MTN Fixed LTE

[Dust52]

I would just like to know how people's experience is with MTN Fixed LTE when they are near the edge or just outside of the edge of the coverage area according to their coverage map.

The reason being, we can only make use of 3G or LTE internet because our offices are out in the sticks. We've been using a Vodacom 3G deal through Mweb for the last 100 years, but since it's a discontinued product on their side, the pricing isn't value for money anymore. To keep the associated email addy from Mweb, we could opt for the MTN Fixed LTE, 30+30Gig @ R199 per month which as far as I can tell is the same price if you get it direct from MTN.

My only concern is that we are a little outside of the coverage map, from what I understand from these Fixed LTE products is they don't have a 3G fallback if you can't connect to a tower, so you're pretty much screwed if it doesn't work. Would we get reduced speeds or no connection at all? Also, for what it's worth, there aren't any hills or big structures in the way of where we are and where the coverage map ends.

 

[netstrider]

I would just like to know how people's experience is with MTN Fixed LTE when they are near the edge or just outside of the edge of the coverage area according to their coverage map.

The reason being, we can only make use of 3G or LTE internet because our offices are out in the sticks. We've been using a Vodacom 3G deal through Mweb for the last 100 years, but since it's a discontinued product on their side, the pricing isn't value for money anymore. To keep the associated email addy from Mweb, we could opt for the MTN Fixed LTE, 30+30Gig @ R199 per month which as far as I can tell is the same price if you get it direct from MTN.

My only concern is that we are a little outside of the coverage map, from what I understand from these Fixed LTE products is they don't have a 3G fallback if you can't connect to a tower, so you're pretty much screwed if it doesn't work. Would we get reduced speeds or no connection at all? Also, for what it's worth, there aren't any hills or big structures in the way of where we are and where the coverage map ends.

If you are outside the coverage then MTN will refuse to supply a contract and, in theory, so will Mweb.

EDIT: As for the coverage within but near the edge, I don't know unfortunately. Hopefully someone else can assist. MTN generally works very very well.

 

[Dust52]

If you are outside the coverage then MTN will refuse to supply a contract and, in theory, so will Mweb.

EDIT: As for the coverage within but near the edge, I don't know unfortunately. Hopefully someone else can assist. MTN generally works very very well.

In theory yes, but you are able to drag the location marker on their map and that seems to be enough to allow you to begin the application process.

Years ago when the Vodacom 3G was still new to us, there were certain spots in rooms that caught the 3G/HSDPA and other bits that could only find 2G. Those were trying times....

 

[netstrider]

In theory yes, but you are able to drag the location marker on their map and that seems to be enough to allow you to begin the application process.

Years ago when the Vodacom 3G was still new to us, there were certain spots in rooms that caught the 3G/HSDPA and other bits that could only find 2G. Those were trying times....

Maybe that works, but does that not change the address on your application and then when you RICA it doesn't match up.

As for performance, this is at around 16h (now) - obviously in good coverage. Early mornings can hit over 200Mbps.

 

[Dust52]

Maybe that works, but does that not change the address on your application and then when you RICA it doesn't match up.

As for performance, this is at around 16h (now) - obviously in good coverage. Early mornings can hit over 200Mbps.

View attachment 938132

That speed is more than sufficient for our needs.

The beauty of being out in the sticks means if you type an address into their search bar it can't find it. The other option I'm willing to try if someone is getting a decent signal outside of the coverage area, is to register it under my residential address.

 

[netstrider]

That speed is more than sufficient for our needs.

The beauty of being out in the sticks means if you type an address into their search bar it can't find it. The other option I'm willing to try if someone is getting a decent signal outside of the coverage area, is to register it under my residential address.

Get a prepaid SIM, or ask someone with MTN contract on a semi-decent smartphone to do a speedtest there in the sticks maybe.

The last thing you want is to be tied into a contract that doesn't work for you and then you have no leg to stand on to cancel it as you're not in the coverage area to begin with.

 

[Attie_karate]

Maybe that works, but does that not change the address on your application and then when you RICA it doesn't match up.

As for performance, this is at around 16h (now) - obviously in good coverage. Early mornings can hit over 200Mbps.

View attachment 938132

Do you get that speed on MTN LTE ? im trough Afihost and im lucky to get 30mbs Download, and my area is fully covered and have good signal

 

[netstrider]

Do you get that speed on MTN LTE ? im trough Afihost and im lucky to get 30mbs Download, and my area is fully covered and have good signal

That's the speed I get all day everyday minus or pkus a few Mbps. Lowest I've had recently is around 80Mbps, highest 205.

