# General Business Category > Technology Forum >  MTN DATA BUNDLE COMPLAINT

## Loman

This is a letter I sent to MTN today, hopefully i will receive a response soon.

Every month I do my utmost not to go over my 1GB data bundle, the main reason for that is the ridiculous prices I have to pay if I do. 
But ever since March 2009 it was impossible for me to ascertain the correct amount of data I have left. Since the software that comes with the modem can only give a rough estimate of data usage and MTN refuses to provide even the most basic of services regarding data usage for example: a sms when the bundle has only 10mb left. 

For that reason I phoned MTN every third week of the month to determine how many Iâve got left. This proved highly effective and I was able to keep my costs down except when extra business demanded it.

The reason why this method failed me since March 2009 was that MTN could not provide me with accurate information regarding the amount of data that I have left. I had to fall back on the F@astlink Software that came with the modem but therein lies another problem. At the end of August I bought myself a new computer and from September to the beginning of November I had numerous problems with it. Faulty motherboard, Hard Drive Failure and viruses. Due to all this I was unable to establish how many data Iâve used and of course when I called the helpline I was told that I still have 2000mb remaining. 
I found that highly unlikely since I spent a lot of data on Antivirus updates, motherboard drivers, etc. It was then that the kind lady admitted that the system is not able to provide recent amounts and according to her system I havenât used my modem at all for a good couple of months.

Please imagine my surprise when I got a account this month for 
R 2300. I would like to ask you to tell me in all honesty whether sending me an account for such an amount is fair and just after I did my utmost to keep my monthly expenses as low as possible using every means at my disposal. 

I am sure you would agree that the fault lies not with me but with MTN as they should have provided me with a means to determine how many MB I still have left on my data bundle. 

In all probability, this letter is as futile an effort to change the ways of MTN or get my money back as you could ever come across.

Therefore I would like to give to MTN absolute certainty that in the event that they refuses to refund me for the extra data they billed me, I will cancel my contract, never do business with them again and do my utmost to spread the word that others may prevent being in the same situation that I am now.

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## tec0

Well sadly you are not the first with this type of problem. A friend of mine ended up paying a lot of money for the server provider’s mistakes.

Get a detailed bill from MTN and pinpoint the time and date that you phoned them. At this point in time it is good to know that all your conversations are recordered. So if you have the date and time they can find out if you are telling the truth of not. 

Secondly go to the consumer council and make formal case against MTN “TIP: keep your statement short and keep a copy” Inform MTN that you have a formal complaint against them. From the consumer council’s side they will be able to get the recordings and you will be able to build your case from towards a criminal case against MTN. 

Right if MTN cannot provide the recordings opt to point out that they are withholding information and move towards a criminal case stating that MTN has withheld and possibly destroyed valuable evidence. “TIP: Keep constant pressure on the consumer council and make sure they keep you up to date”

Now if all goes well you will get your money back within 2 months. “But that is a BIG “IF”

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## Loman

Just stumble upon this site:

http://www.getclosure.co.za/view.php...ing=1&Letter=0

They rate how each complaint is handled and sadly although not surprisingly Telkom and MTN has the worst rating. 

So the hope of getting my money back just went bungee jumping without any cables.

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## tec0

That is because they think they are always right. Let me tell you one thing. Take it from me if you donât they will just do it again as simple as that. Go and file that complaint give "them" as much sh!t as you possibly can.

Right now MTN is smiling with your R2300 that was effectively stole from YOU! Did what I did and make it personal just make sure you cover every possible detail and put our consumer council and carte-blanche-consumer to work. 

Even if you do fail it doesnât really matter it is about pride... and it is about standing up for yourself. 

So just do it. Give them HELL! 

And if nothing else, it will make for a good story.  :Yes:

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## AndyD

I agree that MTN should have an accurate mechanism in place to enable you to ascertain how much bandwidth or how many megs you have used at any given time. It's actually appalling that they don't.

That said, to be brutally honest you signed a contract with them saying that if you used the bandwidth you must just pay through the nose accordingly. If you had virii, worms or trojans this would account for high bandwidth just with the internet traffic they generate and then probably large updates for your AV software etc which can run into dozens of megs as well. I can guarantee you that nowhere in that contract will there be any mention of the quality or continuity of service that they in turn should provide. In fact usually quite the opposite, there will probably be a long list of disclaimers saying how they are not to be held liable if their service is defective, broken, missing or downright unreliable.

Looking on the bright side, I don't think any of the other service providers are any better, which ever one you use you would still be grabbing your ankles in a situation like this.

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## desA

Sounds like the SA monopolies are at it, yet again.

It there any service provider in SA that has unlimited bandwidth at a flat monthly rate?

This is standard practice in Asia, btw.

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## Dave A

The combination of a lack of accurate disclosure and the punitive premium for going over your bundle must surely constitute a harmful business practice.

At the very least, MTN should be obliged to charge in-bundle rates until they get their data-usage-reporting situation sorted out.

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## tec0

The truth is our service provider wants to keep their systems as dodgy as possible. Imagine the money they are making on this out of bundle BS? This is no longer a conspiracy bad service is acceptable if you earn a lot of money and own the monopoly. 

