OOB Data : Vodacom cheaper Virgin mobile ?

[Rouxenator]

It would also cost money for Vodacom to upgrade every 2.5G [GPRS] base-station to 2.75G [EDGE].

They all are EDGE enabled already.

Virgin charges 60c/MB flat rate for GPRS/EDGE.

Again, just as a comparison, if you buy a Vodacom:

- 500MB bundle, you pay 56c/MB flat rate (or 38c/MB on BB-S)
- 1024MB bundle, you pay 38c/MB flat rate (or 28c/MB on BB-S)

Firstly, Virgin Mobile charges 60c/MB by default - no 30 or 60 day restrictions
Secondly, the rates you quote are only AFTER you committed yourself to Vodacom by buying a bundle AND it is only valid for the amount of data in the bundle, there after its back to K.A.R (K4k Af Rate).

For a big network you sure are not very kind towards customers cause they always need to make some sort of commitment before you give them better rates - Virgin mobile just does it.

From a customers perspective I still cannot see why a small network can beat a massive network when it comes to data costs. Sure the rest of South Africa might be blind towards this, but being the 4ssh0l3 that I am, I'm asking why.

Why don't you copy what ever moves it is VM does to also have a standard rate of 60c/MB ?

 

[Rouxenator]

Oh ok I did not know that you had personally upgraded every single one of Vodacom's GPRS base-stations to EDGE, you really should have told forumites that keep posting about no EDGE in their area that you had done this.

Sucks for them - I have never encountered a 2.5G only site on VC. But it's as easy as remote desktop into the tower, right click on "My Tower" and then select "Use 2.75G Firmware". Or something like that. But it is besides the point here. The point is Virgin Mobiles does it, and they are cheaper.

While we are on the subject of 2.xG, please explain ... and the effect that would have on voice traffic where the majority of voice calls are carried over the 2.xG network.

With pleasure - the answer is Virgin Mobile. There stuff works and it is cheap.

Besides, AMA streams are for old people, PACKET streams FTW!

 

[vodacom3g]

They all are EDGE enabled already.

They are? Amazing what I learn about Vodacom's network on this forum.

Why don't you copy what ever moves it is VM does to also have a standard rate of 60c/MB ?

OK, we'll decommission our complete 3G HSDPA 7.2 network (around 3000 towers), plus the bulk of the 2G network (another couple of thousand of towers). We can then drop the bulk of our back-haul to only cater for a few hundred kilobits/second per tower left and drop international connectivity to a few percentage points of the current capacity. Then we can switch off half the back-end systems and fire half the support people.

This will lead to massive savings and we'll be able to run at a flat rate of much lower than 60c/MB.

You'll agree this will be a pretty good "copy" of what Virgin is doing?

Forget the bundles, if you insist.

You've got a choice between 60c/MB for GPRS on Virgin or R2/MB for 3.6 or 99c/MB for 7.2 (smallest bundle on BB-A) on Vodacom.

Your choice. It's what we call a free market. You should really use it. It's your democratic right.

But just please make sure to cut up your VC SIM to ensure you don't get tempted by the speed and coverage.

 

[wheunis]

From a customers perspective I still cannot see why a small network can beat a massive network when it comes to data costs. Sure the rest of South Africa might be blind towards this, but being the 4ssh0l3 that I am, I'm asking why.

Manufacturing costs of a Porsche is higher than a Toyota.

Insurance costs of a Porsche is higher than a Toyota.

Maintenance costs of a Porsche is higher than a Toyota.

Running costs of a Porsche is higher than a Toyota.

I think i see a pattern.

If your only consistent qualm is that you only want to pay for a Toyota...

Then buggeroff and stay with Virgin/Cell-C.
We appreciate having our faster, better connections from MTN/Voda and were prepared to pay for it.

WHY can Toyota beat Porsche in prices?
Thats quite simple really...

Porsche (Vodacom/MTN) is not Toyota (Virgin/Cell-C).
Vodacom towers cost more in every aspect to Virgin/Cell-C.
Why do the customers care? Better service, speed, reliability, availability, coverage, benefits... better in every way really.

Why cant Porsche sell their cars at Toyota prices?
Because they dont sell $h!t.

Plain. Simple.

 

[ginggs]

Its more expensive, because its better.

Or, put another way, you get what you pay for.

They all are EDGE enabled already.

O RLY?

 

[morkhans]

Rouxenator. I see (some) of your points, but honestly this is why I use Vodacom and not Virgin.

 

[Rouxenator]

Manufacturing costs of a Porsche is higher than a Toyota.

Insurance costs of a Porsche is higher than a Toyota.

Maintenance costs of a Porsche is higher than a Toyota.

Running costs of a Porsche is higher than a Toyota.

What a novel concept - comparing it to a car company. Here's one for you - what not have a RANGE of "cars" in the Vodacom line up ?
Sure, some people might like to blast along in SLRs but for me a simple 2.75G A-class will do. I know it won't go as fast as the SLR and that it might not be as capable as the G-class but at least it compares favorably with the Virgin Mobile.

If Virgin Mobile is so great then it seems logical that you should never try any other network and only ever use Virgin Mobile, don't flirt or fornicate with any of the other networks.

I have been with Vodacom since 1999 and I do not like their "head in the clouds" approach these days - this thread is me confronting them. So far I have only seen a whole range of answexcuses from them. If their backhaul is so great and their investments so sizable and their towers are so flexible I see no reason why they cannot drop the rates on sub 3G transfers. Give me a good reason and I will be grateful.

