3g - Not Worth It Yet

[kilps]

Unless you are the CEO of Telkom or really need 3G and you have enough money its really not worth it:

The Package that will connect you is called 3G One:


Description Package details
Connection Fee (once off) 97.00
Monthly Subscription 599.00
Bundled Data per month 1 Gigabyte*
Applicable times for Bundle Anytime
Additional Data Usage 10.00/MB

* The bundled data must be used up every month as there is no roll over off unused data, at the beginning of a new month unused data is lost and the 1 Gigabyte is loaded again.

1 Gigabyte of data allows you to do anyone of the following:

Send 200 000 e-mails without attachments
Browse 25 000 web pages
Download 10 000 word documents
Download 20 000 PowerPoint slides
These are approximate sizes.

Terms and Conditions:

All prices are inclusive of VAT
No carry-over of bundled bytes
When usage exceeds 1 Gigabyte bundle, this usage will be rated at the additional data usage rate
Data usage will include any information automatically sent or received to your cellphone, PDA, laptop or telemetry device
For more information on pricing please contact our help desk on 082155.


>>>>But the above does not seem to include Vodafone and I seem to remember reading something about an early Vodacom only package and then Vodafone would come along ... maby it will get cheaper - I hope

This also only seems to be for a computer - not phone

[alchamy]

I am interested to know how they will bill video calls. As always the Call Centre can't answer yet.

[VQuest]

February is time for a cellphone upgrade for me. I was considering getting a 3G enabled phone, but after Vodacom released their pricing, I just can't justify spending R600 a month for 1GB. It's bad enough having to spend R700 a month for 3GB on ADSL.

[kilps]

Hopefully once MTN release prices will start to come down - chances though, prices will probably be the same

[Razer0]

I am interested to know how they will bill video calls. As always the Call Centre can't answer yet.

taken from: http://www.mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=58

In a world first for a cellular network operator, Vodacom is letting its customers make video calls for the same price as a voice call an aggressive pricing tactic likely to see thousands of users defect from MTN and Cell C.
||||||||||||

Im guessing its going to be like that, but as they say: Offering subject to change (or something like that )

[ic]

...Vodacom is letting its customers make video calls for the same price as a voice call an aggressive pricing tactic likely to see thousands of users defect from MTN and Cell C...

So maybe Vodacom have the inside scoop here- namely that Number Portability will be introduced by Dr poison Ivy, just soze Vodacom can scoop up all them crazyass MTN & CellC subscribers willing to pay R600 per month for 1Gig

Another small flaw in that alleged VodaCON illogic: how many people are there going to be roaming about, all with 3G phones just so they can specifically also see each other when they talk? It is bad enough when the phone rings & you're making use of "the facilities" (some strange people actually do answer their phones when that happens, Arno Carstens for 1 - note I do like the dude, just not enough to see him on the bog...)

[Razer0]

imagine how much the phones are gonna cost O_O

[Chris]

They won't be on pre-paid packages, only on contracts I suppose.

[Gooku]

At this stage ,any new competitor is welcome . lack of competition is the main reason broadband services are over-priced.When there are 10 competitors trying to "WIN" customers from each other,the tide will turn in our favour(as long as the consumer play smart )

Iburst & Vodacom 3G are Welcome.

[Jerrek]

There is a reason why video phone calls on landlines never took off, even though the technology was there. People like privacy. People really like to be able to talk and not being seen. I know that I prefer to talk on a phone without my picture being sent. If I'm going to constantly worry about how I look when making a call, well, that will just suck.

[bb_matt]

Jerrek - totally.

Many people hate having thier photo taken for the same reason.
To me, my mobile phone should just be a phone - nothing more, nothing less.
I don't want a PDA on it, games on it, video on it, music on it, a camera on it - and there's millions just like me who want an uncomplicated life.

The only people I know who adopt these kinds of "all in one" gadgets, are the people who just want the next "latest and greatest" so they can irritate or bore the living bejebus out of everyone around them.

I don't want people seeing my ugly mug when I talk to them - heck, that means I'd have to point the phone at my face when talking - haha. -

"I can see right up your nose !"

It's like those dufus heads who stroll around shopping centres with thier headsets hooked into thier cells - god, if only they could see what total pricks they look like, they'd never do it again

[ic]

Personally, I prefer as much integrated into my cellery phone (with the exception of video calls), simply bcos I'd rather carry one gizmo around with me than a few of them shoved into this & that pocket.

The only thing I still want integrated into my cell is GPS (not triangulation or whatever via GPRS, actual satelite navigation capability), and then I could ditch the separate Garmin eTrex Legend brick that I sometimes lug about with me.

In terms of integrated camera, it needs to be at least 3 megapixels, not the crappy 1 megapixels hocked with the 6820 that I've got.

In general I tend to stay away from other all-in-1 (office equipment) whatsits, bcos it generally means that you loose your printer, fax, scanner, whatever all at the same time when the thing goes futt.

[P0is3nIvy]

Isn't this thread a bummer today or conversely, does it still hold it's water?

[Napalm]

Since 2004, Obviously 3G has taken alot of Leaps. Almost every cellphone now has 3G or HSDPA capability's.

Prices aren't R10 per meg either.... R2 per meg (which is much more affordable, and u get packages, 1gig for R289)

U don't have to be a CEO to afford 3G :>>

[Keeper]

U don't have to be a CEO to afford 3G :>>

if you want to download about 10 GB a month, you do