Mobile Data Comparison – Telkom, MTN and Vodacom

Staff Writer / 23-08-2019 / Data

The way we use data has changed rapidly, and South Africa’s mobile networks are offering increasingly competitive data deals on contracts with bigger packages to meet the needs of consumers.

Our mobile devices have become our passports to the world, from staying connected to having always-on entertainment through instant messaging, social media, multiplayer gaming and video and music streaming. None of these would be possible without data, so we’ve put together a list of the most competitive contract data packages from South Africa’s leading mobile networks:

After-hours or night-time data is offered by all three networks. Telkom offers night-time data between midnight and 7am while both MTN and Vodacom offer data allocations between midnight and 6am.

HELPFUL NETWORK USSD CODES:

All prices and plans are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change without prior notice.

TECH NEWS

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Pros and Cons of Mobile Payments: Convenient or Security Concern?

Cash, Plastic or Smartphones?What’s your preferred way to pay for goods and services online or in-store? Chances are, you’re part of the rapidly growing number of South Africans who are tapping their phones to pay for everything from their morning coffee to online shopping sprees.Ditching coins and cards for mobile payments looks set to be the way of the future, especially when you consider this eye-opening statistic from Mastercard: 52% of South Africans have utilised smartphone and digital tap-and-pay platforms in the past year alone!If you’re considering joining the revolution or if you're already on board but still have security concerns, we've compiled all the pros and cons of mobile payment systems to help you make an informed decision.Cash is king but mobile payments are the new cha-ching But before we dive in, here’s a brief overview of what mobile payment systems are, especially for the 'cash is king' and 'plastic is fantastic' folks in the house.Mobile payment systems can be defined as the contactless method of paying for items using your smartphone, but it can also extend to your other devices like smartwatches and tablets. Payments are mainly facilitated through apps, such as digital wallets with the popular ones being Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Other popular mobile payment platforms are banking apps, third-party QR-scanning platforms like Zapper and Standard Bank’s SnapScan, and Mastercard Click to Pay exclusively for online purchases.Here’s how mobile payments work using digital wallets as an example:If you want to pay for goods or services using Apple, Google, or Samsung Pay, you’ll first need to link your credit or debit card details to your digital wallet. Once everything is set up and authorised by your bank, you’re ready to make in-store, in-app, or online purchases with just a simple tap, click, or swipe of your phone. And just like that, you have a high-tech bank card.Pros & cons of mobile payment systemsHere are all the pros and cons you should consider before using your mobile phone to make purchases:ProsDodge the death staresYou’re at the till, searching for your card or trying to find enough cash to pay for your stuff, only to realise you’re R5 short. Not only is the cashier giving you death stares, but so are the people waiting in line behind you. Now, your stress is through the roof, and you wish you stayed at home. Mobile payment systems eliminate this nightmare. All you have to do is present your smartphone to the point-of-sale device, authenticate the transaction, and bam! Your payment is processed almost instantly without the need for you to enter a PIN code. Most importantly, death stares are kept at bay!No longer feel the blues standing in payday queuesAs mobile payments gain traction, checkout lines are picking up the pace thanks to less time spent swiping cards, entering PIN codes, or dealing with loose change. Adding to this increased speed is the lightning-fast mobile transaction processing that leaves good old debit and credit cards in the dust. This makes mobile payment systems an incredible solution to speeding up queues during those chaotic payday weekends when lines seem to stretch into eternity.Fake information keeps criminals awayThe biggest concern many people have about mobile payment systems is their perceived lack of security. In reality, these systems are even more secure than debit and credit cards. How? Well, for starters, they require biometric authentication like fingerprint scans or facial recognition to make purchases. Secondly, your mobile device takes extra precautions by encrypting your payment information during transactions. Each transaction gets its very own unique security code, and your actual card number is swapped out for a random mix of letters and numbers, known only to your device. This means that even if someone with crime on their mind intercepts the transaction, they won't be able to access your real information.ConsNo juice, no useWe've all experienced the frustration of a dying phone battery at the worst possible moment. Now, imagine this happening when you’re about to make a purchase. This is the most glaring drawback of mobile payment systems. Their dependency on your phone's battery life means that if it runs out of juice, you're out of luck when it comes to completing transactions. Until we find a solution for endless battery life, this limitation will always be lurking. So, don’t forget to charge up and carry your power bank with you just in case.Cash & cards are the comfort zone One thing about mobile payment systems is that there are a ton of options out there, it’s like trying to choose a show on Netflix. With mobile wallets, online banking apps, and third-party apps, it’s easy to feel like you're drowning in a sea of options, especially if you're new to the game. And to compound matters, the lack of standardisation and compatibility among these systems only serves to complicate matters. While more and more people are hopping on the mobile payment bandwagon, these hurdles could throw a wrench in the gears, particularly for those who aren't exactly tech-savvy and feel more comfortable using cash and cards.Closing the tech gapAs with all things related to tech, there's a barrier to entry, especially in a developing country like South Africa. This barrier requires owning a smartphone equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to use digital wallets and banking apps. While NFC is available in almost all modern smartphones, even the most affordable ones, the reality remains that not everyone can afford them.This leaves a significant portion of the population excluded from this type of payment. The good news is that QR scanning for mobile payments serves as a workaround. This method doesn't require the latest smartphone models. You can easily find the necessary support for QR tech in many of the older smartphones, including the most affordable ones. Plus, transactions can also be made offline, making it even more accessible.Tapping into tomorrowMobile payment systems are rapidly reshaping the way we transact, offering unparalleled convenience, efficiency, and security. Even though they have a few kinks to work out, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. As technology continues to advance, mobile payments look set to become an indispensable part of our daily lives. So, next time you feel like indulging in a little retail therapy, you can tap, swipe, or scan your way to a smoother shopping experience!

