{"id":51123,"date":"2012-06-05T11:59:19","date_gmt":"2012-06-05T09:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=51123"},"modified":"2012-06-05T12:01:31","modified_gmt":"2012-06-05T10:01:31","slug":"pre-paid-pricing-comparison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/cellular\/51123-pre-paid-pricing-comparison.html","title":{"rendered":"Pre-paid pricing comparison"},"content":{"rendered":"

In mid-May 2012, Cell C<\/a> launched a new pre-paid voice product and tariff plan called ’99 Cents For Real’. This new service slashes off-net and peak call tariffs to 99c per minute, and at the same time, cuts the rate of MMS<\/a> messaging to 99c per message and gives customers data at 99c per MB.<\/p>\n

Vodacom<\/a> was quick to follow, and also launched a 99c pre-paid voice promotion. However, Vodacom’s promotion has per-minute billing instead of per second (as is the case with Cell C’s ’99 Cents For Real’) and also did not cut the price of pre-paid data.<\/p>\n

To date MTN<\/a> and 8ta<\/a> has not reacted to the new pricing from Cell C, instead arguing that they already provide very good value for money.<\/p>\n

MTN said that its pre-paid tariffs remain the most affordable in the market despite pre-paid price cuts by its competitors.<\/p>\n

8ta in turn argued that whilst competing on price ultimately benefits the customer in the short term, “competing on value is more sustainable in the long term”.<\/p>\n

This raises the question of how the various operators compare when it comes to pre-paid pricing. The following tables provide an overview of how Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and 8ta stack up against each other.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Service<\/strong><\/td>\nPer second billing<\/strong><\/td>\nVoice (peak)<\/strong><\/td>\nVoice (off-peak)<\/strong><\/td>\nData<\/strong><\/td>\nMMS<\/strong><\/td>\nSMS<\/strong><\/td>\nAdded benefits<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cell C 99 cents for real<\/strong><\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nR0.99<\/td>\nR0.99<\/td>\nR0.99 per MB<\/td>\nR0.99<\/td>\nR0.50<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vodacom 99c promotion<\/strong><\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nR0.99<\/td>\nR0.99<\/td>\nR2.00 per MB<\/td>\nR0.80<\/td>\nR0.50<\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • Free calls between 0:00 and 05:00<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
MTN One Rate<\/strong><\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nR1.75<\/td>\nR1.75<\/td>\nR2.00 per MB<\/td>\nR0.90<\/td>\nR0.50<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8ta<\/strong><\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nR2.75<\/td>\nR1.12<\/td>\nR1.00 per MB<\/td>\nR0.50<\/td>\nR0.50<\/td>\n\n