Vodacom / MTN GPRS.

[ajax]

It's probably something to do with EDGE. EDGE gives speeds between GPRS and 3G, but MTN have already covered 20% of their network with EDGE, and EDGE phones are already around and not as expensive as the 3G ones. (I'm thinking of buying a Nokia 6230, with EDGE and Bluetooth.)

This is why I am not signing any contracts. MTN might just surprise us. I'm expecting them to release something similarly priced as Vodacom's new data rates, but then MTN would have the "edge" due to the higher than GPRS speeds.

 

[diabolus]

Yes well, MTN got alot of work ahead of them. They will essentially have to beat the R2 p/mb price with EDGE -and- justify the 'cheaper' price against Vodacoms' 3G offerings [because that's what people will compare it with, even if it's trying to compete with GPRS] . I mean, i'm certainly not buying any new phone for EDGE, it's either 3G+EDGE or GPRS ...and if i'm paying for a 3G phone why will i use EDGE? So kinda big catch 22 there. I will thus only use EDGE if it's cheaper than GPRS [and available on my non-3G phone] , otherwise i'll go straight for 3G [or stick with GPRS].

It's a tricky scenario, alot of people i know are at a stage where cost > speed . And if you belive speed > cost then there's probably no reason to get EDGE instead of 3G [or 3.5G ].

And yes, i'm also not signing any 24 month contracts. I find it kind of offensive that companies expect people to sign 24 month contracts when the industry is changing every 2 months! Everytime i see that '24 month contract' in really small writing on an add [and 3G adds actually did that too] i just think to myself "Do they think us consumers are THAT stupid?" ....maybe some are, but i think we're catching on

 

[Harley79]

and has anyone seen an MTN rep on this forum? When they do release will they have a rep on this forum like Vodacom? Will he/she be as proactive and assisting? They have more than just price and speed to compete with, vodacom has set high standard of support on this forum.