tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post1047688820463318565..comments2023-10-30T15:29:59.720+03:00Comments on Bankelele: The trouble with Celtelbankelelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01180926084939364063noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-58376540531591519662008-07-09T13:40:00.000+03:002008-07-09T13:40:00.000+03:00The first impresssion in every market is always ve...The first impresssion in every market is always very important. When Kencell came into the Kenyan market the company had the RIP OFF mentality by charging highly besides the per minute billing.<BR/>To them it was time to make huge profits not knowing that the common mwananchi who had limited options registered this in mind. I still elieve that they are now harvesting what they sow not soo long ago! My prediction is that even if they allowed people to make free calls for 24hrs very few people will be persuaded to move.<BR/>Now their only option will be to give free phone that are sim locked and free calls for 6 months.<BR/>This will give them the much needed customer base.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-66065908894199061872008-07-08T15:39:00.000+03:002008-07-08T15:39:00.000+03:00Having used Safaricom Globetrotter, Samba and then...Having used Safaricom Globetrotter, Samba and then 'graduating' to Bamba, Safaricom is a let down! My bill comes to about 8000k each month yet its my ADSL back up! <BR/><BR/>I would say give me Celtel anytime!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-85713363442794238402008-07-07T19:52:00.000+03:002008-07-07T19:52:00.000+03:00Hi Banks,Whatever to Aly's commentary on Safaricom...Hi Banks,<BR/>Whatever to Aly's commentary on Safaricom. Haven't seen any since last Thursday....am interested to know what the current take is on this stock. Is it a hold or sell?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-71192186030605110132008-07-07T13:28:00.000+03:002008-07-07T13:28:00.000+03:00Celtel's Mistake is trying to battle it out for th...Celtel's Mistake is trying to battle it out for the "Numero Uno" slot instead of filling up the VACANT position of NUMBER TWO!!!<BR/><BR/>when Telkom steps up, whoever's not Number 2 will be Number.. last (irrelevant for the foreseeable future)<BR/><BR/>:-)Maishinskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02919244949716240090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-61599240444680000512008-07-07T08:25:00.000+03:002008-07-07T08:25:00.000+03:00I agree with Anon that the Celtel unlimited Intern...I agree with Anon that the Celtel unlimited Internet offer at Ksh 3000 per month is better than Safaricom's 700 MB limit charge. Additional use with Safcon attracts Ksh 12.60 compared to Celtel's Ksh 10 per MB for prepaid internet.<BR/>Problem with Celtel is that they never let the marketing of any of their products mature, yet they have the money to spend.<BR/>Another problem, their site is never up to date. The Celtel Kenya site: www.ke.celtel.com is usally down too. Like right now. Just try!Pete R Njengahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06195625652600197048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-7889342749469245072008-07-05T02:56:00.000+03:002008-07-05T02:56:00.000+03:00Any ideas on the Safaricom stock going forward,aft...Any ideas on the Safaricom stock going forward,after a falling week. I was expecting to see Rich's commentary for the stock - end week. What is the vibe in the Kenya market? Where are we heading with this stock?<BR/><BR/>Anyone????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-44542786606112589612008-07-04T14:28:00.000+03:002008-07-04T14:28:00.000+03:00Maishinski: Maybe that could happen after Orange e...Maishinski: Maybe that could happen after Orange establishes itself and challenges for No. 2 ( At skunkworks we were told they will bring the I-phone to Africa- officially)<BR/>- stories about Econet are as old as this blog<BR/>- RVR have a monster task running the railways, but maybe they could have done more<BR/><BR/>Coldtusker: Actually voice calls are not that big a deal to me. I estimate that 1/3 of my airtime goes to phone web browsing, 1/3 to SMS – score on which Safaricom is arguably as cheap as (and perhaps better than Celtel). Plus with more payments being processed with M-pesa, I can’t see the need for a switch <BR/><BR/>Anon: I only browse on my phone, have never bough the modems’ so I’ll take your word – see Gitts comments<BR/><BR/>MainaT: Safaricom have had their tariffs (taifa, tariffic) for years, they rolled out new ones (which chape?) last year, and retired the old ones. Celtel just keep rolling them out, hit or miss<BR/><BR/>Gitts: Going by the skunkworks discussions, this data debate has no correct answer on who wins between celtel and Safaricom modem users – except that ISP’s are the losers<BR/>- best wishes to Michael Okwiri at celtel (and whoever replaced him at KQ)bankelelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01180926084939364063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-29991927915493258052008-07-04T13:44:00.000+03:002008-07-04T13:44:00.000+03:00Their uhurunet is good but safcom 3G is way faster...Their uhurunet is good but safcom 3G is way faster. Edge works for normal tasks but once you start doing things like youtube it's too slow!<BR/><BR/>you got it right celtels maketing is a mess. there have been so many offers the past two years. let me count-uhuru tariff Jipange (whatever happened to that? was a good idea mixing pre and postpaid), shuka shuka, mambo 6, Pamoja, 3 bob and now the free calls thing.<BR/><BR/>Good products poor follow up. Another thing is they don't market well, do you know that me2u was actually launched before sambaza but safcom did a better job of promotion. Another thing is jaza jaza which to me is a killer product but Where are the vendors?