Virgin Mobile has launched a mobile broadband product, offering consumers a 3G data modem for R50/month over a 24-month contract term. However, unlike competing offerings in the market, the product does not include bundled data.

The deal is based on the “pay-as-you-surf” principle and includes a 21,1Mbit/s (theoretical maximum speed) “FlexiStick” modem but does not include a “mandatory” data bundle. Instead, all data usage from the first megabyte is charged in arrears at month-end and treated as out-of-bundle usage priced at Virgin Mobile’s non-bundle rate of 60c/MB.

That works out to about R600/GB used. This is significantly higher than in-bundle contract rates charged by other operators. Telkom’s 8ta, for example, is currently offering 10GB of data for R199/month as part of a special offer, though this excludes the cost of a modem.

“With this contract offer, our customers effectively pay as they surf, using only what they need, without the usual wastage of data bundles,” says Virgin Mobile chief marketing and strategy officer Jonathan Newman.

Virgin Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator, piggybacks off Cell C’s 3G data network. — Staff reporter, TechCentral