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Samsung Galaxy S24 AI

Samsung Galaxy S24 AI: Here's How Your Mobile Experience Just Got Better with AIOvernight, smartphones and AI have become inseparable. In just a year, the conversation around AI went from MIA to MVP. So, it’s no surprise that when the Samsung Galaxy S24 series hit the scene at the end of January, smartphones and AI took centre stage.And like pineapple on pizza – some hate it, some love it, and others are a little confused by it – there’s no denying that this new generation of AI is changing the game and opening up new mobile experiences for communication, creativity and innovation.Confused by Samsung’s Galaxy AI? We got you!Just got your hands on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24 Plus, or Galaxy S24?How does it feel to hold one of the first smartphones to fully embrace an amplified AI experience?If your immediate response is, “Help, I’m confused!” we're here to lend a hand.Let's unpack all the incredible AI features you can find in these new Samsung flagships.Miscommunication feels like cardio, AI will remove you from the treadmillHave you ever been on holiday to a location where you didn’t speak the language? At times like these, communicating can feel as stressful as a cardio workout and that’s where the Galaxy S24 series comes to the rescue. It removes you from the talking treadmill and onto the fast track with communication tools that include:Live Translate: This feature is a two-way, real-time voice and text translation of phone calls. Translations appear on-screen and audibly after each person speaks, ensuring those awkward moments of miscommunication are a thing of the past.Translation features have also been added to the Samsung keyboard, allowing you to translate messages as you type.Interpreter: When you’re trying to communicate in person with someone in a language you don’t speak, do you A) start a game of Charades, B) open up Google Translate and hope it isn’t wildly inaccurate, Or C) politely act as if you understand them, nod your head, smile, and wish you had the guts to run far away?If you own the Galaxy S24 series the answer will be none of the above, because you have the power of Interpreter. It’s made for Live Conversations, presenting translations in a split-screen view and in a transcription format of what you and the other person said. The best part is that it can work without data or WIFI.Chat Assist: Have you ever sent a well-meaning message, only for the recipient to think you’re being salty? We’ve all been there, but now there’s a way to keep things accurate with Chat Assist. This AI feature ensures all your communication is presented in the tone you intended, such as keeping it conversational for light-hearted messages or formal and professional when chatting with clients.Android Auto: While you’re driving, the Galaxy S24 is possibly the best passenger you can ask for. It ensures you stay connected without losing focus on the road by summarising incoming messages, recommending relevant replies and actions and generating texts that match your tone. So, the next time you need to send someone your location or ETA, just let your phone do it for you.Transcript Assist: Need to transcribe, summarise or translate voice recordings? What was once a tedious task is now made effortless with Transcript Assist, powered by AI and Speech-to-Text technology. With a simple click, you'll save yourself hours of effort!Note Assist: Samsung Notes, where all your random thoughts, grocery lists, to-do lists and grand ideas come together. To bring some organisation to the chaos, this app is now equipped with AI features that automatically generate summaries of your notes and create customisable templates. Additionally, you can easily spot your notes with brief previews and personalised cover art that you can generate right within the app!‘Google that’ just got a makeoverThe Galaxy S24 series is the first to debut the much-talked-about Circle to Search with Google. It’s the new, easier way to search that completely reimagines what it means to 'Google it'.How it works: Instead of launching your browser to search for something you saw in a photo or video, like a landmark or an alien-looking insect, all you have to do is long-press the home button, circle the object that piques your interest and voilà! The relevant information will show up on that exact page, meaning you don’t need to open Chrome or any other browser to search.It works with other gestures too, like highlighting, scribbling or tapping. Plus, if you own the Galaxy S24 Ultra, you have the added benefit of using the built-in S Pen. The AI goes a step further by using its generative capabilities to respond to complex, nuanced questions, like ‘where exactly do those alien-looking insects inhabit, so I can avoid those places like the plague’.Oh, snap! Get ready for more control & creative freedom over your photos.Now for the insanely cool AI-powered camera features Samsung calls the ProVisual Engine. AI takes the Galaxy S24 Ultra to an incredible 100x digital zoom, while the entire series receives a night photography upgrade and even clearer video recording than the previous generation. The highlights are the new photo editing features and upgraded camera modes. These include:AI editing tools: Perfect for simple edits like erasing, recomposing and remastering images.Edit Suggestions: This feature suggests tweaks for your photos to take them to the next level.Generative Edit: Fills in the background of an image or adjusts the borders, depending on your requirements. For example: you can move the position of the subject and AI generates a seamlessly blended background in its original spot.Instant Slow-mo: Slow-motion videos just got smoother as AI can now generate additional frames of action moments for more fluid results.Super HDR: You can finally share your images and videos on the Instagram app in high resolution, preserving their full-colour range, brightness and contrast. Plus, take it a step further by using Samsung’s native camera features for snapping photos directly on the app. Now, that’s one way to catch the attention of your followers.Wild, whimsical, wacky wallpapers from your imaginationThe most entertaining feature of the Samsung Galaxy S24 series is the AI-powered wallpaper generator. While in the past, you could only tweak and modify images with filters and cut-outs, now you have the power to select from a variety of prompts to create entirely new AI-generated wallpapers, guaranteeing a one-of-a-kind and personalised wallpaper every time.These generative wallpapers are divided into nine categories or themes: Imaginary, Night, Painting, Terrain, Mineral, Luminous, Soft-focus, Translucent and Bloom. Although keywords are predefined and you can't create entirely new phrases, you can continuously generate unique wallpapers using the predefined themes and keywords. Don’t be shy to let your imagination run wild!Samsung Galaxy AI: The new iconic duoThere’s a new iconic duo in town — AI and the Samsung Galaxy S24 series. Together, they open up a new way to communicate, search and express your creativity. Are you ready for an elevated mobile experience that’ll leave you obsessed?

