On Friday last week, Telecel advised broadband subscribers through SMS that all mobile broadband usage would be charged US 10 cents per megabyte starting 1 May 2011. The charging did start as indicated but Telecel says it’s still just a test.
We wrote to the mobile operator for clarification on the mobile broadband pricing structure and here’s the response we got from a Telecel spokesperson:
The 3G service is still in its trial stages. One aspect of the service that was still to be tested was the billing system. The charge of 10 cents per megabyte has been introduced to enable Telecel to test this aspect before launching the service commercially. The cost will be deducted from the user’s normal airtime. When Telecel is ready to fully launch its service commercially the commercial rates will be announced. However during this testing phase the charge will be 10 cents per megabyte and this will be deducted from the subscriber’s airtime.
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Let me get this straight, they are charging $.10 per MB to test out their billing system, and then publish real commercial rates at some later date? Interesting indeed! Hopefully at that unattractive rate Telecel will be convinced to slash their rates even further to make them compelling for would-be customers.
Now that Africom is selling ZTE modems flexible enough to connect from Linux, the Mac and Windows itself what’s there to convince me to jump ship to Telecel? Nothing quite frankly.
how much is africom charging per gig or does it have bundles like powertel?
$18 for your first GIG/month, and then $.11/MB (I think) once you exhaust your first GIG. I got around this by buying 1 more modem. Cheaper in the long run.
JamesM
thanks, how reliable is africom, l use skype a lot? Whats their average download and upload speeds
Download about 0.96 Mbps and upload about 0.28 Mbps (courtesy of http://www.speedtest.net/). I find Africom to be reliable quite frankly. Voice skype is fine, but with video, don’t know should be ok I think.
If you opt for Africom just insist on the ZTE modem they are now selling and not an unbranded one. Had a torrid time with their unbranded white ones.
Is this Speedtest to an International site or to ZOL? If you test it to “Harare, Zimbabwe” you can test the local speed from Africom via ZINX to ZOL. I would be curious if there was a difference.
so when z this 10p testing goona end?…does that mean they will revert to free surfing again?…they better charge reasonable rates otherwise no incentive for me to continue use their gprs service…vari kurasika papi?…i even never received the so-called sms except to find out i cud’t connect…poor poor PR!
10 cents per MB is about $100 per GB. I assume including VAT. That doesn’t seem so far apart from what others are charging? Maybe I am wrong – haven’t looked recently. Does anyone know?
0.96 mbps…. haha. what a joke. Enjoy your poor service
shallow