Data bundle validity periods are essential to managing limited network resources

mylesillidge

mylesillidge

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Why mobile data bundles must expire in South Africa

Cell C has explained that expiry periods for minutes, data, and SMS allocations are essential to managing the limited network resources that mobile services require to operate.

“Customers pay for access to these limited resources, and validity periods ensure that these resources are equitably distributed across the customer base,” a spokesperson told MyBroadband.
 
There is an easy compromise. Airtime, which is voice, SMS and OOB usage shouldn't expire, whilst data, which represents much more traffic on the network, should.
 
WollieVerstege said:
So literally every other company in the world, including our beloved Eskom, can manage their available resources correctly but somehow the Cell Companies can't? Imagine how bad you have to be if even Eskom is better than you. :whistling:
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I am quoting that so you cannot edit it. That is one of the most retarded things to have ever been written on this site, and that is with some very stiff competition.

The cellphone networks we have are orders of magnitude more reliable than Eskom's network, and their products tend to decrease in cost over time as opposed to just increasing. You get your notices that Eskom isn't working via the cellphone network. Not to mention the fact that Eskom is bankrupt.
 
So, I mean if only the government had released spectrum to allow more frequencies to use... If only there was a way they could do this, I'm sure they've got a plan.
 
konfab said:
I am quoting that so you cannot edit it. That is one of the most retarded things to have ever been written on this site, and that is with some very stiff competition.

The cellphone networks we have are orders of magnitude more reliable than Eskom's network, and their products tend to decrease in cost over time as opposed to just increasing. You get your notices that Eskom isn't working via the cellphone network. Not to mention the fact that Eskom is bankrupt.
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Whoosh!!! Clearly you cannot read for comprehension. I did not speak about reliability or cost, I am talking about them effectively managing their system/product.

Loadshedding is a perfect example of Eskom managing its available resources correctly. I am NOT saying Eskom is perfect, but by implementing and correctly doing loadshedding, they are in fact managing their available supply and demand correctly and avoiding a larger and much wider issues.
 
WollieVerstege said:
Whoosh!!! Clearly you cannot read for comprehension. I did not speak about reliability or cost, I am talking about them effectively managing their system/product.

Loadshedding is a perfect example of Eskom managing its available resources correctly. I am NOT saying Eskom is perfect, but by implementing and correctly doing loadshedding, they are in fact managing their available supply and demand correctly and avoiding a larger and much wider issues.
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If a network isn't reliable, cost effective or profitable for its shareholders, then by what other measure do you think it is effectively managed? The cellular network providers it at least two of those objectively. And I would say given the tiny middle class market in SA, also hit the cost effective part as well.

Eskom is the furthest thing from well managed. They did not match the price of their offering with the demand, they gave away huge amounts of electricity to favoured clients (read aluminium smelters and the destitute), they ran out of it for years, and they are having colossal increases in costs to subsidise their bloated workforce.
 
WollieVerstege said:
So literally every other company in the world, including our beloved Eskom, can manage their available resources correctly but somehow the Cell Companies can't? Imagine how bad you have to be if even Eskom is better than you. :whistling:
Click to expand...
Nope that’s what happens when greed is so rife that they are scared of missing a few cents
 
konfab said:
There is an easy compromise. Airtime, which is voice, SMS and OOB usage shouldn't expire, whilst data, which represents much more traffic on the network, should.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression airtime already doesn't expire? Just the other stuff?

But this throws out anyone with a contract that isn't Topup based as all the bolt-on minutes and stuff with their package goes down the drain.

I mean in a perfect world of reasonable cost bundles for different things shouldn't exist and you simply have a monetary value and get billed accordingly for what you use.
 
EmmanuelGoldstein said:
Nope that’s what happens when greed is so rife that they are scared of missing a few cents
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Evil greed of Vodacom and MTN: a reliable, profitable and cost effective business
The benevolent charity of Eskom: an unreliable, bankrupt and extortionist business.
 
Smiggles said:
Will stick with Capitec Connect and Megsapp then thanks. Didn't know 5gb non expiring data will bankrupt a telco. Go suck a tailpipe.C
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This Capitec Connect?

1759137141000.png

And this Megsapp?
1759137222278.png1759137234604.png
konfab said:
There is an easy compromise. Airtime, which is voice, SMS and OOB usage shouldn't expire, whilst data, which represents much more traffic on the network, should.
Click to expand...
SauRoNZA said:
I was under the impression airtime already doesn't expire? Just the other stuff?
Click to expand...

Same. That sounds like how things work right now.

SauRoNZA said:
I mean in a perfect world of reasonable cost bundles for different things shouldn't exist and you simply have a monetary value and get billed accordingly for what you use.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've thought about this too. But regardless of industry, they almost universally end up with some kind of bundling or long-term subscription service. Disney+, VPNs, and MMORPGs offer discounts for paying 12 months in advance.

Jan van Riebeeckstad said:
What do the big boys like MTN and Vodacum say?

They do not have limited network resources.

Stop interviewing kindergartners
Click to expand...

Trolling? Or did you not read to the end of the article? Plus this was follow-up. We published this last week: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/cellular/612158-warning-about-data-bundles-in-south-africa.html
 
We heard it with airtime windows but costs only came down after they were abolished. We heard it with interconnect rates. We heard it with banking costs and bundles that cheap banking wasn't viable. When someone disrupted the market with cheap pay as you go that beat even the bundles everyone followed suit. We'll survive non-expiring bundles.
 
Having had the privilege of working for one of these cartels in the past I can honestly say that they are so greedy they will make airtime expire and fight it to the death. They will even sell their children’s internal organs for a profit, and for a new Maybach every 6 months.

There is greed, corporate greed, utter and shameless greed, and then there’s VodaScum, Empty-N and their friends

They will hide behind their influenced friends in government, they will cry about how *technically difficult* it is to do… every excuse under the sun, but the MANCO lust for the feasts, shiny trinkets and Lear Jet dirty weekends
 
Jan said:
Same. That sounds like how things work right now.
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Not quite true. MTN has airtime expiry on smaller purchases.

Screenshot 2025-09-29 at 11.21.17.png

Prepaid airtime - Help & Support - MTN

www.mtn.co.za www.mtn.co.za

To me this is the lower hanging fruit for the regulator to address. I think it would be far better to trade in slightly higher OOB and voice rates for airtime to last 3 years.
 
Jan said:
This Capitec Connect?

View attachment 1851778

And this Megsapp?
View attachment 1851780View attachment 1851781



Same. That sounds like how things work right now.



Yeah, I've thought about this too. But regardless of industry, they almost universally end up with some kind of bundling or long-term subscription service. Disney+, VPNs, and MMORPGs offer discounts for paying 12 months in advance.



Trolling? Or did you not read to the end of the article? Plus this was follow-up. We published this last week: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/cellular/612158-warning-about-data-bundles-in-south-africa.html
Click to expand...
Didn't Capitec also introduce the same out of bundle rate as for their basic bundle? Also you prove my point once again. Where are the savings in those if you take into account not being able to use it all due to bad networks and not having the time?

The networks are taking the piss here and expiry dates don't seem to have an effect on what we pay.
 
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