Using GPRS during holidays in South Africa. Please inform me!

[loconel]

Hi
In 2 weeks we will visiting from Holland South Africa . Last time I used MTN GSM in combination with Iberpass om my PDA to send my blog via email home.
Now I will connect a laptop to my Nokia N80 sending my email via GPRS with a PAY as YOU GO prepaid card.

When I read the site of MTN it should work

What are the steps on arrival? What steps are required to setup GPRS. Calling a phone number, sending an SMS?
In the Netherlands I receive a SMS from Orange. upon accepting all setups are made. Will that be the same?

Thank you,
Louis Cornelissen The Netherlands

 

[Johnit]

It should work without problems - may require a new prepaid MTN SIM. You can setup the phone from http://www.mtn.co.za/default.aspx?pid=13875&mid=8005&uc=SetUpPhone or from the MTN menu on the SIM. The rest of the settings (e.g.email SMTP) can be found on this forum. The SMTP server is mail.mtn.co.za.

 

[diabolus]

1. Buy a MTN sim (pay as you go)
2. Put some money onto it [i.e. Vouchers]
3. Call 173 on the Sim and follow the menu prompts and let it send you the GPRS/MMS settings.

Then you're all good to go. You will however pay R2 per MB.

You can load bundles [i.e. R100 for 100MB] by calling 141 on the sim, which might save you some money.

 

[loconel]

Great these are the answers I was hoping for. thank you, Louis

 

[Skeptik]

You could try Virgin Mobile too if it's only GPRS you want to use. It's the cheapest (.50c /MB).

 

[Syndyre]

You could try Virgin Mobile too if it's only GPRS you want to use. It's the cheapest (.50c /MB).

Not always as reliable as you'd hope though, might make your holiday more stressful.

 

[Skeptik]

LOL
Then he could complain. Another voice could be useful

(It hasn't been too bad today)

 

[d0b33]

LOL
Then he could complain. Another voice could be useful

(It hasn't been too bad today)

Yes, I would recommend Virgin as well, I've had no problems for a long time,
Vodacom has not been as reliable as Virgin recently for me

 

[loconel]

My trip is Sun City (pick up some money in the casino), Pilanusberg, Krugerpark. Does Virgin cover the main camps in the park. I did understand MTN and Vodafone do!

 

[Syndyre]

MTN and Vodacom definitely cover basically the whole park. Virgin can roam on Vodacom so they essentially have the same coverage but I still wouldn't recommend them, the problems aren't worth the cost saving IMO, especially if you're on holiday.

 

[loconel]

Your are right It is not worth the worry. I need probably 50Mb and that cost me maxium 100 Rand. Very cheap compared to Europe.

 

[Wynsam]

Cheap? We experience is as very expensive.

Is it cheap because the rand is weak and you are paying with foreign currency or the actual rate is cheap?

 

[Captain Beer]

I have used MTN and Virgin for data. Virgin drops the connection every few minutes, MTN can hold the connection for hours. I have never been able to download more than 1MB with the Virgin card.

 

[Pitbull]

Even with the exchange rates our pricing is one of the lowes in the world when it comes to mobile connectivity. Meaning SA

 

[Syndyre]

Best way would probably be to buy a PAYG MTN sim and then buy a 100MB bundle for R100.

 

[Syndyre]

Cheap? We experience is as very expensive.

Is it cheap because the rand is weak and you are paying with foreign currency or the actual rate is cheap?

The rate here's one of the cheapest in the world. We only see it as expensive because here it's used as an ADSL replacement.

 

[YelloFever]

Thanks for the input and support everyone

MTNDD

 

[Wynsam]

The rate here's one of the cheapest in the world. We only see it as expensive because here it's used as an ADSL replacement.

For once we are not at the back of the global race!! Thanks for the correction guys

 

[YelloFever]

For once we are not at the back of the global race!! Thanks for the correction guys

 

[Syndyre]

For once we are not at the back of the global race!! Thanks for the correction guys

Yeah its quite impressive considering the charges they have to pay Telkom too. I remember looking at standard roaming charges for Europe and it was between R80-R130/MB.