Openserve R399- Unlimited data 10/5

[8ta Network Optimist]

Anyone tried the 10mbps down and 5 mbps up
For Skype/Voip calls
For Showmax
General stability of the streaming service
Connection will not be used for gaming-before all the Grand Theft Auto Enthusiasts answer .

Best value?

Thanks

 

[PseuDohNom]

I'm with afrihost

1080p streaming perfectly with multiple devices using WiFi

1440p mostly smooth streaming without additional devices connected. However, bad, frequent buffering when used with other devices on network.

Uploads consistently fast

 

[cavedog]

Those speeds are sold at a loss by ISPs....

 

[8ta Network Optimist]

Those speeds are sold at a loss by ISPs....

Thanks Cavedog yes I can imagine but I assume then the 10/5 is good for some showmax and skype video calls.?

 

[8ta Network Optimist]

I'm with afrihost

1080p streaming perfectly with multiple devices using WiFi

1440p mostly smooth streaming without additional devices connected. However, bad, frequent buffering when used with other devices on network.

Uploads consistently fast

Thanks so that means it will work for what my requirements are. Currently the connection is the Feb big deal which is 40gig anytime LTE 25/10 speeds.

 

[bobcpt]

A 10/5Mbps connection would be fast enough for a household where people have low to moderate data usage. You will have sufficient bandwidth available for at least one high quality video stream, but the connection might start to struggle if two people try to stream high quality/full hd video. There is a setting in the showmax app which controls the streaming quality if necessary.

Skype is capable of bi-directional video (standard quality) calls using as little as 1Mbps in each direction. According to their website, hd calls require about 1.5Mbps of upload/download bandwidth. Voip calls use much less data, typically in the 64-128Kbps range.

If you use Telkom as your LTE provider and want to retain the speed advantage that LTE have at lower price points, it might be better to buy larger prepaid data bundles every second month. The smart broadband bundles are valid for 61 days from purchase. E.g. you could buy a 120Gb anytime bundle at R759 which will give you an effective 60GB @ R380 'per month'. If you require more data per month, then a fibre connection starts to make more sense from a financial point of view.

 

[8ta Network Optimist]

A 10/5Mbps connection would be fast enough for a household where people have low to moderate data usage. You will have sufficient bandwidth available for at least one high quality video stream, but the connection might start to struggle if two people try to stream high quality/full hd video. There is a setting in the showmax app which controls the streaming quality if necessary.

Skype is capable of bi-directional video (standard quality) calls using as little as 1Mbps in each direction. According to their website, hd calls require about 1.5Mbps of upload/download bandwidth. Voip calls use much less data, typically in the 64-128Kbps range.

If you use Telkom as your LTE provider and want to retain the speed advantage that LTE have at lower price points, it might be better to buy larger prepaid data bundles every second month. The smart broadband bundles are valid for 61 days from purchase. E.g. you could buy a 120Gb anytime bundle at R759 which will give you an effective 60GB @ R380 'per month'. If you require more data per month, then a fibre connection starts to make more sense from a financial point of view.

Cheers that makes sense. Here in Australia 50/20 mbps unlimited fibre cost $65 so equivalent to R650 a month. Just looking into it if worth moving my parents from LTE over to Fibre.

 

[8ta Network Optimist]

On the other hand if I think back, 3G offered speeds of 5 up and 10 down and one struggled to hold a video conversation on skype. Real world speeds you never get what is advertised so 10mbps down = 7mbps and 5 up = 3mbps up. I think for now I will keep them on LTE. Thx bobcpt

 

[SpaceIgniter]

Anyone tried the 10mbps down and 5 mbps up
For Skype/Voip calls
For Showmax
General stability of the streaming service
Connection will not be used for gaming-before all the Grand Theft Auto Enthusiasts answer .

Best value?

Thanks

You'd be shooting yourself in the foot by not going the Fiber route.
LTE is great. I use it primarily.
I would leave it in a heartbeat for Fiber.
Not referencing Openserve specifically.

 

[8ta Network Optimist]

You'd be shooting yourself in the foot by not going the Fiber route.
LTE is great. I use it primarily.
I would leave it in a heartbeat for Fiber.
Not referencing Openserve specifically.

Sure but at what cost. Maybe I am missing something.My oldies are pensioners so they do not have or justify spending R800 a month on a very fast fibre connection. Currently they are paying R199 monthly for the Feb big deal LTE which I think was 30gig anytime and 20gig midnight to6am which they never use. Currently they have dstv minus the sport so the idea was to migrate them to the R399 Fibre deal and add showmax R99, and hope that rugby and cricket will eventually come to showmax. Which then equals R500 vs what they are paying now for basic dstv/kyknet at R529 plus the R199 LTE 20-30gig deal. So they can basically get what they have now for R500 if they go the showmax R99 + R399 Fibre route vs what they pay now R729 ; dstv R529 + R199 LTE 30gig. (Excl streamin box for show max which is a once off cost).

