opportunity to send 10 sms's free to the local network(celtel or safcom)a total of 90 characters...then an advert takes up the rest of the characters,to make 160(a norm sms). For this service to be provided..sasanet fully depends on the sposnsors(adverts),like any other business definately you cannot give your clients the real reason as to why the services are not available.........but there are no sponsors...as per now to support the free sms......if any one one has been using this services,frequently,then you can agree that it has been an ON/OFF...kind of service...but since its free why make noise? just keep checking till it works......So there's no need to panic, it has nothing to with AT&T or something fishy,reading between the lines..... Kind Regards, On 2/21/07, Jose' <ngunjirijnr@yahoo.com> wrote:
*Hi Walu, What Alex is expressing is the free sms service that sasanet gives.Everything else is up and running except the free sms service thats why we use it. I copied and pasted this from the site FYI
"Due to a system upgrade that is currently in progress, the Sasanet Free sms service and purchase of sms credits are temporarily unavailable. Please check back again later."
We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused, but strive to continually improve our service to you. * Best Regards, Njuki-Imwe ----- Original Message ---- From: John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com> To: ngunjirijnr@yahoo.com Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 7:45:48 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Sasanet not working?
well, am not a subscriber to them - i got jittery when their registration form had too many of what I thought were personal questions without equivalent demonstration of how they would secure my data...
Nway, I just checked their website and it is up and running...so what do you mean when you say they are no longer working?
walu.
--- Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru@yahoo.com> wrote:
Wouldn't you be curious to find out a very popular free internet-based www.sasanet.co.ke is now no longer working? I wonder why?
/Alex
Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com> wrote: Alex,
Thank you for sharing the blog on the anti-consumer setting in the country. The blog has very useful information that is not being shared with Kenyan consumers and it is key that consumer rights are upheld. Your blog out to be brought to more attention of key stakeholders in ICT and to consumers alike.
Yes, the Ministry and CCK are best placed to authoritatively comment on such an issue. However I believe that what AT&T is discontinuing is the ability to use a "call back" number from Kenya to the US. It is very likely that the call back numbers which are 0800 numbers are no longer profitable for AT&T especially given that they cost as high as $3/min. Technically they are supposed to be cheaper to use than if one was to "call back" the US direct from any other country be it Kenya or the UK. However with AT&T's rate to call the US from Kenya as high as it is and with local providers beating their tariffs they may have opted to drop this service. What this might do, is it might leave AT&T US based customers unable to call the US using their AT&T calling cards for what would otherwise be exorbitant prices.
The wording of the AT&T notice on the lack of no future support for calls originating from Kenya wasn't very clear and after some digging around it appears that it referred to users of AT&T who utilize call back services while traveling overseas, it might just be due to stiff competition now that VOIP has been deregulated and tariffs have fallen (though not low enough) and that no one in their right mind would be willing to pay $3+ per minute for a call to the US when for a extremely small fraction one could make the same phone call at a lower rate.
Even then the tariffs in general are not fair enough for Kenyan consumers and it is an uphill battle to enforce changes when some of the largest tax payers happen to be communication providers. It is unthinkable that the government would do much to jeopardize a large and steady tax revenue stream to save the honorable consumer. Increasingly huge profits in a formerly depressed and now recovering economy like ours raise the question whether the consumer is getting a fair deal. It is akin to oil companies making several times over some nations GDP in profits and claiming that they are struggling themselves and offering the best prices possible. Price regulation in the industry is something that should be looked into to further to try and strike a fair balance between consumers needs and investors return on equity.
Mike
On 2/18/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru@yahoo.com> wrote: Mike:
Although this is a consumer issue, you may notice we have quite some domestic wars with the prevailing anti-consumer setting, http://ictconsumer.blogspot.com/ for example.
By engaging foreign networks, I am afraid the ICT Consumers Association of Kenya could be considered acting ultra vires thus the Ministry of Information and Communications, CCK, and perhaps also Foreign Affairs are best suited to comment.
