South Africa has four major cellular network service providers: Vodacom, Cell C, MTN, Virgin Mobile and the newly introduced 8ta.

Telkom is the major landline phone operator in South Africa, but as more and more people use cellphones, their profits began to dwindle. In response, Telkom have introduced a new mobile network with pricing that is very competitive when compared to the other major cellular network providers. To promote the launch of the business, Telkom will offer 1 free second of airtime credited to the subscriber for each 3 seconds of calls the subscriber receives.

Benefits for 8ta subscribers

• With 8ta, calls to fixed lines cost up to 60% less than the other major providers.
• A flat rate of R2.50 per minute is charged for calls to over 100 international destinations (as is the case for MTN).
• You will be given 50 free SMSs if you send 5 SMSs in one day.

The downside of 8ta

• The charges for data with 8ta are higher than those of Cell C and Virgin Mobile at R1/MB without a bundle.
• Although Telkom plans to build 3200 more base stations across the country, there are currently only 800 stations, meaning that data and voice connectivity may not be as good as other networks which are more connected.

It is difficult to compare cellular network service providers outright as each offers a diverse range of plans and special deals which continually change from time to time. Other issues to consider are connectivity and customer service. For the purposes of this comparison, however, we will look at basic call and sms costs and compare the companies in terms of their rates. It is important to remember that different service providers do offer different benefits such a free minutes and free data, so you need to compare different plans available to see which is the best for your own unique needs.

This table summarises the prepaid plans of the various cellphone network. Contracts differ from provider to provider, so if you would rather subscribe on a contract basis it is best to contact each provider to see what they have available at that time.

Because Telkom is the major landline provider, the company is able to offer landline calls from 8ta at very cheap rates compared to other providers. Like Cell C (on this particular plan), 8ta has a flat call rate of R1, 50. MTN also has a flat rate offer, with calls to all networks at R1.75 per minute.

With so many people using smartphones and data bundles these days, this is often a major concern for consumers. 8ta offers data bundles for R250 for 1GB, compared to MTN’s R289 for 1GB. For more data, Vodacom will charge R289 for 1.2GB. Cell C data bundles are currently far cheaper, but it is not guaranteed that the low prices will remain as such.

As a consumer, competition is a good thing, so take advantage of the battle of the networks to get the best cellphone deals.

Contract Pros

• A contract is convenient and you won’t have to keep topping up your airtime.
• Call rates are often cheaper
• Depending on the contract, you sometimes have access to free minutes, SMS bundles and other benefits and value-added services such as data bundles.
• It is good to have contract in an emergency situation as you won’ face the danger of finishing your airtime.
• Your calls won’t get cut off due to insufficient airtime.
• You will get a monthly statement with itemized billing.

Contract Cons

• You are tied to a 2-year commitment and what worked for you a year ago may not be what you need now.
• You can run up a high phone pay that you will have to pay at the end of the month.
• Contract charges usually come off a debit order, so any mistakes made by the service provider can be difficult to fix.
• Someone else can spend money on your phone if it gets stolen or lost.
• You will be charged a monthly service fee.
• You will have to keep the same phone for two years and you will have to buy a new one if your phone gets lost or stolen.

Prepaid Pros

• You are not contracted to any commitments.
• You will only pay for what you use, paying as you go for your airtime.
• It is easy to register for a prepaid phone and you won’t need a proof of income and other such documents.
• You can control your call costs.
• Prepaid vouchers are readily available at a number of retailers.
• No monthly service fees.
• You can sometimes make emergency calls to certain numbers if you have no airtime.

Prepaid Cons

• You won’t be offered a free phone or other phone equipment so you will have to buy your own phone.
• You may run out of airtime when you need it and buying airtime isn’t as convenient as having an unlimited contract.

The best way to decide and compare cell phone contracts vs. prepaid is to examine your own cellphone habits. Record your cellphone usage for a few weeks so that you can get an idea of how much time and money you spend talking on the phone, how much data you use, how often you SMS, and the times of of day that you do so.

If you talk on your cellphone a lot or use it for business, it may be advisable to sign up for a contract so that your calls are cheaper and you may get some free talking minutes. If you talk on your phone during off-peak times (when free minutes apply) it can be advantageous to get a contract that includes this free talk time. If you don’t use your cellphone a lot, however, it would be better to use prepaid plan so that you don’t pay unnecessary monthly fees that you are not taking advantage of.

