Competition in any marketplace is mostly good for consumers—and good for business. It benefits consumers by keeping prices low and the quality and choice of products and services high. It also benefits businesses by promoting innovation—improvements to make products different—and to make them better in ways consumers want. More choices, better prices, and higher quality are good for you the consumer. Companies go into business to make money. To do that, they make products that you want to buy, and sell them at a price that you’re willing to pay. But this is not the case with Vodafone Fiji. Vodafone Fiji CEO (Aslam Khan) and the Chairman of ATH (Ajit Godagoda) use their close ties with the illegal AG khaiyum to force government departments into buying their lower quality products and poor services at higher prices than digicel. And all these corrupt practices appear to be endorsed and supported by Vodafone Australia and their parent company Vodafone Group Plc. Vodafone and Digicel are the two main mobile service providers in Fiji. They both want your business. And under a normal functioning democratic system of government they, like any other business, would compete for your money—and your loyalty—on many levels that include price, selection, service, and quality, to name just a few. However:
Vodafone Fiji has added another level to compete for your money and your loyalty—corruption. Vodafone monopolized Fiji’s mobile services for over 13 years Vodafone Fiji, is a partnership with Amalgamated Telecom Holding Fiji and the Vodafone Group Plc, providing mobile telecommunications services to Fiji customers. Vodafone's Fiji network went live in July 1994. They were the only service providers, and for over 13 years they monopolized the Fiji mobile market. Consumers had no other choice so they had to pay the very high rates charged by Vodafone. This monopoly of the mobile phone market enabled Vodafone to charge very high rates for their services, becoming the Vodafone Group’s 10th largest earner. Some bloggers recall having to pay almost $2 per minute for a call with vodafone. As with any monopoly, business was booming for Vodafone and, over the years, this led to Vodafone Fiji paying themselves very high salaries, well above local Fiji rates. Vodafone also became complacent and arrogant with their customer services. Ex-customers recall having to wait for days to have their problems seen to by Vodafone. And often, they said, you had to keep going back to have the same old problem fixed. With digicel, your problems are dealt with immediately and if there was a problem with the phone they would just replace it. Competition for Vodafone arrived in October 2008, in the form of Digicel Fiji Limited who brought more affordable cellular phones as well as lower service costs and better quality of after sales services. The people of Fiji benefitted immensely. Unfortunately, vodafone fiji’s high salaries and high operating costs meant that they could not effectively compete with Digicel’s low pricing and more effective customer services. Therefore, Vodafone has been losing market share to Digicel. Vodafone also refuses to lower its salaries or reduce benefits given to staff, especially to the CEO who is reported to being paid well over $500,000 plus bonuses. Aslam Khan is also giving copies of vodafone customer text messages and phone calls to the Fiji military who have used the information to illegally arrest, intimidate and beat citizens. Vodafone Fiji is unable to compete on price, quality of services and coverage, therefore Aslam Khan and Ajit godagoda turned to Khaiyum to help them to remove competition. Aslam Khan and Ajit Godagoda demanded that all government departments must support vodafone because it was partly owned by the Fiji government. But government had given Digicel a licence to operate in Fiji, meanwhile Vodafone had objected and went to court in an attempt to stop digicel entering the market. Vodafone failed in its attempt then. So now government departments are being forced into using vodafone’s higher priced and poor quality services. Irrespective if there is another better priced and better quality service and better coverage being provided by digicel. The CEO's of government owned entities and heads of government departments, who are responsible for spending government funds efficiently and effectively, have no option but to accept vodafone as their service provider or be removed from office. A number of CEO's indicated that they had been intimidated by Khaiyum and his PS Elizabeth Powell into using vodafone - even though vodafone was chargeing 30% more than what digicel had offered and the vodoafone services were not as reliable as digicel. This didn't matter, they all have to now use vodafone. Competition brings lower rates to Fiji consumers The whole reason for allowing digicel into Fiji in the first place was to provide the people with competitive prices and improved services. Unfortunately, Vodafone will not reduce their operating costs and their high salaries or improve their services. Therefore, Vodafone has been losing market share and now has to use corruption and intimidation to force government departments into using their services. Sources have repeatedly testified that khaiyum and the dictator bainimarama receive regular kickbacks from vodafone. Sadly this practice is supported by Vodafone Australia and its parent company the Vodafone Group plc. As long as vodafone fiji is providing high revenue returns then the Vodafone Group plc is not concerned about the CEO of Vodafone Fiji’s illegal, devious and corrupt practices. So much for the vodafone brand, which has fast become a symbol and standard of corruption in Fiji. The Vodafone Group may claim to be the world's leading mobile telecommunications company, with a significant presence in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and the United States through the company's subsidiary undertakings, joint ventures, associated undertakings and investments. But it is deliberately turning a blind eye to the corrupt and illegal practices of its vodafone Fiji CEO. All in the name of profit and at the expense of the people of Fiji. Vodafone Fiji, under Aslam Khan, and with its very high salaries and operating costs and poor quality of services is unable to effectively compete with Digicel. Subsequently, it has lost and is continuing to lose considerable market share to Digicel Fiji limited. More and more people are making the switch to digicel, so now Vodafone is using dirty tactics, lies and false accusations to hang on to the lucrative government department customers who, with their minimum budgets, are being forced to accept vodafone’s higher rates and lower quality products and services.
