Khodi
Well-Known Member
I have been asking my self'' Which network has the best service in gprs/3g/edge/hsdpa. Coz im finding it hard to choose between the 4
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Question of the Day: What is your non-negotiable item, device, or app for international travel?
MTN/CELL C/Vodacom/VIRGIN MOBILE
- Thread starter Khodi
- Start date
Piesang
Executive Member
Lowest Price: Virgin Mobile
Fastest 3G/HSDPA: Vodacom
Fastest GPRS/EDGE: Virgin Mobile
Best 3G/HSDPA Coverage: Vodacom
Best GPRS/EDGE Coverage: MTN
Fast speeds = high usage = more money
I'll go with Virgin Mobile if I were you. I use Virgin Mobile, MTN and Vodacom for data and as soon as the Virgin Mobile sim works with the Huawei Data Card I will be using MTN just for my free minutes and then Virgin Mobile for the rest of the month.
ajax
Executive Member
Yes, Pieasang sums it up nicely. If you want speed, get VC or MTN, if you want low price, get Virgin.
For me, in my area VM wins on speed and cost over MTN. However I use to have problems with Vm slowing down terribly during busy periods like after 8pm in the night.
If you need your connection mostly at night then consider this. VM uses Cell c's network
If you need your connection mostly at night then consider this. VM uses Cell c's network
Piesang
Executive Member
Maybe I should add to my opinion that your location is also playing a big role in which service you want to use.
Another reasn why I use MTN, VM and VC is if the one doesn't work I use the other one.
Another reasn why I use MTN, VM and VC is if the one doesn't work I use the other one.
charl.voster
Well-Known Member
No, Vodacom is not the fastest.
LCBXX
Honorary Master
It's catch-22 really. Each operator offers something at a better cost than the other and VM aren't that much cheaper for me to move from MTN to them. I am not going to buy 4 diffirent sim cards in order to reap the benifits from each provider!
Anthony Merredew
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hi guys plz could u help me with my problem...
i have an i0mate sp3i on mtn and would like to know ho to get mms to work.
please help me and reply.
thank you
Anthony
i have an i0mate sp3i on mtn and would like to know ho to get mms to work.
please help me and reply.
thank you
Anthony
nGAGEd55
Expert Member
Rather start a new thread next time, seeing as this is completely off topic.
Anyways, dial *123# and go to phone setup.
Anthony Merredew
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ok sorry abou that im just so confused on this phone settings and that..thank you by the way too..
diabolus
Executive Member
I currently hold 5 sims :
Prepaid Vodacom :
My main phone number, too expensive for data, i try not to come near internet with this sim. I wouldn't recommend this route to anyone at this stage for data.
Contract Vodacom :
I load bundles on this. I am suppose to get HSDPA type of speeds, haven't seen that since May [then again the times i DID get HSDPA speeds, my bundle was gone in a week and had to revert to other operators for data, so in Vodas defense i might be missing the good periods due to this
]. I mostly get good 3G speeds, stability is good.
My bundle per MB cost is average about 70c per MB...EXCLUDING the times i go over my bundle then i suddenly get hit with R2 p/MB and ruins my monthly bill. Vodacom bundles also run on calendar months, you loose remainder of your bundles at end of every month.
Prepaid MTN :
I got 2 sims now for this. I get same speeds on MTN as on Vodacom with my HSDPA card [which says it all, considering MTN doesn't have HSDPA?] . Stability very good.
MTN bundles basically costs the same as Vodacom bundles, also average me about 70c p/MB . Because it's on prepaid i
can't really go over my bundle [i don't put extra cash on it], my internet will just stop working.
Now significant difference here is, MTN bundles run for 30 days from the time you activated the bundle. You can't buy new bundles within the 30 days even if the bundle is depleted. Good part is, you can buy a bundle, use it for 30 days and do not HAVE to buy another bundle until your next "use", so theoretically you don't waste as much [where with Voda you get a bundle from 1st-30th even if you only start using it at the 15th] .
Of course here i use 2 prepaid sims, if the 1 run out too early, i just load a bundle on the 2nd sim = i never pay out of bundle.
