Need some Advice

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McRuder

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Midrand Gauteng
I am a small business owner - very small as in 2 people. My business relies heavily on internet access. I use the internet mainly for research, and for communications like Videoconferencing.

And the problems I am having is killing my business. I can not talk to my clients, browsing is a nightmare of clicking "resend" & "try again". Downloading files is hell - it takes me hours to download simple pdf documents.

I have tried Iburst and threw it out my car window in frustration. Most places I go to have no signal, and the latencies in VC is too high.

Vodacom 3G is horrible. Same problems with browsing, downloading, etc.

MTN 3G is the same, just with another badge.

From the info on this site Neotel is big red "no-go" sign.

Now I have to pay a membership fee to Regus (the office renting people) + couple of hundred a day for renting a private office, just so I can have internet access. Not that its great as its being shared, but at least I can browse and communicate. They won't let me VC without paying extra though.

Fixed line will not work for me, as I have to be mobile. Getting ADSL will require me to move, which I do not want to - I paid a lot for my house. I also do not want to change my working hours to do research at night. I work for myself for a reason - so I don't have to work insane hours.

What is out there that will work for me? Or should I just close my business and go work office hours, and wait for SA to catch up on mobile internet?
 
McRuder said:
What is out there that will work for me? Or should I just close my business and go work office hours, and wait for SA to catch up on mobile internet?
Click to expand...

Most users making use of Telkom's 3 G service reports excellent throughput (search forum), however keep in mind that this will only last until their towers are also saturated and oversubscribed like all other wireless providers in SA.

Limited coverage though...
 
Last edited:
What area do you work in?
Why was 3G not good enough for you?
Are you sure that you were actually connecting to the 3G service and not the default slower service?
Have you looked at the Wi-Fi Hotspots available throughout the country, that list is getting larger every month?
 
What area do you work in?
Click to expand...
Area: Gauteng 80%, Durban 10%, Capetown 10%.
Why was 3G not good enough for you?
Click to expand...
3G:
1) is too expensive at 290/mb;
2) too slow for VC most of the day (business hours);
3) too many problems especially lately.
Are you sure that you were actually connecting to the 3G service and not the default slower service?
Click to expand...
My settings is set to "3G Preferred", as "3G only" do not connect in some areas. I normally do not get to choose, I have to accept what I get.
Have you looked at the Wi-Fi Hotspots available throughout the country, that list is getting larger every month?
Click to expand...
I have a WiFi capable notebook, but it only works in certain areas. I don't get WiFi where I live (home office).
 
Sounds to me like you work out of a well populated area.. My 3g Coverage is excellent (unless it drops to GSM (which is only when im well into the bowels of the earth at home).. then its horrible) .. I can get 1 bar of 3g reception .. and go for hours without a disconnect or speed drop.

I would say .. if you plan to work from home, and theres no ADSL .. then look into a good 3g Wireless router with an option to extend the aerial outside into a good reception area .. then you can use the wireless all over your house .. and you will have 3g for the road..
 
McRuder said:
Area: Gauteng 80%, Durban 10%, Capetown 10%.

3G:
1) is too expensive at 290/mb;
2) too slow for VC most of the day (business hours);
3) too many problems especially lately.

My settings is set to "3G Preferred", as "3G only" do not connect in some areas. I normally do not get to choose, I have to accept what I get.

I have a WiFi capable notebook, but it only works in certain areas. I don't get WiFi where I live (home office).
Click to expand...

Ok .. so you saying you cant get ADSL cause you dont want to move, and you dont want 3g cause its too expensive and unrelaible .. and IBurst didnt work for you ...

Sounds to me like youve used up most of your options...
 
1) I pay R177.86 per 1GB with MTN pre-paid.
(trick is to make advantage of their 60 day rollover, buy 2GB and use it for 2 months),
I don't see the speed issues you've mentioned though, remember it also depends what websites you're downloading from.

Videoconference will chew through your data bundle, is it absolutely necessary to use it?

Telkom 3G has bad coverage at the moment, don't bother just yet with them.
 
Get a HSDPA modem, use VC HSDPA when you can't get Telkom HSDPA, so 1 modem and 2 Sim Cards.
 
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