12 Comments
Joape temo
4/16/2013 20:19:56
I am an ex telecom staff and know aslam well. The story in this script is NOT true. Ak is a down to earth gentlemen and he has done well as vodafone top man and his results are before us . I at telecom saw his in action and he is hard working and astute chap. I also know they don't have monitoring capabilities . I fact no telco has that capability . So your story holds no water . It's almost written by digicelgroup guy to discredit him. They are number 1 in the market and we all know it .
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Abdul
4/18/2013 11:55:53
are you serious Joape Temo. it is well known that vodafone fiji is corrupt with aaslam khant as its CEO. This guy aslam cant shut up and yells and screams to intimidate people. you must have your head stuck up his ass. Vodafone fiji will be shut down when bainimagana is removed! fuck these crooks approved by vodafone Australia and UK.
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Kacau
3/11/2014 05:34:53
JT.. why are you an "ex staff" and still praising that Kisitoni AK for a job not well done like a raw hot dog.. Tabetabe sona levu..
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FORMER DPP (dopeypey)
6/14/2014 09:06:47
When I am not writing under the name of Kavita Sharma, I resort to using my housegirl's name "aunty" Temo, so yes this comment of mine above is in defence of my crooked husband Aslam and how his rise to power came about ,from a drain digging telecom technician to Vodafone CEO.....I FOUND NO EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTE berenado vunibobo FOR HIS PART IN THE NBF LOOTING, HENCE HUBBY GOT PROMOTED and the rest is history baby!!!!!
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Tamsey
4/18/2013 11:51:56
Joape Temo - you are either stupid or in the wrong country! Vodafone Fiji and Aslam Khan are bloody corrupt. Aslam and Khaiyum are good mates doing deals for each other. Keep up with the news and dont be selective or you will remain ignorant!
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Gazala
4/25/2013 17:17:41
Vodafone has reached the sky under the administration of Mr Aslam Khan.
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snuka
4/25/2013 17:49:18
Vodafone reach the sky through corruption you moron. Trouble is you are too stupid to understand how. They robbed Fiji users for 15 years with the highest ever rates per minute through corruption now you saying their are an angel. Gazala you must be on of those stupid assholes who easily believes the sweet bullshit you hear - you must be really a moron or have your head up aslams hole.
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gazala siffat khan
6/14/2014 09:07:49
nice try daughter SIFFAT
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Raged
5/6/2014 15:47:11
Joape temo: From a technical perspective, any / all telcos have the ability to record, monitor and track any conversation. With mobile devices, it is very easy to track the location of a particular subscriber by simple triangulation using data from the subscriber tower. Either your statement that you worked at a telco is inaccurate or your technical capability is at a relatively junior level.
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jo
5/27/2014 11:20:51
Recent redundancy at TFL, hope its enough evidence what VFL instead of competing with Digicel,now,going against TFL.Reason that TFL got enough backbone_Fibre where VFL trying to hang on to.sooner they will takeover TFL ,and get those tfl workers out......!
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frustrated
6/26/2014 12:13:45
What process is used to promote staff in Fiji. Shouldn't there be a proper process of applying for the job, conducting interviews and the best person gets the job and not just handed down to someone in the same company
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ALL telcos in this world can monitor your calls and texts. A close friend who works at vodafone tells me when they have nothing to do, they read other peoples text, especially on occations like valentines day etc. Listening to conversations is extremely easy for operators. All you do is map the IMSI of the phone you are trying to listen to your test phone and good to go.
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