The only way you will change their minds is if the public can generate a single voice saying F*uck you telecommunications industry! You have destroyed enough lives and blacklisted enough people! Now the public demand that their licences be cancelled until such time that they can provide a proper service.

Once this is done our service providers will value their customers again. The honest truth is that the public better take control because right now our service providers can do whatever they want and it is clear in the billing system.

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## tec0

Strategising a Movement.

The truth is that mass action gets attention. So if I had a bit of cash flow and a good lawyer on my side I would demand a public complaints hearing. It can start with mass newspapers publications that will spell out all concerns the public has and even allow the public to voice their troubles. 

Then register for a mass-protests against the telecommunications industry. Set a date for your mass-protest and hand your concerns and demands over to parliament on this set date. This along with peaceful protest will force government to take note and if your demands are within reason like: Better control over your cap. More accurate cap software and better more accurate service from the provider. I am sure that they will see this is not unreasonable...

Give it a dead-line and if the telecommunications industry do not comply. Then continue with a second mass-protest. This time you demand that there licensing be stripped. âLook I know it will never happen but if you get enough angry people you will see change.

See corporations like the telecommunications industry forget that the power is still with the people and if we say enough is enough we can force them to listen!

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## AndyD

I can't help thinking that the the cost of the license from the government is the main reason that we're paying through the ass for what are considered essential services in most first world countries. That and probably the prohibitive regulations in the license agreements themselves.

The poor service and ridiculous business practices are a separate issue/debacle entirely. ICASA has consistently proved itself to be ineffective. You have the minister of communications Siphiwe Nyanda trying to step in to broker a deal with the networks and do ICASA's job for then. Meanwhile the cellphone companies are trying to dictate legislation in the form of their draft agreement they submitted a few days ago which says that reviewing mobile termination rates won't be necessary until March 1 2013.

None of this bodes well for the customer.

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## desA

Has SA satellite up/download capability?

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## Dave A

Yep - you can get internet via satellite. Here's a pricelist for Telkom Spacestream.

You've got to be fairly desperate...

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## tec0

Well hopping is very successful in campuses across South Africa. Basically it is small limited wireless LAN systems that hops the signals around and allow everyone to be connected via the intranet. You can have your basic mail system and it is all free âapart from the hardwareâ 

Look it is NOT the internet but it works. The point is a few students are trying to do a âwork-aroundâ and I think we as South Africans must start exploring the alternatives to telecommunications. Think about it. What did we do before the day of the fax, telephone and the internet? How was stuff done? 

What is available? 
And how can we maximise it?

It is time make the telecommunication industry obsolete.

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## desA

Is SA wifi-savvy yet?

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## tec0

My friend has wireless internet and he is not complaining. He can download up to 27GB of data and total cost is R400 per month âincluding hardwareâ Really not a bad deal but the your downloading speed is limited to about 20kb âpure download speedâ as average so again not too bad. However I would recommend you shop around.  :Yes:

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## desA

> My friend has wireless internet and he is not complaining. He can download up to 27GB of data and total cost is R400 per month “including hardware” Really not a bad deal but the your downloading speed is limited to about 20kb “pure download speed” as average so again not too bad. However I would recommend you shop around.


If you have any links to Wifi service providers, I'd be very interested. It's very common over here - some services are even free, within the urban areas.

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## tec0

I only have a telephone number since these people mostly operate in a small ariaâs *with permission* I will add it on the next post.  :Yes:

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## tec0

Right to give you an update on wireless networks. Most of them run independent and is basically restricted to your local aria. So I would recommend that where-ever you set up shop have a look for local advertisements and be extremely careful when subscribing. 

Secondly I am running âPay as you Goâ 3G internet and because it is âPay as you Goâ there are no nasty surprises in the end of every month. So it is the safer bet. There is not much difference between contract and âPay as you Goâ they work out more or less the same. It is when you are over your limits where your âPay as you Goâ option really keeps you safe from R2300 surprises.

Still there is a big market for healthy competition if the lawmakers want to allow it but I will not get my hopes up. Intranet systems is becoming a norm and as the technology gets stronger start exploring your options and soon our service providers may drop the ball and we will be ready for it.  :Yes:

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desA (08-Feb-10)

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## desA

> Secondly I am running “Pay as you Go” 3G internet and because it is “Pay as you Go” there are no nasty surprises in the end of every month. So it is the safer bet. There is not much difference between contract and “Pay as you Go” they work out more or less the same. It is when you are over your limits where your “Pay as you Go” option really keeps you safe from R2300 surprises.


Can you perhaps provide details on these "Pay as you go" internet schemes? I'd far prefer this to having accounts. I'm allergic to accounts.   :Smile:

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## tec0

http://www.mtn.co.za/FindaPlan/Pages/DataBun.aspx

http://www.vodacom.co.za/services/vo...dband/cost.jsp

This a good place to start

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desA (08-Feb-10)

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## desA

^ Thanks very much. Much obliged.

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## tec0

And today it is Vodacom âagainâ so no nasty surprises there however I was told by some mobile shop that âdevice locking has been outlawedâ now I am sure he doesnât know what he is talking about but try and get more info on the subject is basically blasphemous and the help desk are as naive as ever. 

