Which Mobile Network are you on? As new mobile service providers enter the market, and the market becomes more competitive, will you stay or switch?
Currently in South Africa our main three are, MTN, Vodacom, and Cell C. Then we also have Virgin Mobile, 8ta (Telkom Mobile) and our soon to be newest addition Red Bull Mobile.

What makes ‘x’ your service provider of choice? Is it the price, service, or convenience?

Vodacom, been with them for many years. Service is good, had very few problems and still happy. Pricewise, i think they fine, but generally call charges across networks needs to be reduced. In South Africa, call tariffs are amongst the highest in the world.

Although other networks are coming out with some attractive deals, I’ll probably stick with Vodacom for the next few years. There was a time when I did try out Cell C, but eish, I quickly found myself back on the Vodacom network.

Been with Vodacom for 11 years, but just switched to MTN because their Blackberry contracts are the best deals in my opinion.

MTN/iTalk since I first got a phone in 2000. No problems ever.

vodacom

Vodacom because they let me have a contract first.

I won't touch MTN with a bargepole because of their billing issues.
Won't touch Virgin because they just piggy back off another network.

Considering CellC, but purely for data.

I am on all 3. Personal phone through Vodacom (used to be on MTN but Vodacoms BB offer was better), work phone on MTN and internet through Cell C

Shows how brand loyal i am :)

I have 2
Mtn for Calls, Cell C's whoooooosh for supa speed and DATA pricing.

MTN, always been on them plus now that Im on crackberry MTN's BIS is more stable than Voda's

^^ have to admit my bb on vodacome cuts out often!

Had no problems with BB on MTN thankfully. Though they did stuff up my contract initially. Things seem to have settled nicely now though.

Just wish I could use bundled airtime to buy SMS bundles etc. like you can on Vodacom using *111#.

Also noticed that problem with by BB on Vodacom...

Is nobody on 8.ta or know someone who is that can tell us whats it like?

8ta.

Was on Vodacom but the coverage at my place was crap, calls dropping all the time.

How are you finding 8ta coverage?

I have an MTN sim in my phone. They were the only one who state on their website that foreigners can use a foreign passport to register the sim for RICA.

signol

How are you finding 8ta coverage?

Pretty good so far. The coverage in my area is a lot better than what Voda was.. gosh Voda was such crap here (Bergvliet/Constantia)

^^ Shocker

8.ta just took a bold step- You can now get an iPad with them...

I wouldn't. With the iPad 2 clearly on its way soon, it'd be silly.

Actually they aren't selling iPads.. just data bundles for iPads... and they're not all that well priced if you ask me.

^^ and the Samsung Galaxy pad is SOOOOO much better

^^ and the Samsung Galaxy pad is SOOOOO much better

Psssh... I wants me a JooJoo... 12.1" of absolute gorgeousness :)

But in all honesty, the iPad and the Galaxy tab seem to serve different purposes for me.. they're both great in their own ways.

The Playbook will soon own them both :)

For the 5% who are on Cell C and anyone else, Red Bull mobile? Their stalls are already in Cell C outlets...whoosh

NTN, Vodacom, Cell C
Locally, Vodacom has a customer base of about 39,6-million people and about 182-million customers across South Africa, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho and Mozambique -- making it the second largest mobile network company in Africa, second to MTN, while Cell C is the smallest in South Africa with just over 7-million customers.

Pep cell? Their own network?

^^Haha.

The Playbook will soon own them both :)

Haha.


Vodabloodycom just throttled my Blackberry download speeds and now its kinda pointless staying on.Reckon its time I go ransack another carrier's capacity.MTN is just Vodacom in yellow clothing and I'm sure they're going to announce their own caps soon enough.
Can't decide between Cell C and 8ta,any pointers?

double post

+ op to chuckle at this again:

Pep cell? Their own network?

Haha.

Vodabloodycom just throttled my Blackberry download speeds and now its kinda pointless staying on.Reckon its time I go ransack another carrier's capacity.MTN is just Vodacom in yellow clothing and I'm sure they're going to announce their own caps soon enough.
Can't decide between Cell C and 8ta,any pointers?

Vodacom just reversed their decision (http://mybroadband.co.za/news/cellular/33856-vodacom-backtracks-on-blackberry-speed-throttling.html) to throttle Blackberry users.

I'm on MTN and have been very happy with BIS speeds so far. I can't speak for 8ta or Virgin, but a earlier this year I stuck a Cell C SIM in my phone to check whether my signal would be any better and I was still getting 2/3 bars at most, whereas on Vodacom and MTN I get a full signal. Cell C have done wonders for the market, but I'm still wary about their network coverage.

If you test your Cell C network coverage with someone else's SIM card and they pass the test, they will probably be a good bet.