5G vs 4G Vodacom Contract

[leviathan1701]

Hi there,

Currently I've got a contract that's ended with MTN offering a 1TB per month fixed cap with best effort speed (no speed cap) that often goes above 100mbps download and I'm using the ZTE MFC286 router (4G router).

Vodacom is currently offering an up to 100mbps home internet deal with either a 4G (Huawei B535) or 5G (Vodacom X25 Max) router. The 5G router option is R50 more expensive per month.

If both 4G and 5G routers are capable of 100mbps and beyond speeds, what is the point of offering either option from a TECHNICAL perspective?

I've run speed tests on Vodacom with a 5G capable phone in my suburb and I'm getting speeds averaging 400-500mbps daily.

Is the 5G offering just an excuse to gain R50 more per month from the client or is there an actual benefit?

Also, please note that I am looking into fibre options as well but I just want to understand what EXACTLY vodacom is doing here.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

 

[DapperDanMan]

If both 4G and 5G routers are capable of 100mbps and beyond speeds, what is the point of offering either option from a TECHNICAL perspective?

5G is faster.
5G spectrum is less congested. (Currently.)
5G router also has 4G fallback capabilities.
Most 5G routers can be controlled with a modern app, whereas many 4G routers can only be controlled via older apps and/or a GUI interface.

 

[DapperDanMan]

Also, please note that I am looking into fibre options as well

Do not get fibre from Vodacom.
Do not get fibre from Vox.
Do not get fibre from Mweb.
Do not get fibre from WebAfrica.
Do not get fibre from Supersonic.

Try to go with Openserve infrastructure instead of Vumatel or Frogfoot or Metrofibre infrastructure, but do not select TELKOM as your ISP.

 

[leviathan1701]

Thanks for your input @DapperDanMan. It's appreciated!

Also another reason why I'm looking at mobile options is because it seems to be cheaper than fibre options at the same speeds. The cost differences are quite significant.

I'm assuming you're paying more for the reliability, stability of fibre etc. Although with that being said, if a whole area had to go down, I'd imagine repairs would effected much quicker on a mobile network compared to fibre as it would potentially affect more users?

 

[LangaCoza]

Hi I chose the 4g plan also with the idea of saying as long as I am on 100mbps I'm fine but now that its here started using it today nits not even passing 25mbps, so I don't know guys if I can purchase the 5g router myself will I enjoy up to 100mbps as in my place I reach up to 250mbps on iPhone 13 with vodacom 100gig deal. I am bit stressed.

 

[leviathan1701]

Yup, I think I regret going with Vodacom 5G. I'm not sure if the issue is related to the generation (4G vs 5G), signal band (2.4GHz vs 5GHz) or even the channel of either.

Recently moved house just down the road. My 5G router always has full signal 5G connectivity according to the LED indicator and settings page. I also have a direct connection via Ethernet cable.

However, I've noticed some oddities:

1. Even though I've subscribed to an up to 100mbps connection, speed tests spike initially to OVER 200mbps and even into the 300mbps range, and slowly drop over the course of the test to around 100mbps as advertised by the contract.
2. I've noticed that some DIRECT download speeds go past 100mbps, of which I'm not complaining. However, the speeds fluctuate wildly, to the point where the download speed drops to 0mbps and then suddenly up to 100mbps and sometimes higher. This huge up and down pattern occurs continuously.
3. In certain case such as on MS Teams calls, the connection from my side drops randomly where the other participants cannot hear me but there is no warning or anything indicating that I've lost connection or that I'm on hold. Only about 30 seconds or so once my connection has been restored, does Teams mention a drop in call quality on my side. In the meantime, the other individuals report that the call has been put on hold during that time.

Prior to this, I had a speed unlimited MTN 4G and had never experienced such a wildly fluctuating connection.

I've tried playing around with the channels of each band and it does not help. I end up with a slower connection, and switch everything back to auto. Every time I select a different channel, it is "suddenly" congested and I don't really understand why.

Has anyone else experienced or is currently experiencing such weird behaviour with Vodacom's 4G / 5G home connections?

I'm tempted to cancel my contract on account of the unreliability, however I don't think I'll be able to prove my case.

 

[leviathan1701]

Hi I chose the 4g plan also with the idea of saying as long as I am on 100mbps I'm fine but now that its here started using it today nits not even passing 25mbps, so I don't know guys if I can purchase the 5g router myself will I enjoy up to 100mbps as in my place I reach up to 250mbps on iPhone 13 with vodacom 100gig deal. I am bit stressed.

I switched my router to 4G connectivity only as a test and I immediately noticed a drop in speed. I ran a speed test on my 5G capable phone and I'm also getting in excess of 250mbps on average. So yes, on paper at least (location dependent), you should up to get 100mbps on 5G.