Johannesburg - Telkom’s new mobile phone packages are giving its competitors a run for their money - at least in the SIM-only segment - says cellphone contract researchers Tariffic.
Telkom on Monday started selling its new FreeMe mobile contract packages which consist of a “a simple plan, available in six data sizes”.
The six data size contracts are priced at monthly costs of R99 for 1GB, R149 for 2GB, R299 for 5GB, R399 for 10GB, R599 for 20GB and R999 for unlimited data.
READ: Here's how much Telkom's new contracts cost
All of the plans also include free texts, free instant messaging service calls, free calls to Telkom Mobile and Telkom fixed line numbers, and free Wi-Fi.
And research firm Tariffic says it has crunched the numbers and found that Telkom’s offerings stack up strongly, especially in terms of SIM-only contracts in South Africa.
“The FreeMe packages are dominating the market, saving these users an average of 24% a month compared to the next best option,” said Antony Seeff, Tariffic’s CEO.
Data from Tariffic indicates that Telkom’s FreeMe packages are priced lower than MTN’s My MTNChoice+ packages, Cell C’s ChatMore and Pinnacle packages, and Vodacom’s SmartMore Data deals.
The results of its research are illustrated in the graphic below:
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“It is interesting to note that in all 3 examples, Cell C and MTN offered the next best deals, at similar price points (in 2/3 situations), which was followed in every case by Vodacom, whose SmartMore package were consistently significantly more expensive than the others,” said Tariffic in a statement.
However, Seeff warned that South African consumers “should not be following these recommendations blindly” and that customers should assess their needs when buying contracts.
READ: Why MTN, Vodacom may ignore Telkom's price cuts
“You are not user A, B, or C – you are unique and you use your cellphone in a unique way, and that’s why you should find the right packages for you,” Seef said.
Telkom's new package details are listed below: