Much needed advice..

Lia83

Lia83

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Good morning. Can I ask for some advice from the experts here pls.
I stay in Sunnyridge, Primrose, Gauteng. On the koppie...
In the early years when cellphones just came on the market, I was with Vodacom for years.

But then I started to notice a steady decline in service. So much so, that my work wanted to charge me departmentally, because they could never reach me on the cellphone. They have a contract with Vodacom.

In a private capacity and after lodging to many network complaints, I eventually changed to MTN after Vodacom admitted there was an infrastructure network and it would take them 5 years or longer to adress..

There was a definate noticable difference with MTN and I was happy. I still struggled hugely with my work and Vodacom. Through the years I have tested different Mobile service providers.

MTN is still for me the best mobile provider around, although there are times when I want to climb the walls.

There are currently no Fibre according to my knowledge.

All the service providers want to sell one these huge Data contracts. I have a little WIFI dongle from Vodacom that I have been tested for Last year or so. It is not to bad. It is a 5 Gig Day and 5 gig night bundle.

Data With MTN on the other hand... I do NOT know where it disappears to. I am on prepaid. Normal use with my phone is just ridiculous. I like reading up on things and So obviously I am on Google a lot.

I read News24. My emails and things I am subscribed to. I go through Data like crazy. Its never been like that.

But the advice I want know is:-
I am going to install a Security system, that I want to monitor now and again on my phone etc.

As I don't have Internet, Fibre etc I was advice to get a 4 G WIFI router. Would cost me about R2500 and then get a data bundle for R500 which I can top up.

Now I would like advice pls. Would that be the best thing to do around here where I stay? Vodacom apparently sells such a deal. Telkom as well. But I personally would not touch Telkom around here.

Please advice...

Many tnx.


Lia.
 
If I understand correct.
a. You need a reliable internet connection.

All mammals need reliable internet access.
If the security system includes video it is much harder to solve.

It seems you have a challenge at your location.
I will be lazy and only map Telkom, Vodacom, MTN. {perhaps others will indicate if other fibre options are available.}

Short version.
Options
a. Best option get fibre.
Does not seem to be available. Others will answer for non Telkom survey.

b. VDSL.
Not available.

c. ADSL. Will probably be very bad.
{Ask persons living near you what their internet is like to know for sure. Test their internet if you can}

d. GSM LTE. Seems only "good" towers are north of location. You on hill, depending on exact location of house I see this as your only option. You will need a fixed antenna as you describe your phones does not work well with signal. See post here. Antenna Xpol 2.

e. WISP. Someone provide Wifi for you.
I cannot stand WISPs.
In theory this is a good option as you on that hill. Seems you can get point to point link to wherever you want looking north.

f. Satellite is not good at this time.

A longer version
Current situation at location.
Source, Telkom.
Seems DSL will be bad as no exchange near you. {Why I guess this, we know VDSL is near exchanges, assume mid of VDSL to be Exchange.}

1552645560127.png

GSM Vodacom, source.
1552645621348.png

GSM MTN, source.
1552645654312.png

GSM Telkom, source.
1552645696803.png
 

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Get a mobile wifi device. Google "Huawei 5220" This is a basic 3G device that may meet your requirements. You can get LTE units but they are a bit more expensive and you may not get coverage. Cost of 5220 is about R600 and Afrihost may give you a "Free" one. It supports up to 10 wifi connections and as long as you don't need to stream movies etc it works ok. I use mine as a backup to my cell C LTE that goes away from time to time.

Look at Afrihost for a data package via MTN. Not the cheapest but fairly reasonable for say 5 Gig/month and a hell of a lot cheaper than directly from MTN. Afrihost actually uses MTN's network. Afrihost als has very cheap LTE (4G) data packages via Cell C but it only works on LTE.

Oh and some may say that dealing with Afrihost can be a PITA but I have been with them since they started and it always gets sorted eventually :-)
 
Last edited:
wirelesswork said:
Get a mobile wifi device. Google "Huawei 5220" This is a basic 3G device that may meet your requirements. You can get LTE units but they are a bit more expensive and you may not get coverage. Cost of 5220 is about R600 and Afrihost may give you a "Free" one. It supports up to 10 wifi connections and as long as you don't need to stream movies etc it works ok. I use mine as a backup to my cell C LTE that goes away from time to time.

Look at Afrihost for a data package via MTN. Not the cheapest but fairly reasonable for say 5 Gig/month and a hell of a lot cheaper than directly from MTN. Afrihost actually uses MTN's network. Afrihost als has very cheap LTE (4G) data packages via Cell C but it only works on LTE.

Oh and some may say that dealing with Afrihost can be a PITA but I have been with them since they started and it always gets sorted eventually :)
Click to expand...
More almal. . Dankie. Het na almal se advies en replies gekyk. Het hier navraag gedoen in die omgewing. Sal bietjie gaan kyk na my opsies...Ek waardeer julle insette. Sal julle advies beslis in gedagte hou.
 
fundutzi said:
If I understand correct.
a. You need a reliable internet connection.

All mammals need reliable internet access.
If the security system includes video it is much harder to solve.

It seems you have a challenge at your location.
I will be lazy and only map Telkom, Vodacom, MTN. {perhaps others will indicate if other fibre options are available.}

Short version.
Options
a. Best option get fibre.
Does not seem to be available. Others will answer for non Telkom survey.

b. VDSL.
Not available.

c. ADSL. Will probably be very bad.
{Ask persons living near you what their internet is like to know for sure. Test their internet if you can}

d. GSM LTE. Seems only "good" towers are north of location. You on hill, depending on exact location of house I see this as your only option. You will need a fixed antenna as you describe your phones does not work well with signal. See post here. Antenna Xpol 2.

e. WISP. Someone provide Wifi for you.
I cannot stand WISPs.
In theory this is a good option as you on that hill. Seems you can get point to point link to wherever you want looking north.

f. Satellite is not good at this time.

