Data Card, Data Bundle & Pre-Paid Options

You're best bet is to talk directly to VSP or the call desk. Getting a second contract should be easier than getting the first one as you've already got a (good, I assume :) ) track record. So it should be much quicker this time around.

Try and work out how much data you're going to use every month. Map this against the various 3G contract and bundle options and calculate the total cost over 24 months.

If you're going to be consistently over, say 500Mb per month ( :) ), a contract might make sense as you're getting a subsidised card.

For example, 1Gb per month over 24 months = R14376

If your usage varies widely or you're not going to exceed say 250Mb per month, consider the Messenger type option.

For example 250Mb per month over 24 months = R1719 + 24 * (R35 + R200) = R7359

Any which way, if you do the sums, the right answer will pop up.
 
vodacom3g said:
Currently only the data bundles are available in smaller than 1Gb packages. For example, you can take the Messenger + data card for ~R1700 cash and strap any of the smaller packages on top of this.

"If you want a data card contract smaller than 1Gb, I'd suggest not to do anything till around Tuesday/Wednesday."

No. 16 in the ongoing series of cryptic responses.
Click to expand...

Well, it's 5.45pm on Wednesday, can you let us in on the secret now?
 
Apologies, been running around like crazy this week...

Here's the scary bit: I don't know the exact details :rolleyes:

But in any case, a new 500Mb R350/month contract option was added to the product suite. You pay something for the card and it's this bit I've not gotten around to confirm. Gut feel is less than 50% of the normal retail price.

There's also a 500Mb bundle available.
 
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[hypothetical calculations]

3G-500mb contract : R8,400 (R350 p/m mandatory)
Data : 12GB Free
Data Card : ?? R600
Call minutes : N/A ??
Total : R9,000

Weekender contract : R3,240 (R135 p/m mandatory)
Data : 12GB @ R7,200 (R600 p/GB)
Data Card : Free
Call minutes : 2880 minutes = R2,592 (@ R0.90 p/minute)
Total : R10,440
Effective Total [subtracting free minutes] : R7,848

Messenger : R840 (R35 p/m mandatory)
Data : 12GB @ R7,200
Data Card : R1,700
Total : R9,740

[/hypothetical calculations]

Unless i did something wrong, i don't really see a huge gain with the "off the record" contract, unless the data card is free. Also have to consider that until the MB "carry-over" thing come in [if ever], it's probably still more efficient to buy bundles on a monthly basis. You're also still locked into a much larger mandatory monthly contract, which with the speed things are changing is probably not such a good idea.
 
P.S. Your calc has one serious flaw. You have included 12 gig @ R600/mnth, but what you going to do for the other 12 months.... your calc based on 24 months right? You would have to take a 500MB bundle which is more expensive, x 24.... you cannot take 12 1 gig bundles = 12 gig and use it over 24 months.

Hope you understand, kind of confused myself in writing it. Bundle is 1 month usage only, use it or loose it (i lost 350MB in feb , V3G, *HINT* *HINT*)
 
P.S. Your calc has one serious flaw. You have included 12 gig @ R600/mnth, but what you going to do for the other 12 months.... your calc based on 24 months right? You would have to take a 500MB bundle which is more expensive, x 24.... you cannot take 12 1 gig bundles = 12 gig and use it over 24 months.
Click to expand...

Yea, you're right,i was assuming the R0.60 p/MB rate the 1GB bundle goes for . If you look at the data rates, you can already get 250MB @ R0.80 p/MB . I would guess a 500MB bundle would be between R0.80 and R0.60 p/MB [i.e. R0.70 p/MB] .

So 12GB at R0.70 p/MB = R8,400 , which is R1,200 more than my previous calcs. Trouble is though, it's still sort of pointless because in the 3g-500 case you will pay for 12GB regardless of whether you actually use it. On any other bundle contract i'm sure you will -not- use 12GB. You will either use more [in which case you will pay LOWER rates because you will be buying 1GB bundles] or you will use less [in which case you will simply spend less , also saving].

You are not going to buy a 500MB package every month . In fact if you're like me, you will only buy what you need [basically simulating your own carry-over]. I.e. buying 250MB , 250MB and then 1GB instead of 500MB, 500MB , 500MB over a 3 month period. If you make the calculation, you will be -saving- if you vary you bundles like that.
 
vodacom3g said:
Apologies, been running around like crazy this week...

Here's the scary bit: I don't know the exact details :rolleyes:

But in any case, a new 500Mb R350/month contract option was added to the product suite. You pay something for the card and it's this bit I've not gotten around to confirm. Gut feel is less than 50% of the normal retail price.

There's also a 500Mb bundle available.
Click to expand...

Damn would have liked a 250mb option, as others have pointed out there has to be a bigger incentive for going contract as you will be locked in for two years.
 
