TFG launches mobile operator — here’s how its data prices compare
The Foschini Group (TFG) has launched a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) — TFG Connect — that will compete with other MVNOs, including Mr Price Mobile, Afrihost Air Mobile, and PnP Mobile.
TFG Connect will use MTN’s network, offering prepaid and “Pay Monthly” products.
Airtime top-ups can be done in-store, on the TFG Connect website, or via USSD.
Recharges completed via USSD will be billed to the customer’s TFG Money account.
SIMs are sold at TFG stores, including Foschini, Markham, Exact, and Jet, and new subscribers get 200MB a month for six months, a once-iff 250MB WhatsApp bundle, and R29 airtime.
TFG Connect SIMs are automatically linked to the customer’s TFG Money account, allowing them to top up using their account credit — in-store and via USSD.
MyBroadband compared TFG Connect’s prepaid data offerings to Mr Price Mobile, Afrihost Air Mobile, Shoprite K’nect, and Axxess.
TFG Connect was the cheapest for two data allocations — its 200MB and 350MB bundles at R29 and R49, respectively. Its 3GB data bundle for R299 was the most expensive among those compared.
However, it should be noted that these bundle sizes are unusual, with only one other MVNO matching the 200MB, 350MB, and 3GB data allocations.
TFG Connect’s data bundles are valid for 30 days, and its smallest one is 100MB for R20.
Although its 100MB data bundle is cheaper than Mr Price Mobile’s, which costs R30, Afrihost Air Mobile offers the same data allocation with a validity period of 60 days for R10.
Afrihost Air Mobile’s data bundles were the cheapest across the board. However, it doesn’t offer bundles smaller than 100MB.
Looking at smaller data bundles, Shoprite’s K’nect data bundles are cheaper, whereas Afrihost offers better value than Mr Price despite its larger bundles.
Shoprite charges R4 and R7.50 for its 30MB and 50MB bundles, respectively.
Like Afrihost Air Mobile, Shoprite’s K’nect’s data bundles are valid for 60 days.
TFG Connect sells 500MB, 1GB, and 2GB data bundles for R59, R79, and R139, respectively.
The following table provides a price comparison of prepaid data bundles offered by the MVNOs considered in this analysis.
We highlighted the lowest price for a specific bundle size in green, and the highest price in red.
| MVNO data price comparison | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data allocation | TFG Connect (30 days) | Afrihost Air Mobile (60 days) | Mr Price Mobile (30 days) | Axxess (90 days) | Shoprite K’nect (60 days) |
| Carrier | MTN | MTN | Cell C | MTN | Cell C |
| 30MB | – | – | R10.00 | – | R4.00 |
| 50MB | – | – | R15.00 | – | R7.50 |
| 100MB | R20.00 | R10.00 | R30.00 | – | R15.00 |
| 200MB | R29.00 | – | R39.00 | – | – |
| 250MB | – | R20.00 | – | – | R30.00 |
| 350MB | R49.00 | – | – | – | – |
| 500MB | R59.00 | R25.00 | R59.00 | – | R60.00 |
| 1GB | R79.00 | R30.00 | R99.00 | – | R75.00 |
| 2GB | R139.00 | R60.00 | – | – | R140.00 |
| 2.5GB | – | – | – | R66.00 | – |
| 3GB | R299.00 | R90.00 | – | – | |
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