TelOne, Zimbabwe’s sole fixed lined telephone operator, yesterday announced the introduction of an SHDSL service. SHDSL, short for Single-pair High-speed Digital Subscriber Line, is a variant of the DSL technology which, so far, TelOne had only offered via ADSL.
The essential difference between SHDSL and ADSL is the bandwidth capacity allocated to upstream (from the user to TelOne) and downstream (from TelOne to the user) traffic. SHDSL supports the same data transfer rate for sending and receiving data while the ADSL upstream pipeline is much smaller than the downstream. This makes SHDSL suitable for business use as business applications usually have large volumes data traffic travelling both ways. Applications whose performance is significantly improved by SHDSL include video conferencing, VoIP and other business applications like ERPs.
On pricing, the TelOne announcement says the new SHDSL service will use the leased line and DataOne tariffs. This is a bit confusing as the two products mentioned are different and have difference rates themselves. Unless ofcourse what TelOne means is that SHDSL will essentially be a combination of the two; that is it’s a Leased Line with internet access. In which case the tariffs become quite high for the smaller SMEs and the case against their ADSL offering, even with SHDSL’s ‘dedicated’ tag, starts to fall apart.
The lowest capacity leased line package, the dedicated 64Kbps one, costs US $189 a month (2Mbps will set you back $6,052.73) and the DataOne tariffs for a 64Kbps internet link is about $30. This means for the dedicated 64Kbps a company will pay at least $219 a month. In comparison, the ADSL price for a 2MB down and 512Kb up link is just $216 a month.
We also have questions on whether the new SHDSL tariffs will, like the DataOne tariffs on the TelOne website, be based on distance. That is the further away from (presumably) the TelOne exchange you’re connected to, the more you pay monthly for the internet.
We’ve contacted TelOne for clarification and we’ll post the responses here once we get them.
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6 comments
Single-pair high-speed digital subscriber line is good for Zim market especially those with lines affected by the noise on the TelOne copper pairs that cannot handle ADSL.One obvious disadvantage is that it takes time to apply for an SHDSL line. If one needs the SHDSL from an existing copper pair or line then it means they have to drop the POST service i.e your normal voice calls will be terminated because the two can not share the same pair.
This is a good service to an organisation that generates enough revenue but a white elephant to madhokororo enterprises or nhamodzinesu general dealer.
Umm, if ADSL doesn’t work for you, then SHDSL certainly will not! SHDSL needs higher grade quality copper line than ADSL.
David you’re correct 100%. It’s good to note that you have a good insight in the sarcastic comment i dropped earlier on.
I still don’t get the point of having SHDSL when there are potential setbacks with the infrastructure. Even though SHDSL is better-suited for business applications, which require higher-speed bandwidth in both directions UP & DOWN. How many business will enrol & make use of this technology?
I stand to be corrected but as far as i know our TeleComs history this is a potential stone in the burger i.e. if it’s not properly managed and maintained.
“Afri-com had a license back in 2005-06 or 07 for rolling out it’s own copper network & having it’s own exchange and becoming a POTS provider but that never happened.That could have brought a reliable copper network & ended the TelOne monopoly but it’s just one of those good things that is well written & well screwed too. The writer dies or leaves and the one holding the map can’t read or they can read but do not understand. Some see opportunities and then fight for the vision before accomplishing the mission.
This is my own observations & opinions. People should think as individuals and work with a common goal. I hope to see the Economists doing economics,Politicians doing politics, Archbishops running with the gospel, Technology folks running with Technology,Business people running with business & everyone else minding their own business and accepting their place in society. Any one who wears two hats needs guidance & counseling.
Let me bounce before i get cocky my lunch hour is over 🙂 Keep well Elder David.
I hate to sound so cynical, but this is still pathetic. A lousy 64Kbps for US$189/month? Really TelOne?
Whereas once we were at the forefront of technological innovations (hell i even remember being amongst the first Zimbos to ever surf for pr0nz in Harare back in 1996 when AfricaOnline was the shizzle), they are now making out as though by giving us technology that is relatively obsolete, that they are doing us a massive favour.
If, InshAllah, we ever get a government that isn’t full of incompetents and technophobes stuck in the 1970s, please can someone tell them to kindly disband POTRAZ (preferably send all the committee members off to Mukumbura to maintain the IT at the border there with the Moz’cans), sell off Telone and just let us get on with it.
In all fairness, it is a trend not only in tech/telecoms but generally everything is overpriced. This is because the country is still recovering. Just like what happened with internet …EDGE/3G/W-CMDA etc, the market will normalise. These days people do not care much about Internet Cafe’s and SMS and even calls with 3G, viber and whatsapp.
Most are struggling to re-finance and recover cost. So am not surprised. The absurd pricing will certainly not be sustained.
Give it time, it will normalise.
hey u hater jus because telone is a parastatal doesnt mean they are doing a good job i have pretty good speeds myself check this
http://www.speedtest.net/result/2203285636.png