This mini-review was submitted as a comment yesterday by a regular here, karmawa, but I thought it merited a post of its own. – Yomi
After a month of using Etisalat Internet via their bundle package I thought would be good to share my experience with the rest of you.
Area of usage – Yola Adamawa State
Bundle used via Etisalat USB modem and EDGE
Previous connection used ZAIN (for some comparison)
Connection
I have been able to connect with mostly no problems. There was a few times where a few timeouts and the connection going from net to local occurred but nothing drastic, after my experience with Zain its something one can live with, believe me!
Speed
there were a few days when everything slowed down quite a bit BUT all and all speed has been great, browsing is smooth with pages opening up with no hitches at all. File downloads are a breeze for instance updating my computer (roughly 200MB) took about an hour, now considering that it would take 5 days(or more with all the timeouts) to update via ZAIN you can see I’m quite happy with this.
Software User Interface
Installation was hassle-free. It is easy to use and works with no problems, keeping track of usage, etc, is painless.
Customer Service
*they are trying* there have been instances like all the other companies where the reps are not very well informed, but at least :
a. you always get to talk to a customer service rep (calls are always answered, no go to the website or to a shop in this case)
b. they are polite and friendly and try their best to give you the information that’s needed.
Here’s my experience with customer service earlier today.
I started with the 500mb plan and decided that the service in general is good enough to motivate me to migrate to the 3GB plan.
I sent an email with the request for the upgrade. 30 minutes later I got a call from a representative to informed me that he would be doing the upgrade in a few minutes. He stated that as soon as it was completed he would call back to confirm that all is ok.
20 minutes later I got a call back from the same rep to notify me that the upgrade had been done and for me to check my balance. He also had the courtesy to reply by email to finalize the request.
To be honest I was VERY, VERY impressed with this.
To wrap up this very long comment (sorry Yomi!!) it has been great using Etisalat so far, I hope they continue with a complete focus on always improving.
All I know is, NOW WE’RE REALLY TALKING!! Well done Etisalat!
Submitted by Karmawa
This post was written by
Mister Mobility – who has written 922 posts on Mobility blog.
Founder, Mobility blog, serial lifestyle entrepreneur, speaker, & writer. Charming, passionate, tenacious & non-conformist. Will dance! Follow him on Twitter @Mister_Mobility.
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November 1st, 2009 at 12:36 pm Browsing with
Thats nice.
I thinks i will use the service. I don’t want to subscribe to zain or MTN cus i know they are currently battling with hackers that are making their internet slow because of congestion.
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November 1st, 2009 at 2:46 pm Browsing with
Whao! After being bashed by other networks, this sounds almost too good to be true. I hope the will be able to keep this up when millions of subscribers migrate to their network. I have enjoyed really stable internet connection with Etisalat EDGE. No telling, they are expensive on PAYG. But for now well done Etisalat!
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November 1st, 2009 at 10:52 pm Browsing with
The beautiful thing about Etisalat is that they have a total EDGE coverage wherever they have a network. I stay in Maiduguri and have used there EasyNet service since it was introduced. MTN has finally brought there EDGE and 3G services (in some areas) to Maiduguri but that is just a reaction to the move by Etisalat. Despite that, MTN’s service is unstable and keeps switching from EDGE down to GPRS in many areas.
My only reservation with Etisalat’s EasyNet is that it doesn’t allow you to buy a data plan by sending a short USSD code like Zain does. You always have to contact their customer care to do that.
One thing to note also is that Zain’s GPRS is still much better than MTN’s GPRS in Maiduguri. That’s what I’ve been using before EasyNet.
A word of advice for people in Maiduguri is stay away from MTN’s data services.
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November 2nd, 2009 at 5:15 am Browsing with
My experience with EasyNet has been less satisfactory. While I do get EDGE coverage at my location, it seems to be on the fringes of Etisalat’s network. I get a signal that flunctuates badly between no bars and 3 bars, and the internet connection is as slow as any basic GPRS link.
However, anytime I get to use EasyNet where there is good coverage, I get significantly better speeds and stability.
Hopefully, more base stations by Etisalat will eliminate this scenario.
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November 2nd, 2009 at 10:24 am Browsing with
If only Etisalat would get their act together and extend EasyNet to regular voice SIM cards…
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November 3rd, 2009 at 8:16 am Browsing with
@ karmawa,
Pls where can i get the etisalat data sim and modem in yola,and their cost.
Thanks
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November 3rd, 2009 at 12:35 pm Browsing with
Sani,
as far as i know there is no way of buying the data sim and modem in yola for now. i bought mine at the etisalat shop in mm2 lagos. cost is modem 14,500 + data sim 200 + the bundle of your choice. there is no registration or anything so anybody can buy for you and send. if i come across any more info will post it here. hope this helps.