Plus I bi so I'll fornicate with whom ever I want.

 

[wheunis]

I will quote myself for that.

Why cant Porsche sell their cars at Toyota prices?
Because they dont sell $h!t.

Plain. Simple.

If you want your Virgin speeds at Virgin prices... go to Virgin.

Stop asking Porsche to make a Tazz... because they won't.

And while youre basking in your "Virgin is soooooooo cool!" attitude...
Does Virgin offer unlimited GPRS/EDGE browsing for R60 per month?

Dont answer, I know the answer is no.

 

[Rouxenator]

If you do some research on the subject of timeslots, and answer the question I asked, you will have a very good reason IMO, or you can continue to choose to be ignorant.

NGE - Not Good Enough. As I have said time and time again, if they can do it on a smaller network, why cant Vodacom do it on one of the best networks in the world ?

Stop asking Porsche to make a Tazz... because they won't.

And while youre basking in your "Virgin is soooooooo cool!" attitude...
Does Virgin offer unlimited GPRS/EDGE browsing for R60 per month?

I am asking Vodacom what's up with their pricing plan - not to make another product in their range of data products.

You are referring to yet another service where you have to commit to something and you end up with a small fruit.

Let me put it to you all PLAINLY so you can understand it WELL and CLEAR.
Vodacom is charging R2 per MB because they have a **** load of people on prepaid paying that rate for small scale browsing. If they reduce the rate to something comparable with Virgin Mobile - which is technically very easy for them to do - they will loose from the small scale internet browsing.

The reason is they are greedy. Not because of technical challenges or Porsche inspired data packets - just pure profit.

 

[wheunis]

I am asking Vodacom what's up with their pricing plan - not to make another product in their range of data products.

What a novel concept - comparing it to a car company. Here's one for you - what not have a RANGE of "cars" in the Vodacom line up ?

I love when people contradict themselves.

 

[Iam3G]

What if Virgin in the near future moves over to 3G/HSDPA? Thus increasing the flat-rate pricing plan to accommodate for the bigger more complex network?

Point is Virgin CAN do it on a smaller network because they ARE a smaller network.

 

[wheunis]

You are referring to yet another service where you have to commit to something and you end up with a small fruit.

No. You fail at that argument too.
Its available on prepaid and contract.

On prepaid, you load it. If you dont want it next month... dont load it.
If you want it 3 months later... load it again.

I fail to see the commitment issue.

 

[Rouxenator]

Fine - you are right.
All of you.
It is so much better to pay R2.00 per MB and R0.60
This might be a big flaw in my reasoning so far in life - trying to spend less on something instead of more. What was I thinking!

Man, I miss 2003 when I used to pay R25 per MB !

 

[wheunis]

I just figured out the whole problem.
The very fabric of what is wrong with this entire post, right from the start...

TAGS:

data, suxzor, virgin mobile, vodacom

 

[Iam3G]

Fine - you are right.
All of you.
It is so much better to pay R2.00 per MB and R0.60
This might be a big flaw in my reasoning so far in life - trying to spend less on something instead of more. What was I thinking!

Man, I miss 2003 when I used to pay R25 per MB !

Yes it is so much better to R2.00 per MB for a faster and BETTER internet connection than R0.60 for something that will just end up giving me gray hair.

 

[Rouxenator]

I just figured out the whole problem.
The very fabric of what is wrong with this entire post, right from the start...

TAGS:

Yes of course ! How could we miss that !!
And then the whole idea of questioning high prices - absolutely ludicrous !!

Pay more = Pay better

 

[wheunis]

... for something that will just end up giving me gray hair.

I remember what it felt like...
I can equate it to having a stroke.

Everytime you load an uncached webpage.

Ballpeenhammer... Face... ACTION!

 

[Iam3G]

Yes of course ! How could we miss that !!
And then the whole idea of questioning high prices - absolutely ludicrous !!

Pay more = FOR better

 

[vodacom3g]

Fine - you are right.
All of you.
It is so much better to pay R2.00 per MB and R0.60
This might be a big flaw in my reasoning so far in life - trying to spend less on something instead of more. What was I thinking!

Man, I miss 2003 when I used to pay R25 per MB !

Thought it was R40/MB.

Roux, as per usual you don't want to listen to any arguments because that's just not your style.

I've explained at length (and I tried to type slowly ) that the Vodacom network is much bigger, catering for much higher speeds.

Surely even you can understand it costs more to build and maintain?

Forget the car analogy, rather think of it a road-system. Vodacom has build a nationwide grid of high-speed roads. Many, many more kilometers than Virgin. And you can drive much faster on them.

Now, even if you drive a Golf (or some other slow, inferior car), it still costs the same to maintain the road system.

 

[Rouxenator]

Look, why should you accept my point of view? You are here to defend you company and I understand that.

While I can sit here all night with good arguments like you have loads more subscribers than the small networks and thats where you justify your network size against - its not worth it. You will never come to a point where you say "mmm never thought of it that way but Virgin Mobile is not competition for us and MTN so we'll just ride the here R2/MB wave for as long as we can, ktxby".

Plus there are loads of others here that absolutely love the idea of paying more per MB and less so whats the point of me going on and on about it then. Just nod and smile.