The telecommunications industry has been going through some very interesting changes recently and with increased competition between the mobile networks come great price cuts in telephone & data packages for the consumer.

There are new innovations constantly being released to the market and expensive re-branding exercises have been taking place, all in an effort for competing suppliers to try and outdo each other.

About 90% of consumers are using Smartphones, the most important resource needed to keep your phone connected, is data.

Doing a read up on each of the four network’s offerings the findings have been interesting. The newest contender in the cell phone race is Neotel, they bring to the market a competitive offering.

Neotel

Earlier this year Neotel introduced its first Smartphone, the HTC Desire dual SIM. You get to have two numbers in one phone, and it has the functionality of any other Smartphone – the BONUS. Not only will you have a 021 number, you will also have your mobile number in there. At this stage Neotel may not be much of a competitor in the cellphone game, but their data pricing and packages are very attractive.

The network’s contract options offer real value for money, for a 5GB package you are looking at spending R128 per month, for 10 GB you’ll spend R198 per month. Presently, Neotel’s data deals are the best on the market. Once in the shadows, this network is starting to emerge and bringing innovative ideas to the market all the time.

Cell C

When Cell C introduced its R0.99 campaign it revolutionised and caused a big stir in South Africa. The other networks were pressured to relax their contracts. Cell C has adjusted their out-of-bundle and in-bundle rates, to make them one in the same thing. Customers are now charged 15c per MB flat rate. Subscribers have been given the opportunity to choose the duration of their contracts. Presently, the data offerings are: 1GB at R69, 2GB at R99 and 10GB at R499.

Vodacom

About a month after Cell C launched its new campaign, Vodacom launched its Red Contracts. With the intention of increasing the number of subscribers using Smartphones, Vodacom radically changed and simplified its existing contracts. One of the most noticeable changes is the move from in-bundle and out-of-bundle rates to a flat rate. The contract data deals have been improved as well, and data pricing has been cut. The new pricing that was released offered the MyMeg 500 at R69 pm, MyGig 1 at R99, MyGig 2 at R139 and MyGig 3 at R199 inclusive of the dongle and SIM. Strangely, these prices were those that were provided by MTN before the network reviewed its pricing.

MTN

Not wanting to be left behind MTN launched its Anytime packages which are open to new and existing subscribers. These new packages allow for flexibility and migration between contracts. MTN also has cut their contract pricing considerably; their data offering to the market is as follows: 500MB is R49, 1GB is R79 on a Top Up Plan, 1 GB is at R99; 2GB is R119, on the Top Up Plan it is R149.

Telkom Mobile (formally 8ta)

The last of South Africa’s big four in the telecommunications space is Telkom Mobile, formerly 8ta. Currently 8ta is rebranding; and have not made any adjustments to their contracts like most of the other operators. Telkom Mobile is offering 500MB at R125, 1GB at R225 and the much loved 10GB package which comes with 10GB after hours at R299.

How does one make the right choice and get the most out of your money?

You look at the network that will give you more at a cheaper rate. Why pay more for less, from the information above one would see that Neotel is indeed the better choice as far as data, why pay between R99 and R199 for 2 to 3 GBs when you can get up to 5GBs from Neotel at R128 a month. You don’t run the risk of running out of data and having to pay extra costs.

Yes, Neotel might have been inactive and unknown to the consumer but it is a network worth considering. Many of their packages offer value add benefits and value for money.