Vodacom, the country`s largest cellular network operator, today vented its wrath at the smallest, Cell C, blaming it for causing its service to be disrupted for an hour nation wide.
However, Cell C lashed back, saying Vodacom`s allegations were "baseless and without foundation", and that Vodacom`s actions have contravened their commercial agreement.
Vanashree Pillay, Cell C group executive communications says: "Following Vodacom`s claim that Cell C`s interconnection links disrupted their network, we can categorically confirm that this allegation is false."
Matters came to a head after Vodacom accused Cell C of sending it "technically illegal data and causing its own network failure that left its 20 million subscribers stranded. Vodacom has since terminated the interconnection links with the small network operator.
Cell C`s three million subscribers have also been disconnected from the Telkom network, meaning that calls from a landline to one of its subscribers cannot be made and vice versa.
Pillay, however, contends that Cell C`s customers can still make and receive calls to and from the Vodacom network.
"For the 20% of our customers who are roaming on Vodacom network we would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. Please note we are trying our best to resolve the situation as soon as possible," she says.
Despite Pillay`s assurances, this reporter still found it impossible to get through to several Cell C (084) numbers from either cell or landlines at the time of going to press.
Telkom, which owns 50% of Vodacom, denies that it has taken any action against Cell C.
"Nothing has been done from our side. The issue is really between the two mobile operators. If Vodacom has cut its links with Cell C, then it will affect calls from our lines, because of the roaming agreement," a Telkom spokesperson said.
Technically illegal
In a radio interview this evening, Vodacom`s COO Pieter Uys laid the blame for the disruption at Cell C`s door, accusing it of sending "technically illegal data" across the networks.
It is believed that he was referring to network upgrades currently being done by Cell C.
A statement issued by Vodacom in the name of Dot Fields, its group executive for corporate communications says: "After extensive investigation Vodacom has identified that incoming data received on interconnecting links from the Cell C network appear to have disrupted the Vodacom network and Vodacom has therefore terminated all links from Cell C to the Vodacom network with immediate effect until this problem can be resolved."
Cell C has a 15 year roaming agreement with Vodacom primarily aimed at giving it rural coverage. However, some 80% of its coverage is now done over its own network.
Cell C`s Pillay counters Vodacom`s argument by saying: "Our technical team has been in consultation with the Vodacom team who were unable to provide adequate and intelligible answers. Despite the communication with Vodacom technical team, they decided to disconnect the links which contravenes our commercial agreements."
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