Hopper said on its website that customers can save up to 60% on data bundles. They are also going to offer a router, SIM card, modem, and a tablet, but have not said when these will be available.
The Hopper SIM, which is being developed by Cellucity, is a SIM card which can only load data. This is perfect for WI-FI enablers, and for those who don't need to make voice-calls, or send SMS's.
The SIM card uses the same rates as Vodacom contract customers, which is cheaper than pre-paid.
MyBroadband reported that no launch date has been announced yet, but it is understood that Cellucity is ironing out the last few details before releasing the product to market.
Topping up
When it comes to recharging, Hopper has made it easier. However, at the moment customers can only pay with credit cards – such as Mastercard, Visa, Diners, or American Express – as electronic fund transfers (EFT's) are not yet enabled.
"With Hopper, when your data has run out, you can still get to our online dashboard and simply recharge on the hop – anytime, anywhere," says the company on its website.
The Hopper SIM can also be deactivated if it is not used for more than three months.
"If no usage has been registered on your Hopper SIM for a period of three months or longer, they will be de-activated. If you are travelling and want us to extend this for a reasonable time, please let us know in writing we will and we will extend the expiry. We reserve the right to decline an unreasonable request," said Hopper.
Table of costs comparing Hopper with Vodacom
| Amount of data | Hopper cost | Vodacom prepaid | Saving |
| 500MB | R39 | R99 | R60 |
| 1CB | R69 | R149 | R80 |
| 2GB | R99 | R249 | R150 |
| 3GB | R169 | R299 | R130 |
| 5GB | R259 | R399 | R140 |
| 10GB | R499 | R599 | R100 |
Source: http://hopper.co.za/index.php/rates, correct as of 5 February, 2015.