Forget 3G-HSDPA: mobile data options compared
For infrequent travellers, 3G connectivity does not make that much sense, especially if you’re looking for cost-effective mobile broadband.
Depending on your situation, it might make sense to buy a 3G modem and simply top it up via prepaid when necessary, but if you’re not a heavy user and if you don’t travel that often, Wi-Fi connectivity will probably suit you best.
A number of service providers offer some sort of Wi-Fi service at locations across the country. Some hotspots are obvious, others at more obscure places.
MWEB subscribers get 300 minutes of free Wi-Fi access per month. After that, top-ups cost R50 (50 minutes), R100 (100 minutes) or R150 (150 minutes). The service is available pretty much wherever you find Internet Solution’s Wi-Fi offering, including thousands of iPass locations overseas.
IS’s service, dubbed “Always On”, is the market leader. It has hotspots all over South Africa and offers roaming around the world too.
Its hotspots cover major airports, Doppio Zero, Mugg & Bean, Seattle Coffee Company, certain Wimpys and Nando’s stores, City Lodge, Southern Sun, Sun International, Three Cities, The Don Group and selected boutique hotels
IS has three access options: time-restricted, data-restricted and period-restricted access.
Time-restricted access costs between R35 (for 30 min) and R285 (for 12 hours). These are for local roaming, and if using only “Always On venues”, the prices are slightly cheaper.
Data-restricted access (local roaming, valid for 12 months) costs anything from R75 for 100MB to R275 for 500MB to R650 for 2GB.
Its period-restricted access options are interesting (and because there is a limit, cheaper than simple data-restricted pricing).
For example, 250MB (local roaming limited to seven days) costs R 115 (versus R160 for a 12 month limit). A 500MB package (local roaming limited to 14 days) costs R190, while 2GB (local roaming limited to 30 days) will set you back R595.
Upstart Skyrove offers over 500 hotspots countrywide, and these tend to be in more obscure locations. If you’re not near a big chain, chances are you’ll be near a Skyrove hotspot.
Skyrove allows owners of any establishment to set up a hotspot using its router simply plugged into its business network (ADSL, 3G, iBurst) and then offer access to their clients.
It sells “credits”, and its packages start at R40 for 500 credits. R500 gets you 7 500 credits.
Skyrove says its hotspots charge different rates per megabyte because the price is set by the owner of the hotspot. A quick search on its map of hotspots in Cape Town showed rates anywhere from 25 credits (R2) per MB, to ten credits (80c) per MB, right does to four credits (32c) per MB. The one drawback with Skyrove is that you’re at the mercy of whatever speed the owner’s connection is.
The Wi-Fi services mentioned above offer the same kind of service and presuming your laptop is Wi-Fi enabled (most are), connecting is a breeze. But, perhaps the most interesting proposition is from access provider WirelessG. It sells connectivity via ADSL, 3G and Wi-Fi (and soon in-flight access) in one account (dubbed “G-Connect”). This is perfect for internet users who are very mobile.
The one downside is that you have to buy your hardware upfront. In other words, to make use of the 3G service, you’d need to buy a SIM card (R150) and a 3G modem (R1 440). A simple ADSL router is dirt cheap at R119 (versus a wireless one at R500).
WirelessG sells prepaid access and your unused data is carried over from one month to the next. Until April, it’s offering a special 30-day internet pass (with up to 9GB of data) for R200.
It bills access at different prices, depending on the technology:
| Technology | 3G | Wi-Fi per MB | Wi-Fi per Minute | International Wi-Fi | ADSL |
| Normal Rate | 62c per MB | 49c per MB | 45c per Min | R1,50 per Min | 3.7c per MB |
| Super Happy Weekend | 59c per MB | 45c per MB | 38c per Min | N/A | 3.5c per MB |
| Happy Hour | 55c per MB | 35c per MB | 30c per Min | N/A | 3.5c per MB |
| 30 Day Broadband Pass | 28c per MB | 30c per MB | N/A | N/A | 2.2c per MB |
* Happy Hours run every weekday from 17:00 to 20:00. Super Happy Weekends run from midnight on Saturday morning until 23:59 on Sunday.
WirelessG makes sense if you need mobility and also have an ADSL connection at home (which you don’t use that often). With its in-flight offering set for launch later this year (at a price of between 50c and 90c per MB), it’s a very attractive connectivity option.
With these Wi-Fi services becoming cheaper and more pervasive, it might make sense to get rid of that 3G dongle and R2 per MB pricing for once and for all! But, if you’re a heavy user who travels a lot, a large 3G bundle (3-5GB) will still make the most sense.
Mobile data options – comments and views
* Hilton Tarrant contributes to “Broadband”, a column on Moneyweb covering the ICT sector in South Africa. He used a friend’s IS Wi-Fi once or twice and was impressed, but hasn’t travelled recently so didn’t really need this kind of access. Perhaps he should find a reason to go somewhere soon!
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