2005-07-22/Vodafone launches pre-pay 3G data card

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Vodafone has launched a pre-pay 3G data card which allows laptop users to pay as they go.

The Mobile Connect Prepay 3G data card costs £199 and users are charged £3.07 per megabyte of data in the UK and £9.08 per megabyte when roaming abroad.

Users can top up the card using their phones, the internet or at Vodafone retail stores.

The card comes with 10MB of free data use, but some analysts have questioned the pricing policy.

"£9 per megabyte is ludicrous," said Dean Bubley, founder of data consultants Disruptive Analysis.

"Presumably Vodafone has found that some people do not want to commit to a 12-month contract, but it is not obvious where the market is for this.

"With Wi-Fi at around £6 per hour Vodafone needs to knock a zero or two off the price to make it sensible."

Vodafone has 65 per cent 3G coverage in the UK. When not in range of a transmitter the card transfers to a GPRS connection.

My personal comment: luckily Vodacom only charge R2.00/MB here [for pre-paid], compared to ~R36/MB with Vodafone in the UK, and somehow I don't think the £3/MB is subsidising the data card since that is basically paid for with the 200squidlings that UK folk have to fork out of their pocket......with pricing like that 3G in the UK is doomed, but then the networks paid waaay too much for their licenses, etc...

 

[Scott]

i was quite supprised when i saw that the UK's 3G costs ALOT more than ours...its the only thing cheaper here

 

[Gambit]

Vodafone are probably still trying to recoup the massive cost of their 3G licence.

 

[Perdition]

Yep it appears 3G is the one area where we're actually competing globally! Unfortunately it's still too expensive as a primary means of internet connection for most people

 

[kilps]

I suppose thats why it has been predicted that it will be so popular - because amazingly its compares internationaly

Now - if Vodacom can do it with data can they do it with voice? And can (intake of breath) Telkom do it?