If you would like fancy phone, getting a contract is a good way of getting this phone for free. You can see a contract as a way to pay off the phone on a monthly basis. If you get tired of phones quickly, however, you may get tired of having the same phone for two years.

It’s also important to shop around; not all contracts are the same and you may find one better suited to your needs if you keep looking around. Visit different service provider shops and tell them about your cellphone habits so they can suggest the right plan for you.

Prepaid options

On the prepaid data option there are five different bundles to suit your usage needs, whether you’re an occasional browser or a full-on data-head. On a prepaid option, you can choose a 3GB, 12GB, or 24GB option on the H+900MHz network to accommodate low, medium and high data usage. This means that you can choose how much data you want so that you don’t have to pay extra for internet that you won’t use.

Data Bundles

• 100MB will set you back R50 (VAT included) at an implied rate of R0.50 per MB (VAT included) and is valid for 30 days.
• 250MB will cost R100 (VAT included) at an implied rate of R0.40 per MB (VAT included) and is valid for 30 days.
• 500MB will cost you R150 (VAT included) at an implied rate of R0.30 per MB (VAT included) and is valid for 30 days.
• 1.2GB goes for R250 (VAT included) at an implied rate of R0.20 per MB (VAT included) and is valid for 30 days.
• 3GB will set you back R400 (VAT included) at an implied rate of R0.13 per MB (VAT included) and is valid for 30 days.

To purchase one of these Smartdata bundles on a cellphone with WAP, ensure that you have enough airtime to make the purchase, then dial *147#, choose the second option and follow the voice prompts.

If you have a Cell C Speed Stick, choose “services”, then enter *147#, choose the second option and follow the voice prompts. If your device has a new user setup, simply select the “account” tab and follow the instructions.

Contract options

Cell C USB Modems and Smartdata Bundles are also available in monthly payment options over a period of 12 months. If you choose to pay for your internet usage on contract terms, there are also a number of options to suit your internet usage and budget. All come with H+900 capabilities.

Cell C one year contracts

• A 3GB USB Modem (valid for 12 months) includes 3GB to use within 12 months with no monthly caps. If you want this option on prepaid terms you will have to pay a once-off fee of R749.
• You can also choose a 12GB option powered by a USB modem. This gives you 1GB per month over 12 months. The USB hardware has a capability of up to 7.2Mbps. On prepaid, this will cost you R1999 on a once off payment.
• If you want 2GB of internet usage per month, you can buy a USB modem allowing for 24GB of data over 12 months. The USB stick has a 21.6Mbps capability. This package can be bought for prepaid usage for a once-off payment of R2999.

Cell C two year contracts

• Over 24 months, you can get a contract allowing for 500MB of data per month (12GB in total). A USB Speed Stick is included.
• For R199 over 24 months you can get 1GB of data per month with a 24GB data package that includes a Wi-Fi router and USB Speed Stick.
• You can get 2GB of data per month with a 48GB data package that includes a Wi-Fi router and USB Speed Stick for R299 per month.
• For R599 over 24 months you can get 5GB per month with a Wi-Fi Router (allowing you to share your data).

With all these internet options available, being connected with Cell C just got easier. You can choose from a variety of plans that best suit your lifestyle and your budget.

Where can I buy prepaid airtime online?

Forty percent of South African credit card users are on prepaid airtime.  And there are over 40 million South African cellphone users, creating a viable market for online airtime solutions.

• PhoneFuel allows South African cellphone users to buy prepaid MTN, Vodacom and Cell C airtime online. This convenient service allows you to buy airtime 365 days a year, 24 hours per day. All you need is a credit card or internet banking, as PhoneFuel accept Visa and MasterCard as well as EFT payments.  To get started, create a free account on the PhoneFuel website and you can start buying.

• With Prepaid24, you can recharge your airtime or 3G data. To recharge online, make prepaid24 a beneficiary on your internet banking using your cellphone number, adding V if you are on Vodacom, C if you are on Cell C, M if you are on MTN. You can then make an EFT payment of between R50 and R1000 for most major banks (Absa, Standard Bank, Nedbank, FNB, Capitec, and Investec). Your recharge pin will be sent to you SIM card after about 25 minutes.

• At http://www.payasyougo.co.za/ you can pay for airtime with your debit (available for MTN or Vodacom) or credit card. Any airtime purchases over R60 are discounted.

