Flat-rated smartphone data packages are difficult says Vodacom

A flat rated smartphone data package will never be truly uncapped.

A better long term solution would be more affordable capped data. During the recent IPL final I saw an advert from one of the service providers with a smartphone with 1GB bundle included. Our flat rated packages FUP will not even be 1GB.
 
Please they are just worried how much moola they will loose!

Wait till Cell C does it, then 8ta, and last the finish line Vodacom as usual...
 
AirWolf said:
A flat rated smartphone data package will never be truly uncapped.
Click to expand...

Agree, for two reasons:

1. If it's truly uncapped, the abusers go to town and we see 300GB per month downloads.

2. If we put a FUP on it, this forum lights up like a runway:

2a) If the FUP is too low, it's compared to a normal data bundle.

2b) If the FUP is too high, it's seen as a target. ( just like my wife sees a credit card limit as a target, and manage to hit it without fail)

But there are some possible middle grounds.
 
2GB a month is more than enough for a normal smartphone user. Why dont you just slash the prepaid prices instead of pursuing "unlimited"
 
I would not mind something that gives, say 250meg unthrottled, 250meg semi throttled and then "uncapped" at gprs speeds (or slightly less).
 
The Yanks realised that landing a man on the moon was going to be difficult, but that didn't deter them. If the lunar programme was managed by VC Neil Armstrong probably wouldn't have left earth, never mind set foot on the moon.
 
jannievanzyl said:
Agree, for two reasons:

1. If it's truly uncapped, the abusers go to town and we see 300GB per month downloads.

2. If we put a FUP on it, this forum lights up like a runway:

2a) If the FUP is too low, it's compared to a normal data bundle.

2b) If the FUP is too high, it's seen as a target. ( just like my wife sees a credit card limit as a target, and manage to hit it without fail)

But there are some possible middle grounds.
Click to expand...

You're probably right.

But getting your R149pm for 2GB as a bolt-on would go a long way in servicing the smartphone market. Think about it.
 
A suggestion - if the current data price (profitable) threshold is 10c/MB why not just make it this price, no bundles? Then also allow people to enforce a data cap so they don't get any surprises at the end of the month - it is not in any mobile company's interest to give a customer an exorbitant bill as they will either leave or not be able to pay which is bad long term.

Or at least make bundles 10c/MB (R100/GB) and OOB rate sub 20c/MB.
 
mmmm My sister gonna frekking kill me! She keeps on asking me where is the BIS service for her RAZR? She wants the peace of mind. Tnk god for her foot operation..she wont be able to chase after me and donner me!
 
jannievanzyl said:
Agree, for two reasons:

1. If it's truly uncapped, the abusers go to town and we see 300GB per month downloads.

2. If we put a FUP on it, this forum lights up like a runway:

2a) If the FUP is too low, it's compared to a normal data bundle.

2b) If the FUP is too high, it's seen as a target. ( just like my wife sees a credit card limit as a target, and manage to hit it without fail)

But there are some possible middle grounds.
Click to expand...


Affordable Bolt-On data bundles is my answer
 
I think most of understand uncapped on the cell networks won't ever work. What would be awesome though would be if all contract packages came with some data for the full 24month period.
 
Qwikslver said:
I think most of understand uncapped on the cell networks won't ever work. What would be awesome though would be if all contract packages came with some data for the full 24month period.
Click to expand...

It does. Majority of our deals these days include data (100 or 250 meg depending on the deal) with Android and Iphones.
 
Qwikslver said:
I think most of understand uncapped on the cell networks won't ever work. What would be awesome though would be if all contract packages came with some data for the full 24month period.
Click to expand...

Tell that to the first world, they have had unlimited data contracts for ages. Even if that weren't the case, it's a lame excuse. We don't actually even need truly uncapped contracts, we have ADSL for major downloads. What would be nice though are proper usage limits on contracts, say 5-20GB instead of a piddling 250MB (lol) per month so you can at least watch a youtube video or 2, and then a hard cap so you don't have to sell your house (and buy some suit at Vodacom a new one) when you leave your 3G data on overnight.
 
Bern said:
A suggestion - if the current data price (profitable) threshold is 10c/MB why not just make it this price, no bundles? Then also allow people to enforce a data cap so they don't get any surprises at the end of the month - it is not in any mobile company's interest to give a customer an exorbitant bill as they will either leave or not be able to pay which is bad long term.

Or at least make bundles 10c/MB (R100/GB) and OOB rate sub 20c/MB.
Click to expand...

I'd play a flat rate just to kill the OOB rate, 100 meg free per day, 15-20c OOB after that. Make it R99 per month.
add alternative option of R59 for 50meg per day, 15-20c OOB.

Also make data accumulate up to 1Gig, so that if a OS update comes along people can save up enough data for that particular download.

Offer something people actually want for a change and it'll sell.
 
Last edited:
It is understood that Vodacom is still looking at service based flat-rated products, which [highlight]instead of unlimited data will offer unlimited services[/highlight], such as social networking or internet messaging.
Click to expand...
I for one do not like this restrictive developing trend where network operators (e.g. MTN) are emphasising certain social media services like FB instead of just letting people use their data for whatever they want.

Vodacom also said that there is “no update” on their plan to launch [highlight]cheaper BlackBerry packages.[/highlight]
Click to expand...
There probably is a business case for R30/month BIS in South Africa where the poorest of the poor are the biggest users of Blackberry phones and the R59/month unlimited on device data service.

I predict that by the time Vodacom gets its act together, 8ta and/or Cell C will already have BIS for much less than R60/month.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X