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Why am I blogging about Omantel's internet offerings?
Because it's some awesome news! That's why!
Starting on Wednesday January 26th, 2011; Omantel will be rolling out the following new Internet packages:
Yes, thats correct, I had to double check myself to be sure. 40Mbps down and 5Mbps up for 60 rials a month with unlimited usage and the fixed line rental thrown in as well. I imagine that the 24Mbps and 40Mbps tariffs will only be for people that have FTTH (eg Wave residents). Personally I'm excited about not having to fork out RO 99 a month any more, and getting 12 Mbps unlimited now for only RO 35 a month!
For those subscribers that were previously on different plans, you will be upgraded as follows:
Existing subscribers in the 512Kbps plan will be upgraded to the B plan which features a download speed up to 2Mbps for a monthly subscription fee of RO 12/ only.
Existing subscribers in the 1Mbps plan will be upgraded to the B plan which features a download speed up to 2Mbps for a monthly subscription fee of RO 12/ instead of RO 19.
Existing subscribers in the 2Mbps plan will be upgraded to the C plan which features a download speed up to 2Mbps plus unlimited internet usage and bundled fixed line with 100 free minutes(on-net fixed to fixed) for a monthly subscription fee of RO 20/ only instead of RO 29.
Existing subscribers in the 4Mbps plan will be upgraded to the D plan which features a download speed up to 5Mbps plus unlimited internet usage and bundled fixed line with 100 free minutes (on-net fixed to fixed) for a monthly subscription fee of RO 25/only instead of RO 39.
Existing subscribers in the 8Mbps plan will be upgraded to the E plan which features a download speed up to 12Mbps plus unlimited internet usage and bundled fixed line with 100 free minutes (on-net fixed to fixed) for a monthly subscription fee of RO 35 only instead of RO 99.
Now, to me, Plan A and B will become very unpopular except for those that are very light users of the Internet. I suspect Plan C will become the most popular (unlimited downloads for RO 20 a month at 2Mbps).
The other big news is that for most subscribers (Plans C-G) the fixed line rental fee (currently RO 4.900) is bundled into the cost. This is a great step forward from Omantel, it's like we've gained 10 years in technology and pricing in this one fell swoop.
I wonder how the people at Nawras will respond to this?
le fin.
Because it's some awesome news! That's why!
Starting on Wednesday January 26th, 2011; Omantel will be rolling out the following new Internet packages:
Yes, thats correct, I had to double check myself to be sure. 40Mbps down and 5Mbps up for 60 rials a month with unlimited usage and the fixed line rental thrown in as well. I imagine that the 24Mbps and 40Mbps tariffs will only be for people that have FTTH (eg Wave residents). Personally I'm excited about not having to fork out RO 99 a month any more, and getting 12 Mbps unlimited now for only RO 35 a month!
For those subscribers that were previously on different plans, you will be upgraded as follows:
Existing subscribers in the 512Kbps plan will be upgraded to the B plan which features a download speed up to 2Mbps for a monthly subscription fee of RO 12/ only.
Existing subscribers in the 1Mbps plan will be upgraded to the B plan which features a download speed up to 2Mbps for a monthly subscription fee of RO 12/ instead of RO 19.
Existing subscribers in the 2Mbps plan will be upgraded to the C plan which features a download speed up to 2Mbps plus unlimited internet usage and bundled fixed line with 100 free minutes(on-net fixed to fixed) for a monthly subscription fee of RO 20/ only instead of RO 29.
Existing subscribers in the 4Mbps plan will be upgraded to the D plan which features a download speed up to 5Mbps plus unlimited internet usage and bundled fixed line with 100 free minutes (on-net fixed to fixed) for a monthly subscription fee of RO 25/only instead of RO 39.
Existing subscribers in the 8Mbps plan will be upgraded to the E plan which features a download speed up to 12Mbps plus unlimited internet usage and bundled fixed line with 100 free minutes (on-net fixed to fixed) for a monthly subscription fee of RO 35 only instead of RO 99.
Now, to me, Plan A and B will become very unpopular except for those that are very light users of the Internet. I suspect Plan C will become the most popular (unlimited downloads for RO 20 a month at 2Mbps).
The other big news is that for most subscribers (Plans C-G) the fixed line rental fee (currently RO 4.900) is bundled into the cost. This is a great step forward from Omantel, it's like we've gained 10 years in technology and pricing in this one fell swoop.
I wonder how the people at Nawras will respond to this?
le fin.
Omantel rolls out new Internet packages
Reviewed by Sythe
on
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Rating:
Reviewed by Sythe
on
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Rating:
Finally! I am soooo going to switch to Omantel, a move that is long overdue. Nawras is a bloodsucking vampire.
ReplyDeleteGreat info! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteNice one, thanks for sharing this. I'll have to have a chat with them, if only their service could improve a little.
