Vodafone Uganda, a telecom launched early last year with the best unlimited internet packages we had ever reviewed or experienced. The unlimited internet package was cheap and fast since the previous Fair usage Cap (FUP) was at 256 kbps once the FUP data was depleted.
Some users didn’t even have this cap implemented on their router sim cards after our extensive tests while other had the 256 kbps cap activated and the internet experience was rather bad. It’s not until about 3 weeks ago when I noticed the ‘Unlimited Internet speeds’ were unbearable once one had exceeded 35, 50, 60 GB depending on their package.
A visit to the Vodafone website shows that the document was indeed changed to reflect the new misarable fair usage policy which limits you to 128 kbps. For starters 128 kbps is quite slow but the problem is this is a limit to both downloads and uploads which means you won’t be able to get a download over 100 kbps since this is a shared connection.
In a sample test with 3 MiFis, we realized that getting a download at 70 kbps was hard even after using throttling tools which prevented other programs from using the data connection. At such a speed cap, loading pages in very difficult and streaming audio and video was impossible because buffering was a lot.
This means one either has to purchase a regular 4G bundle at uncapped speeds which is expensive or scout for another internet package like smile whose FUP cap is 512 kbps. Well, their policy states that they have a right to change it at any particular time leaves no defense to the consumer who wasn’t reliably informed.
Below are the terms and conditions Vodafone Uganda applies to the following plans, each of which offers unlimited data (the “Unlimited Plans”):
| Product | Download Speed* | Validity | FUP Cap | Price (UGX) |
| Unlimited 2mbps/1 | 2mbps | 24 hours | 1.5GB | 17,900 |
| Unlimited 2mbps/7 | 2mbps | 7 days | 8GB | 69,900 |
| Unlimited 2mbps/30 | 2mbps | 30 days | 35GB | 149,900 |
| Unlimited 6mbps/30 | 6mbps | 30 days | 50GB | 199,900 |
| Unlimited 10mbps/30 | 10mbps | 30 days | 60GB | 349,900 |
| Unlimited Nite | 2mbps | 30 days | 50GB | 79,900 |
| Day and Nite | 2mbps | 30 days | 35GB | 199,900 |
| Day and Nite | 2mbps | 30 days | 50GB | 259,900 |
A screenshot of the website showing the new Fair Usage Policy cap
the cap has always been 128 kbps from day one at least on paper. I was told they cdn’t implement that lower limit hence capped at 512 kbps back then… So with the slow speeds you see after the cap, they r just implemented what was on paper in the first place
It has actually been 256 kbps, the printed artwork in physical vodafone shops at Naalya, and Freedom city still read 256 kbps
True, its 256kbps I guess they just implemented what they people signed up for in the first place.
trust me 256 would have been close to fine but 128 is unbearable reminds me of the mtn opera mini ad where guys grew Afro hair waiting for a page to load
Comments are closed.