We just wait and see

They have to change tact, it costs money to roll-out sites and its not cheap even if the sites are from china....you buy cheap upgrading and integration becomes an issue and you pay double to upgrade/integrate.. cheap is expensive.. you try lowering your prices competition does the same and eats properly into you because of the numbers(subs).
To grow their business and stop the firings they are accustomed to... they should look at being cost effective rather than cheap. 3g they will achieve, though they have teething technical issues with some sites and BSCs leading to the delays to launch.

I dont think when the CEO leaves a firm it spells the end of it. Michael Joseph went but Safaricom is still there.

I think It will be a mistake to underestimate Airtel after Rene mezas exit (Mind you I am a safaricom die hard)

IF I was the owner of Bharti I would have done the same thing(let meza Go) for one, his marketing strategy was below par actually I thought he was using airtels money to promote a rivals brand..using green color in his adverts to mock safaricom subscribers hurt Airtel more than it built it.

Looking at the current airtel adverts you can notice a big change in strategy...FT reported sometime back that the son of Bhartis chairman(his immediate heir) resides and works in Nairobi and am sure he had something to do with the change over.

If I was safaricom I would be very wary of the current changeover.

It does not spell doom but it sends a clear message depending on the departure circumstances.
he is leaving going where? joining the board of the same company as advisor and supporting the new CEO or joining the other half of the competition to support competition at arms length?

This is what I think happened...after bharti acquired zain they most probably asked the existing CEOs of what they needed to break the deadlock or to spur growth.

Now Rene meza had everything figured out,reduce the calling rates and then lobby for the MNP (A very simple strategy in my view)...His bosses gave him free reign to implement the strategy while at the same time watching him closely to see if his strategy would work.

Several quarters down the line the strategy was a cropper...so meza did the most honorable thing apply for a Job with the competition..which obviously are edgy having seen how bharti business model has survived for months with 'unsustainable'low rates....just like Bororot the competion was dieing to recruit him just to get the inside scoop of Bharti....

IMO I think we have seen nothing yet from Airtel....watch this site.

You wont see anything much my dear even 3g is stuck up there and it aint coming anytime soon to reduce prices.... and when it comes it wont be in very many sites..... sites near you might not have it.....
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