On average over 100Mbps.

 

[RudderVator]

I would just like to know how people's experience is with MTN Fixed LTE when they are near the edge or just outside of the edge of the coverage area according to their coverage map.

The reason being, we can only make use of 3G or LTE internet because our offices are out in the sticks. We've been using a Vodacom 3G deal through Mweb for the last 100 years, but since it's a discontinued product on their side, the pricing isn't value for money anymore. To keep the associated email addy from Mweb, we could opt for the MTN Fixed LTE, 30+30Gig @ R199 per month which as far as I can tell is the same price if you get it direct from MTN.

My only concern is that we are a little outside of the coverage map, from what I understand from these Fixed LTE products is they don't have a 3G fallback if you can't connect to a tower, so you're pretty much screwed if it doesn't work. Would we get reduced speeds or no connection at all? Also, for what it's worth, there aren't any hills or big structures in the way of where we are and where the coverage map ends.

Best you can do is get a prepaid MTN simcard and test on the LTE band.
Do a test around 20:00 and test during the weekend. Should rule out coverage issues and congestion. One gets a phenomenon called cell breathing where the coverage ranges becomes smaller as more load is placed on the cell so you might find that at night the signal weakens and you fall outside the coverage area.If you can pass the order address check and your own tests check out you should be fine.

 

[Jake45]

You can also get SIM only month to month MTN Fixed LTE bundles from Afrihost. You could order the 30+30GB product for R199 and cancel after a month or two if you are not happy with the performance (you can probably also cancel the service from MWeb after a month or two but you better check the details with them before signing up). I am currently using the 30+30GB product and the speeds have been pretty good without any downtime for the last year or so.

Pure LTE wireless internet | MTN LTE and Telkom LTE at home | Afrihost

No landline at home or work? No problem! With Pure LTE you can get connected in days, not weeks.

www.afrihost.com

The Afrihost packages offer night time data from midnight to 6AM while the MTN Business packages offer Work Express data between 10AM and 1PM.

 

[Dust52]

Okay, got hold of a Huawei P30 Lite with an MTN contract sim, made sure to go to manual network selection and chose MTN-SA 4G. Signal bar on the phone has 4 out of 5 bars full and Speedtest gave a result of just under 40mbps download.

That's more than good enough for what we do, I thought I couldn't check with a phone because I was under the impression that the Fixed LTE was not for roaming and was a different tower.

 

[Redtooth]

Doesn't MTN fixed LTE only work with specific routers (CAT6) They have a very small list of what's supported.

 

[Voldemort]

Best you can do is get a prepaid MTN simcard and test on the LTE band.
Do a test around 20:00 and test during the weekend. Should rule out coverage issues and congestion. One gets a phenomenon called cell breathing where the coverage ranges becomes smaller as more load is placed on the cell so you might find that at night the signal weakens and you fall outside the coverage area.If you can pass the order address check and your own tests check out you should be fine.

You don'T get cell breathing on LTE..

I'd like to add that if you are using deception in the form of signing for a contract at one residence and using it at another, that wont work as when you complain, the guys that run the traces will close off your complaint as the information conflicts.

 

[BrianvR]

I've tried to subscribe to MTN Fixed LTE but have run into an address problem, and I'm hoping that someone can assist by giving me some advice or pointing me in the right direction....

I am really keen to subscribe to the 1TB fixed LTE deal that MTN are currently running. I have applied at an MTN Branch for this deal and have also applied online for this deal. The problem I've run into is that I live on a smallholding that doesn't have a usual street address. When the "system" cannot find my smallholding or plot address then I'm bluntly told that they cannot assist me further and that I'm unable to sign up for that contract.

The frustration is that MTN's old system could load contracts based on GPS coordinates but the new system can't.

What is further frustrating is that it has been confirmed (by MTN) that I am in a MTN fixed LTE area (in fact, I can see the MTN tower a mere 600m from my house!)

Has anyone experienced this problem previously?
If so, is there any advice anyone can give me to try and resolve this issue?

What is really disappointing is that I am a long-standing MTN client and currently have 4 MTN contracts.
Yet, no-one from MTN is prepared to try and assist!

I've written a complaint to the Customer Care centre and haven't even had the courtesy of a response!