jes
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Question of the Day: Do you bet on sports?
30-day recurring data bundles: beware
- Thread starter jes
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I wrote a little script so that I could see what effect signing up at different times in the month would have. Here's a link to the forum thread: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/555489-Optimal-data-rollover-calculator
This makes no sense. You are allocated data every 30 days for 12 months: 30x12=360 days of data. Assuming your last bundle is allocated on the 1st of a month and the following month has 31 days, your total (maximum) data validity would be (30x12+31) = 391 days. I'm too lazy to work out the minimum now, but it could be 387 as you claim.
The rollover data is used concurrently with the new allocation, so it does not come into effect until the last bundle gets allocated. There is no way you can get 699 days worth of data on a 12x30 day recurring data package.
If I am wrong, then please elaborate on how you calculated this, as it is not clear in the article.
The rollover data is used concurrently with the new allocation, so it does not come into effect until the last bundle gets allocated. There is no way you can get 699 days worth of data on a 12x30 day recurring data package.
If I am wrong, then please elaborate on how you calculated this, as it is not clear in the article.
Ah, I can see how there can be confusion. I'm not calculating until when you will be able to use data as that is fairly easy to do without a script (though it would automate it nicely).
The idea here was to see when you would need to buy to maximise the length of time data is rolled over for. So the number of days you see isn't back-to-back validity, but total validity.
So no, you won't have 699 days of access, but if you add up the number of days all the bundles allocated in a 12 month period are valid for, that's the number you come up with.
The idea here was to see when you would need to buy to maximise the length of time data is rolled over for. So the number of days you see isn't back-to-back validity, but total validity.
So no, you won't have 699 days of access, but if you add up the number of days all the bundles allocated in a 12 month period are valid for, that's the number you come up with.
Why should data "expire"? I buy prepaid electricity which never "expires". I buy prepaid electricity for a single supply point that uses very little electricity. I do that once every six months or so. If incompetent municipalities can do that why not cellphone companies? And don't start on the money side of it, my municipality tries to make as much as possible to line the officials' pockets.
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Ok, thanks. That makes more sense. Although, I have to admit I do not see the point of an article being written about such a calculation as most people would be buying according to the monthly allocation rather than the rollover anyway. I'm pretty sure most people interpreted it the way I did, so it may be a good idea to update the article to clarify.
I have modified the script (and pushed it to Github) to now output the access period along with the overall validity. For good measure, I've updated the graph in the article too. I also spot-checked the results with a spreadsheet before doing the update.
Two interesting points worth highlighting: the access period and overall validity graphs correlate quite nicely, and two "best" dates emerge when looking at just the access period: 5 August 2012 (overall validity 699), and 5 January 2013 (overall validity of 688). Both sign-up dates give a total access period of 391 days.
Two interesting points worth highlighting: the access period and overall validity graphs correlate quite nicely, and two "best" dates emerge when looking at just the access period: 5 August 2012 (overall validity 699), and 5 January 2013 (overall validity of 688). Both sign-up dates give a total access period of 391 days.