The #DataMustFall campaign gained great traction this month, and formed part of\u00a0hearings into high mobile data prices at Parliament\u2019s Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services.<\/p>\n
Many #DataMustFall campaigners argued that South African mobile data prices were very high, with some quoting comparative prices of 1GB of data in India, Nigeria, and Namibia to substantiate their point.<\/p>\n
So successful was the campaign, that Mmamoloko Kubayi, the chairperson of the portfolio committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services, said the operators have a month<\/strong><\/a> to \u2018get their act together\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cEither they\u00a0trim data costs, or the National Assembly will order them to do so,\u201d The Star reported her as saying.<\/p>\n But let\u2019s take a look at the comparative mobile data prices which many of the arguments are based on, which are listed below.<\/p>\n These prices were shared numerous times by #DataMustFall campaigners, and were widely reported on in the mainstream media.<\/p>\n There is\u00a0just\u00a0one big problem: these data prices, for which the source is\u00a0challenging to find, are misrepresenting the facts.<\/p>\n Apart from a strange selection of countries, the prices listed per country for 1GB of data looks wrong.<\/p>\n While South Africa\u2019s mobile data is still relatively expensive when compared to India, Nigeria, and Namibia, it is not as bad as the mystery figures suggest.<\/p>\n The table below provides a more accurate view of mobile data prices in these three countries, based on the latest prices from the largest operators in these countries.<\/p>\n Expiring mobile data bundles prejudice consumers: ICASA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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\n Prepaid Mobile Data Prices<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Operator<\/strong><\/td>\n Country<\/strong><\/td>\n Prepaid Data Package<\/strong><\/td>\n Price<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Vodacom<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n South Africa<\/td>\n 1GB<\/td>\n R149<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n MTN<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n South Africa<\/td>\n 1.5GB<\/td>\n R160<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Telecom Namibia<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n Namibia<\/td>\n 1GB<\/td>\n R139<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n MTC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n Namibia<\/td>\n 1.5GB<\/td>\n R219<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Airtel<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n India<\/td>\n 1GB<\/td>\n R50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Vodafone<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n India<\/td>\n 1GB<\/td>\n R61<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n MTN<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n Nigeria<\/td>\n 1.5GB<\/td>\n R43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Globacom<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n Nigeria<\/td>\n 2GB<\/td>\n R43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Postpaid Mobile Data Prices<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Operator<\/strong><\/td>\n Country<\/strong><\/td>\n Postpaid Data Package<\/strong><\/td>\n Price<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Vodacom<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n South Africa<\/td>\n 1GB<\/td>\n R75<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n MTN<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n South Africa<\/td>\n 1GB<\/td>\n R79<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Telecom Namibia<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n Namibia<\/td>\n 1GB<\/td>\n R149<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n MTC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n Namibia<\/td>\n 1.5GB<\/td>\n R219<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Airtel<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n India<\/td>\n 1GB<\/td>\n R51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Vodafone<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n India<\/td>\n 1GB<\/td>\n R51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n MTN<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n Nigeria<\/td>\n 1.5GB<\/td>\n R43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Globacom<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n Nigeria<\/td>\n 2GB<\/td>\n R43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n More on #DataMustFall<\/h3>\n