Mobile data prices in South Africa - 2010 vs 2020

[Jamie McKane]

Mobile data prices in South Africa - 2010 vs 2020

The Competition Commission published a report last year which criticised South Africa’s two largest cellular networks – Vodacom and MTN – for their mobile data prices.

It said that these networks should cut their mobile data prices by 30% to 50%, sparking a variety of responses from South Africans.

 

[marine1]

Did the 2 monopolies write this article?
VC and MTN have been around far longer so they should be the ones to offer more for less but no thay would mean they would have less profits and more users on their networks. Nobody believes this rubbish anymore..

 

[MirageF1]

Without comparative value of Rand between 2010 and 2020 the report is misleading and valueless.

Thew purchasing power of R1 was far more in 2010.

 

[quovadis]

Still mind blowing that the last mile (ie tower to end user) contributes such a premium compared to fixed line options especially considering the gains in technology.

 

[system32]

Was in Turkey, Italy & Portugal recently, data prices much cheaper than ZA.

 

[Spizz]

Was in Turkey, Italy & Portugal recently, data prices much cheaper than ZA.

I’m in Myanmar just now. Exchange rate about 100 to 1, so chop the last 2 digits off this price list for Rand equivalent. For example, 2gb equals R21.

And I’ve travelled a fair bit and rarely been out of 4g coverage.

 

[Hoffie Hoffmann]

Why is Telkom not included?

 

[damian24]

Russia ("only" 15x larger than RSA ) - LTE everywhere I went, 1 month 25gb package and 500 minutes national package - Rub650, around a R150... I keep getting the MyBB pro Multichoice, MTN and Vodacom bias feeling and it's very off-putting for my continued patronage of the site.

Ghana, MTN had no 4G coverage but Surfline LTE coverage was great for data and their 200GB packages were also only a couple of hundred Rand, guess what, MTn and vodafone were ripping consumers off there too by comparison.

Stop defending the indefensible, and be a pro-consumer site not a corporate mouth piece.

edit : Russia population covered by LTE approx 65% and RSA 63%... nuff said re investment

List of countries by 4G LTE penetration - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

D

 

[Swa]

Great, now can we do a comparison between now and 2015?
Also I don't remember Vodacom charging just R115 for 1GB except on specific apps so this isn't the normal price.

 

[Gazg]

Mobile data prices in South Africa - 2010 vs 2020

The Competition Commission published a report last year which criticised South Africa’s two largest cellular networks – Vodacom and MTN – for their mobile data prices.

It said that these networks should cut their mobile data prices by 30% to 50%, sparking a variety of responses from South Africans.

MTN is madlessly overpriced..R149 for 1GB......all this spectrum bs, ja right.

 

[Larry_Fisherman]

Was in Turkey, Italy & Portugal recently, data prices much cheaper than ZA.

What's the price of a tourist Sim in Turkey? Best place to get one?

 

[The_Ogre]

If ever there was a case of blatant price-fixing, this would be it.

 

[Sarg3_ZN]

There is a problems with this comparison, the data allowances, back in 2010 were great, not so much now.

Back in 2010 most people only browsed the web, checked email and Facebook and used chat apps to eat through their data, some did use YouTube but it was just getting started. Websites contained little media content back in the day, maybe a podcast here or there and not too many videos.

Fast forward 10 years and along with all of the above, considering that websites have been upgraded and enhanced with additional features and functionality, we now have Netflix, YouTube and Spotify, PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live, Skype and Whatsapp video calls.
Both Netflix and YouTube offer content from 720p up to 4K. The majority of websites include embedded video and audio (rich media) for content and in the adverts that they serve.

Yet the networks still see fit to offer 500Mb data bundles and at R80/R100, they claim to have reduced prices and are offering the user value, what a massive f%^&$%ing joke. Those prices should be divided by 10 and then these networks can crow about how they have dropped data prices.

 

[bwana]

All I see is a strong dedication to greed by the big two.

 

[supersunbird]

Why is Telkom not included?

They only launched in October 2010, so no 10 years price comparison really doable (what if their prices change before Oct 2020)?

 

[supersunbird]

All I see is a strong dedication to greed by the big two.

As a shareholder through my retirement fund, I applaud them, because I want the dividends that make my retirement funds grow.

 

[system32]

What's the price of a tourist Sim in Turkey? Best place to get one?

Got mine at the airport - needed passport for "RICA"

 

[Herr der Verboten]

Without comparative value of Rand between 2010 and 2020 the report is misleading and valueless.

Thew purchasing power of R1 was far more in 2010.

If only we had a Comparative value of 2010 mybb and 2020 mybroadband articles

 

[Ninja'd]

I remember a time in 2006/7 when Vodacom would ask R88 for 75mb. Needles to say, the OOBshark always bit me.

 

[Herr der Verboten]

I remember a time in 2006/7 when Vodacom would ask R88 for 75mb. Needles to say, the OOBshark always bit me.

One of the good reasons I went over to prepaid, and getting that firewall for apps.