3G in Gauteng

Dolby

Dolby

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What does one need to get a reliable service?

I've had Vodacom from 2006 and changed to Cell C 5 months ago as the performance dropped to about 500kbps.

Cell C - apart from cheap - was 5x quicker than Vodacom. However a few weeks ago it died for 3 weeks ... Zero throughput.

During that time I went back to Vodacom as their speeds were now where Cell C was and - as 4 weeks down the line Cell C is still bust - I've started to use Vodacom again.

This morning I turn on and receive ... EDGE. Its close to unusable. Pop in the Cell C card and ... EDGE and unusable.

Does one need a SIM from each ISP in order to almost guarantee a signal?!
 
Thats why I don't like 3G. Expensive *and* unstable. A family friend had exactly the same experience. 7.2mbps -> Edge overnight. Couple of months later the 7.2mbps was back.

Try finding out if there is maintenance being done on your local tower.
 
I'm already paying 500pm or 600pm for broadband - but considering a further 300pm for MTN so that hopefully I'll be ablr to log when needed :/
 
All of them are now getting away from telkom. What this means is that the data stream from the tower to the isp went telkom all the way. Now the mobile people can use their own radio links.

So in the old days like 2010 at a tower, [mtn, voda , and cell c] uses 1 telkom link. now all 3 is getting their own, so the one with the reliable back bone will win.

my other question will be, how good is a 3G stick. If you are on for 5 hours, that little stick must transmit for 5 hours. they look so..
 
I'm moving in 2 months - so I'll have a look if ADSL is available in the area. I really don't need fast - 1mbps is more than enough for me..

However I've heard Telkom still takes 2 months for an install and some people also have issues every time it rains. It seems there's NO decent broadband in the country :/

I never really go on for 5 hours in a go, as this is my home connection and sometimes don't use it for a few days at a time. If I'm looking for something, max is a few hours at a time
 
It seems that as consumers we are pretty much forced into having more than one ISP if you require mobility. My main reason for having 3G is because I am often required to operate on site at a client, client could be anywhere and are usually in industrial areas (and we have many industrial areas that are for all intents and purposes in the styx).

Many years ago I opted for iBurst (when they first launched because at they stage they beat mobile providers hands down - a 1mbps connection seemed superfast in those days). However I soon realised that as soon as I moved out of a major centre iBurst was useless. Subsequently I had to take out a 3G contract (MTN being my bloodsucker of choice at that time), still not great as in many areas I worked I could only get EDGE, but that's better than nothing (why ISP's can't cover industrial areas with 3G is beyond me).

Now I've switched to CellC and my last MTN contract expired last month, however with all CellC's "teething problems" and still relatively poor coverage I'm already considering having to take out some form of back up connection (chances are a pay as you go option with either the red or yellow bloodsuckers).

I also think I need a more stable connection at home and whilst I'm loath to go with Countcum I may be forced to just due to the erratic 3G performance I get at home.

All in all a sad situation :cry:
 
Dolby said:
However I've heard Telkom still takes 2 months for an install and some people also have issues every time it rains.
Click to expand...
No rubbish. I *can* take very long, but those are the horror stories. Same for the rain...its the exceptional case....the other 99% who don't have issues don't make threads about it.

Besides, for 600 you can get some pretty decent ADSL.
 
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