Back in the USSR?

The country`s largest mobile operator has embarked on suspect spin-doctoring, seemingly taking an East Bloc stance of denial and downplaying negative events (remember Chernobyl?).

[Officially] Vodacom experienced no network failure on Friday, 9 November, except for an insignificant number of prepaid users, who had problems moving from one base station to another, for a very limited period. This, frankly, was their own fault for trying to switch - switching sides, allegiance or base stations is frowned upon by Vodacom.

[Unofficially] millions of subscribers, post and prepaid, experienced a lack of network coverage, according to disgruntled users who posted complaints on consumer Web sites. Some of these dissidents even phoned ITWeb to complain. This also, apparently, affected Internet services such as 3G and 2G.

[Officially] secretary-general of the ministry of propaganda Dot Field gave no further details, saying it is not in the interest of state security to explain network issues or comment on numbers affected.

[Unofficially] "Comrade, you want re-education trip to Gulag? Then keep asking questions."

Switching sides, allegiance or base stations is frowned upon by Vodacom.

Martin Czernowalow, news editor, ITWeb

On a similar note, the comrades from the Communication Workers Union (CWU), who certainly support East Bloc-style politics, have attacked the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) for its outrageous office rental costs.

Admittedly, the regulator has spent a hefty R27 million on rent for its offices in Pinmill Farm, a Sandton office park, for the 2006/7 financial year.

"These offices are not only expensive, but also not easily accessible to the previously-disadvantaged members of the society, including small, medium and micro enterprises," charged CWU spokesman Mfanafuthi Sithebe.

Now, comrade Sithebe makes some interesting points. Yes, much of Sandton is boomed off, but even the previously-disadvantaged and SMEs are welcome in the area, so accessibility should not be much of an issue.

It`s also interesting that Sithebe bundles SMEs with the previously-disadvantaged, and I have to wonder, how many SMEs actually have business with ICASA. On that point, how many ordinary previously-disadvantaged men and women actually need to visit the regulator, unless they are launching a telco, or pay-TV service, or some such.

Nonetheless, the CWU should note that many "alternative entrepreneurs", many of whom could probably be classified as SMEs, have no problem accessing Sandton properties, even by the light of the moon. Many of these even carry cumbersome bolt-cutters, crowbars, knives and guns.

Just a thought...

Yes, local is lekker and all that, but sometimes I just get the feeling that perhaps some things are a bit too local and border on the tasteless. A case in point is Naspers` Internet portal, 24.com, which is launching a news aggregator that should give SA its own version of Digg.com.

Sadly, this offering will be called "laaik.it", in line with the trend to name social networking sites by using the suffix as part of the name. That`s all kiff and stuff, but "laaik", as in "like", is probably the accent that we, as South Africans, are trying to get away from.

Sure, laaik is as local as howzit, but - for a social networking site - this brings some strange connotations to my mind. What kind of audience will this attract? I can picture a Brakpan housewife, in gown, slippers and curlers, furiously typing: "I can laaik to wear a jean pant."

Ugh!

But I suppose some people will "smaak it stukkend".