The average price of 1GB of data has fallen considerably since 2019

[Daniel Puchert]

Data prices falling in South Africa

The average price of 1GB of data has fallen considerably since 2019, with a price reduction of roughly 67% between 2019 and 2023.

This is according to data from Cable.co.uk. The firm analyses mobile data plans from hundreds of nations worldwide to rank them according to the average price of 1GB of data.

 

[Pythonista]

Clearly they didn't check Vodacom. I'm paying R89 for 1.2 GB per month. That's way beyond the article pricing.

 

[Lupus]

Clearly they didn't check Vodacom. I'm paying R89 for 1.2 GB per month. That's way beyond the article pricing.

But it has dropped

 

[kazeus]

Clearly they didn't check Vodacom. I'm paying R89 for 1.2 GB per month. That's way beyond the article pricing.

consider switching to prepaid and buying bundles on special via the app. they have 1.2gb for R21 but data expires in 7 days. Overall it will be R84 for the 4 weeks, which is both cheaper and you get 4x the data

 

[Swa]

Data prices haven't really fallen since Covid.

 

[porchrat]

That we're still buying data by the GB in 2025 is wild.

 

[Lupus]

That we're still buying data by the GB in 2025 is wild.

Welcome to SA plus the analogue TV switch off will happen promise

 

[kazeus]

That we're still buying data by the GB in 2025 is wild.

i mean it is better than "per minute connected" as it was when dial up and early edge days of internet XD

lol just curious what are you proposing switching to?

 

[porchrat]

i mean it is better than "per minute connected" as it was when dial up and early edge days of internet XD

lol just curious what are you proposing switching to?

Whole industry should have moved to reasonably priced unlimited plans ages ago.

Not even a dig at SA in particular, this is a global thing.

 

[kazeus]

Whole industry should have moved to reasonably priced unlimited plans ages ago.

Not even a dig at SA in particular, this is a global thing.

i love for that to happen, but the higher ups are always going to argue about unlimited being an unsustainable model because of a few high users causing congestion - or whatever else they need to say to protect their profits.
I agree data prices are too high despite being lowered, and it really sucks having to jump through hoops to get savings, but at least the ministers are saying the same thing currently, hopefully will further force down prices with policies

 

[UrBaN963]

In 2019 I would buy 10GB of data for R99 on Telkom.

 

[porchrat]

i love for that to happen, but the higher ups are always going to argue about unlimited being an unsustainable model because of a few high users causing congestion - or whatever else they need to say to protect their profits.
I agree data prices are too high despite being lowered, and it really sucks having to jump through hoops to get savings, but at least the ministers are saying the same thing currently, hopefully will further force down prices with policies

There will always be excuses.

We're paying these ridiculous prices while in some countries they're paying cents for a GB of data. It's madness.

The truth is it's still way too expensive, even with a direct conversion from the weak local currency.

 

[Swa]

i mean it is better than "per minute connected" as it was when dial up and early edge days of internet XD

lol just curious what are you proposing switching to?

Moving away from counting the individual megabytes and gigabytes would be a start. We could move to speed based options like some countries have, some would give you an initial like 3GB (before you needed to use it on apps) and then 10mbps afterwards.

 

[longboy]

i love for that to happen, but the higher ups are always going to argue about unlimited being an unsustainable model because of a few high users causing congestion - or whatever else they need to say to protect their profits.
I agree data prices are too high despite being lowered, and it really sucks having to jump through hoops to get savings, but at least the ministers are saying the same thing currently, hopefully will further force down prices with policies

They do have shaping/throttling hardware and software at MNO's and ISP's...

It's completely do-able. The problem is that their profit margins will drop faster than a R20 hookers drawers.