DataSIM: one voice contract and Data SIM Cards that share a Contract Data Bundle

[Nuro]

From the terms and conditions:

The Data SIM will only be available to Contract subscribers (excluding Top Up) via their relevant Service Provider

 

[UtianG]

The DataSIM is a data/sms only. So you can take calls and use data on the SIM in your phone AND use the DataSIM for browsing in a 3G Modem. You can have up to 2 DataSIMs on a contract.

Our Vodacom corporate account person says you can have a DataSIM on a top-up contract, but no-one has taken her up on that offer yet, so I don't know if it is actually possible.

Thanks for all your feedback guys.

I would definately love to have a DataSIM but who can I speak to to find out if it is in fact available on TopUp. Would the guys at the vodashop be clued up with this?

 

[ginggs]

Dual SIM / Data SIM Questions

I've heard that Vodacom have a product that allows you to attach more than one SIM to an account in order to share a single data bundle.

How well does this work? What happens if you deplete your bundle before 30 days are up, can you buy another?

I've gotten used to the flexibility of Vodacom's pre-paid data, but would want a contract for voice (device subsidy, cheaper calls) is there any way of getting the best of both worlds?

The perfect package for me would be a single account with 5 SIM cards attached plus 2GB of data, 1000 SMSs and 1000 minutes of voice calls shared across all of the SIMs.

 

[morkhans]

I have a voice contract now with 2 DataSIMs on. It looks like the 2nd DataSIM is a bit of a hack because for some odd reason it is listed as DataSIM2(Blackberry) on v4m. It can't connect to the internet APN but it can connect to the iphone APN which I am also provisioned for.

If you want to share voice and data across so many SIMs you probably need a corporate APN service like Synix was punting a while back.

 

[ginggs]

I have a voice contract now with 2 DataSIMs on.

So how is it working out? Better than pre-paid data, or is it too early to tell (no bill shock yet)?

If you want to share voice and data across so many SIMs you probably need a corporate APN service like Synix was punting a while back.

I should have put my wish in the 'What I'd like to see from Vodacom in 2009' thread.

 

[morkhans]

So how is it working out? Better than pre-paid data, or is it too early to tell (no bill shock yet)?

To early to tell. But from a convenience and cost saving point I think it is good. I was faced with the following:

• Add a small data bundle to my voice contract for email, surfing etc from my phone. Then carry on with PPDB and having to move my SIM from the card when I wanted to use it with my notebook. The minus having to pay for 2 bundles.

OR

• Add the bundle I was using on PP to my voice contract so I could share between my phone and router and as a bonus I have a dedicated SIM for my notebook. The minus is I will probably forfeit +/- 100mb a month just to avoid going OOB by accident

I should have put my wish in the 'What I'd like to see from Vodacom in 2009' thread.

If Vodacom can get real-time billing for Data I am sorted (HURRY UP!), but until then I will be watching those megs...

 

[ginggs]

Anyone able to answer a couple of questions about data SIMs, please?
(Thanks for the answers so far)

What is the cost to set one up? R97 connection fee plus R63 for a 64K SIM or a 32K SIM for free
Is there a monthly cost? R9 per month
Do you have to buy a new SIM or can you use a pre-paid SIM? You have to get a new SIM
Does it have its own number on the network? Yes
Can it receive SMS? Yes (In particular, the one warning you that your bundle is almost up) ?
You will need to send a "Please Call Me" or *111*501# once the SIM is activated to find out the number
Can it send SMS or make calls? It can SMS, but not make calls
Can it do USSD? (In particular, to check bundle balance) Yes
Can it connect on a different APN to the primary SIM? (e.g. 'unrestricted' on data SIM, 'iphone' on primary SIM) Yes
If one's data bundle runs out, does the data SIM continue on the out-of-bundle rate? Presumably so

 

[morkhans]

Most of your answers are here: http://www.vodacom.co.za/services/data_sim/data_sim.jsp

 

[Ockie]

Data Sim were created when Blackberry and 3G services started taking off in SA. The main reason for this service were for people who wanted to have a normal voice phone together with a Blackberry and a 3G modem, but did not want to have to switch their sim between devices every time. The Twin Sim service were not sufficient for this as only on sim could be active at a time on the Network. When you have a normal contract with VSP, (Top Up Contracts and prepaid cant have the data sim service last time I checked), and you request lets say a Data Sim for your 3G modem, then you are issued with a second sim that is Linked to the account, but issued a different cell number (this is what allows both sims to be active on the network at the same time). The second sim is then provisioned for data only (no voice calls etc). You are then free to activate data bundles as per normal, wether it be a montly repeating bundle, or ad-hoc once off bundle. The Data Sim will then run off that data bundle linked to your account.

So now you can talk on your phone and browse the web all at the same time...no more switching sims to use the data bundle residing on your main account.

PS: All other standard rules will apply to the data sim...so if you have a standard data bundle, then OOB rates will apply one bundle is depleted. If you have Advanced data bundle active, then the same rate will apply as per the Advanced Bundle rules.

