Topup Vs. normal Cellphone Contract

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mr_norris

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I've been thinking about getting another contract again. It's been almost a year since I've last had one and to be honest, the small amount of admin that prepaid comes with is getting to me.

I have to always remember to put on airtime, and when I do, I buy a data bunduru, so I don't blow all my airtime.

It's been quite cost effective. CellC has been good to me. But it's time to move on.

So there are two options. Topup or Contract.

Which do you prefer, or suggest I go for, and why?

I'm leaning towards Topup, because it gives me more control. But that sort of contradicts myself when saying I'm over the admin :P
 
Yeah, I'm also curious to know which is better. From what I've heard, and depending on the network, call rates are cheaper when you are on a normal contract as opposed to TopUp. The thing that scares me out of going for a normal contract is the one time I forget to turn my mobile data off and I end up with a massive bill at the end of the month. :(
 
There is Top Up, Open contact and Converged

Converged deals (you need to enquire within the service provider on what's available) are based on real time billing so it works like a Top Up, but instead of having a set monthly limit you can create your own, and have peace of mind that it will block you once you've reached your cap.
 
When I took out a tablet contract with Mtn, I took a top up. Was charged R30 more than the open contract. Data rates the same.
 
On Cell C there is no benefit to being on Topup vs Open contract. The only difference is that on topup you will have to administer your airtime after you have gone OOB yourselft, where on open contract you just keep going. Also OOB voice rates are the same as in bundle, which is why Cell C = the greatest. Not so on data, in bundle is 15c/MB where OOB is R1/MB.

So in an open contract you will still need to purchase a data bundle to get the 15c/MB once you go OOB. But you also have the flexibility to add more data to your base contract. Go onto the website build your own contract and go nuts.

Oh and month-to-month ftw!
 
My previous contract with Nashua Mobile was costing me around R650 per month for 350 minutes of calls and 100mb data. As you can imagine I chewed through that data at the beginning of each month. I cancelled the contract towards the end of 2013. Shortly after that my iPhone 4 was stolen in a robbery and by paying a bit extra in, I was able to upgrade to a 5. With prepaid I'm now spending about R150 for 5Gb of data (via Afrihost) and just R200 for calls. I use FaceTime audio for most of my calls to friends and family and the remainder for a few business calls. Having 5Gb of data on hand is brilliant, especially when using my phone as a wireless hotspot.

I'd say go contract if you need to make a lot of calls but if data is your priority, pay-as-you-go is far more competitive.
 
mr_norris said:
For sure. After getting out of my contract, I ported to CellC - their bundle charges are amazing. I think a CellC contract might be the way to go - just wish they'd stock HTC's.

The HTC One is such an amazing phone :/
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If you want better control then go top up route no chance of hectic call charges over your minute value and no OOB shark !- though on Vodacom you don't get such great phones on the Top up contracts or theres a hectic cash pay in. of course per min/per sec charges are more
On MTN they charge R50 more then the Anytime contract for same value the top Up contracts and they give less free data but TBH thats a much of a muchness. YOu can sign on for that MTN zone thing on MTN top up you cant on their Anytime deals
On MTN you cannot convert the allocated airtime to data but i think you can on Vodacom - could be wrong though.
I can't comment on the other networks no experience with them - though i will say avoid Virgin!
 
isie said:
though i will say avoid Virgin!
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LOL, back in the day, Virgin was good for their 50c a meg out of bundle charges. That was a LONG time ago. How times have changed...

I used to be with them, jumped ship to Vodacom, had a top-up contract for a year or two, ended it and I've been with CellC prepaid ever since.
 
A friend of mines daughter took his new S4 and proceeded to load R3000 of OB data in apps on his phone. She had a Blackberry so was unaware of the data costs...

So IMHO top up is much saver my two phones are on Top up...
 
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