As a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdow, institutions have made their academic programmes online and have provided students with online resources. Classes are now also taking place over video conferencing in the forms of Skype, Zoom or Google Meet.
However, this online move means that students will have to use lots of data. Yes, universities have made their sites zero-rated but the need for data is still possible. Network providers have therefore stepped up and are offering free data packages to assist.
Afrihost Air Mobile
Afrihost Air Mobile is offering South Africans 1GB free monthly mobile data for three months. In order to get this free data, you will need an MTN Prepaid SIM. You then need to sign up and download the Afrihost App to claim that 1GB free data. You can do so by clicking here. https://www.afrihost.com/airmobile/prepaid#
You will only be receiving this free data if you claim it via the app. You will also only be receiving free data for three months. After, you will need to spend at least R69 on mobile data per month to continue getting 1GB free.
MTN
Through Ayoba, MTN’s instant messaging platform, MTN is offering 20MB free data daily. They are also planning to offer 500MB data free every month to access public-benefit websites
Cell C
From 1 May 2020, Cell C will be offering a free lifeline package which is capped at 250KB per day. This would mean that you will receive 7.5MB data per month.
Vodacom
Vodacom subscribers have zero-rated access to public-benefit websites via their ConnectU platform.
Some students are also in luck as universities have provided them with free data in order to make online learning more accessible. Universities are acknowledging that not all students have equal resources and access to devices and data connections and are attempting to bridge those very gaps while students also have other options available to them.