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Top 5 Ways To Recycle Your Old Mobile Phones & Electronics

There’s nothing quite like owning the latest smartphone, but what should you do with your old phone once you’ve upgraded? The last thing you want to do is throw it in the trash!If you’re not gifting or selling it, make sure you aren’t just chucking it in the bin! In South Africa, about 20 to 22 million people use a smartphone so recycling your old device is the best thing to do for the environment. But where can you recycle your smartphone in South Africa?Here are 5 easy ways to get rid of your old mobiles safely and avoid it becoming a toxic hazard to the environment:1.    Convenient E-Waste Bins at MakroWorking in partnership with Samsung Electronics SA and Desco Electronic Recyclers, Makro has made recycling easy. You can drop off your old phone at any of the e-waste bins available at 18 stores nationwide. There’s no need to fill in any paperwork or receive permission to use the service. Makro adheres to waste management regulations, meaning any component that is not suitable for recycling will be disposed of safely.2.    Recycling Made Accessible Through SamsungAside from their Makro sites, Samsung offers the same service in store. If you’re looking to recycle your Samsung phone or any other eligible brand, head to your nearest Samsung store where it will be evaluated for refurbishment or recycling or go online to arrange a courier to collect your device.3.    Apple’s Proven Recycling ProgrammeApple’s recycling programme is well-established and has an impressive track record of reducing e-waste. Just pop into your nearest Apple store with your phone and they will send your old iPhone to their recycling partner free of charge. Even better, if you have a newer iPhone model you could qualify for a refurbishment which means you’ll be able to trade it in for store credit.4.    weFix Makes Recycling Hassle-FreeElectronics repair shop weFix has committed to reducing e-waste through the use of recycling bins in 35 of its stores around the country. They have branches in all major cities, making it easy to pop into a store and drop off your old or broken phone. Like Apple and Samsung, weFix offers the option of refurbishment through an online assessment, which is followed by a courier collecting your device, free of charge, for inspection.5.    Your Local Shopping MallIf you’re still struggling to recycle your phone, you can always head to any major mall around SA and ask the help desk for guidance. They will direct you to the electronic retailers in the mall that may have recycling bins. You can also find recycling bins at select municipal drop-off points.Be sure to recycle through trusted companies only because they follow strict guidelines that are environmentally safe and ethical. And remember, before you recycle your phone, delete all your personal information to prevent your private details from being accessed!

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