Considering Moving from Cell C to MTN. Good Idea?

[Mo0s]

As the title states. Tired of the inconsistency in network quality at Cell C. The low prices don't justify it anymore. Anyway I'd like to know how MTN is generally with coverage and quality of tgeir 3G and HSPA+ network. I've tested it in my area, seems to be good. I just want know what it's like generally in other areas. Thanks, I'm a prepaid customer

 

[upup]

If you want data, go with afrihost. [afrihost mobile]

and yes, MTN is good, and they also wants to make money, as are the others.

 

[cavedog]

Right now MTN and Telkom Mobile is the best networks for prepaid users. Telkom Mobile rate of 75c per minute and MTN 79c per minute.

MTN gives recharge bonuses aswell with free data and free MTN to MTN airtime so if you play your cards right you are going to have cheap MTN to MTN calls and 79c to other networks.

MTN 3G will always be better than Cellc in most cases but not always. So I would say go ahead and make sure you are on the pay per second priceplan to save.

 

[Mo0s]

If you want data, go with afrihost. [afrihost mobile]

and yes, MTN is good, and they also wants to make money, as are the others.

And I suppose Afrihost data is a contract? I don't qualify coz I'm a student

 

[cavedog]

And I suppose Afrihost data is a contract? I don't qualify coz I'm a student

The sim option from afrihost anyone can take but the sim only works with data and no calls so you need to use it in a modem. The apn option only works if you have a MTN contract.

I would suggest just using MTN data buindle. Make sure to load atleast a 10mb data bundle before 60 days then you keep all your data. If you load 500mb it will expire after 60 days if you used it or not, but by loading say a 10mb data bundle a day before the data expires the expiry date moves on another 60 days.

So you can effectively keep your data forever as long as you load a bundle before the 60 day expiry.

 

[Mo0s]

That's great actually. I just hope MTN makes the 79c permanent

 

[maumau]

The sim option from afrihost anyone can take but the sim only works with data and no calls so you need to use it in a modem. The apn option only works if you have a MTN contract.

I would suggest just using MTN data buindle. Make sure to load atleast a 10mb data bundle before 60 days then you keep all your data. If you load 500mb it will expire after 60 days if you used it or not, but by loading say a 10mb data bundle a day before the data expires the expiry date moves on another 60 days.

So you can effectively keep your data forever as long as you load a bundle before the 60 day expiry.

Thanks for this info cavedog.

 

[koeks525]

That's great actually. I just hope MTN makes the 79c permanent

This is also what I am interested in seeing - if it does become permanent then Cell C is in for crap. Im not sure if a low call rate would be enough for me to leave Cell C

 

[Mo0s]

This is also what I am interested in seeing - if it does become permanent then Cell C is in for crap. Im not sure if a low call rate would be enough for me to leave Cell C

You must have pretty good Cell C coverage/data throughput then.

 

[Falco]

Before I decided to move from MTN to Cell C I've taken the effort to evaluate my daily movement patterns i.e. how often do I go to remote areas, platteland, drive long distances outside the city and Cape metropole etc. Since it wasn't that often I felt the lower call rate would carry more weight in my decision. Reception issues would be limited, and it turned out to be the case.

 

[koeks525]

You must have pretty good Cell C coverage/data throughput then.

Yeap, Cell C is great for me, in PE at least. Back in East London, Cell C is horrible:

 

[cavedog]

Yeap, Cell C is great for me, in PE at least. Back in East London, Cell C is horrible:

Yeah Cellc is just not that good in densly populated areas. The tower I connect to serves and neigbouring township and 2 suburbs. Since Richards Bay is pretty flat that tower covers a HUGE area giving very good coverage but gets so badly congested its like not being connected to the internet at all sometimes.

Its bad when you battle a whole month just to use 2GB of data on my data contract and maybe still have data left that expires....

 

[HendrieV]

As the title states. Tired of the inconsistency in network quality at Cell C. The low prices don't justify it anymore. Anyway I'd like to know how MTN is generally with coverage and quality of tgeir 3G and HSPA+ network. I've tested it in my area, seems to be good. I just want know what it's like generally in other areas. Thanks, I'm a prepaid customer

Seems it is not possible. I have been trying since yesterday morning. Call center agent 1 told me to SMS "PORTME#KIT NUMBER" and wait for confirmation message. By this morning nothing had happened so I checked out the website and it confirms what I have been told. I phone the helpline again and am told by call center agent 2 that agent 1 and the website are both wrong. I must sms "PORTME#SIM NUMBER" in order for the service to work. He sounded a bit unsure of my chances of success but gave me number 0831230173 to phone. I sent the new sms and when nothing happened I phoned. After 23 mins the call cut off. Waited an hour and tried again. After 49 mins the phone battery alarm came on.
I have now changed my mind about porting.

 

[AfriMan]

And I suppose Afrihost data is a contract? I don't qualify coz I'm a student

We don't do contracts - all our products are month to month agreements. You just need to be over 18 and have cash in the bank (for debits) in order to use our services

 

[koeks525]

We don't do contracts - all our products are month to month agreements. You just need to be over 18 and have cash in the bank (for debits) in order to use our services

I'm confused....when I asked Afrihost...think it was through E-Mail, they told me my MTN sim card must already be under some contract with MTN.

 

[fighthall]

MTN is quite decent, their new online portal for contract users is a lot better.

Yet as a warning, AVOID their call centre... absolutely useless. You have to go to their customer care centres to get anything done as they solve your problems right in front of you, there is one in morningside and the other in northgate shopping centre that I know of, but you can check their list on the website, don't confuse them with the normal mtn stores.

Signal and data speeds are decent, haven't had any dropped calls or timeouts. This being the Joburg, Norwood areas.

 

[Mk786]

MTN is the best. go for it.

 

[cueball]

I'm confused....when I asked Afrihost...think it was through E-Mail, they told me my MTN sim card must already be under some contract with MTN.

That's if you want APN access: http://www.afrihost.com/site/faq/apn_access.

 

[nthdimension]

MTN is garbage. Avoid.

 

[Hamster]

MTN is garbage. Avoid.

Agreed. It pains me (no really it kills my soul) to say this but Vodacom is the better of the lot.

... I feel so dirty right now