adewaleafolabi:

In short i don strategize how to ration the bandwitch.
Mtn 101
since 1024mb = 1gb
therefore 3gb = 1024*3 = 3072
Now 31days = 3072
1day: 3072/31=99mb

That is to say you shouldn't use more than 99mb per day.

I care less about viruses cause i don't use microsoft windows, am a linux user. So the question still holds is it a direct connection ?

Gaskiya, 99MB a day for an internet user like will not last 5hrs. I download naruto, bleach, mp3, use azureus and bearshare and also surf the web. I have passed the stage of an average internet user. Therefore this will not work for me.

1388tintin:

i bought the so called evdo/izap from starcomms about 2 weeks ago and was (am still) receiving 1x connection. stormed their durban street office here in abuja and laid my complain. the techy there told me to bear with them for another 1week because they were upgrading the type of modem i had (usb) from 1x to evdo. fraud! rip off!!! why didnt anybody ever tell me i was going to get a crawling 1x connection when i was paying for evdo? i feel so cheated and frustrated after starcomms zapping 27500 from my lean pocket. iam not done here because i intend to take this up to any level, how can they be selling a service they are not offering? i should have gone for the mtn 3.5g,

Oya, where is baba dual core ? You have a case to answer. But honestly, a lot of people have been complaining on this forum on this particular issue of not getting full evdo speed. To anybody thinking of getting any technology regarding wireless, make sure you are as close to the base station as possible to get a strong & clear signal.

flyuche:

The 3 Gig data cap on MTN 3.5G is not the issue. It's something called fair usage policy. It's like that in some European countries. The issue is price! It's damn expensive and yet we don't get the desire download speeds almost all the times. Speed sometimes depends on the available bandwith from the service provider. It doesn't matter the technology; 3G , EVDO, WIMAX or Vsat or even fibre optics. What has happen here in Nigeria is that these operators do not have enough bandwith on their networks. Imagine getting below 10kb/s download speed on EVDO or 3G network! God help us in this country.

Ma guy forget that yarn. If am willing to pay N100,000 a month for a fast service i expect that service to be delivered with the highest quality possible else i take my business to another willing provider. Economics 101. However, you are correct on the issue of bandwidth not being enough to serve the teeming customers on their network. SAT-3 is just rotting away. But i have heard that GLO-1 fibre optic gateway is functional and some banks have started subscribing.

CHIMSKY:

I HAVE 3 QUESTIONS

1.HOW MUCH DOES INITIAL INSTALLATION OF THE MTN DATACARD/SIM COST AND WHAT IS THE BILLING SYSTEM LIKE?
I ALREADY HAVE GLO DATACARD WHICH CHARGES LIKE CRAZY.

2.WHAT IS THE FIXED MONTHLY FEE/SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE MTN DATACARD?

3.FINALLY,WHERE EXACTLY CAN THIS MTN SERVICE BE ACCESSED?IS IT ONLY A LAGOS ,ABUJA, PH THING OR CAN IT GET TO OTHER PLACES?
CALL CHIMSKY  AT 0705-570-5004

1. Description Fees & Charges (Incl. VAT)
F@stlink E630 Data Card (PCMCIA) N25000
F@stlink E220 HSDPA USB MODEM N25000

2. http://www.mtnonline.com/data/infopack.aspx. Check this link for all the info.

3.The only places currently with 3G service are Abuja, Lagos & Port Harcourt. Check the mtn site for more coverage areas.

adewaleafolabi:

Oh someone answer my question. Is this mtn connection a direct one or would i have to go behind a proxy ?

Looking at the speed test post by fluche, i think the mtn connection is behind a proxy. However, check more to confirm.

u go 4 the 3G

ayobase:

u go for the 3G

Guy, it seems you havent been reading my posts well. Everybody agrees that MTN 3.5G fastlink is the fastest and the price is "ok". But the main problem is the 3GB monthly bandwidht limit in a month thats the problem. Whats the use of having a fast connection that will not last you 2 weeks ? The next best thing is getting the starcomms izap. Its not as fast as the MTN 3G but the speed it has is manageable and most importantly it has no download or bandwidht limit. The only problem with it is making sure that you are within the EVDO coverage area.

