3g Voip?

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dunerider

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I'm not really sure where to post so I thought I'd try here first.

I regularly visit family in SA, each time I bring my laptop and continue to work for my UK company. Last time for the first time I rented a 3g Card from vodafone, it was quite expensive but it worked.

For my next visit I 'm going to in commuting between Durban, Joburg and Nelspruit so again need the wireless option. But this time VOIP is a major consideration.

What recommnendations are there, for a 6 month contract?

Internet access onmy laptop is the major concern but also cheap calls back to the UK (hence VOIP or Skype).

Vodafone, MTN? or is there someone else?

TIA
 
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for 3G or HSDPA is Vodacom/MTN, unless u want to use Iburst(but then u'll need a new Desktop modem thingie) etc
 
dunerider said:
I'm not really sure where to post so I thought I'd try here first.

I regularly visit family in SA, each time I bring my laptop and continue to work for my UK company. Last time for the first time I rented a 3g Card from vodafone, it was quite expensive but it worked.

For my next visit I 'm going to in commuting between Durban, Joburg and Nelspruit so again need the wireless option. But this time VOIP is a major consideration.

What recommnendations are there, for a 6 month contract?

Internet access onmy laptop is the major concern but also cheap calls back to the UK (hence VOIP or Skype).

Vodafone, MTN? or is there someone else?

TIA
Click to expand...
I assume you rented the card and bought inclusive data with that? AFAIK data obtained on a "rental" is more expensive. Maybe just rent the card, and buy a prepaid simcard for R2 at Checkers and load bundles onto that.

VOIP works very well on 3G/HSDPA. I regularly call friends in the UK.

Iburst is an option, but their coverage is not as vast as Vodacom's.
 
If you're going to be coming here regularly it might be better in the long run to buy a card for cash.
 
Thanks Guys, thats put my mind at rest.

I will look into getting a better deal on the card next time. my last visit was only 6 weeks and I didn't try Skype for chat I only used it for messaging. i simply picked up a card at the airport and paid a daily rate for the card and an additional transfer fee

Are you saying rent/buy a card? how do i then add bundles to it? i shall probably buy/rent a phone too, I was thinking cheap pay as you go, or should i get something else?
 
Buy/rent a card, then use a prepaid sim and add bundles on that, how you do it depends on what network you use. Just buy a cheap PAYG phone and then get a sim for that too yeah.
 
I'm sorry I'm not being very bright here, I can't work out the relationship between the sim card and a data card.

Lets assume I go for MTN as my provider (I've just seen info on their data card and the fact you can do PAYG (I can't get much more from the MTN site as its taking 15 mins to load each page I ask for.) - voda seem to lock you in to a 12 month contract.

Lets work on the basis that I buy a FastLink e620 data card (any idea on price?) how do I buy data bundles and how do I transfer them to the datacard?
 
The sim card identifies you (your mobile number) as the user. The data card reads the simcard and connects to the network using your mobile number. If your account is payed up and there are no other problems, the network will allow a connection from the data card (or if you put the sim in a 3G phone, it will allow the phone to connect).

You buy prepaid airtime. That is loaded onto your account by you by dialling a certain number. The airtime does not reside on the sim or data card but somewhere in the network's database. You then dial again, for Vodacom *111#, for MTN you dial 141. Follow the prompts to buy a databundle. That is then loaded onto your account (i.e. mobile number) by using some or all of the airtime you just bought. Then you can use up the data bundle over a 30 day period in any device you choose, be it a 3G phone, or a datacard using your simcard.

You can buy the card cash, neither of the networks put a network lock on it.

Why not go for the E220 USB modem? It's more "portable" and its reception is better. Vodacom's 3G coverage is better than MTN's, but rather look at their 3G coverage maps on their websites.

Oh, one more thing, if you don't use the simcard for a few months, it will be disconnected from the network. MTN and Vodacom have facilities to prevent this. On MTN you can "subscribe" to a "number for life" feature where they deduct R10 per month from your prepaid account to keep it active. Be sure to have enough airtime on it before leaving SA. Vodacom has the Vodacom prepaid passport starter pack, it is a special starter pack that costs R365 that will remain active for 2 years after activation irrespective of whether it is used.
 
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