8ta drops broadband bomb on rivals

Added by Editor on 23 June 2011.
Saved under News, Top
Tags: , ,

Amith Maharaj

Telkom’s new mobile operator, 8ta, has dropped a bomb on rivals Vodacom, MTN and Cell C, introducing a cut-rate broadband product offering 10GB of data a month for R199 on a 24-month contract.

For an additional R100/month, users will have 20GB of bandwidth — 10GB plus an extra 10GB for use between midnight and 5am.

The 10GB package equates to an effective cost-per-megabyte of less than 2c, making it the most aggressive mobile broadband pricing in SA to date. The out-of-bundle rate is 30c/MB and no modem is included in the packages.

The offer will only work in areas where Telkom has built 8ta towers and will not work in areas where the company relies on roaming partner MTN for coverage. 8ta has almost 1 000 active mobile broadband base stations across the country, and has said it will have more than 2 000 by March next year.

Amith Maharaj, managing executive of Telkom Mobile, says consumers have expressed concern about the cost of mobile data and he believes 8ta’s aggressive new pricing will help win over those customers.

“Price has seemed to be the barrier to entry until now,” Maharaj says.

He emphasises that the two new products are a special offer only. However, he won’t say when the special offer will end. Customers who sign up for a 24-month contract are guaranteed the prices won’t increase throughout the contract period.  — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral

Share this article

  • http://twitter.com/SimonPB Simon Brown

    This seriously changes the game, even for the fixed line .. But maybe speed the issue? 3G or HSDPA(+)?

  • ACE

    fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!!! Go 8ta!

  • Anonymous

    It’s 21Mbit/s (theoretical) 3G HSPA+

  • Ashton Naidoo

    Doesn’t that kinda beat Telkoms ADSL options? Hmmmm I like it. Sort out the coverage and I’m on board.

  • Ashton Naidoo

    Doesn’t that kinda beat Telkoms ADSL options? Hmmmm I like it. Sort out the coverage and I’m on board.

  • http://twitter.com/Downsideforsure thobsa malope

    What about the us the majority of potential customers? The Prepaid fraternity? Are we once again expevted to subsidised the wealthy?

  • www.Commented.TV

    Actual / real Speed?

  • http://twitter.com/ProfPlatitudes Profound Platitudes

    Except that there non-MTN coverage is pretty much nowhere?

  • http://twitter.com/mspr1nt Ant Sims

    Over to you MTN/Vodacom.

  • Anonymous

    Is it just my maths or does the out of bundle rate work out at $300 per GB?

  • http://twitter.com/mspr1nt Ant Sims

    you’ve compared this to what the others charge out of bundle? A ‘bolt on’ with Vodacom is R289 for 1.2GIGs, ridiculous. Doubt anybody who doesn’t constantly dl will use more than 10GIG/month

  • Anonymous

    Yes, all mobile out of bundle rates are high.

    ” Doubt anybody who doesn’t constantly dl will use more than 10GIG/month”

    Really? I know tons of people who would. Freelancers who do a lot of work online, photographers etc.

  • ticia22

    Impressive if you plan to use mobile broadband as a fixed broadband replacement. On the go, coverage if the main constraint.

  • Andrewwes

    Hopefully MTN will wake up. They charge me R341 rand per month for 2 gig and there speed does not compare to the new Vodacom and cell C offering

  • Steven

    Why does Amith have such a large picture. A bit egotist.

  • Snosblox

    R200 divided by 10 gb is R20 per Gigabyte!

  • Sf

    Same as ADSL at Afrihost (R19)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Nathan-Moja/546869100 Nathan Moja

    Well done 8ta! This is definitely the way to go.

  • anonymous

    8ta or telkom stores has the tools to check covergae for your place. Even on their website you are able to check. “so who you gonna call?”

  • http://twitter.com/waynegemmell Wayne Gemmell

    The out of bundle rate is pretty steep. 30c/MB! That’s R300 per gig!

  • DavidK

    But ADSL requires fixed line cost…

  • Anonymous

    you either envy him his job…. or… he’s a helluva lot better lookin’ than you … OR both!  His English is probably better than yours as well! ..”A bit egotist”? I dont hold a candle for Amith … I mean he works for TelKom ..hardly my favourite org. But we have such problems with broadband , and you talk of “picture”. …pathetic!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jameel-Ahmed-Azam/1319411311 Jameel Ahmed Azam

    8ta network coverage working like a bomb! Well done.. Just what we needed.

Why TechCentral?

We know that as a prospective advertiser, you are spoilt for choice. Our job is to demonstrate why TechCentral delivers the best return for your advertising spend.

TechCentral is South Africa’s online technology news leader. We don’t say that lightly. We believe we produce the country’s best and most insightful online tech news aimed at industry professionals and those interested in the fast-changing world of technology.

We provide news, reviews and comment, without fear or favour, that is of direct relevance to our fast-expanding audience. Proportionately, we provide the largest local audience of all technology-focused online publishers.

We do not constantly regurgitate press releases to draw in search engine traffic — we believe websites that do so are doing their readers and advertisers a disservice. Nor do we sell “editorial features”, offer advertising “press offices” or rely on online bulletin-board forums of questionable value to advertisers to bolster our traffic.

TechCentral, which is edited and written by award-winning South African journalists, cares about delivering top-quality content to draw in the business and consumer readers that are of most interest to technology advertisers.

We’d like the opportunity to demonstrate the value of directing a portion of your advertising budget to TechCentral, whether your company is in the technology field or not. Numerous opportunities exist for companies interested in reaching our audience of key decision-makers in South Africa’s dynamic information and communications technology sector. We offer packages that will deliver among the best returns on investment available in the online technology news space.

For more information about advertising opportunities, and how your organisation can benefit by publicising itself on TechCentral, please call us on 011-792-0449 during office hours. Or send us an e-mail and ask for our latest rate card and brochure.