Competition at last

South African telecomms SNO should bear competitive fruit

The Communications Users Association of South Africa’s Ray Webber said the organisation welcomes the long-awaited and newly named Second Network Operator, Neotel, saying that last weeks SNO launch “paves the way for some real competition in the national fixed network arena which should result in additional choice, lower prices and improved service for corporate and consumer customers”.

“CUASA wishes Neotel all of the best and we look forward to the first tangible benefits of the competition they’ll hopefully bring to the South African telecommunications market,” says Webber.

“We appreciate that the roll-out of services will be a phased process and that it will take time for Neotel to compete on most fronts. It’s likely that many of those eager to obtain services will therefore need to have a little more patience. At last we are at the point where the SNO has a name and a face,” Webber continues.

“It’s critically important to South African business and consumers in general that Neotel succeeds in rolling out competitive services and that market liberalisation in South Africa continues along this path of healthy competition,” he says.

“It’s in the interests of all South Africans that Neotel succeeds in their efforts and we welcome them and look forward to their introduction of competitive telecommunications services,” Webber concludes.