Mobile Internet Packages in Ghana

MOBILE INTERNET PACKAGES IN GHANA 

The popularity of Internet Cafés has gone down in recent times due to the explosion of internet-enabled mobile phones and broadband modems. Now we all carry the internet with us without even thinking about it. This has also been aided by the telecommunication networks that have made everything possible for customers to browse on-the-go. It all started in 2005 when MTN rolled out the free testing service for interested customers and the trend has done nothing but gather momentum. Now every network has it as part of their core service. Mobile access to the internet has been refined from time to time. These days’ users can even set aside some airtime on their mobiles as internet data balance purposely for browsing the internet. That service is so economical that any customer who doesn’t use it is losing money big time. For instance out of GH₵5.0 airtime, a user could bundle GH₵2.0 and get between 60 – 100 megabytes of data depending on the network. This way the user can make calls without worrying about internet data. If the user with GH₵5.0 airtime doesn’t bundle some of the airtime the charge per megabyte for browsing the internet becomes higher than when he/she has bundled. That is one of the coolest services to grace out IT industry in Ghana.

The economical aspect of this data bundle service depends on the network one is subscribed to, so below is a comparison of all the telecommunication networks in Ghana. We can even call it MGAVET if you understand what I mean only that the G is yet to start operations on the voice side. The information provided below comes from the corporate websites and support centres.

TIGO

On Subcription                                                                                                     

Service Package	Charge(GH₵)	Data Volume	Short code	Keyword
SmartBrowse 5MB	0.30	5MB	1516	5
SmartBrowse 20MB	0.99	20MB	1517	20
SmartBrowse 100MB	1.99	100MB	1518	100

On Demand

Service Package	Charge(GH₵)	Data Volume	Short code	Keyword
SmartBrowse 5MB	0.35	5MB	1515	5
SmartBrowse 50MB	2.99	50MB	1515	50
SmartBrowse 1GB	25.00	1GB	2510	1

 NB: Validity is on daily basis (from 5:30am to 23:30pm)

MTN

Charge (GH₵)	Volume	Validity (days)
1.0	30MB	15
2.0	60MB	15
3.0	200MB	1
5.0	150MB	15
10.00	300MB	30
20.00	1GB	30
40.00	2.5GB	30
60.00	4GB	30

EXPRESSO

Charge (GH₵)	Volume	Validity (days)
2.00	100MB	1*
15.00	1GB	33
55.00	4.5	33
80.00	6.5GB	33
110.00	12GB	33

*The 1 day for the GH₵2.00 is described by Expresso as one calendar day.

VODAFONE

Vodafone have segmented their services into three flavours; Browser, Streamer and Downloader.

Charge (GH₵)	Volume	Validity (days)
Browser
Monthly 30.00	1.5GB	30
Daily 3.00	100MB	1
All month 10.00	300MB	30
All day 1.00	30MB	1
Streamer
Monthly 1 15.00	750MB	30
Monthly 2 45.00	2.5GB	30
Downloader
80.00	5GB	60

AIRTEL

Bundles	Price	Data Volume	Validity
Daily @ Phone	1	15 MB	Daily
Daily @ PC	3	30 MB	Daily
Airtel Lite	30	1 GB	30 days
Airtel Extra	60	4 GB	30 days

Validity Period

Most people get confused about the validity period. It means that if a user does not use up the credit by that time the data balance will be wiped out. It does not mean one can browse in that period without limit.

Bottom line

The above figures say it all. Customers can now see the full picture of data bundling across networks. Readers can do all the analysis themselves and find which network gives them more value for their. The competition is keen and some are miles ahead in the game. One thing that some of these companies are missing is ‘simplicity’. Customers should be able to bundle without any hassle. MTN leads the way when it comes to simplicity with TIGO at the bottom. Their culture of requiring users to send different short codes does not satisfy the simplicity principle. It is really frustrating when a particular location does not have a good 3G reception because the link up speed simply becomes unbearable. Expresso with their CDMA does not have such problems. All their catchment areas have equal internet reception and hence their customers do not suffer the same fate their 3G counterparts do. 

The software for the modems too needs some upgrading. Users want to be prompted when their data balance is getting finished or validity period is getting close. Users don’t want to be caught off guard. This particular issue is common for all the networks.

It is the hope of the IT world that internet access and quality improves in the coming years to enhance business and academic work.