How to Choose the Right Unlimited Internet Plan in Uganda

If you regularly stream videos or make frequent video calls, then chances are that the regular mobile internet packages from the likes of MTN and Airtel don’t cut it anymore. The struggle to ensure that the monthly data plan actually lasts the distance can be a frustrating one. Fortunately, there are alternative unlimited internet plans that can cater to the needs of power users like you. Keep reading to see the factors you can consider when choosing an unlimited internet plan, and also find out how you can cash in on crypto without tears in Uganda today.

Factors You Should Consider When Choosing an Unlimited Internet Plan in Uganda

Generally, unlimited internet plans fall into three main categories in Uganda today:

• Fiber internet
• Broadband internet
• Hotspot internet

Naturally, the plan will vary based on your individual needs and circumstances. Some of the common factors you may want to consider  when choosing an unlimited internet plan in Uganda include the following:

• Your location
  • • While there is no universal internet service provider that covers all the corners in the country, some service providers and unlimited internet formats are more suitable for some areas of the country than others.
• Your budget
  • • The budget will naturally determine what plans are affordable for you.
• Your usage habits
  • • Service providers refer to their internet plans as “unlimited.” In reality, these plans are almost always not truly unlimited. While these “unlimited” plans have more generous data allowances that typical broadband plans, most “unlimited” internet plans usually have upper caps in the form of the maximum allocated speed. Also, there is usually a fair usage policy, which stipulates the maximum number of gigabytes a subscriber can consume in a month before the service provide throttles the bandwidth.
• Reliability of the provider
  • • Some internet providers are more reliable than others. For example, some companies respond more proactively to reports of outages than others.

Categories of Unlimited Internet in Uganda

In Uganda, unlimited internet options can be roughly grouped into three common categories:

1: Fiber Internet

Fiber is perhaps the most popular unlimited internet service option in Uganda. In this service, users are connected to the internet grid through fiber cables that run either over electric poles or underground. Fiber internet is cumbersome for service providers to install, and service providers typically provide a wireless router to the customer.

The fact that fiber internet it relies on cables means that it is usually limited to those areas where the provider has installed the necessary infrastructure. For this reason, fiber internet is usually limited to specific neighborhoods around cities and major towns in Uganda. Even then, there is a wide variety of fiber internet providers in Uganda.

• MTN WakaNet Fiber Internet
  • • • WakaNet fiber is perhaps the most popular and widely available fiber internet service in the country. Managed by the telecom giant MTN, WakaNet fiber is available in a wide variety of suburbs around Kampala and other major towns in Uganda.
  • The company offers generous plans that at the moment include the following:
    • • A basic plan with internet speeds of up to 60 Mbps for 130,000/= per month
      • An intermediate plan of up to 100 Mbps goes for 195,000/= per month
      • A business plan with speeds of up to 200 Mbps at 295,000/= per month
      • A premium plan featuring speeds of up to 500 Mbps at 595,000/= per month
  • Airtel Xstream Fiber Internet
    • • Airtel Uganda also offers a fiber internet service. While Xstream fiber is not as popular as MTN, it is also formidable.
        • • Airtel’s Xstream lower-tier fiber plan with speeds of up to 60 Mbps costs 160,000/= per month
          • A mid-range plan with speeds of up to 90 Mbps costs 200,000 per month
          • A small business-facing plan with speeds of up to 170 Mbps goes for 310,000/= a month
          • A business plan with speeds of up to 300 Mbps costs 400,000/= every month
      • Airtel is also different from other providers in that the company also offers a mobile data allowance as well as free voice calls and SMS messages in as a part of its fiber internet plans. If you are interested in a high-bandwidth internet but you live outside the major cities and towns in Uganda, explore how Airtel is working with Starlink to bring high-speed internet to remote Africa.
  • Simba Fiber Internet
    • • A veteran of the fiber internet markets in Uganda, Simba Telecom is still running strong today when the country is experiencing a large influx of fiber internet players.  Like the telecom giants MTN and Airtel, Simba Fiber also has a wide variety of internet speed plans.
        • • The company’s entry-level plan with speeds of up to 50 Mbps costs 120,000/= per month
          • The next plan with speeds of up to 75 Mbps goes for 175,000/= each month
          • Simba’s lower-level business-tailored plan with internet speeds of up to 150 Mbps costs 230,000/= per month
          • The high-end business plan with speeds of up to 300 Mbps requires 499,000/= per month for the subscription.
    • Savanna Fiber Internet
      • Savannah is one of the newest providers of fiber internet in the country. At the moment, the company’s services are limited to specific suburbs around Kampala. The company seems to especially target low-income households and small businesses, and it offers some of the most affordable fiber internet plans in the country.
        • • Savanna’s entry-level plan with internet speeds of up to 10 Mbps costs just 72,000/= each month
          • The next level option with speeds of up to 50 Mbps goes for 112,000 per month
          • The company’s lower-tier business plan with speeds of up to 100 Mbps goes for 159,000/= per month
          • Savanna also has a high-end plan with internet speeds of up to 250 Mbps that costs 253,000/= per month
      • Zuku Fiber Internet
        • Zuku internet service sets itself apart from other providers in that Zuku offers TV + internet bundles. Like Savannah, Zuku has limited coverage, and it’s available predominantly in specific suburbs around Kampala and select major towns in Uganda.
          • • The company’s budget plan with speeds of up to 20 Mbps costs 169,000/= per month
            • Zuku’s standard plan with speeds of up to 40 Mbps costs 219,000 a month
            • Zuku also offers a high-end plan with speeds of up to 80 Mbps that goes for 339,000/= a month
            • Zuku’s high-end internet plan offers speeds of up to 120 Mbps at 559,000/= per month