A longer version
Current situation at location.
Source, Telkom.
Seems DSL will be bad as no exchange near you. {Why I guess this, we know VDSL is near exchanges, assume mid of VDSL to be Exchange.}

View attachment 633646

GSM Vodacom, source.
View attachment 633648

GSM MTN, source.
View attachment 633650

GSM Telkom, source.
View attachment 633652
Click to expand...
Baie dankie. Jou beskrywings is honderd persent akkuraat...Ek sal maar kyk wat ek kan doen.
 
Gee asseblief terugvoer wanneer jy enige gekose oplossing volg. Die is tot almal se voordeel dan.
Sterkte met die sage.
 
fundutzi said:
If I understand correct.
a. You need a reliable internet connection.

All mammals need reliable internet access.
If the security system includes video it is much harder to solve.

It seems you have a challenge at your location.
I will be lazy and only map Telkom, Vodacom, MTN. {perhaps others will indicate if other fibre options are available.}

Short version.
Options
a. Best option get fibre.
Does not seem to be available. Others will answer for non Telkom survey.

b. VDSL.
Not available.

c. ADSL. Will probably be very bad.
{Ask persons living near you what their internet is like to know for sure. Test their internet if you can}

d. GSM LTE. Seems only "good" towers are north of location. You on hill, depending on exact location of house I see this as your only option. You will need a fixed antenna as you describe your phones does not work well with signal. See post here. Antenna Xpol 2.

e. WISP. Someone provide Wifi for you.
I cannot stand WISPs.
In theory this is a good option as you on that hill. Seems you can get point to point link to wherever you want looking north.

f. Satellite is not good at this time.

A longer version
Current situation at location.
Source, Telkom.
Seems DSL will be bad as no exchange near you. {Why I guess this, we know VDSL is near exchanges, assume mid of VDSL to be Exchange.}

View attachment 633646

GSM Vodacom, source.
View attachment 633648

GSM MTN, source.
View attachment 633650

GSM Telkom, source.
View attachment 633652
Click to expand...

An update on my post....

Vumatel installed Fibre in my street and parts of our area..:D
But now we are waiting for it to go live!!!!!!!:rolleyes:
 
Any recommendations on which company to choose for our Fibre needs please. The amount I can afford is about R500 per month. Mostly use for Internet surfing, maybe a movie download now and again. Other normal usage...
 
Lia83 said:
Any recommendations on which company to choose for our Fibre needs please. The amount I can afford is about R500 per month. Mostly use for Internet surfing, maybe a movie download now and again. Other normal usage...
Click to expand...

Based on a previous post you have Vuma in your area?

Afrihost has a 8Mb/s down 2Mb/s up package on Vuma for R499 with no installation/activation fees. It's uncapped/unshaped so no data limits and 8Mb/s is fast enough to stream movies. https://www.afrihost.com/fibre/provider/vumatel

Wait for some other people to chip in.
 
If you didn't know; when getting a new package nowadays there are always some hidden data gobblers included. Those can be automatic updates, background activities and lately some sneaky services being dumped on you. Its a minefield, so rather do some research on that.
I can elaborate if you are clueless on these hidden data gobblers.
 
rockets said:
If you didn't know; when getting a new package nowadays there are always some hidden data gobblers included. Those can be automatic updates, background activities and lately some sneaky services being dumped on you. Its a minefield, so rather do some research on that.
I can elaborate if you are clueless on these hidden data gobblers.
Click to expand...
Good morning. Tnx fir your response. Pls. I would appreciate all the advice I can get...Have a nice day...
 
argh said:
Also read these threads:
Click to expand...
Hi. Thank u. I read through those threads. o_O
I actually dont have a clue what to do. Honestly. It is my experience that as soon as some of these people realise one does not know the "whats" and "hows" they will sell u anything to try and make an extra bug.
Decicions, decisions????
I always try to make informed decisions and choices, but this is really a headache for me.

Oh and the calls I keep on getting from Vodacom to try and upgrade my WIFI contract. I refuse. With Loadshedding these past weeks again, Vodacom and Mtn both were so BAD!!!! Without loadshedding Vodacom is even worse. Then I cant even connect to the Internet. It is driving me bonkers. Weekends especially MTNs reception is so poor that I most of the time cant even connect on my Absa banking app. :sick:

When MTN still had the tower at the Church corner Windsor and Turnhout there were no problems. I dont even know now who the Tower belongs to. I think it could be Telkom who at one stage said they bought out several of MTNs towers. But I do not know for dure. Because it is From bad to poor..

I will still use my pay as u go service from MTN for calls as we dont really make a lot of calls. I still like to call a person personally on there birthday. And then the odd call to a bussiness, Utility and so on.

I will keep an eye out for more responses and advice. Thank u for all the advice so far. I am not tech savvy. And I dont want to pay for things I wont be able to use or dont know exactly how to use or what my choices are.

I know one thing for sure though... this is one hell of a great place (forum) to be part of. So informative and interesting.

I LOVE READING. But its costly. Data bundles of MTN does not last long like it use to. I can go through 1 Gig within a few days.

Speaking of reading, is it worth the money on spending it on an E-book reader?? Now I sometimes download free books from Google and read it on my Galaxy S8. But it is so small and cant read so lekker out in the day light and sun. Recommendations pls. But if I buy one, I want to buy it here locally.

And another question.....Can I download books from any website or just specific ones. Will I need to have a subscription as well with an E Reader??

Groete

Have a swell day...:coffee:


U guys ( and girls) rock...
 
About reading: you can join a public library for free, and use your free membership at any public library. Not everything has to be done over the internet and with high expense.
 
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