Guy, it seems you havent been reading my posts well. Everybody agrees that MTN 3.5G fastlink is the fastest and the price is "ok". But the main problem is the 3GB monthly bandwidht limit in a month thats the problem. Whats the use of having a fast connection that will not last you 2 weeks ? The next best thing is getting the starcomms izap. Its not as fast as the MTN 3G but the speed it has is manageable and most importantly it has no download or bandwidht limit. The only problem with it is making sure that you are within the EVDO coverage area.

You can bypass the bandwith limit by subscribing with 2 diffrt mtn simcard of nite use i.e when 2.5k (nite spot) expires you buy another 2.5k worth. That will be 5k in all and you will have 6gig. The only limitation is that it will only run in the nite belt. You can even have 3 diffrt sims, since it can operate with prepaid. When one is used up, you buy with another. Imagine 9gig for 7.5k. enjoy.

well i trust my people way dey around the download limit. well for us in remote places like nasarawa this is a great thingy because we aint got evdo and visafone but @ least we can do some sensible browsing now. mtn nice one for once in your life, i'm on the night band connected vie gprs/edge and its fair enough, cant wait till i get to abj/lag then i'll really push this baby.

i have been using my phone as a modem, and the speed is just sweet! even the gprs speed is not bad. better than any cdma 1x u can think of right now.

I got these from MTN

Thank you for your mail.

Yes it is available for prepaid. You need to have a handset that is 3.5G compliant.

The MTN 3.5G Mobile Broadband USB Modem
(F@stlink E220 HSDPA modem).
- the USB modem carries the MTN SIM and slots into the USB port of compatible desktop or laptop computer.
- N25,000 one off purchase, no set up fee required - no activation fee.

The MTN 3.5G Mobile Broadband Data Card
(F@stlink E630 Data card).
- the data card carries the MTN SIM and slots into the PCMCIA (PC card) slot of a laptop/ notebook computer.
N25,000 one off purchase, no set up fee required – no activation fee.

30-day All-Day bundle

- Up to 3GB max – fair usage policy
- At 3Gb, out of bundle rates are charged

30-day Nite-time bundle – 10pm to 5am

- Out of bundle rates apply outside 10pm-5am, and always after the fair usage
- Up to 3GB max – fair usage policy

1- day All-Day bundle

- Up to 50MB max – fair usage policy

Pay as you use - 15k per kb
Plan
New

Unlimited
N10,000

Time- Based
N2,500

1 Day (Daily) Prepaid only
N500

Pay As You Use (on the Go)
15kobo per kb


Thank you for choosing MTN.

its rubbish. they promised me 800kbps minimum with a tops of 3.2mbps but all i get is a top out of 44kbps and a minimum of 20kbps. rubbish, before my Wifi broadband went kaput (the ISP is overhauling its system) i get a minimum of 100-90kbps.

mtn 3G is not proper 3G (they are even claiming its 3.5G). the speed they offer for 10k a month is befitting only for a dialup, and i spent a whopping 40,380 for the entire dreadful package.

@Ex
are u within 3g coverage area ? Maybe its falling back on gprs

Peps, Can anyone confirm if the MTN 3.5G speed is FULLY aatainable in Abuja. i stay around Kado estate and i am looking to purchase there service?

Thank you.

@Ex. i don't agree with u. if u r within 3G coverage u can't get that kind of speed. besides u don't need to get the data card if u have a 3G phone. ur phone can serve as a modem. 3G phones r cheap this days for example sonyericsson w880i { 3G phone} is about 24k ,compare that to 25k data card frm mtn.

samir101ng:

Guy, it seems you havent been reading my posts well. Everybody agrees that MTN 3.5G fastlink is the fastest and the price is "ok". But the main problem is the 3GB monthly bandwidht limit in a month thats the problem. Whats the use of having a fast connection that will not last you 2 weeks ? The next best thing is getting the starcomms izap. Its not as fast as the MTN 3G but the speed it has is manageable  and most importantly it has no download or bandwidht limit. The only problem with it is making sure that you are within the EVDO coverage area.

pls how can i get info/map on d EVDO coverage area? it doesnt seem ro be on dia site
thanks

adewaleafolabi:

@Ex
are u within 3g coverage area ? Maybe its falling back on gprs

kaduna IS within 3G coverage, thats why i put up the pic above. d'uh, like i cant tell when it reverts to GPRS.

