MTN has introduced new packet switched data (GPRS, GPRS+, EDGE and 3G) tariffs and data bundles.

• Packet switched data traffic may be generated using GPRS, GPRS+, EDGE or 3G, or any combination of these bearers.
• The Basic Data Tariff applies to all postpaid, prepaid and MyChoice TopUp price plans currently marketed by MTN that allow packet switched data usage.
• Customers on Prepaid and MyChoice TopUp price plans will not be allowed to access private or corporate APNs.
• Customers on Prepaid and MyChoice TopUp price plans will be able to access the internet using WEB and WAP access via the ‘myMTN’ APN.
• Packet switched data usage will be billed as follows for the Basic data tariff for applicable postpaid, prepaid & MyChoice TopUp price plans:

• The Basic data tariff applies to all applicable postpaid, prepaid & MyChoice TopUp price plans that do not have a data bundle loaded, or after a data bundle has been removed.
• Packet switched data usage (data sent and received) will be summarised per session (in bytes), and be billed per session per byte.
• Charges are rounded up to the nearest cent, per session i.e. a minimum charge of R0.01 applies to each new session.
• A minimum of R0.01 per day will be billed, if a session was open but no data was transferred for the 24-hour period from 00H00 to 23H59.
• For postpaid subscribers, where a session remains active over the 23:59:59 to 00:00:00 time period each day, a billable record will be generated as if the session was closed. The network will however keep the session active, and a new billable record will be generated for the same session, counting from 00:00:00.
• The Basic data tariff is charged at the same rate during peak- or off-peak times.

Packet switched data usage will be billed as follows when a data bundle is loaded for applicable price plans:

• The data bundles will only be available to postpaid and prepaid price plans currently marketed by MTN that allow packet switched data usage. Data bundles on MyChoice TopUp price plans will be available as from 11 August 2005.
• Business rules and the billing method for in-bundle packet switched data usage are as per the Basic data tariff business rules and billing method, except for the following:
  
  
  • For normal data usage, the data bundles are depleted in bytes (rounded up to the nearest byte), and thus no minimum amount of bytes will be depleted when a session is opened e.g. if a bundle is loaded and a 4-hours session only transferred 2 bytes, only 2 bytes will be depleted from the bundle. This is contrary to the minimum charge applicable for the basic data tariff and out-of-bundle usage where a minimum of R0.01 will be charged.
  • However, if a session was open but no data was transferred for the 24-hour period from 00H00 to 23H59 an amount of bytes equal to R0.01 will be depleted from the bundle per day i.e. if the effective in-bundle tariff is R1.00/MB, then 10 486 bytes will be depleted from the bundle if a session was open but no data was transferred for the 24-hour period from 00H00 to 23H59.
  • Data credit cannot be transferred to another MSISDN (i.e. using Me2U).
  • Business rules and the billing method for out-of-bundle packet switched data usage are as per the Basic data tariff business rules and billing method.
  • In addition, the following is only applicable to the data bundles on postpaid price plans:
  • The data bundle subscription charges will not deplete the rand value bundles on MyChoice price plans.
  • The monthly subscription charges are billed monthly in advance, by the Service Provider.
  • Monthly subscription charges, as well as the data credit (volume) are pro-rated for a portion of the customer’s billing cycle month.
  • Bundles can be loaded on a month to month basis.
  • Bundles will carry over for one month only.
  • A full subscription for the data bundled will apply in the termination month.
  • The inclusive data bundles and out-of-bundle tariffs only apply to on-net data usage. Packet switched data usage whilst roaming will be charge at the roaming networks data tariff, as an additional cost.
  • Only one data bundle can be loaded against a MSISDN, at one time.
  • GPRS2 and GPRS15 data bundles are no longer available. All customers that were on these data bundles were moved to the Basic data tariff.
  • The above data bundle products can only be loaded by the applicable Service Provider.
  • When a data bundle has been depleted, the applicable out-of-bundle tariff will apply.
  • When a data bundle is removed by the Service Provider the data bundle will remain active until the end of the customer current billing cycle month.
  • Packet switched out-of-bundle data usage is charged at the same applicable out-of-bundle rate during peak- or off-peak times.
    
