Cape Town area - is 2G coverage all that's really possible?

[kteylouni]

I'll be in Cape Town for 2 months from Jan 2014. According to Telekom coverage maps, in the areas we're considering renting, Clifton or False Bay, internet access seems mostly 2G. My experience with 2G (in Europe) is that it's slow, congested and unreliable, i.e. if you get 128kbps you're lucky. With ADSL (at home) 20Gbps, I'd easily go through 1GB volume in a couple of days. So looking at a frustrating experience...
And hardly any rental accom has ADSL it seems... 1 apartment offered to get it installed at a cost of R1500 + 600/month. Seems expensive to me...

Has anyone had any positive experience with 2G mobile internet in Cape Town? Are there any better options for prepaid broadband access. I'd have to get a USB dongle for my PC and I think Telekom has some promotions. Just can't get my head around the primitive state of internet access in SA?!

thanks

Keenan

 

[SAdata]

I'll be in Cape Town for 2 months from Jan 2014. According to Telekom coverage maps, in the areas we're considering renting, Clifton or False Bay, internet access seems mostly 2G. My experience with 2G (in Europe) is that it's slow, congested and unreliable, i.e. if you get 128kbps you're lucky. With ADSL (at home) 20Gbps, I'd easily go through 1GB volume in a couple of days. So looking at a frustrating experience...
And hardly any rental accom has ADSL it seems... 1 apartment offered to get it installed at a cost of R1500 + 600/month. Seems expensive to me...

Has anyone had any positive experience with 2G mobile internet in Cape Town? Are there any better options for prepaid broadband access. I'd have to get a USB dongle for my PC and I think Telekom has some promotions. Just can't get my head around the primitive state of internet access in SA?!

thanks

Keenan

Ye Telkom Mobile is new and in some areas their coverage is lacking. Look at the other networks coverage maps CellC, Vodacom, MTN. Most of them have up to about 5GB prepaid bundles for under R400ish. You can always buy 2.

Clifton is a really fancy area so to be honest if you are paying those rentals there they should provide you with internet as there is much more cost effective rentals in Camps Bay just down the road, and Bantry Bay/Fresnaye or even Sea Point.

Also, Clifton is on the side of a mountain facing the sea so it is quite hard to get coverage in there (plus all the residents with their fancy homes don't want cell masts all over - I think this is the main problem). But maybe some of the other networks have 3g coverage there just check.

 

[Sherbang]

Try vodacom or cellc instead of telkom. I get HSDPA+ on both but I'm in central cape town...