Mobile network operators Vodacom and Cell C are still pointing fingers at each other following Friday`s network collapse that resulted in Vodacom pulling the plug on Cell C`s subscribers until the early hours of Saturday morning.
Cell C and Vodacom staff informed ITWeb that the disruption led to high-level talks between the two network operators, including Vodacom`s CEO Alan Knott-Craig and his Cell C counterpart Talaat Laham. Lawyers and technical representatives of both parties were also involved.
The exact cost of the disruption to the network operators is still being tallied. Vodacom`s entire network went down, disconnecting 20 million subscribers. Cell C`s three million subscribers either had no or only a partial connection for almost 11 hours.
Vodacom says the disruption was caused by Cell C "transferring illegal data" across its network, causing its own network to fail for one hour. However, Cell C vehemently denied this.
A statement by Vodacom`s group executive of corporate communications, Dot Field, says: "Vodacom and Cell C engineers in a joint effort worked on restoring service between the two networks throughout the night and by 03:11 on Saturday morning (20 May) finally completed the full re-establishment of service between the two networks. Both Vodacom and Cell C engineers are currently monitoring the situation on a continuous basis."
Field remains adamant the fault lies with Cell C.
"Our network was restored as soon as we took down the Cell C links. It was a matter of elimination," she says.
Cell C group executive for corporate communications Vanashree Pillay says Cell C remains convinced the disruption was not its fault.
"Cell C wishes to advise that, contrary to the statements made by Vodacom to the press, at no time did any of Cell C`s engineers do any work on Cell C`s network to assist in returning roaming services to Cell C subscribers roaming on Vodacom`s network," Pillay says in a statement this morning.
"Problems experienced were on Vodacom`s network and our understanding is that these were rectified by Vodacom`s engineers fixing their own network problems. The problems had nothing to do with Cell C`s network and so were not required to be addressed by our engineers."
As a result of Vodacom`s network failure, Cell C is assessing the impact of the interruption in roaming services, as well as the regrettable statements made by Vodacom in the media, incorrectly blaming Cell C, she adds.
"We still have not been told by Vodacom what the actual issue was," Pillay says.
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