flyuche:

@Ex. i don't agree with u. if you're within 3G coverage u can't get that kind of speed. besides u don't need to get the data card if u have a 3G phone. your phone can serve as a modem. 3G phones r cheap this days for example sonyericsson w880i { 3G phone} is about 24k ,compare that to 25k data card frm mtn.

your argument refers you to the same response above: i AM within 3G coverage unless the datacard is lying when its profile says 3G rather than GPRS as you can see above. besides, where in heck can MTN GPRS give you 44kbps?

i chose to go for the datacard besides sometimes family and friends borrow the modem, cant hand them my phone now, can i? and what if i need to place a call while downloading? heck, i use an iphone and sadly its EGDE-only until the 3G variety hits us.

EX inferis

^{"your argument refers you to the same response above: i AM within 3G coverage unless the datacard is lying when its profile says 3G rather than GPRS as you can see above. besides, where in heck can MTN GPRS give you 44kbps?"}

Your statement above is not correct, on your printscreen , it says connection name, That does not make it to be connection to 3g.I spoke to mtn and they only have MTN 3G running in Lagos, PH and Abuja.So youare getting the whole stuff wrong and you are lucky to be getting that speed from gprs

EPOMA:


Your statement above is not correct, on your printscreen , it says connection name, That does not make it to be connection to 3g.I spoke to mtn and they only have MTN 3G running in Lagos, PH and Abuja.So youare getting the whole stuff wrong and you are lucky to be getting that speed from gprs

i see. so my datacard is lying then, as is the N95 which says "3G" below the signal bars, or my bros' N80 which ALSO says 3G below the signal bars, and i thought when a 3G phone displays "3G" under the bars it meant theres a 3G signal within reach.

you people are just silly.

im not as daft as some of you, apparently. unfortunately for you THERE IS 3G in kaduna and my Datacard and my bros PC ARE connected to the 3G network so stop making lame excuses for MTN's poor services. even those claiming to be getting 120kbps are ignorant of being ripped off; 3G should give you AT LEAST 600kbps with very low latency since it is broadband.  or are those complaining about EVDO and Starcomms IZap dense too?

heck, MTN is not even calling it 3G, they insist its 3.5G (HSDPA too) and you guys think 120kbps is okay? at 3.5G?

jesus.

get this into your thick skulls:  THERE IS NO NETWORK IN NIGERIA OFFERING TRUE BROADBAND SPEEDS. some of you have never had anything above 10kbps and now that you have mtn's supposed 3G you think its godsent and marvelous and yada yada yada so help me god.

BS.

its a fraud and y'all victims, albeit ignorant ones. so wake, dammit and stop yammering on about how 3G is confined only to lagos and PH as if those are the only places MTN has customers. call MTN's connect center here in kaduna and confirm if indeed they have 3G before you start pouting crap all over the place.

you sound like the kind of people that'D praise NEPA to high heavens for giving you six hours of steady electricity instead of 24 hours.

MTN 3G sux.

check this out

EX InFeris

This is a forum that we all share ideas, so I wonder why you get so abusive.Master degree in Computer science does not mean that you Majored around Telecoms. I work with nortel networks in the UK on developing the likes of DMS100 switches.You could be right about your phone showing 3g from the base stations but what bandwidth is feeding the base station. Lets end this topic here because you have just showed your stupidness and arrogance here. Give Nigeria about 3 years when starcomms, Zain and the others get their Fibre link to Europe working and we can talk.This country was wasted during the Military regime and we are just trying to recover but it does not help having people like you around Mr KNOW ALL.

EPOMA:

EX InFeris

This is a forum that we all share ideas, so I wonder why you get so abusive.Master degree in Computer science does not mean that you Majored around Telecoms. I work with nortel networks in the UK on developing the likes of DMS100 switches.You could be right about your phone showing 3g from the base stations but what bandwidth is feeding the base station. Lets end this topic here because you have just showed your stupidness and arrogance here. Give Nigeria about 3 years when starcomms, Zain and the others get their Fibre link to Europe working and we can talk.This country was wasted during the Military regime and we are just trying to recover but it does not help having people like you around Mr KNOW ALL.

slowpoke, so we should settle for customer disservice from the private sector because the military battered us and left 9 years ago? iss that the kind of attitude that'd move us forward? in the US i can demand a refund since the product i paid for isnt performing as advertised. but in nigeria i cant even complain, abi?

if MTN advertises 800kbps and insteadgives me 44kbps (or even 120kbps as some of you claim) then its thievery pure and simnple because they sure as heck didnt tell ME the service will be subpar on account of the military having doodled our collective arses way back. no,it takes a butt-munch like you to make that daft excuse.

my guy, its time we get as good as our money.

its people like you wrecking this country so long as your tiny mind is ready to accept poor services.MTN has been here for the past 6 years yet you are making excuses for them.

