HELP - which broadband package

[bozzie555]

Hi there

I'm a South African who has been living in the UK for the past 14 years. I'm moving back to Durban in the next 3 months and need some assistance regarding which broadband package to go for.

Now, having lived in the UK for so long I've been really spoilt with unlimited broadband for FREE as part of my Sky (DSTV) television package.

I'm a full-time sports trader so will need to have my PC online 24 hours a day. I don't download any movies or anything like that but just run a few trading packages that need to be left running. Speed is fairly important but not the main consideration. Most important to me is RELIABILITY. I simply CANNOT afford to have my network go down in the middle of a Live trade/in-running sporting event as it could cost me an absolute fortune.

I know very little about what is out there in SA at the moment so would appreciate any recommendations. To recap, the key for me is reliability and speed..but ideally would like an uncapped service (even though I wouldn't imagine that I use a heck of a lot of downloads). I use the internet mainly for information, email, occasionally to watch some sport, bit of Skype and the rest for running my trading software. I have a wife and 3 children so we could potentially have 3 or 4 people using the net at the same time. Thanks in anticipation.

[WAJustinW]

Hi Bozzie555,

Have a look at our ADSL Packages at links below:

http://www.webafrica.co.za/adsl/

http://www.webafrica.co.za/home/adsl/

You can give our Sales team a call for more information.

[PaCiFieR]

Hi Bozzie555

If I where in your situation I would not even consider going the uncapped route as IMHO there is no realiable truely uncapped / unshaped / un-throttle service in SA. I would go for a premium capped / unshaped account from a reputible ISP preferably selling bandwidth on its own backbone.

[WAJustinW]

Hi Bozzie555,

You can also try us out via our trial accounts, see: http://www.webafrica.co.za/blog/2011...ee-test-drive/

[Tim the Techxpert]

Hi there

I'm a South African who has been living in the UK for the past 14 years. I'm moving back to Durban in the next 3 months and need some assistance regarding which broadband package to go for.

Now, having lived in the UK for so long I've been really spoilt with unlimited broadband for FREE as part of my Sky (DSTV) television package.

I'm a full-time sports trader so will need to have my PC online 24 hours a day. I don't download any movies or anything like that but just run a few trading packages that need to be left running. Speed is fairly important but not the main consideration. Most important to me is RELIABILITY. I simply CANNOT afford to have my network go down in the middle of a Live trade/in-running sporting event as it could cost me an absolute fortune.

I know very little about what is out there in SA at the moment so would appreciate any recommendations. To recap, the key for me is reliability and speed..but ideally would like an uncapped service (even though I wouldn't imagine that I use a heck of a lot of downloads). I use the internet mainly for information, email, occasionally to watch some sport, bit of Skype and the rest for running my trading software. I have a wife and 3 children so we could potentially have 3 or 4 people using the net at the same time. Thanks in anticipation.

'Yello bozzie555 since you have left a lot has changed in terms of communication and continues to change on a daily basis. I would suggest that given you need to have 24 hour access, that you consider MTN Uncapped. It comes in two great flavours Lite and Pro. Both have a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) Lite is at 3GB and Pro at 10GB. If you exceed those limits then your speed would drop but connectivity would not. So it meets your reliability requirements in that it is always available. If you can in the coming weeks establish how much data you are going to use for your sports trading, that way you will know which is the package to choose when you return home. With MTN its everywhere you go. Best regards Tim

[Dan C]

'Yello bozzie555 since you have left a lot has changed in terms of communication and continues to change on a daily basis. I would suggest that given you need to have 24 hour access, that you consider MTN Uncapped. It comes in two great flavours Lite and Pro. Both have a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) Lite is at 3GB and Pro at 10GB. If you exceed those limits then your speed would drop but connectivity would not. So it meets your reliability requirements in that it is always available. If you can in the coming weeks establish how much data you are going to use for your sports trading, that way you will know which is the package to choose when you return home. With MTN its everywhere you go. Best regards Tim

He wanted a reliable connection.

[DrewChan]

He wanted a reliable connection.

Ahahahaha 2nded - I would never go with any of the cellular networks for a constant connection.
My 1mb standard uncapped (openweb) has been consistently reliable.

[gregmcc]

I would suggest that given you need to have 24 hour access, that you consider MTN Uncapped.

You must work for them. I wouldn't recommend MTN at all!

[bozzie555]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I really do appreciate all the feedback. As one of you said, things have changed drastically since I've been away, so all recommendations are taken on board.

[Dan C]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I really do appreciate all the feedback. As one of you said, things have changed drastically since I've been away, so all recommendations are taken on board.

Your cheapest solution will be ADSL no doubt. I have an MTN package for my phone and it drops constantly from 3g to edge to nothing and that's in the center of a City, so forget cellular network for reliability.
There are other options, but m03rse expensive.

Hope you come right in the end.

[bozzie555]

Your cheapest solution will be ADSL no doubt. I have an MTN package for my phone and it drops constantly from 3g to edge to nothing and that's in the center of a City, so forget cellular network for reliability.
There are other options, but m03rse expensive.

Hope you come right in the end.

Thanks Dan

Currently in the UK, I have SKY broadband package. I have a wireless set up, with 2 desktops, 2 laptops and 2 ipads almost constantly connected and in the 6 years or so, I think it has only gone down twice and not longer than an hour....so reliability is excellent. It is FREE to me as part of my television package (I have the highest level of sporting package and 3 multi-rooms) and I have no idea about the speeds, other than it is more than sufficient for my needs.

I want to try and replicate something similar. I presume DSTV don't do something similar whereby they sell combined tv/internet packages?