Cellular25.07.2016

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

Mobile Network Operator Telkom Vodacom MTN Cell C

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

Apple iPhone SE

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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