After a couple of years using iBurst on various packages, I was on the 3 GB package in November. I have been expecting some sign of competitiveness on iBurst's part for the past 24 months or so. I was pleased to read about the re-structured packages at the beginning of this month - at least it was some sign of response to prevailing market conditions on iBurst's part.
Admittedly, it arrived *very* late in the game - I don't think the whole mobile thing is very relevant to many iBurst subscribers, but this always seemed to be the excuse for the high prices. Everybody I know who requires truly mobile Internet access uses some form of 3G (as in Vodacom / MTN), generally as a bolt-on to their mobile contracts.
To me, iBurst was a way of getting Internet access with only 1 account/monthly debit and without putting money directly into Telkom's coffers - I suspect that I'm not the only subscriber that remained loyal on this basis, despite the lack of compelling motivation to do so during recent years.
I was also disappointed to read about the fact that the 64k post-cap access would be falling away in Feb '10. Now I just checked the bandwidth topup page and was pleased to see that 1 GB additional bandwidth is now going to cost me R59,00, instead of the usual (total ripoff) R199. This is suddenly in line with last generation aDSL bandwidth pricing.
The additional monthly capacity + cheaper access to more bandwidth does seem to sharpen the value proposition, considering that the network itself recently seems to have been upgraded (at least in CT city bowl area). I do still need to read all the T's & C's of this new deal - if there is a mandatory pay-as-you-go policy after you've reached your cap, I will be going elsewhere.
Keen to hear thoughts from other subscribers, especially if you've compared the new pricing to current all-in aDSL costs (real world, not "I got 19 jigabytes last month from XYZ news server before my router rebooted lolz!").
Admittedly, it arrived *very* late in the game - I don't think the whole mobile thing is very relevant to many iBurst subscribers, but this always seemed to be the excuse for the high prices. Everybody I know who requires truly mobile Internet access uses some form of 3G (as in Vodacom / MTN), generally as a bolt-on to their mobile contracts.
To me, iBurst was a way of getting Internet access with only 1 account/monthly debit and without putting money directly into Telkom's coffers - I suspect that I'm not the only subscriber that remained loyal on this basis, despite the lack of compelling motivation to do so during recent years.
I was also disappointed to read about the fact that the 64k post-cap access would be falling away in Feb '10. Now I just checked the bandwidth topup page and was pleased to see that 1 GB additional bandwidth is now going to cost me R59,00, instead of the usual (total ripoff) R199. This is suddenly in line with last generation aDSL bandwidth pricing.
The additional monthly capacity + cheaper access to more bandwidth does seem to sharpen the value proposition, considering that the network itself recently seems to have been upgraded (at least in CT city bowl area). I do still need to read all the T's & C's of this new deal - if there is a mandatory pay-as-you-go policy after you've reached your cap, I will be going elsewhere.
Keen to hear thoughts from other subscribers, especially if you've compared the new pricing to current all-in aDSL costs (real world, not "I got 19 jigabytes last month from XYZ news server before my router rebooted lolz!").