 

[vodacom3g]

Data Sim were created when Blackberry and 3G services started taking off in SA. The main reason for this service were for people who wanted to have a normal voice phone together with a Blackberry and a 3G modem, but did not want to have to switch their sim between devices every time. The Twin Sim service were not sufficient for this as only on sim could be active at a time on the Network. When you have a normal contract with VSP, (Top Up Contracts and prepaid cant have the data sim service last time I checked), and you request lets say a Data Sim for your 3G modem, then you are issued with a second sim that is Linked to the account, but issued a different cell number (this is what allows both sims to be active on the network at the same time). The second sim is then provisioned for data only (no voice calls etc). You are then free to activate data bundles as per normal, wether it be a montly repeating bundle, or ad-hoc once off bundle. The Data Sim will then run off that data bundle linked to your account.

So now you can talk on your phone and browse the web all at the same time...no more switching sims to use the data bundle residing on your main account.

PS: All other standard rules will apply to the data sim...so if you have a standard data bundle, then OOB rates will apply one bundle is depleted. If you have Advanced data bundle active, then the same rate will apply as per the Advanced Bundle rules.

Thanks, well explained.

 

[morkhans]

Do you have to buy a new SIM or can you use a pre-paid SIM? ? - My guess is new SIM at $$ from a vodashop
Can it receive SMS? Yes (In particular, the one warning you that your bundle is almost up) ? That SMS will go the the primary voice SIM
Can it do USSD? (In particular, to check bundle balance) ? Dunno. I can check for you.
Can it connect on a different APN to the primary SIM? (e.g. 'unrestricted' on data SIM, 'iphone' on primary SIM) ? Yes. The APN's you apply for are available to all the SIMs
If one's data bundle runs out, does the data SIM continue on the out-of-bundle rate? Presumably so - Yes.

 

[ginggs]

Do you have to buy a new SIM or can you use a pre-paid SIM? ? - My guess is new SIM at $$ from a vodashop

Sometimes you can avoid the R105 fee for a new SIM by using a pre-paid SIM. I'll try and find out.

Can it receive SMS? Yes (In particular, the one warning you that your bundle is almost up) ? That SMS will go the the primary voice SIM

Maybe the ALTNUM service can be used here, does anyone know if the SMS goes to both the primary and the ALTNUM numbers?

I like this bit from the Vodacom page:

You can also receive SMS messages from friends and family to these devices if you provide the cellphone number of the SIM in the devices.

Does this mean Data SIMs are immune to stalkers and spammers?

 

[ajax]

Sometimes you can avoid the R105 fee for a new SIM by using a pre-paid SIM. I'll try and find out.

A friend and I shared a data bundle using the datasim and we had to get a new sim (the datasim that is) for R99. Converting a prepaid sim was not allowed.

 

[ginggs]

Morkhans loaned me his Huawei B970 and data SIM, so I was able to try out USSD.

Can it do USSD? (In particular, to check bundle balance) ? Dunno. I can check for you.

USSD works perfectly on a data SIM, can check the free minutes, SMS and data bundle balances.

Can it connect on a different APN to the primary SIM? (e.g. 'unrestricted' on data SIM, 'iphone' on primary SIM) ? Yes. The APN's you apply for are available to all the SIMs

Why is the APN on your data SIM 'iphone.vodacom.za'?

 

[morkhans]

Morkhans loaned me his Huawei B970 and data SIM, so I was able to try out USSD.

USSD works perfectly on a data SIM, can check the free minutes, SMS and data bundle balances.

Why is the APN on your data SIM 'iphone.vodacom.za'?

I suspect the second DataSIM is a bit of a hack. On v4me it is listed as blackberry. I need to follow-up with the helpdesk again, they were looking into why it did not work on the internet APN.

 

[vodacom3g]

AFAIK, you can get up to 3 SIMs (2 DataSIMs) linked but the 3rd one is for BB, so most likely only gets the BB APN.

 

[morkhans]

AFAIK, you can get up to 3 SIMs (2 DataSIMs) linked but the 3rd one is for BB, so most likely only gets the BB APN.

At the moment to me it looks like it will do anything except the internet APN.

 

[morkhans]

Loophole: unrestricted?

I still want to apply for that, but I first thought I'd get them to fix my access to the internet APN because I suspect when I apply for the unrestricted APN my second DataSIM will loose its access to the internet APN again. So currently iphone and internetvpn APN works, but not internet

 

[ginggs]

I got my Data SIM from Vodacom Customer Care Centre in Canal Walk today.
They were unable to use my existing pre-paid number, but gave me the choice of a 32K SIM for free or pay in R63 for a 64K SIM.

 

[Dolby]

Data SIM scenario : possible?

Cell phone (use roughly 100MB or so per month)
Netbook (use roughly 2GB or so per month)
Desktop (use roughly 500MB or so)

Each of these was totally independant, bought at different times, when the need arose) and expire at different dates (Cellphone expires Aug 2010, Netbook expires Feb 2012 and Desktp already exipred April 2009).

Will a Data SIM allow me to add a 3GB bundle on my phone - that both my netbook and desktop would use when needed?

Would Vodacom allow me to change my existing 500MB to a Data SIM?

Current I'm paying OOB on my phone as well as R698.00pm for two seperate data contracts! My data alone is costing me almost R1000.00pm ....

*If* I could do the 3GB onto my phone with two Data SIMS, it'd only cost me R689.00pm