• In addition, the following is only applicable to the data bundles on prepaid price plans:
  • The following prepaid price plans will be able to convert airtime into data bundles: Pay as you Go Classic, Pay as you Go PayBack and Pay as you Go Call per Second.
  • Prepaid airtime will be used to pay for data bundles.
  • Data bundles can be purchased in three denominations, namely 10 and 100 Megabytes, and 1 Gigabyte.
  • Prepaid customers cannot purchase a data bundle while a data bundle is already active on the customer’s account. (Note: An active data bundle means a data bundle with- or without data credit left, anywhere in its 1 month lifespan).
  • Prepaid data bundles carry over for one month. Data bundles remain active for 1 month from the day of purchase. (e.g. when a bundle is activated at any time on the 9th of the month, the bundle will be deactivated on the 8th, at 23:59:59 PM and unused data will carry over for one month).
  • Additionally, the applicable out-of-bundle rate remains valid for one month. (e.g. when a bundle is depleted on the second day it was activated, the bundle remains active and the customer will be charged the applicable out-of-bundle rate for the remainder of the month from the activation of the bundle).
  • A prepaid customer has the option to purchase either a once-off data bundle (valid for 1 month, with a another month carry over of unused data) or a recurring data bundle (automatically renewed if sufficient airtime credit is available).
  • Activating the recurring bundle recharge does not attract an additional fee (activation / cancellation fees / charges).
  • The day on which a customer activated the automatic purchase of a data bundle will be the same each month, if possible. Where the 29th, 30th or 31st day of a month does not exist the next month, the last day of the month will be used. (e.g. when the automatic recharge option was activated on the 31st of January 2005, the next recharge days would be 28 February, 31 March, 30 April, 31 May etc).
  • When insufficient airtime balance does not allow an automatic data bundle purchase, the data credit will not be loaded, and the automatic purchase order will be removed automatically.
  • When a data bundle has been depleted, the applicable out-of-bundle tariff will apply.
  • When no data bundle is loaded the Basic data tariff will be applicable.
  • Data credit cannot be converted back to Rand value.
  • Prepaid customers will be able to purchase data bundles by calling the 141 IVR.
  • Option 3 ‘To load airtime, SMS or data bundles’ on the Main Menu of the 141 IVR will allow prepaid customer to purchase a once-off or a recurring subscription based data bundle. The 141 IVR will also allow for the cancelling of the recurring data bundle subscription.
  • The menu option to purchase a data bundle will not be available to the customer when a bundle is already loaded, or when the out-of-bundle rate is still applicable.
  • The menu option to purchase a data bundle will be available to the prepaid customer even though the airtime balance does not allow the customer to purchase any data bundles. In this case, the customer will be informed that there is not sufficient airtime available to purchase the required data bundle, and that the required airtime needs to be loaded first.
  • When a prepaid customer has purchased a recurring monthly data bundle, the customer will not be able to change the size of the bundle. In order for a prepaid customer to change the size of their recurring monthly data bundle, the customer must first cancel the existing recurring monthly data bundle, and then purchase a load a different size bundle (after the existing bundle expires) and select the option to make this a recurring purchase.
  • Option 1 ‘To listen to your balances’, submenu 4, on the Main Menu of the 141 IVR will inform prepaid customers on their available data bundle balance, when a data bundle is active.
  • Option 1 ‘To listen to your balances’, submenu 4 on the Main Menu of the 141 IVR will also inform prepaid customers that have purchased a recurring monthly data bundle, on what day, with what size bundle, and at what price their next recurring monthly data bundle will convert airtime into data volume credit.
  • The *141# USSD messaging will also inform prepaid customers of the remaining data balance in their data bundle.

• MTN legacy price plans (price plans no longer marketed by MTN) will be billed for packet switched data usage at R25.00 (VAT inclusive) per megabyte. These price plans will lose their existing GPRS data bundles and cannot load any of the new data bundles.
• In terms of the current regulatory regime in South Africa, please note that these tariffs and the MTN GPRS, GPRS+, EDGE or 3G technologies may not be used to transfer or generate Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) traffic. Should it be found that VoIP traffic was carried over the MTN network using these tariffs or technologies, MTN reserves the right to cancel the agreement that you have with MTN, with immediate effect. You will also be charged retrospectively at R21.93 per Megabyte (VAT excluded) for any VoIP traffic transferred by such means.