• V time is dedicated exclusively to Vodacom top up (http://www.vtime.co.za/). Here you can use internet banking and EFT to pay for data bundles and airtime. The options are: airtime direct allowing you have airtime sent directly to your SIM (AIR); data direct for sending pinless data bundles directly to your 3G modem SIM (SDAT); and bulk service that sends a bulk recharge for your business (ADAT).  To pay for your chosen top up option, create Vtime as an internet banking beneficiary, using your cell number and chosen top up option as a reference. You can then complete the EFT payment to your own bank. Airtime amounts range from R55 to R100 and specific data bundles can be bought from R99 to R3620 (the minimum for FNB transactions is R110). You will then receive the recharge to your cellphone SIM or 3G modem SIM within 10 minutes.

Where can I buy electricity online?

• Prepaid24 also offer a service to recharge your prepaid electricity meter.  Without having to leave your office or home, you can use EFT to safely and cost-effectively pay for an electricity top-up. All you need to do is register on the website by providing your cellphone and prepaid meter number (no personal details).  Take down the relevant details of your bank and create a beneficiary on your internet banking page using Prepaid24 bank details, using your cellphone number as a reference. You can then make a payment to this account amounting to how much electricity you would like to buy (the minimum amount is R200). The pin number to recharge your meter will be sent to your cellphone number, usually in less than 10 minutes.

• You can also register at IPay Online (https://www.ipay.co.za/iPayConsumer/) to pay for prepaid electricity online with your credit card.

What are the advantages if you buy airtime and electricity online?

• You can often do an EFT so you don’t need to entrust your credit card details online.
• You don’t always have to pay service fees for transactions.
• You don’t have to be at risk by drawing large sums of money from the bank or ATM.
• You don’t have to leave the convenience of your home or office environment.
• You can buy airtime as well as SMS or data bundles.
• Transactions are secure and safe.

MTN’s Blackberry Service is included as part of the majority of their contract offerings  and therefore connecting to the world is quick and simple. Blackberry Internet Service  is the tool that you need in order to connect, and this allows you the opportunity to not only connect to Blackberry messaging, but also the internet and applications. Blackberries have revolutionised the world and have allowed people to connect on a whole new level. In South Africa alone, the increasing demand for Blackberry devises is evidence of the way in which people have hopped on the communication highway and feel the need to always be connected.

This has helped greatly in business as no longer are people tied to their desks because of their PC’s and no longer do they have to lug their laptops around with them. Instead, they can have multiple email accounts linked to their Blackberry devise which allows them the freedom to work from home, or from anywhere for that being.

MTN has a variety of packages for you to chose from when it comes  to Blackberry devises. Firstly, you can chose a pay as you go package and it really is simple. All you have to do is take a look at the different Blackberry devises on offer and see which one suits you best. You can chose from the Blackberry Curve 8520, Bold 9000, and Bold 9700. From there, all you have to do is visit your nearest MTN store with your PayAsYouGo Sim card and purchase the phone. In order to join the revolution and start connecting, you will have to pay R59 a month for unlimited Internet and email with Blackberry Internet Service.

In order to set up your Blackberry Internet Service, you will have to dial*141*11#. This will allow you the opportunity to have access to unlimited internet which will allow you to connect even further by letting you access your social networking accounts as well as up to 10 email accounts. Should you wish to connect to your corporate email account, calendar, and contacts, you will have to pay R139 instead of the R59 per month.  In order to set up your Blackberry, you will have to dial 1555 and select option 3 for help with setting up your Blackberry.

If you can afford a contract, then there a number of options available with MTN. You can choose between the cheapest option being that of a MTN Anytime 50  or the most expensive being that of a MTN off-peak 200. As with pay as you go, you will have to set up your devise in the same way. However, you will not have to pay a separate amount for Blackberry Internet and Email Services. Instead, this amount will form part of your contract which makes the whole process of staying connected that much easier.

If instant messaging and email accounts aren’t enough for you, then you will also be opening yourself up to a world of applications that you can download for your Blackberry. The most popular application is that of What’sApp which allows Blackberry users the opportunity to stay connected to other smartphone users that do not have a Blackberry, at no cost. All you have to pay for is the Internet usage but that is minimal.

Let’s take a look at some of the affordable Cell C Blackberry specials and deals on offer at Makro. Currently, Cell C have a Blackberry 9300 for only R3429,00, and a Cell C Blackberry 8520 for R1749,00. Unfortunately for Woolworths and Edgars specials, you will have to visit the stores cellular department to see what they have on offer in terms of specials or deals on Blackberry cellular phones.