I AM right about th 3G in kd, and you should have done your homework rather than making it seem i dont have a clue where gprs ends and 3G begins.

by the way, that diploma was put up there in jest. which you'd have noticed if you werent such a blitheringly retarded smeghead.

mr ex inferis do you really have to paste your toronto certificate here? it has been explained to you that mtn 3G is not available where you live or is in its testing phase there. get that. mtn 3G is working perfectly i mean perfectly where i live. this is the best wireless internet service i have used in this country, well minus the 3 Gig data cap.the download speed is well above 600kb/s. my starcomms evdo can not compare. mtn 3G ''rocks''. be patient it will soon get to your location . now remove that cert, this is not a job hunting forum.

@Ex inferis. with this level of education , i am disappointed you could descend this low. why being insultive?

flyuche:

mr ex inferis do you really have to paste your toronto certificate here? it has been explained to you that mtn 3G is not available where you live or is in its testing phase there. get that. mtn 3G is working perfectly i mean perfectly where i live. this is the best wireless internet service i have used in this country, well minus the 3 Gig data cap.the download speed is well above 600kb/s. my starcomms evdo can not compare. mtn 3G ''rocks''. be patient it will soon get to your location . now remove that cert, this is not a job hunting forum.

jesus, another one

look, do i have to spell it out to you? THAT CERTIFICATE IS A JOKE!! LOOK CLOSELY AND YOU WILL SEE, JUST OPEN YOUR EYES!!! and i think you are lying through your teeth saying you get 600kbps because i use MTN 3G at home in Abuja as well as when i travel to lagos and the most i get on average is 60kbps. maybe you are confusing the link speed with the downlink speed. my wifi broadband says 56mbps on connection, but thats just link speed, it tops out at just over 110kbps and i pay an arm and a leg for it. the ISP claimed i'd get 1.2mbps minimum and speedtest.net confirmed that but the real world value is 100kbps.



the good folks at the MTN Connect center here in kaduna surely know more than you (the manager is a personal friend) and i daresay they cant possibly lie to the public about having a service they really dont. in any case read here

http://www.telecompaper.com/news/article.aspx?cid=631497

it says " MTN Nigeria has expanded commercial availability of its 3.5G services. , Coverage is initially available in 12 cities in nine states, "

and it goes on to show a map with kaduna in there. (i hope you can afford the 90 euros to register) so your statememnt that 3G is available in ONLY Abuja Port Harcourt and Lagos is patently false. next time verify before claiming.

and how do you explain the fact that we make video calls? or that our phones still show "3G" in the signal bars?

also, the datacard manual asserts that the user interface profile shows the service available so if its gprs the profile will reflect "gprs" and "3G" for 3G. that was why i put the screenshot above and yet you people are still insisting its only your areas that have the coverage.

flyuche:

@Ex inferis. with this level of education , i am disappointed you could descend this low. why being insultive?

you cannot even begin to imagine my level of education so dont judge based on what you see here, particularly if your reference point is that phony diploma above. my being insultive was a counterstrike to the insinuation im clueless about the topic here in spite of my evidence. im not some green noobie just dabbling into this so i'll appreciate it if a little respect is spared for my own intelligence else i'll be provoked to retort in like tones. negating my contention on service coverage and saying i cant tell gprs from 3G is as good as calling me stupid, so in as much as you huff and puff with bloated indignation i feel the prickle too when someone indirectly calls me stupid.

get over it, this is a forum, people insult each other in forums because we are all faceless and it does no harm. kindly call MTN and ask for info regarding their coverage areas and put a stop to your baseless claims. will appreciate it if you do so we can move forward with the topic.

a good techie never talks too much. . . tht i've learnt.
i'll pass by on this.

hey flyuche? howz ur side of ph?

