This comparison shows how Telkom’s new FreeMe contracts smash Vodacom and MTN’s

Telkom recently launched its suite of data-focussed FreeMe packages.
You choose the amount of data you want, pay 1.15c per second for off-network calls, and for almost everything else you won’t be charged.
To see how good Telkom’s FreeMe packages really are, we compared a selection of the plans to similar offerings from Vodacom, MTN, and Cell C.
All operators have a range of contracts available, but we focussed on competing products which have similar data, SMS, and voice calling values.
All the extras
Important contract features to consider are value-add extras and out-of-bundle rates.
- Telkom FreeMe packages – Free WhatsApp, BBM, and Viber data use (2GB fair use limit). Free calls to Telkom numbers. 10GB of Telkom Wi-Fi per month.
Note: the FreeMe contracts do not allow unused data to roll over to the next month.
- Vodacom’s Smart contracts – usually come with a R10,000 educational voucher.
- MTN – subscribers stream from its video-on-demand service, VU, for free.
- Cell C – unmetered access to Facebook’s Free Basics service: Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Bing search, OLX, Wikipedia, and several other sites.
Out-of-bundle charges
The contracts’ out-of-bundle rates are detailed below.
Out-of-bundle rates | Data | Voice | SMS |
---|---|---|---|
Telkom FreeMe | R0.29 per MB | R0.69 per minute | R0.30 per SMS |
Cell C SmartChat | R0.79 per MB | R1.50 per minute | R0.50 per SMS |
Cell C Epic | R0.99 per MB | R1.89 per minute | R0.50 per SMS |
My MTNChoice+ | R0.99 per MB | R1.90 per minute | R0.75 per SMS |
Vodacom Red More Data | R1.00 per MB | R1.25 per minute | R0.50 per SMS |
Vodacom Smart More Data | R1.00 per MB | R1.75 per minute | R0.50 per SMS |
SIM-only voice contract comparison
The tables below show how Telkom’s 2GB, 5GB, and Unlimited FreeMe packages compare to the rest of the field’s SIM-only packages.
2GB contracts | Telkom FreeMe 2GB | Vodacom Smart More Data 2GB | My MTNChoice S+ | Cell C SmartChat 3GB |
---|---|---|---|---|
Package price | R149 | R259 | R299 | R249 |
Anytime data | 2GB | 2GB | 2GB | 1.5GB |
Night data | 0GB | 0GB | 0GB | 1.5GB |
SMS | 1,500 (50 per day) | 0 | 100 | 0 |
Voice minutes | Free to Telkom numbers | 50 | 100 | 75 |
5GB contracts | Telkom FreeMe 5GB | Vodacom Smart More Data 4GB | My MTNChoice+ M | Cell C SmartChat 8GB |
---|---|---|---|---|
Package price | R299 | R409 | R699 | R599 |
Anytime data | 5GB | 4GB | 5GB | 4GB |
Night data | 0GB | 0GB | 0GB | 4GB |
SMS | 1,500 (50 per day) | 0 | 350 | 0 |
Voice minutes | Free to Telkom numbers | 50 | 350 | 150 |
R999 contracts | Telkom FreeMe Unlimited | Vodacom Red More Data 10GB | My MTNChoice+ L | Cell C Epic Infinity |
---|---|---|---|---|
Package price | R999 | R749* | R999 | R999 |
Anytime data | Uncapped (25GB FUP) | 10GB | 7GB | 10GB |
Night data | 0GB | 0GB | 0GB | 0GB |
SMS | 1,500 (50 per day) | 0 | 500 | Unlimited |
Voice minutes | 3,000 all-network minutes , Free to Telkom numbers | 150 | 500 | Unlimited |
* Vodacom Red More Data gets discount for SIM-only deal |
2GB smartphone contract showdown
Many consumers use a contract to obtain a new smartphone every two years, which SIM-only deals do not provide.
While there is a significant difference in price in the contracts featured above, this is not the case when a device is added to the mix.
When a 16GB iPhone SE is included, Telkom loses its advantage over MTN.
This is similar for Samsung Galaxy S7 deals across the same packages.
The Telkom deal arguably offers better value, but it is not a clear victory like it was with the SIM-only comparison.
iPhone SE | Telkom FreeMe 2GB | Vodacom Smart More Data 2GB | My MTNChoice S+ | Cell C SmartChat 3GB |
---|---|---|---|---|
Package price | R499 | R649 | R449 | R539 |
Anytime data | 2GB | 2GB | 2GB | 1.5GB |
Night data | 0GB | 0GB | 0GB | 1.5GB |
SMS | 1,500 (50 per day) | 0 | 100 | 0 |
Voice minutes | Free to Telkom numbers | 50 | 100 | 75 |
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