WhatsApp calling is 90% cheaper than using traditional airtime in South Africa
Are you a WhatsApp caller or traditional caller?
Calling friends and family to check in has certainly become more of a priority since the pandemic started, so many service providers have found a peak in their businesses since the first lockdown.
For obvious reasons, this was because many people were grasping at technology to be their source of everything. They used tech for entertainment purposes, for educational reasons, and to keep social and find a way of connecting.
So it's interesting to note that we have evolved as a community when it comes to traditional calling versus WhatsApp calling. Traditionally, calling your friends and family via a normal call was the only way to keep in touch.
But with a deeper look into the costs involved in paying for a traditional call as opposed to a WhatsApp call, many South Africans are switching it up. And rightfully so. What hurts our pockets and bank balances should never be repeated...
According to Business Insider: "A likely worst-case scenario where a WhatsApp voice call uses an average of 0.75MB per minute. Using this as a yard stick, a WhatsApp call shouldn't cost more than 6c per minute, depending on the service provider and data bundle size."
The above figures, as much as they are a worst-case scenario, show that with a one-minute call using prepaid airtime, you would likely pay around 66c to 79c a minute. Sheesh, now that's a big stretch, especially if you speak for some time.
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But the burning question here is, is WhatsApp calling appropriate for calling people outside you don't know over WhatsApp? So for instance, would it be okay and acceptable to call someone you don't know for the first time over WhatsApp?
We're not sure...
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