Mobile data users losing out

larrychang said:
port to vodacom - they allow you to top-up as soon as your bundle is depleted. mtn don't... i'm on mtn contract (voice) & voda pre-paid for my data.
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diabolus said:
Yes, it's not always the most economical route, obviously if you know you will use 1.5GB every month, you're not going to buy a 1GB + 500MB bundle everytime.

However this is more a case of "you don't know" every month, and maybe you actually use 800MB every month and a 1GB is fine, but that -one- time Windows decides to offload XP Service Pack 3 onto you [300MB-400MB] , you kinda want to do something about it don't you? In Vodacom's case you can at least buy an additional 500MB bundle...better you can buy the bundle "mid-download" even [on prepaid anyway].

Total cost [1.5GB]: R300 + R200 = R500 .

On MTN, of course, you're screwed [and this happens way too much with me].

Total cost [1.5GB] : R300 + R1.20 * 500 = R900 !!!!!!

See the difference?
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I can't believe I'm actually thinking going to vodacom. I thought I'd never touch them.

Sigh.

I'd like to go to virgin or cellc but they don't have 3g. What is a person to do?

Maybe Neotel should become a cdma cell operator. :D
 
Rouxenator said:
Why then does a startup like Virgin Mobile offer a flat rate that is a quater of your normal flat rate ?
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Easy: No 3G, No HSDPA. No infrastructure. They are piggy-backing on Cell-C [and not sure on who else] . They're not building and upgrading towers , increasing coverage [like what Voda/Mtn is doing] ...which is an expensive exercise. So i assume Virgin can 'subsidize' these things easier as they don't have these additional expenses.

However that said, i do think Vodacom/MTN can at least do something about the R2 OOB rate and even think of a better system than hitting -bundle- users with it.

I'm still waiting for the data-contracts to be structured like voice-contracts. Remove the bundles, just make me pay a higher monthly tarrif for a better "OOB rate" . i.e. get xMB free and pay Rx p/mb -REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH YOU USE- .
 
diabolus said:
Easy: No 3G, No HSDPA. No infrastructure. They are piggy-backing on Cell-C [and not sure on who else] . They're not building and upgrading towers , increasing coverage [like what Voda/Mtn is doing] ...which is an expensive exercise. So i assume Virgin can 'subsidize' these things easier as they don't have these additional expenses.
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Yeah, but they are still paying cellc for the data since they're using cellc's network. Makes you wonder why cellc doesn't offer 50c a meg as well.
 
MTN_Data_Dude said:
The statement "The fact that out-of-bundle data rates are significantly higher than in-bundle rates means that mobile broadband users must be very careful about exceeding their monthly usage limit." is fundamentally incorrect.

The R2.00/Mb rate is our standard rate and has been for several years - it has never been raised! We give significant discounts to our bundle users because they commit to larger, regular, and predictable usage which is much more attractive to us than infrequent and unpredictable usage. This allows us to do demand planning far more accurately as our total usage becomes more predictable.

A final comment - the rate of R0.19/Mb for our larger bundles is actually significantly below cost.
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While I appreciate your loyalty and the pride you must have in for your company, you have to realise that no matter what you say there is no justification for the shafting the South African public receive from mobile operators. Unfortunately you are on the receiving end of a lot of anger and frustration, but you are essentially an MTN representative on the forums and you did post the laughable statement that you did.

I was slapped with 3 ridiculous bills from Vodacom because I had exceeded my data limits, forcing me to avoid using my datacard at all. This after I had activated the cut of limit, the dashboard software indicated I was below my limit and I had received no SMS notifications. Then try and decipher the online billing report... Its amazing how people fell over each other to give me a data contract and they were even more enthusiastic to bill me, but when it comes to queries on the matter I had to make 10+ phone calls to actually be reassured someone would look into it, which never happened anyway.

Its ridiculous, something has to be done about this. The mobile data providers are worse than loan sharks.
 
Qwikslver said:
Yeah, but they are still paying cellc for the data since they're using cellc's network. Makes you wonder why cellc doesn't offer 50c a meg as well.
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I'd wager it's because Cell-C doesn't have money ;). Virgin, being international most probably do have some cash reserves to 'subsidize' their little operation here.
 
If only it was as easy to stop smoking as it was to get rid of my cellphone I'd be really happy.
 
diabolus said:
Easy: No 3G, No HSDPA. No infrastructure. They are piggy-backing on Cell-C [and not sure on who else] . They're not building and upgrading towers , increasing coverage [like what Voda/Mtn is doing] ...which is an expensive exercise. So i assume Virgin can 'subsidize' these things easier as they don't have these additional expenses.
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All true - but still - for most people they are a very nice upgrade from standard Telskom dialup.

A while back I bought five USB EDGE modems from Hong Kong (R500 each) and equipped each of them with a Virgin Mobile SIM. The people how bought them from me are happy with the costs they are saving every month after killing their dialup connections and the speed is also 4 to 5 times better. One of them is thinking of converting to Virgin Mobile contract as this will be easier than logging into the Vzone every now and then to see your balance and then topping up accordingly.
 
just read the title of the article again. should read:

"cellular operators screwing the public - again"

and not
cellular operators cashing in on poor data bundle management
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uhm.. 8c vs 120c ?? where are the cheerleaders for these cell operators now?
 
