- While the battle for the broadband market in South Africa heats up, MTN South Africa has announced the launching of a time-based data package and lowered out-of-bundle data rates by up to 84 percent effective from yesterday.
The new package, according to the company, will allow users flexibility and empower them to budget for their use of broadband.
"The South African broadband market is incredibly competitive with several companies offering many different packages and deals to their customers. Through our time-based data packages, we are keeping pace with these conditions," Serame Taukabong of MTN was quoted in the local media explaining.
He also said the new package will also give buyers a deal, that is almost equivalent to the normal airtime buying for cellphone users, with rates such as R50 or R25 for time-based unlimited data bundles lasting up to 24 hours.
According to a recent survey in South Africa, wireless broadband has been growing almost three times as fast as fixed line broadband in the country.
The growth is reported to have registered 88 percent last year, against 21 percent for ADSL.
The survey, Internet Access in South Africa 2010 compiled by Cisco and World Wide Worx, stated that the major driver of this phenomenon was the deployment of 3G cards and their extended usage in large companies.
It further noted that last year saw a significant increase in the number of companies giving 3G cards to employees who need to be connected while out of the office.
"Wireless broadband is neither cheaper nor better quality, but it is more convenient and flexible, and it changes the way we think about where and how we use the Internet. The missing ingredients now are the next generation of customer access equipment for those who are connected, and affordable availability of access for those who are not," commented Arthur Goldstuck, managing director, World Wide Worx.
The broadband war intensified recently as companies started announcing ADSL and wireless broadband connectivity at much cheaper rates that the normal market prices.
South Africa was said to be one of the most expensive countries in the region in terms of its internet for users as well as cellphone charges, with internet cafes charging exorbitant fees for hourly rates.
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