4g or LTE advice needed - iphone

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JoziKilos

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Might be a silly question, but I'm confused.

I have an iPhone 5 out of contract and i'm currently using a prepaid sim from Cell C.
I haven't seen the phone switch to 4g even once, its always on 3g and painfully slow. Is 4g not available on Cell C prepaid?

What network is the best for getting 4g or LTE on prepaid?
I'm in Randburg in terms of coverage.

Thanks
 
1. Does Cell C has LTE?
2. Vodacom or MTN (look at Afrihost). Also Telkom Mobile, but they use frequency your phone do not support, I think.
 
sajunky said:
1. Does Cell C has LTE?
2. Vodacom or MTN (look at Afrihost). Also Telkom Mobile, but they use frequency your phone do not support, I think.
Click to expand...

Ok so Cell C does not have LTE at the moment.
From reading around in the forums, looks like MTN would be a good option at the moment.
I just need to check to make sure that it applies to sims on prepaid plans.
 
JoziKilos said:
From reading around in the forums, looks like MTN would be a good option at the moment.
I just need to check to make sure that it applies to sims on prepaid plans.
Click to expand...
No, it does not! Only for contract customers. But Afrihost use MTN network, check Afrihost.
Edit: But Afrihost will issue to you separate SIM, it is not dual-SIM phone, so probably Vodacom. But Vodacom has no good data deals for prepaid user...
 
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sajunky said:
No, it does not! Only for contract customers. But Afrihost use MTN network, check Afrihost.
Edit: But Afrihost will issue to you separate SIM, it is not dual-SIM phone, so probably Vodacom. But Vodacom has no good data deals for prepaid user...
Click to expand...

hahaha thanks
 
You will need your sim provisioned and I have been waiting since 27 August and still not provisioned. Gr8 service MTN.
 
Good luck, you might manage it by the end of the year if you are lucky.
 
sajunky said:
No, it does not! Only for contract customers. But Afrihost use MTN network, check Afrihost.
Edit: But Afrihost will issue to you separate SIM, it is not dual-SIM phone, so probably Vodacom. But Vodacom has no good data deals for prepaid user...
Click to expand...

That has changed..... MTN DOES now allow LTE on prepaid. I would suggest MTN because their data is a bit more affordable compared to Vodacom and they have for most tests shown higher speeds on LTE than Vodacom. Not all but a fair number. You would expect MTN LTE speeds of no less than 20Mbps download if you have decent coverage compared to Vodacom 11Mbps +-.

@ OP you can get your prepaid LTE simcard at a MTN store and then you can port,sim swap or activate a new number.
 
cavedog said:
That has changed..... MTN DOES now allow LTE on prepaid. I would suggest MTN because their data is a bit more affordable compared to Vodacom and they have for most tests shown higher speeds on LTE than Vodacom. Not all but a fair number. You would expect MTN LTE speeds of no less than 20Mbps download if you have decent coverage compared to Vodacom 11Mbps +-.

@ OP you can get your prepaid LTE simcard at a MTN store and then you can port,sim swap or activate a new number.
Click to expand...

Ah ok, I'll go with MTN first.
Now lets hope they have nano sims on stock!

Thanks
 
Be wary before you switch over to LTE. I dabbled with LTE for a while on a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the phone stubbornly clung to the LTE signal even if it was very weak and often I'd wasn't to receive or make calls which was very frustrating. This was on the Vodacom network. Hopefully the iPhone 5 has better LTE management.
 
JoziKilos said:
Ah ok, I'll go with MTN first.
Now lets hope they have nano sims on stock!

Thanks
Click to expand...

You are looking for a staterpack that looks like this. I don't think however you will get a prepaid lte nano simcard though. I think you will only get Prepaid LTE Standard/Micro break out simcards. You can just cut it. Buy 2 staterpacks incase you failed to cut the first 1. Its only 99c each.

mtnprepaidlte.png


If you are planning on using it for voice and data I would suggest the MTN 1c per second price plan *141*4*5# and when buying 1GB data bundle or higher you get 100% extra data on most of the bundles. The 1GB+1GB is R149 and the 3GB+3GB is R299. The 3GB bundle is really good value for money
 
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cavedog said:
You are looking for a staterpack that looks like this. I don't think however you will get a prepaid lte nano simcard though. I think you will only get Prepaid LTE Standard/Micro break out simcards. You can just cut it. Buy 2 staterpacks incase you failed to cut the first 1. Its only 99c each.

mtnprepaidlte.png


If you are planning on using it for voice and data I would suggest the MTN 1c per second price plan *141*4*5# and when buying 1GB data bundle or higher you get 100% extra data on most of the bundles. The 1GB+1GB is R149 and the 3GB+3GB is R299. The 3GB bundle is really good value for money
Click to expand...

It's MTN, what's the catch?
 
Johnatan56 said:
It's MTN, what's the catch?
Click to expand...

Well they have the most unique data expiry system compared to other networks. Buy for example 1GB and you can extend that expiry date of the 1GB bundle by just buying another bundle of any size before your 1GB expires. SO you can technically extend it and keep the data forever.

You might think with MTN their is a catch because something happened to you but to be honest MTN Prepaid offers The Best value for money. Almost like free on net calls. Decent data bundles even comparing to Cellc. LTE on prepaid. Second lowest call rate. Cellc 50c tariff would be the lowest.
 
cavedog said:
Well they have the most unique data expiry system compared to other networks. Buy for example 1GB and you can extend that expiry date of the 1GB bundle by just buying another bundle of any size before your 1GB expires. SO you can technically extend it and keep the data forever.

You might think with MTN their (should be there) is a catch because something happened to you(,) but to be honest MTN Prepaid offers The Best value for money. Almost like free on net calls (but not totally?). Decent data bundles even comparing (compared) to Cellc. LTE on prepaid. Second lowest call rate. Cellc('s) 50c tariff would be the lowest.
Click to expand...

What if I only want 1 GB that lasts me the month? I don't like the setup much, but each man to his own.
 
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kamikazi said:
Be wary before you switch over to LTE. I dabbled with LTE for a while on a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the phone stubbornly clung to the LTE signal even if it was very weak and often I'd wasn't to receive or make calls which was very frustrating. This was on the Vodacom network. Hopefully the iPhone 5 has better LTE management.
Click to expand...

This isnt the phone, its Vodacom's management of when you switch back down to 3G.
 
Johnatan56 said:
What if I only want 1 GB that lasts me the month? I don't like the setup much, but each man to his own.
Click to expand...

I see you are one of the grammar obsessed people. I would accept defeat if you can write and speak in 2 or more languages.
 
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