Best option for connectivity?

[leondejager]

Hi,

I am currently in the UK and will be traveling to South Africa in about two months time for a short visit (3 Weeks) to my friends and family.

Unfortunately I need to be able to get online where ever I am at any given time due to the nature of my work.

What would be the best solution for me? I have looked at both MTN and Vodacom sites but to me it looks as if I would need a contract of 24 months to use HSDPA/GPRS/EDGE services? The MTN datacard (F@stLink E620), can that be purchased standalone and prepaid databundles used without signing a 24 month contract? How much does the datacard nornally cost?

ANY information much appreciated and thanks in advance.

 

[Pitbull]

Hi,

I am currently in the UK and will be traveling to South Africa in about two months time for a short visit (3 Weeks) to my friends and family.

Unfortunately I need to be able to get online where ever I am at any given time due to the nature of my work.

What would be the best solution for me? I have looked at both MTN and Vodacom sites but to me it looks as if I would need a contract of 24 months to use HSDPA/GPRS/EDGE services? The MTN datacard (F@stLink E620), can that be purchased standalone and prepaid databundles used without signing a 24 month contract? How much does the datacard nornally cost?

ANY information much appreciated and thanks in advance.

Hi

Your phone you're using now is compatible in South Africa. Once you land here just go to the MTN shop at the terminal. Buy a Prepaid MTN sim card, load airtime and buy a pre-paid data bundle. Easy as pie.

If you have any issues with the setup or the connectivity you phone 173 from the Sim and it's sorted.

Hope it helps.

 

[leondejager]

Hi Pitbull,

Thanks for the information, much appreciated.

I want to be able to use a notebook while there, so I would need the F@stLink E620 datacard to be able to get online while using a notebook. Will I still need to get the SIM?

Which provider offers the best coverage throughout South Africa for data (HSDPA/EDGE/GPRS)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pitbull]

Hi Pitbull,

Thanks for the information, much appreciated.

I want to be able to use a notebook while there, so I would need the F@stLink E620 datacard to be able to get online while using a notebook. Will I still need to get the SIM?

Which provider offers the best coverage throughout South Africa for data (HSDPA/EDGE/GPRS)?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Leon

If you have an E620 already al you need to do is get a Sim card yes.
The question as to coverage is very debatable. Where ever in SA you would be able to connect with either Vodacom or MTN. Where as some areas the coverage will be better on 1 and then again be better in a next area on the other. However you will be able to connect on both just about any where.

Because this is an open forum I won't try and sell MTN to you as I'm a MTN rep on here. I will also not turn and say Vodacom is better/worst.

I would say that someone with no link to MTN give you their opinion of the network coverage, stability, reliability ect.

Either way, with you going with either Vodacom or MTN you'll be happy. I would not recommend the other networks mainly on coverage and the fact that they have no HSDPA / 3G coverage as far as I know.

 

[Frankie]

Hi

Your phone you're using now is compatible in South Africa. Once you land here just go to the MTN shop at the terminal. Buy a Prepaid MTN sim card, load airtime and buy a pre-paid data bundle. Easy as pie.

If you have any issues with the setup or the connectivity you phone 173 from the Sim and it's sorted.

Hope it helps.

The MTN shop in the terminal will sell a pre-paid starter pack SIM card for around R145, whereas you can get the same thing for R1.99 from Pick n Pay.

 

[Frankie]

Hi Pitbull,

Thanks for the information, much appreciated.

I want to be able to use a notebook while there, so I would need the F@stLink E620 datacard to be able to get online while using a notebook. Will I still need to get the SIM?

Which provider offers the best coverage throughout South Africa for data (HSDPA/EDGE/GPRS)?

Thanks in advance.

Yes, you'll need a SIM card for whatever data card is used.

Coverage is subjective.

 

[Frankie]

What size data bundle and what price ?

I would expect that you'd be looking at a 2G data bundle.

With VC you can get 2G at R389, but I doubt that you'll get confirmation that MTN still has the 'buy 1G at R399 and get 1G free' special. Because of this lack of confirmation, I went with VC.