Neotel has confirmed that a data usage monitor system will be available to its NeoFlex and NeoConnect wireless broadband customers in the first quarter of 2010.<\/p>\n
In December MyBroadband reported that a bandwidth usage monitor was in its Beta testing phase and would be release in 2010, Neotel could not however commit<\/a> to a definite date of release at the time.<\/p>\n Neotel Chief Technology Officer Dr. Angus Hay<\/a> has now revealed that “Neotel’s data usage notification tool is in final phase of testing, and will be released within the first quarter of 2010”.<\/p>\n A common complaint amongst Neotel customers, since the company launched their wireless broadband services in 2008, has been the absence of a tool\/system informing users when their monthly bandwidth cap has been used. Such a service is common place amongst South African internet service providers (ISPs) and other operators.<\/p>\n A bandwidth monitoring tool will allow Neotel customers to be notified when their bandwidth usage is nearing their package cap, giving them the option to reduce data use or go out-of-bundle.<\/p>\n Hay added that “the tool will be available for all customers who utilize data” and will notify customers “in the form of an email message”. Users will also have a measure of control over this process, choosing the frequency of the notifications, “i.e. daily, weekly, bi-monthly, or upon exceeding their in-bundle data”.<\/p>\n In addition to this Neotel is currently “developing and implementing a more advanced billing system and customer self-service portal, which will give customers the ability to view their data usage via the web, as well as add and remove additional value-added features and services”. Information as to when these services will be rolled out has not yet been released.<\/p>\n The release of a bandwidth monitoring tool should come as welcome news to Neotel data customers on NeoFlex and NeoConnect packages. Currently the operator applies a policy of ‘soft capping’ its data subscribers. This means that subscribers are free to continue using the service after their cap is reached; additional bandwidth is charged at a cost of 8c per MB (R80 per GB).<\/p>\n Neotel bandwidth usage monitor<\/strong><\/a> – comments and views<\/p>\n Related Links<\/strong><\/p>\n