A general comparison with UK

[bb_matt]

So, my internet is pretty much "forgettable" these days, it's a utility, like water and lights - it works, I pay, I don't have any gripes.

What is interesting, is how the cost compares with SA in the current environment.

So let me start by saying, that the fantastic "deals" you hear about in the UK are not really that fab - 24mbs is in citys only and is subject to all sorts of rules/availability/capacity etc.

The average here is 2mbs, 4mbs and 8mbs - and they don't really offer a direct speed, it's advertised as "up to 4mbs, or up to 8mbs" etc.

I've got a 2mbs line, soon to be upgraded (Free) to 8mbs, with an "up to 8mbs" disclaimer.

I'm currently paying, including line rental, £104 every three months - so lets say, £35 a month.

... but, if we get more complex here and bring in factors such as general cost of living, the equation looks a lot different.

My average "available" income after bills, is around R5000. In SA, it was closer to R10000.

Swings and roundabouts.

With the current exchange rate, that's around R450.

I have a 40gig limit - which isn't enforced. With my upgrade, I get unlimited (which isn't really unlimited - there are disclaimers about heavy users)

I see that Telkom is now around R600 with line rental for a 1mbs line.

So, things are looking up in SA then?

Lets bear in mind, it took 2 days to get my ADSL installed and I've not had a single line fault in a year.

Lets also bear in mind my monthly income, compared with SA.

In SA, R600 would be about 1/20th of my salary a month. In the UK, it's 1/50th.

Then again, my available income after bills here is half what it was in SA - so, swings and roundabouts ?

 

[Skeptik]

Don't forget that what the Brits have now (in terms of telcomms) was hard one over a long time. BT didn't just do all these things out of their own free will. The government and the regulators worked together to get it out. Then industry took over and they haven't looked back.

Cost of living here in SA is getting worse. At least in the UK it changes slowly.

 

[bb_matt]

How I wish that were so!

The cost of living in the UK is escalating due to firstly energy costs and secondly, interest rates.

It's *£%"£% 'ing expensive here and getting more so.

My spendable income has dropped by an alarming rate, but I knew that would be the case before I moved back. It's the price you pay for a greater peace of mind in your life - in that, you have more chance of keeping it

Yes, Offcom fought long and hard with BT and it was government pressure that saw change, but the UK is far from the mecca of broadband and telecoms, neither is the USA - for that, you need to look to the East.

The ONLY thing which is cheaper and more readily available in the UK is ADSL broadband. Sure, our services are better in terms of telecoms, but the prices, aside from ADSL, are definately not.

Mobile internet costs are astronomically high - the realm of only those whose jobs demand it or who can afford it - it's basically a business/tourist thing.

Free wireless internet access points? - few and far between.

Companies here have got that covered with various "cloud" networks, ranging from R50 to R150 an hour on an adhoc basis, but cheaper in bulk.

 

[RichardP]

Dunno which part you are in, but I got an 8meg Line .. and I get 8 meg. The shaping happens during peak hours, after 10pm, my torrents are running at 900K/sec. And I am in the rural lands..

I have a different experince on avaliable income.... for my family to maintain a good middle-income house in SA with 2.4 children it took 2 incomes (Wife and Myself) to live a good standard. My house wasnt fancy either.

Here in the UK, I am the sole breadwinner, renting a house, paying the bond in SA .. and there is quite a bit of spare cash after all the bills are paid. (SKy, BT etc etc)

There is no cost for Kids education, Doctors charge a 5 pound fee for dispensing medicines. If you cant get to school, the Govt organises a taxi to take you there. You dont need to pay for an armed response.

I find the costs of living in the UK slightly lower than SA, altho finding a bargain is not easy - competition is really heavy

Swings and roundabouts

 

[rpm]

Interesting comparisons…thanks for sharing. I also found that I had more money in the UK...life became expensive in JHB.

BTW BB_Matt: Most DSL1024 subscribers are now on a 4 Mbps trial.

 

[RichardP]

Companies here have got that covered with various "cloud" networks, ranging from R50 to R150 an hour on an adhoc basis, but cheaper in bulk.

I got BT OpenZone and use wifi almost everywhere

BT Openzone Subscription for BT customers

Available if you're a fixed-line broadband customer of BT

# You pay - £5 (ex VAT) for 500 minutes; 10p (ex VAT) per additional minute

Altho, Satellite TV costs me 19Pounds per month - and they give free ADSL (dunno much more than that- but its advertised)

 

[Hotentott]

I've got a 2mbs line, soon to be upgraded (Free) to 8mbs, with an "up to 8mbs" disclaimer.

I'm currently paying, including line rental, £104 every three months - so lets say, £35 a month.

@bb_matt - what ISP is ripping you that much for an ADSL Max connection, i think you should look at switching!

Im paying £24 p/month for a 24Mb line (BTW i am nowhere near a big city, im out in the sticks!!) i always have a decent enough connection +- 19000. and > 1000 upload.....
I also recently moved from an ISP where i got FREE 8Mb ADSL with my phone line which incl FREE calls to any landline in over 30 countries, that cost me 9.99 a month, but i opted to switch to an ISP that could provide me far more upload bandwith, and i dont know anyone in 29 of the 30 countries i could phone for free

I do however agree with your comments about the mobile data connection rates here, they are shocking (more than 10 times more expensive than SA)

 

[bwana]

I have a 40gig limit - which isn't enforced. With my upgrade, I get unlimited (which isn't really unlimited - there are disclaimers about heavy users)

I see that Telkom is now around R600 with line rental for a 1mbs line.

...

Lets also bear in mind my monthly income, compared with SA.

In SA, R600 would be about 1/20th of my salary a month. In the UK, it's 1/50th.

Then again, my available income after bills here is half what it was in SA - so, swings and roundabouts ?

Interesting enough but you're forgetting the charge for the data here - no 30gb accounts here anymore so lets say 5 x telkom's 3gb accounts hoping they allow you to download double your allocation so that's another r1245 (£90) - you can get uncapped but they cost more.

BTW - we're paying £20 for uncapped up to 8Mbps from Virgin so perhaps you should shop around a bit.