Would a provocative question, like "why has a private US telco unilaterally cut-off communication from Kenya to the US jeopardizing both a basic human right and the national outsourcing strategy" earn a quick response from government?
rgds,
Alex
Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com> wrote: As an after thought, this may mean calls dialed through this number which by itself is a very expensive option and which may reflect the effects of voip and lowered costs of international calls:
Kenya 0-800-2201-15 (608)
On 2/18/07, Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com> wrote: Does anyone know why the below might be the case ? AT&T printed this in small print on bills sent to customer in January. Considering that AT&T is the largest telco in the US this is a serious issue :
International Call Origination: Effective March 1, 2007, our International Call Origination service will change. Current access numbers for calls originating internationally will change. Please visit att.com/dialing-guide to print the new dialing-guide for your reference; or call the number on your bill to order a new dialing guide. Calls from Kenya to US will no longer be supported. International to international calling from St. Martin will no longer be supported. Also, International service will be expanded to over 60 additional countries. To find out rates and countries where we provide service, please visit att.com/intl-rates.
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-- Judy Ann Okite, +254-721237507 P.O. BOX 2228 00100, NAIROBI,KENYA. "Even if you are on the right track, you'll still get run over if you just sit there."
There were 400 million sms sent were from Safaricom and Celtel in (NOTE) 2005 when we had about half the current 8 GSM million subscribers. At 5/= per sms this amounts to shs 2 billion additional revenue to the networks. Assuming per user texting levels remained in 2006 when the subscribers doubled then the number of sms could have also doubled, implying shillings 4 billion to the two (Telkom CDMA sms of shillings 2.5 may not have had a big impact). SMS traffic usually increases wherever affordability lessens...... but I am looking for the actual data. Considering a company such as Kenya Breweries' annual profits last year were 1 billion, I am convinced it would not be unreasonable nor unfair to ascertain the real reasons why *little* sasanet is down? We only want to ascertain that no extraneous forces are at play here than we are all happy to have this piece of information. Regards, Alex Judy Okite <judyokite@gmail.com> wrote: In simpler English, Sasanet gives its subscribers an opportunity to send 10 sms's free to the local network(celtel or safcom)a total of 90 characters...then an advert takes up the rest of the characters,to make 160(a norm sms). For this service to be provided..sasanet fully depends on the sposnsors(adverts),like any other business definately you cannot give your clients the real reason as to why the services are not available.........but there are no sponsors...as per now to support the free sms......if any one one has been using this services,frequently,then you can agree that it has been an ON/OFF...kind of service...but since its free why make noise? just keep checking till it works......So there's no need to panic, it has nothing to with AT&T or something fishy,reading between the lines..... Kind Regards, On 2/21/07, Jose' <ngunjirijnr@yahoo.com> wrote: Hi Walu, What Alex is expressing is the free sms service that sasanet gives.Everything else is up and running except the free sms service thats why we use it. I copied and pasted this from the site FYI "Due to a system upgrade that is currently in progress, the Sasanet Free sms service and purchase of sms credits are temporarily unavailable. Please check back again later." We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused, but strive to continually improve our service to you. Best Regards, Njuki-Imwe ----- Original Message ---- From: John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com> To: ngunjirijnr@yahoo.com Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 7:45:48 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Sasanet not working? well, am not a subscriber to them - i got jittery when their registration form had too many of what I thought were personal questions without equivalent demonstration of how they would secure my data... Nway, I just checked their website and it is up and running...so what do you mean when you say they are no longer working? walu. --- Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru@yahoo.com> wrote:
Wouldn't you be curious to find out a very popular free internet-based www.sasanet.co.ke is now no longer working? I wonder why?
/Alex
Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com> wrote: Alex,
Thank you for sharing the blog on the anti-consumer setting in the country. The blog has very useful information that is not being shared with Kenyan consumers and it is key that consumer rights are upheld. Your blog out to be brought to more attention of key stakeholders in ICT and to consumers alike.
Yes, the Ministry and CCK are best placed to authoritatively comment on such an issue. However I believe that what AT&T is discontinuing is the ability to use a "call back" number from Kenya to the US. It is very likely that the call back numbers which are 0800 numbers are no longer profitable for AT&T especially given that they cost as high as $3/min. Technically they are supposed to be cheaper to use than if one was to "call back" the US direct from any other country be it Kenya or the UK. However with AT&T's rate to call the US from Kenya as high as it is and with local providers beating their tariffs they may have opted to drop this service. What this might do, is it might leave AT&T US based customers unable to call the US using their AT&T calling cards for what would otherwise be exorbitant prices.
