USB Modem

I want to get a USB modem but I don't know if I should go through MTN or Vodacom.

MTN's prices are as per the following:

Bundle Subscription pm Inclusive Data In Bundle Rate Out of Bundle Rate
10MB R10.00 10MB R1.00 R2.00
100MB R80.00 100MB R0.80 R1.50
350MB R169.00 350MB R0.48 R1.50
500MB R189.00 500MB R0.38 R1.20
1GB R289.00 1GB R0.28 R1.20
2GB R389.00 2GB R0.19 R1.20

Vodacom's prices are these:

Contract Data Included (per Month) Monthly Subscription (incl VAT) Effective In-bundle rate (per MB ) Out-of-bundle rate (per MB )

MY MEG 500 500 MB R 249.00 R 0.50 R 1.20
MY GIG One 1 GB R 349.00 R 0.34 R 1.20
MY GIG Two 2 GB R 449.00 R 0.22 R 1.20
MY GIG Three 3 GB R 749.00 R 0.24 R 1.00
MY GIG Five 5 GB R 1,049.00 R 0.20 R 1.00
MY GIG Ten 10 GB R 2,049.00 R 0.20 R 1.00

Should I go for 1 Gig or 2 Gig's?

This is the MTN coverage available for my road:

Signal available
95% Outdoor: Edge, GPRS and GSM

I know people laught at me for using a normal Telkom line for internet access, but.....
I pay R80pm for 75 hrs online, no limits on download.
This is possible as an add-on to the Closer packages.
http://www.telkom.co.za/athome/services/closer/index.html
For my purposes - which is normal browsing and reading email, not online gaming - I am definately not going to pay a minimum of R190pm. Our road is also just outside the recommended zone - we are already having trouble getting a clear reception for normal cellphone calls.
And the slow line - I have enough time to drink coffee while surfing!

I already have a dial-up modem but our phone account is far too high.
This way I can put it onto my cellphone account if I go with MTN and pay it myself instead of my folks paying a high Telkom account.

Hi Tracey

I have had both one with Vodacom(personal) and one with MTN(for work purposes). Where i live the MTN picks up 3G all the time, but my vodacom one only gets GPRS...i have also found my vodacom usb modem disconnects alot, and you have to connect again to continue. I have since given the work modem back, and was also considering purchasing a new MTN one. I have the R85 per month Vodacom contract with 40MB free, then i add on bundles if i want to use more. But if i was using the internet much more than i do now, i would get the 1GB subscription...i do know that MTN has some great specials that are part of new contracts, and not just bundle add on's....

Investigate converting your phone account to one of the Closer packages (I have Closer2 which includes free a.h. calls & normal day time calls). Also, didn't mention, but all the internet "calls" are doing a.h. (Callmore time) and are included in the R80pm.

We did have one of those Closer options but it just seemed to expensive.
I AM getting a USB modem!

I've had a Vodacom USB modem for sometime now, and I'm not too impressed with it. It has kind of behaved itself for the last few days, but as Niri stated you need to be prepared to reconnect every few minutes - most frustrating.
I'm not sure what the mtn signal is like in my area but I hardly ever (close to never) get 3G signal with vodacom - at best it is 2g or gprs. I have the 1Gb a month contract, and have never used the full 1Gb.

Andre, do you download alot or just view websites?

I've gone for MTN 1 Gb option.

I have a MTN mast very close to my house so I should have a good connection.

I download large amounts of data from our UK servers on a regular basis, and I tend to do very little surfing.

I have a 1GB vodacom 3G package...

and also and unlimited download 3g card for my work laptop

rklopper Wrote:
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> and also and unlimited download 3g card for my
> work laptop

we're not worthy, we're not worthy

Reanie Wrote:
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> Investigate converting your phone account to one
> of the Closer packages (I have Closer2 which
> includes free a.h. calls & normal day the R80pm.

You can get ADSL 1G with the closer package for R50 a month more...... that's what the Telkom agent told me (my dad is on it and I'm trying to get him to go ADSL)

Just checked their site - it does not reflect what I was told ????

Use this link:
Telkom Closer