Cell C and Rain still have much cheaper data – even after Vodacom’s 30% price slash

(Instagram, @vodacom)

• SA’s largest mobile network provider Vodacom said it will cut prices by as much as 34% in April after an agreement with the Competition Commission. 
• This will make Vodacom’s data cheaper than MTN’s, but still more expensive than Rain and Cell C. 
• Vodacom will now also offer free access to governmental websites, Facebook Flex, and Wikipedia. 
• For more stories, go to Business Insider's home page.

Vodacom, South Africa’s largest mobile network provider, on Tuesday announced that it would be cutting its data prices by as much as 34%. 

This after the Competition Commission, whose ruling became binding last year, slammed Vodacom and MTN for misusing their local market dominance to maintain "price discrimination strategies".

The commission said evidence suggested that there was scope for these mobile operators to reduce their data prices by between 30% to 50%, and the telecommunication giants were mandated to reach an agreement to cut prices with it. 

Also read: South Africans may get free data every day, and surf sites like Wikipedia for free, if Ramaphosa gets his way

Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub said after an agreement was reached with the Competition Commission, 1GB prepaid data will be reduced from R149 a month to R99 starting in April.

This will make Vodacom’s data cheaper than MTN’s, and R1 more cheaper than Telkom’s, but more expensive than Cell C's 1GB data option and data-only-network Rain. 

Cell C only offers 1GB bundles and 2GB nighttime data for R100. Rain offers 1GB data for R50 during peak hours. 

Vodacom’s Joosub said the new agreement with the Competition Commission will also give users free to job portals, Facebook Flex, Wikipedia, other educational content, health services and government services. 

The Competition Commission Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele said negotiations were in "quite advanced" stages with certain mobile operators, and new price deals should be announced soon, Fin24 reported.