The wording of the AT&T notice on the lack of no future support for calls originating from Kenya wasn't very clear and after some digging around it appears that it referred to users of AT&T who utilize call back services while traveling overseas, it might just be due to stiff competition now that VOIP has been deregulated and tariffs have fallen (though not low enough) and that no one in their right mind would be willing to pay $3+ per minute for a call to the US when for a extremely small fraction one could make the same phone call at a lower rate.
Even then the tariffs in general are not fair enough for Kenyan consumers and it is an uphill battle to enforce changes when some of the largest tax payers happen to be communication providers. It is unthinkable that the government would do much to jeopardize a large and steady tax revenue stream to save the honorable consumer. Increasingly huge profits in a formerly depressed and now recovering economy like ours raise the question whether the consumer is getting a fair deal. It is akin to oil companies making several times over some nations GDP in profits and claiming that they are struggling themselves and offering the best prices possible. Price regulation in the industry is something that should be looked into to further to try and strike a fair balance between consumers needs and investors return on equity.
Mike
On 2/18/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru@yahoo.com> wrote: Mike:
Although this is a consumer issue, you may notice we have quite some domestic wars with the prevailing anti-consumer setting, http://ictconsumer.blogspot.com/ for example.
By engaging foreign networks, I am afraid the ICT Consumers Association of Kenya could be considered acting ultra vires thus the Ministry of Information and Communications, CCK, and perhaps also Foreign Affairs are best suited to comment.
Would a provocative question, like "why has a private US telco unilaterally cut-off communication from Kenya to the US jeopardizing both a basic human right and the national outsourcing strategy" earn a quick response from government?
rgds,
Alex
Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com > wrote: As an after thought, this may mean calls dialed through this number which by itself is a very expensive option and which may reflect the effects of voip and lowered costs of international calls:
Kenya 0-800-2201-15 (608)
On 2/18/07, Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com > wrote: Does anyone know why the below might be the case ? AT&T printed this in small print on bills sent to customer in January. Considering that AT&T is the largest telco in the US this is a serious issue :
International Call Origination: Effective March 1, 2007, our International Call Origination service will change. Current access numbers for calls originating internationally will change. Please visit att.com/dialing-guide to print the new dialing-guide for your reference; or call the number on your bill to order a new dialing guide. Calls from Kenya to US will no longer be supported. International to international calling from St. Martin will no longer be supported. Also, International service will be expanded to over 60 additional countries. To find out rates and countries where we provide service, please visit att.com/intl-rates.
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____________________________________________________________________________________ Finding fabulous fares is fun. Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight and hotel bargains. http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097 _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ngunjirijnr%40yahoo.com --------------------------------- TV dinner still cooling? Check out "Tonight's Picks" on Yahoo! TV. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/judyokite%40gmail.com -- Judy Ann Okite, +254-721237507 P.O. BOX 2228 00100, NAIROBI,KENYA. "Even if you are on the right track, you'll still get run over if you just sit there." _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/alex.gakuru%40yahoo.com --------------------------------- Get your own web address. Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
There were 400 million sms sent were from Safaricom and Celtel in (NOTE) 2005 when we had about half the current 8 GSM million subscribers. At 5/= per sms this amounts to shs 2 billion additional revenue to the networks. Assuming per user texting levels remained in 2006 when the subscribers doubled then the number of sms could have also doubled, implying shillings 4 billion to the two (Telkom CDMA sms of shillings 2.5 may not have had a big impact). SMS traffic usually increases wherever affordability lessens...... but I am looking for the actual data. Considering a company such as Kenya Breweries' annual profits last year were 1 billion, I am convinced it would not be unreasonable nor unfair to ascertain the real reasons why *little* sasanet is down? We only want to ascertain that no extraneous forces are at play here than we are all happy to have this piece of information. Regards, Alex Judy Okite <judyokite@gmail.com> wrote: In simpler English, Sasanet gives its subscribers an opportunity to send 10 sms's free to the local network(celtel or safcom)a total of 90 characters...then an advert takes up the rest of the characters,to make 160(a norm sms). For this service to be provided..sasanet fully depends on the sposnsors(adverts),like any other business definately you cannot give your clients the real reason as to why the services are not available.........but there are no sponsors...as per now to support the free sms......if any one one has been using this services,frequently,then you can agree that it has been an ON/OFF...kind of service...but since its free why make noise? just keep checking till it works......So there's no need to panic, it has nothing to with AT&T or something fishy,reading between the lines..... Kind Regards, On 2/21/07, Jose' <ngunjirijnr@yahoo.com> wrote: Hi Walu, What Alex is expressing is the free sms service that sasanet gives.Everything else is up and running except the free sms service thats why we use it. I copied and pasted this from the site FYI "Due to a system upgrade that is currently in progress, the Sasanet Free sms service and purchase of sms credits are temporarily unavailable. Please check back again later." We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused, but strive to continually improve our service to you. Best Regards, Njuki-Imwe ----- Original Message ---- From: John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com> To: ngunjirijnr@yahoo.com Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 7:45:48 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Sasanet not working? well, am not a subscriber to them - i got jittery when their registration form had too many of what I thought were personal questions without equivalent demonstration of how they would secure my data... Nway, I just checked their website and it is up and running...so what do you mean when you say they are no longer working? walu. --- Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru@yahoo.com> wrote:
Wouldn't you be curious to find out a very popular free internet-based www.sasanet.co.ke is now no longer working? I wonder why?
