# General Business Category > Technology Forum >  Cell C's new Data Packages

## irneb

According to these prices (http://www.cellc.co.za/internet/data...only-5c-per-mb) they seem to be the absolute cheapest in SA.

In comparison to MTN and Vodcom, but even NeoTel isn't cheaper (neither the NeoFlex Data 5GB nor the NeoGo 1.5G Ex). Nor iBurst - even though their maximum data-rates are a lot slower. And I won't even talk about the stupid Tel#$%^%%% ADSL's packages (never mind which "ISP" is bolted on top of them) - since the 4GB/s line starts at R413/month.

My question is how good is their connection? Anyone have any experience with them?

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## Dave A

My brother has gone for it and he is delighted. I don't know if area matters (probably does); he's in Umbilo, Durban.

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## irneb

Thanks, much as I thought - looking at their coverage map, I fall into their best coverage at work, but only moderate at home. I just wonder how those dongles of their perform ... you and I both know from experience that the others' "modems" are less than perfect at the best of times  :Rofl:

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## Dave A

He's on the dongle and he reports no issues.

I probably should include a few disclaimers.

He was previously on an ADSL 384 line and he went for the Cell C deal because he was having trouble with Skype with video - and it was the cheapest option that looked like a solution, obviously. The Skype with video now works perfectly, apparently.

However, apart from the Skype with video stuff, he isn't what I'd class as an internet "power user" and I don't know how much of a benchmark an ADSL 384 line is. I get the zig with Telkom's "ADSL fastest" option at times, let alone that "slowest broadband on the planet" stuff.

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irneb (17-Jan-11)

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## garthu

I really am thinking seriously about it as my voda connection is just really doing well at the moment

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## Mark Atkinson

I've heard only good things regarding Cell C's data offerings. Great speeds and connectivity at an awesome price. 

I have friends who even use Cell C's data packages for bandwidth-intensive gaming and I've only heard positive feedback. This is something I never would have expected coming from a wireless service provider.

I'm seriously tempted to go down that route myself, except our Mweb uncapped ADSL is at the most stable it's ever been right now. Not sure whether or not to make the effort.  :Blushing:

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irneb (17-Jan-11)

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## AmithS

I just got the pre-paid bundle and its working great so far.  Im in Pretoria.  The speeds are great, the connection is great (i couldnt get on the network once or twice) 

Im using their dongle.

The thing i like is that if my data is finished it finished and it gets replenished the next month.  Then i get to chose if i want to add more data as with my other 3G account which was contract, once it was over it went on and on and on....

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irneb (17-Jan-11)

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## irneb

Thank you guys! This opened my eyes - always thought CellC was just a 2nd rate player. Maybe they've "improved" (as the add says) beyond the others.

Anyhow, I'm still happy with my Vodacom (at present). But as stated elsewhere, if they so much as blink I'm off like a shot. Good to have the info beforehand though  :Wink:

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## garthu

See why i consider this seriously! i send quite a few large emails a day with attachments. Very painful! This is my 3g line and its not doing badly today.

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## twinscythe12332

This is my speedtest result I did 3 minutes ago... From Durban (Vodacom) to Joburg. Being on the vodacom network definitely helped this test. After all, why would vodacom want me to believe I have anything but the best possible network =P


Something else to consider... I use their 3G/HSDPA router to connect.

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## garthu

Hmm interesting upload speed! Makes me a tad jealous!

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## irneb

I've also found the Vodacom upload speeds are great in comparison to others. See this: http://www.theforumsa.co.za/forums/showthread.php/3271-Vodacom-3G-sucks!?p=40955&viewfull=1#post40955

Edit: today's tests:


Strangely, the upload on HSDPA wasn't "that" great today. And Verison was actually giving its best ... yippeee!!! The ADSL is still dead on its feet ... in comparison to the others at least.

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## garthu

Dunno... mine really seems to be getting worse daily  :Mad: 

What the speedtests dont show very well is that the speed as it starts upload is FANTASTIC!!  :Clap: , as it it gets to about 3 seconds  :Whistling:  and then around 6 seconds   :Banghead:  :Gun Bandana:  :Yikes:  so that average test speed is not really the real stuff.

I have increased my outgoing timeout now around 10 fold.... this is really discouraging!

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## Martinco

My ADSL  at home has been down since Monday. ( Eish sir , sorry the cables she has been stolen ) :Mad:  :Mad: 
I am looking at the CellC promotion  R 999 p/a for 2 gig / month  = R 83.25 p/m for 2 gig.
Telkom cost: R 133 for tel line + R 152 for adsl + R 29 for 2 gig = R314 p/m Sooooo no comparison and as a bonus.....the speed ! :Clap:   AND you can carry it anywhere but my nice home network LAN is going down the drain !  :EEK!:

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## irneb

> ... but my nice home network LAN is going down the drain !


