Price for 3G/HSDPA/EDGE

[squirrel]

Hello,

I am doing a project on broadband services in SA. I've got everything right now except for pricing on 3G/HSDPA/EDGE as I am a bit confused.

I would appreciate it if someone can help me on pricing for 200MB/500MB/1GB/2GB/etc for Vodacom, MTN, CellC and Virgin Mobile.

Thanks

EDIT:

Ok wait let me wake up a bit, 500mb = R280, 1gb = R479, etc. Is this right?

 

[redarrow]

Here's what I know (or at least what I think I know ) about the various offers..
Don't hold me to any of this though - some of it might be incorrect

MTN:
10MB Bundle @ R10.00
100MB Bundle @ R100.00
350MB Bundle @ R220.00
1GB Bundle @ R499.00

Non bundle @ R2.00 / MB

Vodacom:
HSDPA Bundles:
20MB Bundle @ R35.00
75MB Bundle @ R110.00
150MB Bundle @ R149.00
250MB Bundle @ R200.00
500MB Bundle @ R350.00
1GB Bundle @ R499.00

3G Bundles are 20% Less than HSDPA
20MB Bundle @ R28.00
75MB Bundle @ R88.00
150MB Bundle @ R119.00
250MB Bundle @ R160.00
500MB Bundle @ R280.00
1GB Bundle @ R399.00

Non Bundle @ R2.00 / MB

Virgin Mobile
No bundles.
50c / MB
No 3G/HSDPA

Don't have a clue about Cell-C

 

[mancombseepgood]

Vm

VM have edge and gprs which is actually a flavour of 3G.
They use the cell-c network (who in turn use vodacom).

Cell-c have edge and gprs - unsure of prices, check their site.

 

[redarrow]

VM have edge and gprs which is actually a flavour of 3G.
They use the cell-c network (who in turn use vodacom).

Cell-c have edge and gprs - unsure of prices, check their site.

Yea.. they have EDGE & GPRS...
don't know about it being a "flavour" of 3G...
it's more like 3G being and enhanced "flavour" of GPRS...

But as far as I know they're two completely different things...

 

[squirrel]

Here's what I know (or at least what I think I know ) about the various offers..
Don't hold me to any of this though - some of it might be incorrect

MTN:
10MB Bundle @ R10.00
100MB Bundle @ R100.00
350MB Bundle @ R220.00
1GB Bundle @ R499.00

Non bundle @ R2.00 / MB

Vodacom:
HSDPA Bundles:
20MB Bundle @ R35.00
75MB Bundle @ R110.00
150MB Bundle @ R149.00
250MB Bundle @ R200.00
500MB Bundle @ R350.00
1GB Bundle @ R499.00

3G Bundles are 20% Less than HSDPA
20MB Bundle @ R28.00
75MB Bundle @ R88.00
150MB Bundle @ R119.00
250MB Bundle @ R160.00
500MB Bundle @ R280.00
1GB Bundle @ R399.00

Non Bundle @ R2.00 / MB

Virgin Mobile
No bundles.
50c / MB
No 3G/HSDPA

Don't have a clue about Cell-C

Thank you this was a big help. I don't know much about this service! Say I wanted to become a user, could you briefly explain what is needed in order to connect and where the costs are applied

 

[mancombseepgood]

Here it is

Yea.. they have EDGE & GPRS...
don't know about it being a "flavour" of 3G...
it's more like 3G being and enhanced "flavour" of GPRS...

But as far as I know they're two completely different things...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDGE

EDGE, is a digital mobile phone technology which acts as a bolt-on enhancement to 2G and 2.5G General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) networks. This technology works in GSM networks. EDGE (also known as EGPRS) is a superset to GPRS and can function on any network with GPRS deployed on it, provided the carrier implements the necessary upgrades.
...
EDGE can carry data speeds up to 236.8 kbit/s for 4 timeslots (theoretical maximum is 473.6 kbit/s for 8 timeslots) in packet mode and will therefore meet the International Telecommunications Union's requirement for a 3G network, and has been accepted by the ITU as part of the IMT-2000 family of 3G standards.

so.. edge is the extension to GPRS and is a 3G product. Hence MTN being the fastest to deploy 3G across the country and having the widest reach - very little to upgrade.