Now if you are not in the know and are wondering what is so special about Blackberry’s, well it is simple, their instant messaging. Blackberry messenger has revolutionised the way in which people communicate. If you own a Blackberry and your service provider supports Blackberry messenger, then you can BBM other Blackberry messenger subscribers for free, anytime of the day or night. The only thing that you will be paying for are your service providers data bundle services. If your service provider does not offer the Blackberry messenger service, then have no fear as you can download an application to your Blackberry devise called Whats App that allows you to message people on i-Phones and other Blackberry’s for free. Again, all you are paying for is the data bundle that is required to run the application.

As a Cell C subscriber however, they support the Blackberry messenger service so you can BBM to your hearts content when you either get a Cell C prepaid Blackberry devise or a Cell C Blackberry contract. The only thing that puts a lot of people off is that Blackberry’s are quite expensive phones so if you do not have a contract which you pay for monthly that includes the payment of the phone in the deal, then you could end up spending a few thousand rands purchasing the devise. However the rewards that you receive in terms of internet accessibility and instant messaging are great. Blackberry’s have spread like wildfire in South Africa and they are the most in demand kind of cellular phone in the country, and around the world. So if you are a trendsetter or fashionista, you will not be caught dead without your Blackberry.

At current, Cell C has a few great specials on Blackberry contracts, as well as a variety of Blackberry devises for you to choose from. There is the most basic model being that of the Blackberry 8520 or the most advanced version being that of the Blackberry Torch. The great thing about Cell C is that there really is a package to suit everyone’s budget. Their cheapest contract at the moment is the Blackberry Casual Chat 100 that includes the following:

For R169 pm you get a BlackBerry 8520 Curve handset  (on a 24-month contract), 100 off-peak minutes, and the choice between the default option of 100% discounted BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) or 50% discounted BIS and BlackBerry Enterprise Services (BES). This really is a great deal for those of you who do not want your kids to spend a fortune every month smsing their friends as has been the case in a lot of households across South Africa.

If you are a prepaid customer, you are automatically allowed to use the data service that your phone allows. This requires you to have a certain amount of airtime on your cellular telephone in order to work and therefore you do not need to purchase data bundles. It can therefore be said that Vodacom data bundles and airtime purchases work hand in hand. Should you however be a contract or top up subscriber, you will need to activate this service for your cellular phone. You can do this by dialling 082 111.

The data bundles in the following sizes are available from Vodacom:

1. MyMeg 30: R28
2. MyMeg 110: R88
3. MyMeg300: R139
4. MyMeg600: R189

The best thing about these data bundles is that you do not have to go to a shop to buy one, you can simply transfer airtime credit on your cellular phone, to bundle credit by dialling *111#. Then press 2 and you will be given the option to transfer airtime or transfer data bundle.

Should you wish to obtain an airtime voucher, there are very many options available to you. Firstly, you can visit your nearest retailer and purchase a airtime voucher at the till along with your other shopping goods. In addition to this, should your bank provide online banking, you can purchase airtime directly from your bank account. The major banks in South Africa have also made it possible to purchase airtime directly from their ATM’s. In addition to this, should you wish to place airtime on someone else’s phone, you can do so the same way in which you would for your phone via an ATM or online banking. Airtime amounts can be bought between R29, and R1000. It really depends on how much you need.

Vodacom has realised that their consumers are forever on the move and they need their service provider to meet where they are whenever they need them. This means that they need to have a wide distribution network and be on the look-out for new technologies to help them in this regard. If you think about it, they have come a long way from the airtime vending machines to offering their services online.

If you are still not sure about which cellular service provider to choose when looking for a new phone, then why not consider the market leader in South Africa, Vodacom. Since their launch in 1994, they have racked up a number of accolades such as being the first cellular network provider in South Africa, the largest number of customers, and attracting 50 000 customers in their first month of operations. Vodacom was also the first cellular fax and data service in South Africa, the first prepaid cellular provider, and the first to launch a 3G HSDPA network.

This is also an organisation that believes in giving back to the communities in which it operates. This means that Vodacom are very involved in a number of charities and corporate social responsibility programmes. One such programme is the Graduate Programme for Females in Technology. Vodacom has even developed its own charity called the Vodacom Foundation that is involved in projects all across South Africa and part of Africa which include education projects and food relief efforts in Somalia. So if you are looking for a company that not only serves you, but is also involved in charitable work then you should definitely consider Vodacom.

