vodacom3g
Vodacom Representative
There are basically three options today to get 3G data services:
1) 1G+ Contracts:
You sign a 24 month contract, get a new number, a SIM and a 3G data card. In bundle (i.e. what you bought: 1, 2, 3, 5, or 10Gb) you pay 60c/Mb, out-of-bundle you pay R2/Mb.
2) Data Bundles:
These can be bought on a month-to-month basis but require an existing phone contract to work, i.e. they must be added onto a normal Vodacom contract. You do not get a 3G card with these and must therefore purchase a 3G enabled device separately. The advantage is that you don't get locked into a 24 month contract and can jump between data bundles on a monthly basis.
I would suggest you do the following to construct your own 'variable data bundle':
2-a) Get the Vodacom Messenger contract (or any other low cost contract). Messenger, specifically, allows you to send SMS's at only 22.5c/SMS vs. the normal 35c-80c/SMS and is great if you're going to send SMS's from your PC. This will cost you R35/month.
2-b) Buy whatever data bundle size you think you'll use in the first month and bolt it onto the contract above.
2-c) Buy a datacard (or 3G phone you can use as a modem).
2-d) Track you data usage in the first month and adjust it up or down as required for the new month. You can adjust it all the way down to 0Gb if need be!
2-e) If you do go over the cap, you'll pay the out-of-bundle rate of R2/Mb but the beauty is you can tune it for the next month.
2-f) Remember it's on a month-to-month basis. A few days before month-end call and change your bundle for the next month, if needed.
The above method ensures your only exposure is R35/month (which you'll recover in the first 60 SMS's). You then decide what data bundle is suitable and only pay for that.
3) Pre-Paid:
Here you buy your own data card, buy a pre-paid SIM and pay a flat rate of R2/Mb.
1) 1G+ Contracts:
You sign a 24 month contract, get a new number, a SIM and a 3G data card. In bundle (i.e. what you bought: 1, 2, 3, 5, or 10Gb) you pay 60c/Mb, out-of-bundle you pay R2/Mb.
2) Data Bundles:
These can be bought on a month-to-month basis but require an existing phone contract to work, i.e. they must be added onto a normal Vodacom contract. You do not get a 3G card with these and must therefore purchase a 3G enabled device separately. The advantage is that you don't get locked into a 24 month contract and can jump between data bundles on a monthly basis.
I would suggest you do the following to construct your own 'variable data bundle':
2-a) Get the Vodacom Messenger contract (or any other low cost contract). Messenger, specifically, allows you to send SMS's at only 22.5c/SMS vs. the normal 35c-80c/SMS and is great if you're going to send SMS's from your PC. This will cost you R35/month.
2-b) Buy whatever data bundle size you think you'll use in the first month and bolt it onto the contract above.
2-c) Buy a datacard (or 3G phone you can use as a modem).
2-d) Track you data usage in the first month and adjust it up or down as required for the new month. You can adjust it all the way down to 0Gb if need be!
2-e) If you do go over the cap, you'll pay the out-of-bundle rate of R2/Mb but the beauty is you can tune it for the next month.
2-f) Remember it's on a month-to-month basis. A few days before month-end call and change your bundle for the next month, if needed.
The above method ensures your only exposure is R35/month (which you'll recover in the first 60 SMS's). You then decide what data bundle is suitable and only pay for that.
3) Pre-Paid:
Here you buy your own data card, buy a pre-paid SIM and pay a flat rate of R2/Mb.
