MrsMupersan Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Hi all,I'm off to CT for 2 weeks to visit my mom. I've looked at using data roaming on my iPad, but it's insanely expensive. The Telstra guy said my best bet would be to just get a local pre-paid micro sim (or cut down an ordinary sim). The same for my iPhone (but I'll turn the data on that off and just use it for calls and text). Can anyone recommend which service provider has the best deals for iPhone/iPad pre-paid sims (pay as you go)?ThanksMrs M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Short&Tall Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Can't help at all - but remember the RICA requirement when getting the SIM.Passport and proof of address. Not sure if they have worked something out for tourists yet. A year ago when we were there and BIL law visiting he was told he needed a stat declaration from the police station stating where he was staying plus passport...Or maybe a relative will get one for you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMupersan Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Thanks S&T. I take my mom with me with all her correct RICA documents. It's just easier that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfriAus Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 I was using 8ta just before I left SA. Decent service and prices:http://www.8ta.com/plans/ipad/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMupersan Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Thanks MAP. I saw their link from the Apple store website. I'd have to head to the iStore at Canal Walk to get that sorted. I may just go with the most convenient which would be Vodacom (and cut the sim down) - purely because there's a Vodacom shop at Howard Centre in Pinelands which is where I'll be staying. Having said that, I'm a bit nervous about cutting down a sim. Has anyone done it? Any tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21yearsoutofrsa Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Having said that, I'm a bit nervous about cutting down a sim. Has anyone done it? Any tips?Have a look at you tube for tips on how to do itI've done it, no problem. Th bugger is you can't uncut them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMupersan Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Thanks for that. I won't have any need for it after I leave, so it can go in the bin. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChantelTHL Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 This morning on Highveld stereo, they spoke about cutting a sim. For Whackhead .. it did not work and aparently many people could not get it right.On the other hand..... we cut our own sims, but we bought a small devise at the China shop - and it worked because it is designed to do the right size etc. I think the devise is the same price as getting a new sim. But we had many sims to cut, so it worked for us!Just be careful when cutting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMupersan Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Thanks Chantel (and everyone else!) for your input.Here's what I've decided...I have international roaming enabled on my iphone. I'll only be using it for the odd text message, so it's not going to sting too much. I will, however, turn off the data roaming so will only use the data when I'm at my mom's using wi-fi.For my iPad, I'll head to the iStore at Canal Walk & get myself 1 or 2Gb for a couple hundred rand thru 8ta. I'm not keen on cutting a brand new sim and a couple hundred rand is only a few dollars. Thanks so much for all your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candivw Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Why don't u just use the wifi too for the iPad? I know people have said its a mission to change all the settings and get everything working in RSA with the sims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miraclebabycaw Posted May 23, 2012 Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 ok I am seriously technologically challanged on cell phone issues. I use my BB for BBM. a few texts and occassionally to surf if I am not at home and need to look up something. Apart from that I don't need or want anything really "challenging". Got to ask what is cutting a sim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMupersan Posted May 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 Okay, so I went to the iStore at Canal Walk and they were offline, so they dirrected me to the 8ta store downstairs. 8ta is Telkom's mobile offering. I got a micro sim for the ipad - R149 for 3Gbs. I also got a micro sim for my iPhone with R100 credit - airtime only - no data. I can do without the data on the iphone for the diration of my holiday cos I have the ipad. And they activated everything in store fore me. Took about 10 minutes all up. Just had to drag my mom along to so the RICA thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 I am heading back to SA for a few weeks soon and was wondering if there is a pre-paid package in SA that has both Data and Airtime? I have looked around at mtn/vodacom/cell C and 8ta but they all seem to offer one or the other. What have other people used for trips back to SA? I have an unlocked iphone and want to chuck a pay as you go SIM in for a few weeks and have a mix of data and airtime? Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrice Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 my last visit i got a mtn pay-as-u-go mini-card for air time & data - at the airport on arrival only showed my e-tickets & passport and got a 'tourist' RICA ok - no problemhad to wait for the MTN airport office to open at 06h00 but the coffee shop opposite was open :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreR Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 With 8ta and Vodacom you can have both on the same sim. By default when you buy airtime you are buying your voice minutes. You can then convert a portion of that airtime to data by dialing *180# (*111# for vodacom) and 'purchasing' a data bundle. Purchasing just deducts the bundle price from your available airtime balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Pardon my ignorance but what is RICA??... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Basically a failed attempt at trying to reduce the misuse of SIM cards, they register a specific SIM to an ID number, thus if they SIM is ever identified to have been used in criminal activities then they can point the finger at the person it's registered to. But this has loop holes and ways of getting around it.A SIM that hasn't been RICA'd cannot access any of the SA networks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 thanks guys for all the info. The sa cellphone network web pages are not too clear on this all and the info you have given is very useful. Looks like I will get a vodacom sim and data bundle. Thankfully I won't have to extract the info from the cell phone shop staff ! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Don't worry, they RICA you in the shop, but you will need to bring along "proof of residency/address" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansaPlease Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Make sure you have proof of your SA address (where you are staying). We were asked for a letter from our hotel stating that we're staying there, I didn't have one on me and I tried MTN, Vodacom and Cell C at Eaatgate mall- none of them would give me a sim without this proof of address. Eventually, a few days later an MTN shop in KZN gave us a SIM card for the phone and data sim for the iPad when I have them a letter from my parents stating that we're staying at their house. The ones I tried in Jo burg would not accept this. As with most things in SA, there is not much consistency and what is accepted in one place is not in another... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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