Advantages of Fiber Internet in Uganda

Fiber internet has distinct advantages over broadband and other internet solutions in Uganda:

• Fiber internet is considered to be more reliable than wireless internet services
• Most fiber internet providers offer more generous streaming-friendly data plans than corresponding broadband internet plans. However, if you want even more generous bandwidth allowances, discover whether Starlink satellite internet in Uganda is right for you
• These fiber internet plans have generous fair usage policies, meaning that internet service providers allow for bigger data usage allowances before capping the speeds of the plans

Disadvantages of Fiber Internet Plans

While fiber is considered the most reliable of the unlimited service options, it also has limitations:

• It’s only available in specific, predominantly urban areas, sidelining people who live in rural settings
• Fiber is the most expensive category of unlimited internet services
• Occurrence of outages caused by roadworks, storms, and accidents
• High installation fees

2: Broadband Unlimited Internet Plans

Both Airtel and MTN offer unlimited broadband versions of their fiber internet plans to cater to people who might not be able to use fiber internet. These broadband plans are available in a much wider section of the country than the similar fiber plans. Broadband plans are suitable for people who live not only in towns and cities, but even those risiding outside theese typical coverage zones. Therefore, these plans could even help counter the trend of Ugandans needing to work in local coffee shops to get access to fast Wi-Fi internet.

• MTN WakaNet Speed Plans
  • • MTN offers broadband speed plans, which require only a simcard-equipped WakaNet router to work without the need for cable installation. These MTN broadband plans don’t require the installation of cables or purchasing expensive installation hardware:
    • The entry-level MTN WakaNet Speed plan with speeds of up to 3 Mbps costs 55,000/= per month
    • The mid-tier plan with internet speeds of up to 5 Mbps costs 85,000/= every month
    • A faster plan with speeds of up to 10 Mbps costs 130,000/= every month
    • The company also offers a higher tier plan with speeds of up to 20 Mbps for 195,000/= per month

Advantages of Unlimited Broadband Internet

• Broadband plans are affordable, so they’re ideal for homes and small business users
• They are available in most parts of the country
• They don’t require installation fees
• Telecom companies usually provide free routers for new users

Disadvantages of Broadband Unlimited Internet

• These plans typically have more restrictive fair usage policies than similar fiber plans, so you get a much more restrictive data allowance
• The internet speeds and bandwidth offered with these plans are lower than for fiber internet.

3: Unlimited Hotspot Internet

Hotspots are a newer occurrence in Uganda. They are typically operated by small-scale entrepreneurs in various towns around Uganda. These hotspot entreprenuers are usually resellers of internet services from companies such as Black Knight Africa and Liquid Telecom. The hotspots typically cover a specific area around a trading center or town.

Hotspot providers usually offer various payment plans, including daily, weekly, and monthly options. Hotspot plans in some areas cost as low as 1,000/= per day or 30,000/= per month.

Advantages of Unlimited Hotspot Internet in Uganda

• Hotspot internet plans are generally the cheapest of the three categories
• They are flexible, with some providers allowing for daily, weekly, and monthly payment options.
• Don’t require installation or simcard registration on the part of the user

Disadvantages of Hotspot Internet

• Most hotspot internet entrepreneurs offer limited coverage, delivering internet within a radius of just about 2km
• There’s no uniform pricing across the country, with fees varying from place to place and provider to provider
• Some hotspot providers place limits on streaming and high-volume internet usage.
• Lack of transparency about terms and conditions

The internet has become a currency in Uganda, with many people requiring an internet connection for work, communication, and leisure. While mobile telephone providers have tried to increase the size of data bundles, these plans are not adequate for all users today.

Unlimited internet providers, on the other hand, have grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years in Uganda. With a huge selection of unlimited internet providers, the choice can be intimidating. While broadband unlimited plans and local hotspots are affordable and may be adequate for homes and office users, you may be better off with a fiber unlimited subscription if you have a larger home or business.