Yes unfortunately a wireless AP router's not going to work too well with a USB dongle modem. However, I have seen some routers which can connect to USB modems ... if they work on CellC's modems I couldn't say. "Maybe" ... perhaps ... close your eyes ... pray ... do whatever you can think of to make your luck more ... and contact CellC to ask: "Is there a way to share my 3G over a wireless?" ... uhmm ... I can't seem to find anything about that on their site ... so you're probably left with sharing your connection through Windows's own internet connection sharing (which as I've stated in another post is a near impossibility to get working on wireless, or at least extremely difficult).

Edit, just did a google on that modem of theirs. It seems there are some wireless routers working with it: http://www.tvclip.biz/video/vNMxlarB...ovado-3gn.html

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Martinco (20-Jan-11)

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## garthu

Ohhhh ... yes ... yes.... yes...!!  :Applaud:   :Clap: 

Did that Cell C 2 gig today, struggled like crazy to get it working on Linux Ubuntu 10.10 and theres not much help out there just yet, will post something on the Ubuntu thread, some will find it usefull for sure.

Decision came last night taking 2 hours to try and get 4 simple 400kb emails out.

So heres the new speed test and by the way operating on edge half the time as we are in a dip!!



Vodacom 3G is dead to me from now on.  :Chair:   :Censored: 

A few interesting... Cell C is operating there own network, some 2500 towers, there speed in a real hot zone is FRIGGIN UNREAL!! I tested the 5 Gig dongle which is 3 times the speed of this... FRIGGIN UNREAL... sorry said that already.

I really really like it but hope that the network doesnt get to congested and stuff things up to soon! Just gotta last a year...  :Smile: 
 :Clap:

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## irneb

> I really really like it but hope that the network doesnt get to congested and stuff things up to soon! Just gotta last a year...


Yep! That's probably the pain isn't it? I remember about 7 years ago in PE the MTN connections were a total disaster ... to the point that even normal cell phone would cut out halfway through a call. The result was that everyone there moved over to Vodacom. Now it's the other way round, MTN has built-up their network in the meantime, while Vodacom's become so congested I've never found anything better than EDGE while there (sometimes even reverting down to GPRS).

So hopefully CellC's not going to get congested too quickly: "Now everyone, DON'T PUSH!!"

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## hardwic

The problem is any wireless technology is share with the number of clients using it. So the first guys on the block always rave and then lots of people buy. Then the problem.
I have heard very good reports about CellC (for now) but a word of warning. CellC is UMTS 900, check your device supports this. If you just bought an iPad and think this is the ideal package, think again.

You can't compare ADSL with any cellular package. I have ADSL 4Mb/s and 4M uncapped from Mweb. I push 30-40GB+ a month.
At 2GB a month even at 5c a meg does not cut it.

But then again if you have a phone that supports Wifi, you only need 3G when you are really mobile so how much data do you need?

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## irneb

That's what I was alluding to: as soon as a great number of customers jumps onto CellC it'll become just another slow and falling over connection.

As an aside, we've got a 30GB capping on a X-DSL running on 2x 4MB/s ADSL lines as the backup connection for our company's uncapped radio connection through Verison. The X-DSL's uncapped is unfortunately shaped (that's why we went with the capped version). We were on MWeb previously, but had to move off them since they were extremely expensive for our needs (not to mention their service was a standard answer of: "It's not our fault, it must be on your side").

Could you please do your math on getting the 5c/M thing for 2G? Take in account that I don't have a telkom (or other) telephone line, so I'd have to include the R400+ per month just to have Telkom put me on hold when it inevitably fails.

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## tec0

I don’t know my MTN sucks!!! 1mb of data “was an e-mail” took about 5min!!!! That is five minutes!!! When MTN cuts you because your cap is dead it happens in but a moment. If they have “network trouble” it takes forever! Also they ignore inquiries very efficiently... When it comes to their products, services and just overall attitude they STINK!!! When it comes to taking your money they are absolutely flawless...

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## Martinco

Wellllllll......In Rustenburg the CellC still runs EDGE and they have promised that they should have the Woooosh running by end of this month.  So I am holding my breath.
It took Telkom 2 1/2 weeks to get the lines up again.   Turns out the municipality dug up Telkom  cables and neatly closed the hole again ultimately cutting 1500 lines and not telling Telkom even where the dug up the lines. !

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## bjsteyn

Cell C are just Great!! I baught the 2gigs package for R1499. Last night when I went to bead I had 1.6 Gigs left. This morning when I woke up I had 5GiGs. 

It looks like they are even giving Gigs away for free now.

:-)

P.S Cell C outpeforms MTN by far. Except I battle to get a connection when I am in Central, East London.