I am not very happy with Vodacom at the moment. I have a phone and a modem contract with them, so spend a fair bit of money monthly.
When I last bought a data bundle, I phoned them and they told me that their policy had changed, so that instead of the bundle expiring on the last day of the month, as it used to do, the data bundle would expire 30 days from day of purchase - great! A step in the right direction! Needless to say, they need to send out an SMS stating "Your data-bundle will expire on YYY/MM/DD at HH:MM". 28 days later, I checked online... Their website still stated that the bundle expired at the end of the month, so I phoned them. The operator then told me that the usage period was 30 days, but my bundle had expired. Two days later, when I went to buy a new data bundle, - I re=queried the earlier transactions, only to be told that my bundle hadn't expired when the previous operator had said it did, and as such, I lost out on about 100mb of data. Vodacom did an audit and, realising they had been in the wrong, decided to refund me for my loss, at in-bundle rates. i.e. a refund of R25 odd... I said I wasn't happy and I would prefer the megabytes added to my next bundle. They wouldn't do it! Talk about a RIP-OFF!!!! If I cancel my modem contract, they'll still bill me for the full amount!
Until this service improves, I will use a pay as you go bundle from MTN for my data!!! I have yet to receive a cent of refund!
 
MTN_Data_Dude said:
Our books are not and have never been "fixed". If you believe your data bill was incorrect then you simply have to call your SP and your bill will be investigated. Credits will be passed if the bill was incorrect.
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MTN_Data_Dude,

I have questioned this so any times with MTN SP and either get no response or when I actualy take time off work to go in and see them I get lead down the garden path. Unfortunately, they have ALL the answers and since I am not in IT, to try and disprovethem is whole other story. Goodbye, christmass bonus. Call it a learning curve - had my fingers burnt - wont do it again.
 
Ideas and tips...

Shame, never seen someone disappear so quickly. Glad I am not in PR at one of our slave driving telecoms companies.

So why use mobile internet when you can get ADSL? I have done the 2GB package a few times, and it was never enough. My phone bill was much too high. So I got ADSL...Cybersmart, 3GB account, already topped it up this month. And I paid 20 bucks extra, and they roll over whats left to next month. And despite that, I am still paying less than a 2gb Vodascum account with a mistaken over-usage. And as a bonus, I let my download manager download between 1am-8am, and I get 5 times the usage. So if mobility is not that important, ADSL is the way. My remote connection to work works like a dream, even though I have a 384 line.

But what to do when you need mobile connectivity? Well, Neotel is slowly going to become a better option, that is, if you don't mind looking like a fool carrying your handset around. But I do expect that to change at some point. And then all hell will break loose. As their coverage expands and possibly a nice portable modem that does not look like a car phone from 198x movies, people will come flocking.

Other options, my boss usually hangs out at Greenfields off the N4, and you have access methods there, at the price of a cup of coffee if I am not mistaken. I mean, how much data could and should one use when sitting in your car and doing something online quickly? If you know you are going to spend more time working online, go park off somewhere where you can get internet. Maybe we should compile a list of places we know of where one can do so. Places, access methods and prices if applicable. If the list is comprehensive, we drive customers to those places and rather spend money tipping waiters that might need the money instead of filling full pockets even more. And we get our connectivity.

And big tip, stop surfing porn on wireless. Wireless is made for work. And also, no downloading. Do that at home. On the odd occasion if you do have to do it for work, who should be responsible for the costs? And think ahead. Have your resources prepared, keep them with you, download at home, then you will less likely get stuck having to download 50-100mb out on the road.

I only wish all my tips were applicable to everyone, then it would be so much easier. But let's just hope Neotel x'ses out high mobile prices for us.
 
Park@82 said:
You can buy as many as you like.
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No, you can only load ONE bundle in a 30 day period. if it runs out, you go over to out of bundel rates. :mad:

I switched from a bundel on my contract to a prepaid data bundel.
On a contract they ever warn you when your bundel is depleted and just start charging you R2/Mb out of bundel rates!

Oh, also MTN. I still think all cell operators suck cause the data is per month. I'm using a prepaid sim, and as soon as you buy a data bundle, your on a 30 day contract. My prepaid time i can use when i like but not my data :mad:
 
francoislr said:
Other options, my boss usually hangs out at Greenfields off the N4, and you have access methods there, at the price of a cup of coffee if I am not mistaken.
go park off somewhere where you can get internet.

And big tip, stop surfing porn on wireless. Wireless is made for work.
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You mean no downloading porn in the carpark?
 
Rural said:
2 Weeks ago I phoned Nashua SP to try and find out why there was such a large difference between my month end usage records taken from the MTN dashboard and my billed usage.
From Jan to Apr08 I was billed anywhere between 35% and 72 % less than my dashboard indicated usage :). In June and July I was billed 12% and 24% more respectively :mad:.
The Nashua call centre agent informed me that the dashboard data record was inaccurate. "It was just an indication", she said. It might be consequently inaccurate but when the % difference varies so widely I begin to suspect the billing system.
Anyway, why does MTN attach its name to, and issue "inaccurate" dashboard software?
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My point exactly!

According to the useless software i still had data available. Alas, when I get my bill.... ouch! Billing and software do not match. MTN, you thieving ......
 
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