VOTE for better DATA RATES

A little off topic, but isn't VodaCom's/MTN's R2 P/MB already one of the cheapest GPRS/3G rates in the world?
 
What are the chances of Wireless broadband becoming like in the fixed line UK where you pay a fixed monthly rate irrespective of data transfer?

Why do we pay per GB? Is it only because of Telkom's policies?
 
nGAGEd55 said:
But compared to the UK we're quite cheap AFAIK
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I just looked at orange's rates... upto 2 quid for 1 MB (R20 a meg) and as little as 45 quid for 1000 MB (45c a meg).

But I battled to find per MB as most UK users use 3g for video calls and other random phone downlaods... most providers charge for x amount of video calls etc.

I don't think that 3G is so hot for internet usage there, because there is so much availability of other mediums like uncapped dirt cheap DSL or wireless.

I think we need to look at other "emerging markets / 3rd world countries" to make the comparison. India is a very good example... R61 per year broadband and 7c per MB 3G.
 
eben80 said:
What are the chances of Wireless broadband becoming like in the fixed line UK where you pay a fixed monthly rate irrespective of data transfer?

Why do we pay per GB? Is it only because of Telkom's policies?
Click to expand...
There is one provider in India charging a fixed monthly for GPRS...forget the name...will check up...
Point is UK etc have other dirt cheap DSL options so people dont care really about 3g....
 
Point is UK etc have other dirt cheap DSL options so people dont care really about 3g....
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Have read - mobile data expensive in Europe because companies trying to makeup their investment/losses on spectrum licensing. India doesn't have this problem.
 
Mobile carriers in this country (and throughout Africa) have a tremendous opportunity to really stick it to telscum and uplift the lives of millions of people - but no - profit, profit, profit - on the backs of the poorest people in the world - what is wrong with corporate africa? :eek:
 
kilo39 said:
Mobile carriers in this country (and throughout Africa) have a tremendous opportunity to really stick it to telscum and uplift the lives of millions of people - but no - profit, profit, profit - on the backs of the poorest people in the world - what is wrong with corporate africa? :eek:
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It's called business!!:D
 
Mams said:
There is one provider in India charging a fixed monthly for GPRS...forget the name...will check up...
Point is UK etc have other dirt cheap DSL options so people dont care really about 3g....
Click to expand...

Flatrated services usually exclude apps like streaming.
 
well if dsl ever becomes cheaper, which looks really likely with the new draft regulations for adsl, then there would be no incentive to use 3g which suffers from high latency and annoying pay-per-meg system.

that means the only ppl willing to use 3G are those who cant get adsl due to location or something else.

basically vodacom could end up picking up the leftovers, like the rest of the cell providers around the world
 
Gladiator said:
well if dsl ever becomes cheaper, which looks really likely with the new draft regulations for adsl, then there would be no incentive to use 3g which suffers from high latency and annoying pay-per-meg system.

that means the only ppl willing to use 3G are those who cant get adsl due to location or something else.

basically vodacom could end up picking up the leftovers, like the rest of the cell providers around the world
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You have a point there; however I'm about to become a 3G user, although I have DSL at work and at home.

I need to have internet access on the move, the wireless providers; well we know about them. They also don't have soft hand over etc. but 3G has proved to be a powerful and useful service for the mobile user.

I think there is definitely a gap in the market for 3G, but I don't think that it is on our desks at home/work.
 
I would like to see the following :

a. A flat rate per month for access to the email systems (the SMTP and POP server), with NO limitations on the amount of data that can be transferred. This in effect would be very similar to the Blackberry service, and I would be willing to pay a similar monthly cost for this service. [But would it would also be nice to say have 100MB included in this cost for some general HTTP browsing]

b. Peak usage accounting on the APN, with off peak being limitless. In other words, if I used the service from say 7am till 8pm, the data would come off my bundle. Outside of these times, it would be "free" or drastically reduced!

c. No charge for the ISP services for current 3G subscribers - considering that MTN dont charge for MTNLoaded for ANY of their data subscribers.

My 2c worth.
Oh, and seasons greetings forumites ;)
Cheers ~
ScrnScrm
 
ScrnScrm said:
I would like to see the following :

c. No charge for the ISP services for current 3G subscribers - considering that MTN dont charge for MTNLoaded for ANY of their data subscribers.
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AFAIK Vodacom doesn't charge any ISP service... you only pay for you actuall bandwidth usage or your bundle.

I'm on the MyMeg 0 (So all it does is give me access; no bundled bandwidth) and it's monthly subscription is R0.00

Seasons Greetings, ScrnScrm
 
Hi - they charge 30 odd bucks for email services - thats what i was referring to. This charge is waivered for the 500Mb and 1gb package customers. MTN give ALL their subscribers a free email addy...
 
Couple ideas.

Price reductions. I can walk into UUNET and get 37c/meg. Vodacom need to get the cost down. R2/mb is the main reason I am still on iBurst. Get that in and out of bundle cost down.

After Hours CAP.
Give incentives to use the system in off peak times.
Buy a One Gig Account and get One Gig at off peak times.
They do this all over the world. :mad:
 
v3g - just a hypothetical question - if Telkom's bandwidth prices were less, would the data prices on Vodacom be less as well? Of course rollout costs etc have to be covered, but surely the high bandwidth costs contribute to a reasonable degree?


vodacom3g said:
As Pieter Uys said in the myADSL interview, prices will always be under pressure and will naturally come down.
Click to expand...
 
Just a little something i noticed:
India is 7c per mb. But they not alone......
According to the data rate comparison chart that is posted somewhere on this forum,
Vodafone Portugal charges under 1c ( 0.0085c ) per mb for out of bundle data!
And Vodafone Austria charges about 7 to 11c per mb for out of bundle megs.

What are we voting for?
Common guys....let the suggestions keep on rolling - lets guide Vodacom on their new pricing....
I posted my recommendations and see that some others have as well...
Basically i want a rate of under 10c per mb and out of bundle either same as your in bundle rate or as Vodafone Austria and Vodafone Portugal have done; out of bundle can be cheaper than in bundle rate!
 
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