BJ

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## bjsteyn

They took the extra Gigs back this afternoon and now it showing 5.1 Gigs again. Anybody else experiencing this?

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## Dave A

I've just made the change from Vodacom 3g to Cell C's new speed stick deal and all I can say is

Whoooossssh!

This thing pounds V3g for speed in my neck of the woods.

Internet - the way it should be - finally  :Thumbup:

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## Sparks

Yip, other than losing the signal at inopportune times the CellC dongle is a hell of a lot beter than most. Not near the speeds they claim but still impressive enough to warrant buying it. I have a 7mb dongle with 2G pm and intend getting a 22mb 5G pm too. That will give me a cap of 7G per month at the higher speed. No-one can compete at those rates. Had I known of the 22mb, I would have opted for that rather than the 7mb, possibly even 2 of them. I might just do that anyway.

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## garthu

Yup its good stuff. I have also had the 5 Gig "boost" for no reason, they didnt seem to pick it up, but never used it either just in case.

I have noticed a reduction in speed last 2 nights though although i think it is the international connection not the local... not sure.. but must say have been pretty happy with it. 

Sparks i have tested that 5gig package now thats WHHHOOOOSSSHHHH!!!... it's like almost twice the speed if your in signal (edge is same)

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## garthu

Oh i still have major connection issues with the Linux, but the solution i am waiting on is the router... apparently the first batch was faulty and withdrawn. Once thats in... fantastic!

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## Sparks

Thanks Garthu, I expect it to be double.What I would like to know is not so much the misleading download speed but rather the actual "transfer rate". Some speed tests do not show it. That, afterall is the actual speed that you are working. If you could perhaps check that on the 5G I would appreciate it.

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## Sparks

I just did a neotel test of the 2G dongle Edge: Last Result:
Download Speed: 87 kbps (10.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 23 kbps (2.9 KB/sec transfer rate)

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## garthu

Hiya Sparks,... sorry cant do the 5G test, it was a test unit from the cell C shop when i went through. Most of the Cell C shops seem to now have both available to test with... it shouldnt be a problem to use one for a few minutes

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## Sparks

Thanks Garthu, I will try them. I see my other test (HSPA)does not reflect.
Last Result:
Download Speed: 1158 kbps (144.8 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 32 kbps (4 KB/sec transfer rate)

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## Martinco

> Wellllllll......In Rustenburg the CellC still runs EDGE and they have promised that they should have the Woooosh running by end of this month.  So I am holding my breath.


As I expected..............whoooosh still running EDGE    :Mad:  and the email reply from CellC is as follows after asking the specific question.........."when will the wooosh be available in Rustenburg."


"Good Day.



Thank you for contacting Cell C.



Kindly be advised that Cell C plans on having 67% nationwide coverage by March 2011



For further assistance kindly call 084140 or mail us on custerv@cellc.co.za




Regards,
Cell C.      :No: 

Cell phone companies are becoming as bad as trying to deal with government.

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## twinscythe12332

My gran just went whooosh. I still need to plug in the dongle and show her the ropes on how to connect, but after that, she's going to be all up in the interwebs.
The deal is absolutely amazing considering what vodacrap is offering (I pay R449 p/m for 2 GB... Oooooooh if I wasn't on contract). Heck it brings back actual meaning to the word deal. we used to remember deal as a bargain, good value and positive. it's turned into a bit of a mushy "take it or leave it" sort of soup you just have to swallow and smile about in recent years...

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## Sparks

I hope you're going to help your gran first :Smile:

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## twinscythe12332

> I hope you're going to help your gran first


a few issues with email that cropped up, but now she seems to be doing aces.

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## Martinco

> As I expected..............whoooosh still running EDGE    and the email reply from CellC is as follows after asking the specific question.........."when will the wooosh be available in Rustenburg."
> 
> 
> Cell phone companies are becoming as bad as trying to deal with government.


Just some feedback.

After a post on Hello Peter, I got some response from CellC.  :Clap: 

They stated that their service should be up by June 2011.  :Mad: 

Quite a far cry from the original "mid Feb" but I must say....at least I got an answer !
The question still remains........................what happens to the 2 gig data per month that I cannot use ? ( If you don't use it, you lose it )  :Confused:

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## Sparks

Unbelievable, having had no responce from Cell C I was also on Hello Peter. Just received a response from Cell C today. They did get my complaint and will look into it. Seems Hello Peter has some teeth  :Smile:

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## irneb

I also got stuff fixed through Hello Peter. It's just irritating that you need to go through something like that to get some decent service. Why can't these companies just get their service department's act together? The fact that they can at least answer your question, or (as in my case) fix the problem through HP means they know how to do it: My advise to them, fire all your service staff and tell them they can return after proving to them that they can actually answer customers' queries - then only hire back the best 10% of them.

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