How load-shedding affects data usage

[Bradley Prior]

How load-shedding affects data usage

South Africa's mobile operators answer questions on the impact of load-shedding on data traffic.

 

[2525252525]

Would be really cool if we could have Starlink as a fallback for failing towers, it's odd that mobile operators haven't scrambled to use this incredible tech yet.

 

[RudderVator]

Maybe the reason you see declining data volumes nationwide during loadshedding MTN is because your network becomes inaccessible…

Just a thought…

 

[supersunbird]

MTN performed reasonably well, with its speeds only dropping by around 5% during load-shedding.

The reason is that the users cannot connect to the network, those that can are only 5% slower overall.

 

[Vis1/0N]

When the power goes off most of their customers (without ups wifi) will be switching on their Vodacom mobile routers or phone data back on. Yeah, you really don't want to use your capped or bundled Vodacom data unless you absolutely have to.

 

[xrapidx]

Don't know how, both MTN and Vodacom become barely useable in most area's I've been during load shedding.

 

[Dan C]

Don't know how, both MTN and Vodacom become barely useable in most area's I've been during load shedding.

Vodacom has been rock solid here during LS, even stage 6 so far.

 

[Polymathic]

Telkom goes down during load shedding and sometimes remains down for 2 hours after load shedding in my area.

 

[yebocan]

MTN MoMo data is my go to when fibre goes down... R2 a Gig -Rush Hour Data

 

[xrapidx]

Vodacom has been rock solid here during LS, even stage 6 so far.

Not where I've been - but - its definitely better than MTN, which seems to die in the first hour.

 

[PaulGherkin]

Don't know how, both MTN and Vodacom become barely useable in most area's I've been during load shedding.

I am using an MTN LTE solution here.
When there's 4 hours LS... it dies 3 hours in... as in, the signal goes to 1 bar and there's no internet at all..

 

[Jacobofski]

I use FLTE with Supersonic which part of MTN and it is incredibly slow. The same goes for for MTN on my phone. I live in Bronkhorstspruit and there is five base stations close to me. But then on the same day in Brummeria in Pretoria I tested the speed and was amazed instead of getting 25 mbps I got 150! There is no 5G as I use a Note 20 Ultra.

At night in the last week my speeds were as low as 2 mbps.

 

[Dielouws]

I am moving all my contracts from MTN to VODACOM as this is the only service that keeps on running even in long load shedding sessions..... GO VODACOM ! ! ! Mtn is not working - no phone calls, no data, no business - some times MTN is off line even when Escom in online - think of that ! ! I need connectivity to run my business.

 

[McRuder]

During loadshedding (where I live outside PTA) the only thing that works is satellite. At least I can still work.

MTN, Voda, Cellc, Telkom, Rain, I have them all and they all dead (zero service) during loadshedding, and it has been this way for months. I can see 2 towers from my house, and I can throw the nearest with a rock (looks like a Voda tower). I assume none of the billions were spent here on backup power.

 

[Nkgase]

I really concur with you. I live in Protea Glen, Ext 20 and use Telkom WIFI modem. I get very lucky if I have 30 minutes of uninterrupted service everyday ( load shedding or not). I would be in a virtual meeting and all of a sudden there's no service and the call cuts. This is so frustrating.