Prepaid Virgin
Cheap and simple, 50c p/MB, no bundle crap, no "must use your bundle in 30 days or loose it" , no "can only get this rate if you buy this amount of data" nonsense. Just plain prepaid and truly "pay-as-you-go".
Unfortunately, i only get GPRS speeds [There is no 3G, and my phone doesn't have EDGE] . The sim doesn't work in my datacard [which have EDGE]. I've had alot of problems connecting , the network seems to be down alot/unstable. The times i could connect it was all smooth going, GPRS speeds are quite good.
At this stage Virgin is still my "last resort" because of the device incompatibility and not getting 3G. I might however consider moving my prepaid Vodacom [as mentioned above] to Virgin so that i CAN at least do some data tasks on my phone without swopping sims.
Cell-C
I didn't bother with this, as far as i know it's still R2 p/MB , exactly like Vodacom Prepaid except they don't even have 3G. No reason to use Cell-C over Virgin as it is the same network. So i'd just skip them for now.
You need the MMS settings [also findable on one of those 555/141 numbers] AND then need MMS activated. It's usually auto activated when you ask for settings from the helpline/helpmenu...you get a message saying so.
Prepaid Vodacom :
My main phone number, too expensive for data, i try not to come near internet with this sim. I wouldn't recommend this route to anyone at this stage for data.
Contract Vodacom :
I load bundles on this. I am suppose to get HSDPA type of speeds, haven't seen that since May [then again the times i DID get HSDPA speeds, my bundle was gone in a week and had to revert to other operators for data, so in Vodas defense i might be missing the good periods due to this
]. I mostly get good 3G speeds, stability is good. My bundle per MB cost is average about 70c per MB...EXCLUDING the times i go over my bundle then i suddenly get hit with R2 p/MB and ruins my monthly bill. Vodacom bundles also run on calendar months, you loose remainder of your bundles at end of every month.
Prepaid MTN :
I got 2 sims now for this. I get same speeds on MTN as on Vodacom with my HSDPA card [which says it all, considering MTN doesn't have HSDPA?] . Stability very good.
MTN bundles basically costs the same as Vodacom bundles, also average me about 70c p/MB . Because it's on prepaid i
can't really go over my bundle [i don't put extra cash on it], my internet will just stop working.
Now significant difference here is, MTN bundles run for 30 days from the time you activated the bundle. You can't buy new bundles within the 30 days even if the bundle is depleted. Good part is, you can buy a bundle, use it for 30 days and do not HAVE to buy another bundle until your next "use", so theoretically you don't waste as much [where with Voda you get a bundle from 1st-30th even if you only start using it at the 15th] .
Of course here i use 2 prepaid sims, if the 1 run out too early, i just load a bundle on the 2nd sim = i never pay out of bundle.
Prepaid Virgin
Cheap and simple, 50c p/MB, no bundle crap, no "must use your bundle in 30 days or loose it" , no "can only get this rate if you buy this amount of data" nonsense. Just plain prepaid and truly "pay-as-you-go".
Unfortunately, i only get GPRS speeds [There is no 3G, and my phone doesn't have EDGE] . The sim doesn't work in my datacard [which have EDGE]. I've had alot of problems connecting , the network seems to be down alot/unstable. The times i could connect it was all smooth going, GPRS speeds are quite good.
At this stage Virgin is still my "last resort" because of the device incompatibility and not getting 3G. I might however consider moving my prepaid Vodacom [as mentioned above] to Virgin so that i CAN at least do some data tasks on my phone without swopping sims.
Cell-C
I didn't bother with this, as far as i know it's still R2 p/MB , exactly like Vodacom Prepaid except they don't even have 3G. No reason to use Cell-C over Virgin as it is the same network. So i'd just skip them for now.
You need the MMS settings [also findable on one of those 555/141 numbers] AND then need MMS activated. It's usually auto activated when you ask for settings from the helpline/helpmenu...you get a message saying so.
Last edited:
Khodi
Well-Known Member
What do everybody think about MTN services, Someone told me mtn there are the best network in SA.
Piesang
Executive Member
YelloFever
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