Internet is now close to the basic needs of life because most of the daily errands have shifted to working with it. From entertainment, education, to even connectivity, having an internet connection is as equally useful as each of the meals we enjoy in the day. With telecoms being the main internet service providers in Uganda, we take a look at two products offered on the market today – the MTN Wakanet and Airtel Broadband.
This post serves to tell you what each of these is, how to get it, and help you decide which you can go for. We do not in any way bias your choice, but rather offer the deals on the table as they are.
What is MTN Wakanet?
Wakanet is a home internet service currently available to homes in Kyanja, Kiwatule, Naalya, and Kira. It costs UGX 245,000 and comes with a starter kit consisting of a 4G router as well as a 35GB bundle that has no expiry date. You can basically use the service for home Wi-Fi consumption for everyone, and can also connect with up to 32 different devices.
It currently has three packages: 35GB at UGX 75,000, 75GB at UGX 150,000, and 175GB at UGX 300,000.
What is Airtel Broadband?
Airtel Broadband is a device built for homes, small and medium enterprises for internet connectivity. When you purchase the device at UGX 280,000, you are given an ODU (Outdoor Unit) and IDU (Indoor Unit). The IDU gives a Wi-Fi hotspot and Ethernet LAN ports for connectivity to customer’s devices. The Wi-Fi SIM card is inserted in the ODU and this comes with a starter pack bundle of 51GB valid for 30 days.
The device has the ability to connect 32 internet-powered devices to internet speeds of a minimum of 10mbps. To activate the 51GB: Dial *100#, select Option 9 (Broadband Offers), select Option 1 (Broadband Free Data), and then enter the Broadband SIM card phone number.
It currently has 3 packages: 50GB at 100,000 UGX valid for a 30 days, 120GB at 200,000 UGX valid for 30 days, and 200GB at 300,000 UGX valid for 30 days.
How to Activate MTN WakaNet
To activate this particular data bundle, you will need to visit an MTN service center. You will be asked to pay UGX 245,000 for a WakaNet starter kit that includes a 4G WiFi router and 35GB.
Top-ups are done on the MTN Number in your Wi-Fi router. You can top-up from any MTN number by dialing *177#, select MTN WakaNet and follow the prompts. Or going to myMTN app, select Buy, then Data, click MTN WakaNet and follow the prompts.
Alternatively you can visit any MTN Service Center or MoMo agent to top –up.
How to Activate Airtel Broadband
You should visit an Airtel service centre from where you’ll pay for the service and you will be given a Broadband SIM card which you have to fully register. You will be advised to give an alternative fully registered Airtel Number. The National ID used for registering both should be the same.
You will share the details of the location where you want the Outdoor Unit and Indoor Unit to be installed. The Equipment is then installed by a team from Airtel. At the time of installation, the installer will ensure that you’ve activated the 51GB data and that your Wi-Fi devices are connected to the IDU (Indoor Unit)
Top-ups can be done by dialling *100# and selecting Option 9 (Broadband bundles) OR *175# and selecting Option 2 (Data Bundles) then selecting Option 9 (Router/Wifi Offers) then Option 3 (Broadband Bundles). Alternatively, by buying data bundles through Airtel Money, visiting the Airtel Broadband link, or visiting any Airtel service center or partner shop and paying for your data bundle recharge.
Verdict: Which is the better package?
The beauty about both deals is that you get to enjoy 4G speeds, can connect up-to 32 different devices including laptops, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, game consoles, security cameras, and can top-up using mobile money.
MTN Wakanet is for now limited to a small area and those not living within that area can not enjoy the service. This gives the Airtel Broadband an upper hand to those that wish to use it but do not reside in the listed Wakanet neighbourhood.
However, the MTN offer has the upper hand of non-expring bundles which is a better deal than the 30-day bundles from Airtel that do not carry over once the period elapses. Also, MTN offers a service while Airtel rents out a device which can only become yours after 3 years of continued subscription.
Over to you, make your choice and let us know what you think about the two internet packages.