ReplyDeleteAnd about Nawras I'm pretty sure it is only a matter of time before they improve this offer, but that is only good for us i believe.
this is good news! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat news! Thanks for sharing. I concur with Ahmad: "Nawras is a blood-sucking vampire"!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!!. Strange i don't see anything about the Fair Usage Policy anywhere on the page....
ReplyDeleteI have a question - are the advertised "download speeds" actually in reality even remotely close? 'Cause, if they're not, what's the point? If I have to fork out 60 rials a month for the "fastest" service just in the hopes of having a solid connection, might as well stick with Nawras, I will actually save money!
ReplyDeleteYes, Nawras is a blood-sucker, however, if you already have their wireless modem (one of them anyway) and a sim card, the KEY is to get rid of ANY actual monthly plan package - simply "refill" your sim card every two days and sign up for 48 hour internet. In this way I have 3G connection 98% of the time, I pay 30 rials a month (sometimes less, 'cause, lets face it, there are days when you are not home), and get 60 GB for that money. Only a slight pain in the behind with the refill, but at least I am no longer being ripped off by the Nawras plan and mysteriously spent GBs ...
Still, I'd appreciate it if anyone could tell me more about the reality of their advertised speeds, and do areas other than Muscat have the same service? It would be really nice to at least think that I have options for once ...
Skeptical - they are done on best efforts.
ReplyDeleteYou are not comparing apples with apples. Nawras's 48 hour plan is capped at 3mbit.
For RO 20 a month you can have unlimited 2mb or for RO 25 a month you can have unlimited 5mb - either way it's less than the RO 30 you have mentioned in your post (for a limited amount of data as well).
Only Muscat Hills and The Wave has the 40Mb plan (as they are the only places with fibre to the home currently - there are tests being carried out in parts of Al hail as well). Someone testing for Omantel in The Wave was getting 80Mbps speeds.
All the other plans are available over copper and with an ADSL2+ modem, depending on distance from the wire centre.
I have heard that Nawras are preparing to roll out a 25mb and a 99mb package over it's Wimax network this year - time will tell.
Oh if only we had fixed telephone lines here.........!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy with the better packages.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback!
ReplyDeleteI know the plans you posted for Omantel cannot be compared with Nawras ... I was wondering about the speed though. It does most people who are outside of Muscat no good if their advertised speeds work only in Muscat, and I am faaaaar away from Muscat :( ... Come to think of it, I don't even know if my house has a phone line, or if I can get one ... Lord knows how long that would take :(
So I guess I was wondering if it was worth it in my case to switch, or just to keep going with Nawras ... it's not ideal, I have to pace my downloading as it is limited per every 48 hours like you say, it's a hassle having to sign up every so often, but at least they are not charging me 70+ rials a month saying I've exceeded my monthly 10GB limit (which is what happened when I was on the plan) ... So in my case the 30 rials a month ends up being a pricey "bargain" ...
Skeptical - look for a demarkation point (usually a silver box on top of a small pillar) outside your property - if a villa usually on the boundary wall, shared building sometimes on the boundary wall sometimes in the building common area.
ReplyDeleteIt will have a code stamped into the top of it, take that code and go to Omantel and ask if adsl is available there and how much speed. Or, ask a neighbour if they have a land line and get their number and ask omantel if adsl is available there and what speed it is.
Then you will know :)
Nawras or Omantel... how you can unblock the blocked sites? Now you can unblock all websites in Oman very easily. You can unblock yahoo messenger, msn, skype services, voips, etc. in Oman by using www.ashvpn.com. A good website!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sythe,
ReplyDeleteThat's my phone bill halved in one fell swoop
Jd
Thank you! Will check and see - who knows, maybe I can say goodbye to Nawras :)
ReplyDeleteNawras employee here -
ReplyDeleteThere will be a response in the form of updated data plans on the nawras side, but they won't be unlimited - just an increase in data caps.
I personally have both Omantel's ADSL 8-12 mb package (previously was the 99 RO) and a nawras outdoor fixed modem at 3 mbps.
What's odd was that before the upgrade the 8mbps connection was faster than it is today, i suppose due to the surge in traffic. But it's still uncapped bandwidth and great for downloads.
my 2 cents.
F**k Omantel and nawras. They wont even let u use Voip or any other services.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the use of getting unlimited 2mbps plans when other countries have better speed limit at lower prices?.
Even with the "supposed" 2 mbps plan , most users are only getting real world speeds of upto 1.2 mbps only.
This not any new "broadband era" as thought to be by many people.
Omantel and Nawras is way beyond the usual standards of Broadband or of Internet accessibility without restrictions.
Sorry for the strong opposition , but this is not what a country like Oman deserves. Omanis have moved on to very high standards of life but the cellular and internet hasn't kept up with the pace of development in this great country.
I know the site which unblocks any type of site very easily and there is no need of long methods of unblocking Unblock All Sites
ReplyDelete