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November 4th, 2009 at 3:35 am Browsing with
Ehmm, I think before we all rush to get easy net we should find out which service provider suites our locale most. Used MTN data card when it was blazing fast(still blazing fast in some locales), but each time I got home it never connects cos the cell site that serves me was & is still not optimised for data. Hope this helps somebody.
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November 4th, 2009 at 5:12 am Browsing with
tut,
Good word of caution there. It isn’t going to be rosy for everyone. It isn’t for me anyway.
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November 4th, 2009 at 8:27 am Browsing with
Tut,
true words!
it’s also very early days for easnet, who knows what stories we’ll hear six months from now. hopefully they will be good ones
For anyone wanting to try out easynet in their locale the 100mb bundle + data sim is cheap at N1,200 (less or equal to the cost of a pizza in lagos), better that than spending N14,700 + data bundle and finding out easynet is just not working for you.
theres no guarantees with our spectacular networks! good one day disastrous the next!
having said that,whenever you are having one of those bad internet days remember the days of only nitel via ancient modems with slowwwwww, shaky connections disconnecting with every little crackle, thats if you are lucky and there was a dialtone to start off with!
we go continue to manage am
slowly slowly
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November 4th, 2009 at 6:22 pm Browsing with
Just got my easy net sim today in Lagos. I got 130mb on activating the line, I use my nokia 3110c as modem and the speed is ok, what really exites me most is that i access opera mini on my phone with ease, I hope they won’t block opera mini like over networks . Unlike Zain, Yahoo messanger also works on my lap top.
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November 4th, 2009 at 8:26 pm Browsing with
BREAKING NEWS!
Etisalat PAYG data service is now 15k per kb.I ve just confirmed it from their site.What we need next is data bundle right on our SIM card like that of Zain.Mean while kudos for this one.
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November 5th, 2009 at 7:55 am Browsing with
Kayode,
Pls, tell us the steps you followed to activate easynet sim on your nokia 3110c phone.
Thanks
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November 5th, 2009 at 7:56 am Browsing with
Abubakar,
Great news there. Will check it up when I get to my PC and then put up a full news item. Thanks.
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November 5th, 2009 at 3:04 pm Browsing with
@ Abubaka.
Etisalat had already sent me d wap settings few weeks back on my ordinary sim & i had it saved even before i got the easynet sim.
On getting d data sim i just inserted it to my phone and i changed the wap settings and access point to Etisalat, then i started browsing.
On pc suite: user name and password is left blank while Access point is etisalat.
If u need d wap settings on ur phone call d care line on 200.
Good luck.
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November 5th, 2009 at 3:30 pm Browsing with
Guys, I am “happy” to hear the 0.15k/k etisalat deal. Come to think of it, what’s the celebration for? MTN offers same, and I am using it – I need not say its speed is faster than the speed of light.
I am on the easynet too (this is a secret, I unlocked the inZain’s modem and inserted the etisalat’s- l joined a forum and a guy availed me the unlock code and the flash code; lucky me).
I have wasted so much on modems…people, be cautious: it’s better to get the MTN’s, activate the N2,500 nite plan and get etisalat’s easynet sim for day service – N3,000 for 500MB (N5,500 for 3.5G)! You use the same modem! All you need to do is leave “play” and serious downloading to the nite time. If you exhust the 3G, load N2,500 again, and you are on!
I hope this helps somebody out there.
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November 18th, 2009 at 11:12 pm Browsing with
Hello, pls culd u inform how 2 subscribe 2 easynet of etisalat thru phone. Thanks
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November 19th, 2009 at 12:10 pm Browsing with
Akin,
Activation is done only at Etisalat Experience Centres. After activation, you can use the SIM on your phone if you wish.
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November 24th, 2009 at 9:39 pm Browsing with
Etisalat easynet is just too fast for my liking. Lol. After my experience with Zain etisalat is a welcome relief. Up until yesterday it was impossible to renew your data plan if it is used up before the end of the month. But I received the following text message which confirmed the opposite:
What a network!
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November 25th, 2009 at 9:50 am Browsing with
I’m quite impressed too especially when compared to Zain. Bought and activated my line last week while waiting for my flight at MM2. Etisalat Shop at Departure Hall have knowledgeable staff who answered all my querries intelligently.
Speed so far is great on my phone. No downtimes yet.
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August 9th, 2010 at 4:30 pm Browsing with
Has anyone tried using Video Chat with Yahoo / Gmail through Etisalat USB Data Modems ?
i
I am looking for USB Data Card through which I can have video chat from yahoo mssngr / gmail / skype etc.
Pls share the info if anyone is using it.
Thank you.
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