Does Rain have a data limit? That’s a question that many South Africans have been asking themselves. With more and more people streaming movies and other media over the internet, the issue of data limits has become rather important. In this regard, Rain has been making waves over the past few years. South Africa’s data only mobile network claims to offer unlimited data, but is that true?
Is Rain Data Unlimited?
For the most part, Rain does not have a data limit. However, that statement needs to be qualified. Rain offers a number of data packages to subscribers. While the network does not have a per gig limit, there are limits in terms of speed. Rain also states that they retain the right to manage heavy users. So, that’s something to keep in mind. Having said that, it’s time to look at the available Rain packages;
| Rain data package | Price | Data Limit | Speed Limit | Netflix Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited 4G for any device | R479 | Unlimited | 10Mbps | HD |
| Unlimited 4G for phones | R299 | Unlimited | Basic quality | 360p |
| 19 hours unlimited off-peak for any device | R250 | 19 hours/ day | Basic quality | Depends on load |
| Unlimited 5G home basic | R499 | Unlimited | 25Mbps | HD 720p |
| Unlimited home 5G standard | R699 | Unlimited | 50Mbps | HD 1080p |
| Unlimited home 5G premium | R999 | Unlimited | Plus 50Mbps | 4K/ Ultra HD (UHD) |
In the above table, we gave each of the currently available Rain data packages. We also gave the price for each package. Note that these prices can change at any time. You need to check out the Rain website for current bundles.
The final column on our table offers you a peak at Netflix standards in terms of Rain speed limits. The aim is to make it easier for you to choose the correct package. Many people just go for the cheapest data bundle, only to discover that it’s not the right one for them.
So, does Rain have a data limit? Clearly not. Rain offers truly unlimited data. However, you have limits on speed. These are dependent on your chosen package. For most people, we recommend the Unlimited 4G for any device. This can be used on any device. 5G packages have greater speeds, but they can only be used in the home.
4G Unlimited Off-Peak
This is the most flexible Rain data bundles. But does this Rain package have a data limit? The 4G unlimited off-peak data package works on any device and costs 250 Rand. For that, you get 19 hours of unlimited usage per day during off-peak hours. Remember we have already established that Rain does not have a per-gig data limit. On this one, you are limited by the number of hours that you get.
Within a day, you get 19 hours. With that, you can browse during off-peak hours. You can check out Rain’s off peak data times. What you will notice is that Rain is not like all the other networks whose off peak hours are in the dead of the night. With Rain, you actually have the bulk of the day designated as off-peak.
The beauty about this package is that it gives you true data flexibility. You are free to add a peak hour data limit. At these times, you are charged R50 per gig. Peak hours are between 6pm and 11pm. So, you can say I want to use up to 5GB of data during peak hours and you will pay R250. That’s in addition to the R250 for off peak usage.
You can actually buy the 4G unlimited off-peak for any device bundle on it’s own. Once you have done that, data will only be available during off-peak hours. For peak hours, you will have to find another solution.
So, in terms of data limits, this particular Rain bundle is unlimited. You are only limited in terms of the number of hours in a day that you can use it. But the off-peak hours are really friendly. If we remove the middle of the night when most people will be asleep, you have morning till late afternoon of off-peak usage.
Unlimited 4G for Any Device
This is the most popular Rain data package. That’s probably because this is one of the really unlimited data bundles from Rain. So, if you are asking, does Rain have a data limit, the answer for this package is no.
What happens is that you pay 479 per month and for that you get to use as much data as you can, within reason, of course. We have already noted that Rain may get in touch with you if they feel your usage is above normal.
The great thing about the unlimited 4G for any device is that you can use the Rain SIM both on mobile phones and on WiFi devices. So, you can insert insert this SIM into a router and you will be able to use it as much as you want.
4G unlimited for phones
This is another unlimited data bundle from Rain. The only limiting factor here is that you can only use this data on a mobile phone. On top of that, you cannot have tethering. So, only your phone will be using this data.
5G Unlimited Home Basic
For those who have a need for real speed, 5G is the answer. One of the major attractions for Rain is that it has the broadest 5G data coverage in the country.
The 5G standard for home bundle cost R499. For that, you get unlimited 5G. The only limit is on speeds. On this package, you will be getting up to 25Mbps. Once you sign up, you get a free 5G router. So, this is a great package.
One thing to note is that this package cannot be used on mobile. It’s for use with 5G routers. So, this is broadband for home use. If you are looking for Rain mobile broadband, you will have to go for the 4G options.
Unlimited home 5G standard
This is another 5G offering from Rain. Again, if you are asking; does Rain have a data limit, the answer is no for this package. You get to use as much data as you wish, within reason.
This package costs R699 per month. Speeds are up to 50Mbps. You also get a free 5G router. So, that’s great because that’s something you don’t have to worry about.
Unlimited home 5G premium
This is another unlimited 5G data package from Rain. It costs R999 per month. This one is for those looking for really great speeds.
You also get a router as part of the package. In terms of speed, they are not mentioned but you can assume that they will be well over 50Mbps.
If you are into video streaming, you can do that in full HD. So, that’s something to consider when choosing this package.
So, does Rain have a data limit?
So, does Rain have a data limit? That’s the question that we set out to answer in this article. We noted that Rain does not have a per-gigabyte data limit. They do have a fair usage policy.
According to them, if you use data in a way that negatively affects others, they will reach out to you. What they will do afterwards is anybody’s guess. They will probably give you a warning and throttle your speeds.
In terms of data limits, you do get limits on speeds. Each Rain package is different from the next in terms of download speeds. So, you should choose the package that’s most appropriate for you.
Using Netflix to put things in perspective
Just to give an example, Netflix recommends that you have minimum downloads speeds of 3Mbps for SD streaming. Now, in terms of the Rain data packages, you should probably get the Unlimited 4G for any device package if you want to get the most from streaming Netflix.
That gives you speeds of up to 10Mbps. Back to Netflix, they recommend that those streaming in HD have speeds of at least 5 megabits per second. So, at 10Mbps, you should be good to go.
But if you with to stream in 4K or Ultra HD, you need to have speeds of at least 25Mbps, according to Netflix. So, if we look at the Rain packages, that means you will have to get at least the Unlimited home 5G basic bundle. That has speeds of up to 25Mbps.
Anyway, what do you think? If you have comments, leave them below. Is Rain data truly unlimited? And if you have further questions, post them on our forum. Our experts will be very glad to answer them.