 

[Gunny]

so.. edge is the extension to GPRS and is a 3G product. Hence MTN being the fastest to deploy 3G across the country and having the widest reach - very little to upgrade.

To my knowledge GPRS is billed as 2.5G and edge is an extension of GPRS (something about opening 4 GPRS slots giving u 280kbps) and 3G is a different technology. HSDPA is and extention of 3G. And Voda has the widest 3G coverage MTN are far behind where coverage is concerned. MTN have a bigger edge footprint, Edge has just about reached its speed limit and they need to get more 3G towers up.

 

[squirrel]

Ok, so can anyone of you help answer my question?

 

[Gunny]

If u want to use the data service u need a data enabled device like a GPRS/Edge/3G/HSDPA cell phone (they dnt normally have the full range of connection capability some have only GPRS/Egde or GPRS/3G ect.) or a Data card which you can purchase at most cell provider outlets. Most of these devices come with software to help you connect your pc to them. Next you need a sim card that has data services enabled most sims are capable its just a matter of calling the provider and asking them to activate it. The costs depend on which route you go and which provider you use.

On MTN you can buy a data bundle for a pre paid sim and in bundle rates will apply, if you use your allowcated bundle or did not purchase a bundle you get billed at R2 a meg. the same applies to contract customers on MTN.

On Voda you cannot buy data bundles for a pre paid sim. So if you on pre paid you get billed at R2 a meg.
On contract you can buy data bundles and then the in bundle rate applies.
You may add another bundle after you have used the allowcated amount on the bundle you purchased if I remember correctly you can only buy one a month with MTN.
Voda also bill differently for different connection speeds if you have a 3G or slower device you pay a lower in bundle rate than for the HSDPA service.

With Cell C and VM i have no idea but i presume its the same sort of structure.

MTN and Voda offer Data contracts so you can take out a 2 year contract get a free data card and a bundle either 500meg or 1 gig per month depending on the contract you go for.

I hope that helps

 

[squirrel]

Thank you that was a big help!

 

[squirrel]

Anyone willing to check over my finished project?

 

[broken1]

i can if you want...PM me you email address, you can reply to the mail I send.

 

[vodacom3g]

...MTN have a bigger edge footprint, Edge has just about reached its speed limit and they need to get more 3G towers up.

Funny thing is, the last stats I saw showed Vodacom with a bigger EDGE footprint than MTN, we just seem to forget to tell people about it

I was up the West Coast this weekend, no 3G but working at around 170Kb/s on EDGE.

EDGE is the last effort of the GSM spec, while R99 3G (vanilla to ic) was the first step of the UMTS spec, already we've seen HSDPA at 1.8Mb/s, 3.6Mb/s is on its way and HSUPA is coming.

UMTS spec is defined up to 14.4Mb/s in the downlink and 5.6MB/s (I think) in the uplink. The mind boggles..

 

[mancombseepgood]

again...

EDGE can carry data speeds up to 236.8 kbit/s for 4 timeslots (theoretical maximum is 473.6 kbit/s for 8 timeslots) in packet mode and will therefore meet the International Telecommunications Union's requirement for a 3G network, and has been accepted by the ITU as part of the IMT-2000 family of 3G standards.
Whether EDGE is 2G or 3G depends on implementation. While Class 3 and below EDGE devices clearly are not 3G, class 4 and above devices perform at a higher bandwidth than other technologies conventionally considered as 3G (such as 1xRTT).

 

[ic]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDGE



so.. edge is the extension to GPRS and is a 3G product. Hence MTN being the fastest to deploy 3G across the country and having the widest reach - very little to upgrade.

EDGE is not a product of 3G, in fact EDGE is a product of 2G.

 

[wallace]

Funny thing is, the last stats I saw showed Vodacom with a bigger EDGE footprint than MTN, we just seem to forget to tell people about it

Great, but still does not help the people that are not covered - like most of Gauteng.

 

[internaut]

maybe it's fossilised footprint...