Vodacom, the leading cellular network and cellular service provider has created a stolen phone information line. This line (124 if you are calling from a Vodacom cellphone or 082 124 if you are calling from a Telkom landline) details the steps you need to follow, six to be exact, in order to blacklist your cellphone.

The steps are as follows:

1. Visit you service providers nearest outlet or call them from another phone and inform them that your phone has been stolen and ask them to block your sim card. Should your phone have been stolen out of office/working hours (which is normally the case) then Vodacom has set up a line that you can call in order for them to block the sim card for you. The number to dial is 082 111.
2. Provide your service provider with your IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) number. This number is generally found on the side of the box in which the cellphone was supplied to you in. If for any reason you cannot find the packaging of the cellular phone then you will be able to ask your service provider for this number.
3. You have to report stolen phone to the police. This is in order for you to get a case number which is required for insurance purposes.
4. Contact your cellular network provider and provide them with the case number as well as your IMEI number.  Only once you have done so will they blacklist your cellular telephone.
5. Once the phone has been blacklisted, you must contact your insurance provider should you have taken out insurance on the cellphone.

For those of you who are unsure of what it means exactly to blacklist something, it means that should the person who stole your phone try and make calls at your expense, they will not be able to. In addition to this, blacklisting a phone requires the IMEI number so that should the thief try and use the cellular phone with a different SIM card, they will not be able to. As a result, the thief will have lucked out as they will not be able to sell the phone to another as it will be rendered useless.

Should you for any reason need to reverse the blacklisting, all you have to do make your cellular network aware of the fact that you would like to unblacklist it, as well as input the IMEI number of the phone on ITC. The cellular network will then allow calls to and from the cellular phone again and you can call people to your heart’s content.  This may require you contacting a call centre and could take a while depending on how good the customer service is at your respective cellular network.

It is important, in this country that has extremely high crime rates, that you insure you phone against theft as unfortunately it is a reality in South Africa. It is also vital that you store the packaging of the cellphone in a secure place where it is easily accessible should you need your IMEI number to blacklist or unblacklist your phone. If you wish to deter thieves from using your phone before you blacklist it, one suggestion is that you ensure that you cannot access calls or anything of the sorts without inputting a pin code. Although this may seem tedious if you have to do it all the time, it can safe guard you against expensive phone bills.

This means that you can talk and talk if you visit your closest store and get an airtime voucher. What is even better is that should you just need a small amount so that you can sms people, you can purchase small quantities of the airtime with Vodacom having an airtime voucher for R2.50. This means that you really don’t have an excuse for sending “Please call me’s” anymore as airtime is cheap and easily accessible.

Vodacom, Cell C and MTN airtime vouchers can even be purchase online. Should you use an online banking, it is quick and simple to put airtime on to yours and your loved ones phones.

Vodacom has even gone a step further and introduced a way in which you can call even without airtime. What this means is should you as a parent want your child to be able to call you whenever, even if they don’t have airtime, you can set it up with Vodacom. Then whenever your child needs to call you, they can and your account will be debited. This means that you don’t have to transfer money to them in order for them to be able to call you.

Pep Stores are a great place to get airtime as they always have discounted prices on their airtime vouchers, no matter which service provider you are with. This means that you can keep in touch for less. Along with airtime vouchers, consumers can now also purchase sms bundles which means that you can load anything from 50 to 1000 sms’s on your phone and you do not need calling credit to use them. There really is nothing to stop you from connecting with Vodacom, Cell C and MTN airtime vouchers.

The ability to recharge your Vodacom airtime on the Internet means that there really is no reason to be out of airtime and to send those annoying please call me’s to your friends and family. If you are a chatterbox and need to stay connected to the world, then Internet recharges are simple and can be done from the comfort of your own home. You no longer need to go to an airtime machine or to a shop to get that top up, you can do it by clicking your mouse.

And to top it all off, if you have a family member who is always without airtime and is constantly using your phone to stay connected, then you can top up their cell phones too on the Internet. So for those of you who are looking to reclaim your phones from your younger siblings or teenage children, then why not help them up by topping up their cell phones. Vodacom was the first service provider to provide the option to top up your airtime online and since then the other service providers have followed suit. But for you loyal Vodacom subscribers who are looking to top up your phone, then why not recharge your talk-time on the Internet.