Now Ex is being called a techie? I came here to find where you'd gone to and got sidetracked reading retorts and counter-retorts. It's quite amusing how dumb some people are. You really should get outta here and leave this alone. If people accept Ex Inferis as a name on a diploma, then they're obviously hopeless. I'll make my exit now before another irked drone comes out and brands me "Ex Inferis' mouthpiece".

vescucci:

Now Ex is being called a techie? I came here to find where you'D gone to and got sidetracked reading retorts and counter-retorts. It's quite amusing how dumb some people are. You really should get out of here and leave this alone. If people accept Ex Inferis as a name on a diploma, then they're obviously hopeless. I'll make my exit now before another irked drone comes out and brands me "Ex Inferis' mouthpiece".

dude, you just won a Kewpie Doll!! i did tell you this here blessed forum is infested with crawling simpletons. point proved with the jackasses above.

even the dreaded dual core is chipping in, lending further credence to my belief he isnt firing on both cores. let them bring on the insults, i have survived Demonoid, i sure as hell can survive a motley crew of snot-nosed nitwits.

haba! imagine, rtelling me i don't know gprs from 3G.

the flaming cheek.

I think it is best to buy numerous mtn sim cards, one at 10k for all day browsing, and the rest at 2.5k for the heavy downloading at night. You want 9 gigs, it will cost you 15k. 20k gives you 15 gigs, and so on.

its still expensive. verizon wireless is $39.99 or around 4,680 naira per month for unlimited data access with a near consistent minimum downlink speed of 700kbps and i still think THAT was expensive. MTN is still too expensive and the 3G cap only makes it worse.

While still very expensive for the average Nigerian, I am certain the price will come down with time. Comparing what we get here in the US for the price to Nigeria is like comparing apples and oranges. So, may not necessarily be fair. Heck! I pay $19.99/month for unlimited data (at unreal 3G speeds!) including 200 sms. Again, with time, I expect the prices in Nigeria to come down somewhat.

Ex Inferis:

its still expensive. verizon wireless is $39.99 or around 4,680 naira per month for unlimited data access with a near consistent minimum downlink speed of 700kbps and i still think THAT was expensive. MTN is still too expensive and the 3G cap only makes it worse.

na wah oooo, interesting

Ex-inferis, 4 d respect i have 4 u nd a few others u know, who i've met in person, i will not reply ur insults. For d records, i'm here to help and to be helped, if u see me as 'dreaded', sail on bro as long as tht kips ur boat rocking.
@those it wld concern
apologies 4 going off topic wit dis one.

@dual core. i am alrite.

@ex, we appreciate your joke. the point is don't get insultive. whats my business anyway if you get 1G speed on your 3G data card. in portharcourt we have taste. thats why every company thrives to give us the best. mtn 3G rocks here.

Dual Core:

Ex-inferis, 4 d respect i have for you nd a few others u know, who i've met in person, i will not reply your insults. For d records, i'm here to help and to be helped, if u see me as 'dreaded', sail on bro as long as that kips your boat rocking.
@those it would concern
apologies 4 going off topic wit this one.

im glad you arent taking all this BS personal. i dont know why nigerians take faceless barbs as personal affront.

flyuche:

@ex, we appreciate your joke. the point is don't get insultive. whats my business anyway if you get 1G speed on your 3G data card. in portharcourt we have taste. thats why every company thrives to give us the best. mtn 3G rocks here.

well,you made it your business and if you use MTN and i use MTN, i fail to see how your "we have taste" face-saver makes sense. we both use MTN and you think THAT distinguishes you?

dude, like, whatever.

Bossman:

While still very expensive for the average Nigerian, I am certain the price will come down with time. Comparing what we get here in the US for the price to Nigeria is like comparing apples and oranges. So, may not necessarily be fair. Heck! I pay $19.99/month for unlimited data (at unreal 3G speeds!) including 200 sms. Again, with time, I expect the prices in Nigeria to come down somewhat.

wow,someone charges that less? what carrier is that? forgot to mention, that $40 verizon is EVDO, near HSDPA speed. i heard AT&T are charging $10 more for iphone 3G data users. how good is AT&T in chicago? i belive verizon is the fastest in the US.