Now for the problem at hand âVodacom connections are as doggy as ever and I get dropped more times per day then I did when I was with Virgin Mobile. I get IP errors and âimpossible to connect errorsâ and even with more than enough DATA available I still end up hopping networks from Vodacom to MTN. 

The problem is my MTN phone is GPRS and I need a bit more speed and tried to get my MTN going in a Vodacom 3G devices... well the device is locked on Vodacom only!!! So if it is illegal to network lock devices please tell me.  :Big Grin: 

As for Vodacom they are just full of sh!t lately and I think they are reading my SMS's and stalking my internet because it is so slow I can only imagine a little socially incompetent person with coffee checking my every move.  :EEK!:  

Or it can be that Vodacom is dropping the ball and they can no longer provide fast service because the billions they make is not enough to feed their greed... Anyway is there anyone else that is experiencing problems and have actually got an answer from Vodacom.  :Confused:

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## wynn

I would go with pay as u go in this instance, as Teco says, no nasty surprises.
When your bundle is used up you just load another, if the service provider gives you s#!t, change providers.

Roll on Google's satelite connection.
That will give the locals pause for thought as they watch their client base disapear.

 :Boxing:

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tec0 (09-Mar-10)

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## Dave A

Vodacom has capacity problems on their towers from time to time which results in slow speeds and frequent disconnects.

It's damn irritating. But I guess the airways can only take so much traffic  :Frown:

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tec0 (09-Mar-10)

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## Dave A

I got this message today via the _contact us_ link:



> URGENT REQUEST FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE
> 
> Dear Sirs,
> 
> I am writing to you at the suggestion of a good friend who pitied me in my dire straits.
> 
> I am a 73-year old disabled Social Welfare pensioner of the Republic of South Africa and can ill afford to have portion of a valuable data bundle stolen from me which I allege MTN has done. I am in a rather serious predicament because MTN alledgedly "stole" in excess of 551 MB of my 2 Gigabyte data bundle that I had purchased from them on 5th July 2010. After loading the data onto my cellphone a message came up from MTN on the cellphone to say that the expiry date for the 2 GB would be 5th September, 2010.
> 
> The situation is that on Monday afternoon (23rd August) of this week I still had in excess of 551 MB data left on my cellphone. After waking up the following morning (Tuesday 24th August) I checked my balance by phoning the usual MTN number, for this procedure, only to be told that my balance was now 10 MB data! I immediately phoned them on their inquiry number (173) which I might add is a terrible uphill battle and mission as I spent both the whole of Tuesday and Wednesday trying to contact them, and when I did, they made false promises that the data would be replaced onto my phone by 1 p.m. on Wednesday, This was never  done I now sit with the same 10 MB (minus data used) that I was left with on Tuesday morning. 
> ...


I've suggested he needs to contact MTN really, but the message includes the cellphone number and name - if anyone thinks they can assist this poor fellow, PM me and I'll give the details.

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## AndyD

I think to assist this poor guy you would need a sympathetic MTN insider. I wish you luck.

I had a contract with MTN in the early days of cellphones and their customer service was absolutely non-existent and I terminated it at the earliest opportunity. I would rather go back to a pager than ever use MTN's services again.

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## greghsa

Looks like the best thing you can do is speak to noseweek:

"Sweet and sour cell service 
Issue # 131 September, 2010    
Hereâs A good news, bad news story. The good news: corporate SA does indeed listen to the customer. The bad news: it only does so when the customer goes to the press.

Cape Town-based branding type, Jenna Schnell, has an MTN 3G card, and her monthly bill is usually in the order of R200. But in December 2009 her bill shot up to R1400, in January 2010 it was over R4000, and in February 2010 it was some R2000. Jenna immediately queried this and MTNâs enquiries showed that the card had been used for that most evil of purposes, visits to porn sites. Something Jenna claims she never does, and certainly didnât do at some of the times suggested by the records, when she was in fact lying on the beach in Plett. So Jenna argued long and hard with MTN. Very long in fact â she claims that she spent close on two hours dealing with what she describes as a very uncooperative and highly inefficient call centre. 
Naturally she got nowhere, so she came to noseweek.
We asked MTN for an explanation â could there have been a mistake in the billing, could Jennaâs account have been hacked into? Was there perhaps some other explanation? The result was dramatic â the very next day Jenna emailed us with a âbig THANK YOU.â She went on to say that âafter chatting to you I received a mail and then a follow-up call from Paul Rozycki at MTN. For the first time in months I actually received good customer service. After I explained everything, MTN made the decision to give me a full credit for the money that has been debited for the 3G card. My lines have been re-connected and Iâm relieved that I can finally lay this matter to rest. I have a suspicion that without your assistance I would have ended up having to suck up the R7,000 costs to get my line back even though they were not generated by me.â
A few days later, MTN wrote to noseweek: âThank you for bringing the matter to our attention [Always a pleasure â Ed]. After further investigations, MTN found that the customerâs computer was infected with malicious software that resulted in higher data usage.â
Sweet. And a little sour."

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