Right2Know Campaign

R2K Gauteng, march to demand free basic and affordable airtime & data for all

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PRESS RELEASE FROM THE GAUTENG RIGHT2KNOW CAMPAIGN:
 
STOP CELLPHONE PROFITEERING!
 
A march to demand free basic and affordable airtime & data for all!
MARCH FOR YOUR RIGHT TO COMMUNICATE!

Date Saturday 6 July 2013
From – To From ICASA Sandton offices, 164 Katherine Street, to Cell C offices, 150 Rivonia Road, Sandton
Time 10am – 12pm
Info Bongani Xezwi: 071 043 2221

Did you know that…

  •  The right to communicate is a basic human right. Section 161b. of our Bill of Rights gives everyone the freedom to receive or impart information or ideas;
  • For many people our rights only exist on paper, but 82.9% of South Africans have cellphones that could make our right to communicate real;
  • SA has the 6th highest mobile phone charges in the world. Profiteering by the cellphone companies makes communication expensive for the majority of people;
  • The cost of sms is about 2.6cents, so companies are making up to 3000% of profit on a sms;
  • Prepaid users are often charged more than contract users, thus deepening inequality in SA;
  • Cellphone services have been privatised. The market is dominated by MTN and Vodacom, and they set the terms of trade for the rest of the industry;
  • The Consumer Protection Act says that prepaid vouchers must be valid for 3 years. However, many cellphone users loose money each month because their airtime, sms, and data bundles expire after one or two months;
  • There is no transparency in the cost of communications, and it is nearly impossible to compare the prices of different packages across networks;
  • The interconnection rates, rates that a cellphone network charges another network to terminate its calls on that network, are excessively high and benefit the domination by MTN and Vodacom;
  • The responsibility of ICASA (Independent Communications Authority of South Africa) is to regulate telecommunications, but it is weak, lacks independence, and is underfunded.

We demand our right to communicate:

  • Communications must be universal. Everyone has a right to communications that are available and affordable
  •  Everyone should get a free basic amount of airtime and data in the same way that we have free basic water and electricity;
  • All SMS’s should be free as they cost the operators almost nothing to transmit;
  • ICASA must regulate the cost of airtime and data to stop profiteering;
  • Pre-paid communication users should not cross subsidise post-paid users;
  • SMS and data bundles should not expire if they are unused;
  •  Cellphone companies must improve the quality of service, including network outages, dropped calls, calls that don’t connect, and data coverage etc;
  • The range of numbers that are free to call (like the police and ambulance) should be increased to our children’s schools, hospitals, etc.

To lend your support SMS “support” with your name and province or send a please-call-me to 076 728 7009.

All are welcome to take part in the above mentioned event! Come wearing RED & BLACK.


For further comment contact:

R2K Gauteng spokesperson: Dale McKinley (Cell: 072 429 4086; Email: drdalet@metroweb.co.za)
www.r2k.org.za (Sign our statement)
www.facebook.com/Right2 Know
Twitter: @r2kcampaign
Join the campaign – SMS ‘TRUTH’ and your name to 31332

 

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