 

[bobcpt]

Unless your parents are technologically adept, it might be easier for them to keep using the dstv decoder for watching tv. Streaming isn't old people friendly. I am paying another family member for my parents use of their Dstv now streaming functionality and to be honest it has not been smooth sailing. Every now and then an app update on their tv box logs them out of the service or something changes on the user interface which throws a curve ball which they cannot handle themselves. Seeing how they handle technological challenges, one should probably be grateful for making it to adulthood alive.

Showmax offers sport on their Pro package (R449), but it excludes cricket and rugby. If it isn't currently available on the more expensive package, then I doubt whether it will ever be available on the cheaper package anytime soon. Maybe ask another family member with dstv whether your parents could try the streaming for a month or two to see how it goes. Keep in mind that standard definition streaming uses about 500-750MB of data per hour so their data usage will increase drastically.

The R399 deal on Openserve's network is by far the cheapest fibre product that I am aware of. An entry level 10/10Mbps fibre line with uncapped data normally cost around R600-700 per month. As long as you have good LTE throughput, it is difficult to beat the value proposition for low data usage scenarios.

 

[SpaceIgniter]

Sure but at what cost. Maybe I am missing something.My oldies are pensioners so they do not have or justify spending R800 a month on a very fast fibre connection. Currently they are paying R199 monthly for the Feb big deal LTE which I think was 30gig anytime and 20gig midnight to6am which they never use. Currently they have dstv minus the sport so the idea was to migrate them to the R399 Fibre deal and add showmax R99, and hope that rugby and cricket will eventually come to showmax. Which then equals R500 vs what they are paying now for basic dstv/kyknet at R529 plus the R199 LTE 20-30gig deal. So they can basically get what they have now for R500 if they go the showmax R99 + R399 Fibre route vs what they pay now R729 ; dstv R529 + R199 LTE 30gig. (Excl streamin box for show max which is a once off cost).

It's a choice you have to make. Pensioner or not.

Pay R199 for LTE where the 30GB data is used in a week with Showmax. I don't even watch DSTv Now because of the data usage and I'm on a Telkom 80GB LTE package. Or switch to Fiber. Uncapped and way more reliable.

 

[ponder]

Anyone tried the 10mbps down and 5 mbps up
For Skype/Voip calls
For Showmax
General stability of the streaming service
Connection will not be used for gaming-before all the Grand Theft Auto Enthusiasts answer .

Best value?

Thanks

Where do you see that price?

 

[etwylite]

telkom deals

November Big Deal

12 month contract. 10/10 R399pm free install and hardware.

 

[j2000]

Those speeds are sold at a loss by ISPs....

I'm guessing then ADSL is here to stay for a long while

There's a gap to get to min R600/R700pm for fiber. I'm curious to know what the spend is per month for an internet connection. Speed / type of broadband connection plays a part, but I think most are buying by deciding on a budget first and then choosing the best they can get for that price.

Would be interesting to see in a poll the distribution for monthly spend on an internet connection... if a lot of people are in the sub R600 bracket then that would mean they are not using fiber for internet

 

[8ta Network Optimist]

A 10/5Mbps connection would be fast enough for a household where people have low to moderate data usage. You will have sufficient bandwidth available for at least one high quality video stream, but the connection might start to struggle if two people try to stream high quality/full hd video. There is a setting in the showmax app which controls the streaming quality if necessary.

Skype is capable of bi-directional video (standard quality) calls using as little as 1Mbps in each direction. According to their website, hd calls require about 1.5Mbps of upload/download bandwidth. Voip calls use much less data, typically in the 64-128Kbps range.

If you use Telkom as your LTE provider and want to retain the speed advantage that LTE have at lower price points, it might be better to buy larger prepaid data bundles every second month. The smart broadband bundles are valid for 61 days from purchase. E.g. you could buy a 120Gb anytime bundle at R759 which will give you an effective 60GB @ R380 'per month'. If you require more data per month, then a fibre connection starts to make more sense from a financial point of view.

Update: Got them to renew thier LTE 40gig anytime and 20 gig night surfer for R199. I think Fibre prices will come down or speeds will increase slightly for the entry level in the next year or so. I also hope that Showmax or another group can negotiate cricket and rugby streaming next year or dstv should have a rugby and cricket only streaming service for R100... let us hope.