The Classic Range offered different bandwidth options with soft caps based on its Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). The Standard package provided a maximum downlink of 128kbps, the Professional a 256kbps downlink, and the maximum is 512kbps for the Premium product.

Pranill Ramchander, portfolio manager: PR and External communications at Sentech, says Sentech is discontinuing sales for three reasons.

Firstly, an analysis of Classic users has revealed that it would be more cost-effective for the vast majority of these customers to use MyWireless Flexi products.

Secondly, a small percentage of users on the Classic range were utilising over 50% of Sentechs network resources, thereby making the Classic range non-viable.

Lastly, he says, by migrating to the flexi range, more benefits will be passed onto the majority of the customer base, such as:
On the standard package which has the largest number of Classic users, 85% of the users would pay less on the equivalent Flexi Package based on their current average data usage. In addition these users would receive a faster connection as the Flexi Product is standardised at 256kbps maximum download speed which is twice the speed of the Classic standard product.

On the Professional Package, 73% would benefit from being on the Flexi equivalent. With Sentech due to upgrade its download speeds in the very near future, Premium users will also benefit from being on MyWireless Flexi, he adds.

The additional bandwidth from the Classic range will be used to provide a better service to Flexi customers in future, given the offering works on a best effort system based on the amount of users on the network and the available bandwidth.

Sentech customers are currently being notified of the changes via the Sentech call centre.

All Classic customers currently on a contract, who wish to migrate to the MyWireless Flexi range immediately, will be allowed to do so. In doing so, they will receive the cost benefit of the Flexi Product. Those Classic contract customers who do not migrate will have to adhere to a 10GB cap on the standard package, a 20GB cap on the Professional package and a 40GB cap on the Premium package. In the interests of our customers, Sentech will enforce its AUP, and will now charge additional usage above these limits at a rate of 50 cents per MB.

The reallocation of bandwidth will ultimately result in a better wireless broadband service for our customers, Ramchander concludes.