First there was Ovivo, an MVNO powered by ads that popped up on your device every now and then. They lasted for a couple of years, then went pop. Then there was Samba, a network doing a slightly similar thing. Your browsing time came courtesy of adverts which you watched to top up your credit.
They lasted for a couple of years too. Then, guess what. They went pop too.
Now, after giving money back to those that bought a SIM in April or after, the now-defunct network is actually emailing customers to point out alternative offerings. It’s a new twist for us. We’ve never seen an MVNO close their service and then email their ex-customers to point out other solutions, but I guess it’s helpful in a way. As Samba have already made some cash out of adverts, it’s not too surprising to see them using an affiliate link for the recommended alternative, which is Mobi Data. I still find it all a bit strange though. It’s almost like Woolworth’s closing down and putting big signs up saying, “Sorry, try B&M up the road”.
Are the days of cheap data SIMs over? Sure, you can get an unlimited data package on your phone quite cheaply, but try paying buttons for unlimited data on a dongle.