How does the cost of using WhatsApp work on the different cellular service providers? Cell C says that using WhatsApp on their network is free. I am currently on Cell C, and had been using this app since before they made this announcement, so I saw no change in costs (I was on a 2-year contract; now month-to-month).
Here is what I have experienced so far (I still want to understand how it works, though):
My older son has a Cell C sim on prepaid, and his sim has been topped up since forever. He mostly uses WhatsApp, and gets his data via home wi-fi. I was surprised when he told me that he still has all his air time I had bought months before. My other son recently got his first phone; he has a Vodacom sim. I only bought air time and assumed that all would be well, as he was also using home wi-fi. When we visited their grandma for the day I instructed the boys not to use data (downloads, sharing pics, etc.). They did, however, send quite a few WhatsApp text messages. The day was not over yet when the Vodacom sim ran out - this was Day 3! I contacted Vodacom Help via online chat and the lady told me that data costs were huge per megabyte (R2/meg, IIRC) when you have no data bundle, but much cheaper (like 1/10th) when you do. So I topped up his air time and bought a R29 data bundle, as I could not risk him being out of air time, since the primary reason for him having a phone was for security purposes. I have not checked his balance yet, but no probs since 28 Dec.
Can anyone help me understand?
Here is what I have experienced so far (I still want to understand how it works, though):
My older son has a Cell C sim on prepaid, and his sim has been topped up since forever. He mostly uses WhatsApp, and gets his data via home wi-fi. I was surprised when he told me that he still has all his air time I had bought months before. My other son recently got his first phone; he has a Vodacom sim. I only bought air time and assumed that all would be well, as he was also using home wi-fi. When we visited their grandma for the day I instructed the boys not to use data (downloads, sharing pics, etc.). They did, however, send quite a few WhatsApp text messages. The day was not over yet when the Vodacom sim ran out - this was Day 3! I contacted Vodacom Help via online chat and the lady told me that data costs were huge per megabyte (R2/meg, IIRC) when you have no data bundle, but much cheaper (like 1/10th) when you do. So I topped up his air time and bought a R29 data bundle, as I could not risk him being out of air time, since the primary reason for him having a phone was for security purposes. I have not checked his balance yet, but no probs since 28 Dec.
Can anyone help me understand?