/Alex
Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com> wrote: Alex,
Thank you for sharing the blog on the anti-consumer setting in the country. The blog has very useful information that is not being shared with Kenyan consumers and it is key that consumer rights are upheld. Your blog out to be brought to more attention of key stakeholders in ICT and to consumers alike.
Yes, the Ministry and CCK are best placed to authoritatively comment on such an issue. However I believe that what AT&T is discontinuing is the ability to use a "call back" number from Kenya to the US. It is very likely that the call back numbers which are 0800 numbers are no longer profitable for AT&T especially given that they cost as high as $3/min. Technically they are supposed to be cheaper to use than if one was to "call back" the US direct from any other country be it Kenya or the UK. However with AT&T's rate to call the US from Kenya as high as it is and with local providers beating their tariffs they may have opted to drop this service. What this might do, is it might leave AT&T US based customers unable to call the US using their AT&T calling cards for what would otherwise be exorbitant prices.
The wording of the AT&T notice on the lack of no future support for calls originating from Kenya wasn't very clear and after some digging around it appears that it referred to users of AT&T who utilize call back services while traveling overseas, it might just be due to stiff competition now that VOIP has been deregulated and tariffs have fallen (though not low enough) and that no one in their right mind would be willing to pay $3+ per minute for a call to the US when for a extremely small fraction one could make the same phone call at a lower rate.
Even then the tariffs in general are not fair enough for Kenyan consumers and it is an uphill battle to enforce changes when some of the largest tax payers happen to be communication providers. It is unthinkable that the government would do much to jeopardize a large and steady tax revenue stream to save the honorable consumer. Increasingly huge profits in a formerly depressed and now recovering economy like ours raise the question whether the consumer is getting a fair deal. It is akin to oil companies making several times over some nations GDP in profits and claiming that they are struggling themselves and offering the best prices possible. Price regulation in the industry is something that should be looked into to further to try and strike a fair balance between consumers needs and investors return on equity.
Mike
On 2/18/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru@yahoo.com> wrote: Mike:
Although this is a consumer issue, you may notice we have quite some domestic wars with the prevailing anti-consumer setting, http://ictconsumer.blogspot.com/ for example.
By engaging foreign networks, I am afraid the ICT Consumers Association of Kenya could be considered acting ultra vires thus the Ministry of Information and Communications, CCK, and perhaps also Foreign Affairs are best suited to comment.
Would a provocative question, like "why has a private US telco unilaterally cut-off communication from Kenya to the US jeopardizing both a basic human right and the national outsourcing strategy" earn a quick response from government?
rgds,
Alex
Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com > wrote: As an after thought, this may mean calls dialed through this number which by itself is a very expensive option and which may reflect the effects of voip and lowered costs of international calls:
Kenya 0-800-2201-15 (608)
On 2/18/07, Mike Theuri <mike.theuri@gmail.com > wrote: Does anyone know why the below might be the case ? AT&T printed this in small print on bills sent to customer in January. Considering that AT&T is the largest telco in the US this is a serious issue :
International Call Origination: Effective March 1, 2007, our International Call Origination service will change. Current access numbers for calls originating internationally will change. Please visit att.com/dialing-guide to print the new dialing-guide for your reference; or call the number on your bill to order a new dialing guide. Calls from Kenya to US will no longer be supported. International to international calling from St. Martin will no longer be supported. Also, International service will be expanded to over 60 additional countries. To find out rates and countries where we provide service, please visit att.com/intl-rates.
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