8.ta launches 10GB data package

2011-06-23 13:02

Duncan Alfreds, News24

Cape Town - Telkom-owned mobile provider 8.ta has taken the fight to its rivals with a data package.

Telkom Mobile has launched a data offer of 10GB per month at R199.

"The new post-paid Internet 5 Promotion offers subscribers a 10GB data bundle at R199 per month with the option of an additional 10GB Midnight Surfer data bundle at R100 per month for use between 00:00 and 05:00," 8.ta said.

The company hopes to use the package to sign up more subscribers over a limited period.

"This is a limited offer; it's not going to last forever. This is to showcase our network and it's also to get customers to experience the quality network that we have built," Amith Maharaj, managing executive of Telkom Mobile told News24.

Speed

He said that the network's speed was second to Vodacom, but that it had recently been upgraded and users should see increases in the throughput.

Despite being under pressure to perform, Maharaj is happy with new subscriptions for the provider.

"Look, we're very pleased with our post-paid and subscriber numbers in terms of uptake. We recently launched BlackBerry; there's been reasonably good uptake with that offer."

The provider is under some pressure to deliver earnings results as owner Telkom has come under pressure, but Maharaj takes a longer term view of the business.

"Entering into the mobile space is not a short term view, but I think it helps position Telkom," he said.

The offer should be good news to users who use their cellphones to call Telkom landlines as the company discounts these calls' rates because they are a wholly owned subsidiary.

The 8.ta package will be available from June 26 and though it's limited in nature, Maharaj won't say for how long.

"I'm holding mum on when this thing is going to stop."


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