For those that do not know, Neotel is the second national operator of South Africa, it has just began offering services to the retail market few months ago after a long delay, which was not only their fault, but also the national regulator ICASA's fault. They have extended today their coverage to Cape Town.

I am planning to get it for myself, I live in Johannesburg, but only the Lite package is available, and there were some kinks on the upgrade procedure from Lite to Prime (when it is available).  Thankfully Neotel has one of the best call centres and representatives I have ever spoken to, in terms of respect and help. They are currently assisting me to meet my needs. I will report on my experience on getting Neotel internet as soon as I sign that contract.

The press release, as well as fact sheet and data sheet are available after the jump, so that you can inform yourself about the differences between the Lite and Prime packages. The Lite package doesn't seem to be available in Cape Town though.

Neotel has announced a further milestone in the company’s growth, by making their consumer services available in Cape Town.

“We have come a long way in our journey to redefine the way in which South Africans connect,” says Ajay Pandey, MD and CEO of Neotel. “From an enterprise perspective we have seen tremendous growth in the solutions offered and therefore in the number of customers who have moved over to the Neotel network.” He says the impact of the organization redefining the telecommunications industry is becoming very evident. “We are consistently delivering on the promise of innovation and superior customer service through our technology and our personalized approach to meeting our customers’ needs.”

Pandey says that Neotel has made a firm commitment to the South African market to take communications to all South Africans and to ultimately make services available across the country.  “We are building a next generation wireless network for South Africans, a process which takes time,” he says. Neotel’s rollout of services has been done in a phased approach.  “We officially launched consumer services at the end of May in Pretoria and Johannesburg and are now ready to bring these services to the citizens of Cape Town.” He says that while coverage will initially be limited in this region, the network is expanding at a rapid pace.

The NeoConnect converged platform is an all-in-one consumer service - one wireless service, one bill, one product that allows the consumer high speed internet access, to make voice calls and send and receive SMS. “You no longer need to use multiple devices, pay separate line rentals and internet access charges,” says Mukul Sharma, Executive Head of the Consumer Business Unit at Neotel.  “NeoConnect brings you the benefits of a single device in an integrated monthly rental.” He says customers will also no longer have to wait for extended periods to get connected.  “The product is easy to assemble, quick to install and does not require the assistance of a technician, which means the consumer can be connected almost instantly on receipt of the product.” As a wireless service, NeoConnect will not restrict the consumer to one place and can be used anywhere within the city and within Neotel’s specified coverage areas.

NeoConnect is provided using the globally benchmarked CDMA2000 1x EV-DO technology. The technology is currently capable of delivering up to 2.4Mbps (Mega Bits per second) peak speeds. The average speed that a user will experience on NeoConnect will be around (300Kbps to 700Kbps). Along with these speeds the user will also be able to make voice calls that are of carrier grade standard providing a crystal clear voice in Neotel coverage areas.

Capetonians can obtain the NeoConnect from Neotel’s current channel partner Postnet where activations are done in store or via the Call Centre on 0800 333 636.

NEOCONNECT FACT SHEET

What are the benefits of NeoConnect Prime?

• High-Performance Internet with peak download speeds of up t0 2.4Mbps, and average speeds between 300 to 700Kbps
• High data capacities starting at the entry level of 2.5GB, continuing to unlimited data, depending on your lifestyle needs
• Crystal-clear voice ensuring high quality, flawless conversations, all the time, every time, at the cost of traditional landline calls
• Enhanced voice services such as Caller-Line Identification (CLI), call-forwarding and call-waiting for greater flexibility in managing your communications
• Even more ways to keep in touch with the ability to send and receive SMS, as well as your own email account
• A wireless service you can use anywhere within the coverage area in your city.
• True convergence with a single phone number, one device, one account and so many ways to communicate
• Hassle-free communications device that comes ready to use, with no complex installation requirements
• True value with a single, all-inclusive monthly fee and uncomplicated usage charges for any out-of-package usage. All-in-one bill with no fine print

What is the price for NeoConnect?

There are currently 5 different NeoConnect Prime package options available, ranging from an entry level offering of 2.5GB data service all the way up to an unlimited internet access offering. The pricing for the NeoConnect Prime bundles range from R399 per month for the 2.5GB offering to R999 for the unlimited internet access package. Two variations of the NeoConnect Lite offering are also available.

NeoConnect Prime Packages

NeoConnect Prime Packages	2.5G	5G	10G	15G	Unlimited
Cost Per Month	R399	R499	R599	R699	R999
Internet Data	2.5GB	5GB	10GB	15GB	Unlimited
Personalised Email	NeoMail Basic	NeoMail Advanced	NeoMail Pro	NeoMail Pro	NeoMail Expert
Free On-Net SMS’s	50	50	50	75	100
Free National SMS’s	-	-	-	50	100
Free On-Net Voice Minutes	1000	1000	1000	1500	2000
Free Off-Net Local & Regional Minutes to Telkom	-	15	30	60	120
All Monthly Charges	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
Device Charge	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
VAT	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
Contract Duration	24 Months	24 Months	24 Months	24 Months	24 Months

What are the benefits of NeoConnect Lite?

• Crystal-clear voice ensuring high quality, flawless conversations, all the time, every time, at the cost of traditional landline calls.
• Internet for starters with peak download speeds of 153.5Kbps and average speeds between 50 and 100Kbps. You can email, browse the Internet and download simple games, wallpapers and images.
• High data capacities from 2G to Unlimited data, depending in the package you select.
• Even more ways to keep in touch with the ability to send and receive SMS, as well as your own email account.
• A wireless service you can use anywhere within the coverage area in your city. You should never feel limited by a cord.
• True convergence with a single phone number, one device, one account and so many ways to communicate.
• Hassle-free communications device that comes ready to use, with no complex installation requirements.
• True value with a single, all-inclusive monthly fee and uncomplicated usage charges for any out-of-package usage. All-in-one bill with no fine print.

There are currently two NeoConnect Lite package options available, both of which include free SMS and On-Net voice minute bundles.

NeoConnect Lite Packages

NeoConnect Lite Packages	2G	Unlimited
Cost per Month	R299	R469
Internet Data	2GB	Unlimited
Personalised Email	NeoMail Basic	NeoMail Advanced
Free On-Net SMS`s	25	50
Free on-Net voice Minutes	500	1000
All Monthly Charges	Included	Included
Device Charge	Included	Included
VAT	Included	Included
Contract Duration	24 Months	24 Months