GPRS card - my experiences

Hi. Slightly OT, but I would like to share my experiences for the benefit of others, also to LOUDLY proclaim my thanks to Vodacom3G and his team for getting me up and running!
I managed to get hold of one of the GPRS cards from Expansys mentioned earlier in one of the topics. (Took a "round-about" route. Card cost around R400)
It arrived on Monday, but when I tried installing the programme I had a series of errors and system crashes, then I contacted V3G and asked for help, he put me in contact with some people in my area, and now I am up and running.

Some hints for anyone looking to go the same route - don't even TRY to install the Vodafone software that comes with the card - its dated, can cause your system to crash, and doesn't support the local networks. Rather get hold of the Vodacom software and load that, it comes with the necessary drivers for this card as well. Then you (may) have to manually select the Network first time round, and also manually input the DNS settings. (All done for me by my friendly Vodacom person :-) yesterday)

Since my needs are really just email and some browsing, speed is not a major issue, and its a cheap route to go if you are squeezed for cash - of course, about a day after I committed to going this route, Vodacom introduced the subsidies on the Messenger etc packages, making the 3G card more attainable, and had I known about it in advance, maybe I wouldn't have gone this route; still I have saved about R1100 in upfront costs (compared to the R1719 you'd pay for the 3g card on the Messenger package.) and that, even at Prepaid rates, equals about 550Mb of surfing...

Once again, thanks to Vodacom3G and team - considering I didn't even buy the card locally, they didn't have to help - but they did! Kudos, gentlemen!

divv
 
vodacom3g said:
Apologies, been running around like crazy this week...

Here's the scary bit: I don't know the exact details :rolleyes:

But in any case, a new 500Mb R350/month contract option was added to the product suite. You pay something for the card and it's this bit I've not gotten around to confirm. Gut feel is less than 50% of the normal retail price.

There's also a 500Mb bundle available.
Click to expand...

Just spoke to a Vodashop in Cape Town and they're offering the data card at no cost on the 500Mb contract.
 
v3g, I wonder if all the forumites have taken the day off to go hunt down that Vodashop...:)

What can I say Vodacom & v3g keep surprising me everyday ;).
 
On the 500MB contract note:

Anyone know where i can migrate from the weekender contract to the R350 p/m 500MB 3G one? Vodashop i was at told me "not yet, maybe in the next 3 months".

Reason? : I pay R135 + R200 [250MB] = R335 and don't use the free minutes, so it's a waste (in fact i'm not using it to make calls at all due to inability to transfer my 4u prepaid number and not geting a dual sim (if you do have a solution to that one after the fact that i have a new number tell me too).

I do understand i might have to pay migration fees of R500 for the datacard [which i got for free on the weekender].
 
Hi, had to bring this up again - was there any further progress on diabolus' contract 'upgrade' - I find my self in the same boat. 2 contracts and would rather have the one for data only.
 
Hi all,

I made a diffrent option:

I signed a contract on Family Top Up and got the Data Card free. With this I wil pay R135 per month and are able to use R135, and add prepaid voucher if R135 is not enough.

Nice :)
 
What is the chepest way, without signing a contract, to use Prepaid Sim with my Jasjar for browsing and downloading. I want to use my 3G.

If you can give pricing as well I will appreciate it.

Thanks guys & gals.
 
I noticed you can get a Family topup for R50 a month (for 24 months) with no phone. And (once the theoretical prepaid data bundles become available) you have R135 to buy a bundle with. ie add a R29 voucher, and buy a 150MB bundle for an effective R65 (plus the compulsory clip and itemised billing)
 
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nicovdw said:
I noticed you can get a Family topup for R50 a month (for 24 months) with no phone. And (once the theoretical prepaid data bundles become available) you have R135 to buy a bundle with. ie add a R29 voucher, and buy a 150MB bundle for an effective R65 (plus the compulsory clip and itemised billing)
Click to expand...

That sounds too good to be true. Do you have a link?
 
I just phoned Vodashop at Vodaworld (011 653 5000), and the dude confirmed that it is R49.
Let's see, R49 + R17.10 (Itemised billing) + R 9.50 (clip) = R75.60 = R135 value

Add R14 to that, and you have 150 MB for R 89,60 = 59.7c/MB
Add R65 to that, and you have 250 MB for R140,60 = 56.2c/MB

Remember, you cannot load a prepaid data bundle onto a Family topup yet, so currently you would get 67.5MB woth of data for your R75,60 = effective R1,12/MB

I sure hope those data bundles are coming soon.

@V3g - Can you confirm that you will be able to buy bundles with the R135 you get with the family topup?
also @V3g - What the hell is with the compulsory charges? I will not use it, why must I pay for it?
 
the free 3g card on weekender has been around since december so its nothing new. i am just waiting for it to get cheaper, like a discount on the contract once the high speed service comes through. Also waiting for pre paid data, its been so long i am not sure if its out or not. but hey, i held my breathe for so long, i almost died. not doing that again. suffice to say, i went for mtn. now thats a shame.
 
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