<BR/><BR/>Another thing is that they don't update their website regularly. a month after launching pamoja, nothing on their site!<BR/><BR/>However they've got a good PR guy in mMichael Okwiri, done lots of work in Kenyan companies with his last one being KQ so he knows his way around. <BR/><BR/>About staff movement- that is a fact of life. Every now and then companies reposition themselves strategically and have to change management. Another major Kenyan co is going through such a phase too.<BR/><BR/>All in all is going to be a tough battle ahead in the telcoms sector in Kenya for all involve. I'm really waiting to see what orange have to offer as Econet look like the underdogs.Gittshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05905389053866428616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-54533515611032653462008-07-04T07:50:00.000+03:002008-07-04T07:50:00.000+03:00Good debate guys. Celtel have certainly tried ever...Good debate guys. <BR/><BR/>Celtel have certainly tried everything but buying Safcom to compete with it. Celtel seems to be doing a new product every month, good because it keeps it in the news, bad because its called product confusion i.e. what do you do if you opted in on the previuos product promotion? Will you as a customer keep on chaning sim cards every month? Isn't better internet access related to having fewer customers?<BR/><BR/>Orange has its work cut out and I expect this to go the same as the wireless thing. Exciting for a while, but sobering thought on costs.MainaThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12266497232119983697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-54857971116834634392008-07-04T04:44:00.000+03:002008-07-04T04:44:00.000+03:00anon - I used bambanet for 2 months - early adopte...anon - I used bambanet for 2 months - early adopter... hated it... it was unreliable and 700MB ain't much.<BR/><BR/>So I went to Celtel but the buggers were out of modems!<BR/><BR/>P.S. I have a used bambanet modem going cheap!coldtuskerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11310224592572460759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-12444896228820431752008-07-04T01:42:00.000+03:002008-07-04T01:42:00.000+03:00@Bankelele:I think to say that the Celtel Unlimite...@Bankelele:<BR/>I think to say that the Celtel Unlimited internet "this compares well against Safaricom" is to e unfair to Celtel.<BR/><BR/>The equivalent unlimited service on Safcom may cost 1k less but is LIMITED to 700mb.<BR/><BR/>700mb is ok for mail but if you need more, forget it. 4 hours surfing of blogs, news, music sites maybe some music downloads and you're easily 30mb.<BR/><BR/>I use the Celtel unlimited and my is it a joy! in fact when pals pass my place they have to check their email coz its always on... and no bandwidth restriction!<BR/><BR/>For medium to heavy users, Celtel is a no brainer. <BR/><BR/>The speed is the same on both, forget about the 3G rubbish maneno...3G only means that your connection to the Safcom office is fast but from there to the internet, Celtel and SafcoN restrict you to a slow satellite connection. Put another way, your connection is only as fast as the weakest link.<BR/><BR/><BR/>This is a great product from Celtel, i hope they keep buying more bandwidth as more users come onboard.<BR/><BR/><BR/>@Maishinski: <BR/>For Orange, this is their biggest and most promising opportunity in sub-saharan Africa, their jewel in the crown within the region. They will throw money like mad ... or even like mud :).<BR/><BR/>PLUS, they know telecoms inside out... expect the word i hate "triple-play/quadruple play"... y don't they just call it "menage a trois"!?<BR/><BR/>@Coldtusker: I agree, poeple are moving not super-fasrt but certainly its happening. Have you noticed the way vendors are selling Celtel cim-cards all over the place, even petrol stations...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-40702250986083622322008-07-03T21:57:00.000+03:002008-07-03T21:57:00.000+03:00Well... the issue is 'stickiness'... I moved to Ce...Well... the issue is 'stickiness'... I moved to Celtel but I kepp SafCon for folks like you...<BR/><BR/>NEVERTHELESS I have seen people move over esp the higher spenders... why?<BR/><BR/>SafCon is expensive @ 10/- so moving to Celtel easily helps defray the cost of a new basic handset for someone who uses 200 minutes pm...coldtuskerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11310224592572460759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9317825.post-83573137522157491182008-07-03T19:27:00.000+03:002008-07-03T19:27:00.000+03:00I hope Celtel does an IPO, then Safcom would do a ...I hope Celtel does an IPO, then Safcom would do a hostile takeover of celtel and teach them a thing or two about Kenya.<BR/><BR/>If I was MJ I would talk to the Arabs in Kuwait / merali to enable safcom to acquire a controlling stake in Celtel/Zain.<BR/><BR/>Econet can be ignored. Raising adequate Capital has proven to be an effective entry barrier for them.<BR/><BR/>Telcom/Orange wants to land with a bang... hmmm... can you turn around a dinasour? Reminds me of Railways: there was so much hype with Railways Concesionaire - but now they're almost throwing in the towel!<BR/><BR/>If I was that new French guy, I would spend the first year removing cockroaches from Telkom before I even think of going head-to-head with an established giant like Safcom. <BR/><BR/>Financial muscle is not unlimited; I bet France telcom will not hesitate to pull the plug if they see a classic loser.Maishinskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02919244949716240090noreply@blogger.com