Is MTN a SERVICE provider in South Africa?

The world has changed much in the last 10 years. Where big corporations could easily shun individuals because it was difficult for them to have a voice or gain a audience, today it is no longer so. The Internet has and will change all of that. Here is something that happened that makes me glad blogging started. Wait let my wife tell it in her own words:

"I moved from Vodacom to MTN a couple of years ago. Big mistake! In March/April 2007 I moved my phone from my personal account to my business as business is what it is primarily used for. At the end of my contract period, I then upgraded on the 14th of April 2007 from a MyCall100 to a ProCall220 at the MTN shop in Woodlands Mall, Pretoria where Nomsa helped me. After that things went downhill. Normally my account on the MyCall100 was R500 per month now on the ProCall220 it became R1000 per month. The first month I thought it was a billing mistake and that it would be rectified the next month. The next month I queried it with the MTN shop in Woodlands and Sandra there also thought it was a mistake and we should give it one more month. The third month I again received a faulty account. On 5th August 2007, I went to the MTN shop and after they called their MTN support line we eventually found out that the problem was somewhere between MTN billing and activation.

I was on a ProCall220 but being billed at MyCall100 rates. This means that for the past 5 months MTN has been overcharging me with about R500 per month. My reference number for this call is 30290857 After this I thought everything would be sorted out. On the 6th of August 2007 my phone was disconnected from the MTN network. I could make no calls and my phone reported I had limited services. I reported this immediately and it seems that while fixing my previous problem a technician deactivated my SIM card. My reference number for this call is 30326296. I have since called twice a day to report this. Each time I get told that it will be fixed within 4 hours. After each 4 hours nothing happens. On the 7th I even reported this online on the MTN website. I have still received no reply. It is now the 10th and MTN’s response is that the SIM card cannot be re-activated, I will have to buy a new SIM at R150 and the problem can only be sorted out on Monday, three days from now. WHAT? So Friday I again went to the MTN shop. They have always been friendly and willing to assist. I bought a new SIM card for R150.00. They called MTN support and I was told it would take 24 hours to activate. Saturday night my cell phone was still inactive. Sunday morning my cell phone was still inactive. Sunday afternoon I called and asked what was wrong. The answer was "It is in the ISIS system and will be active within 4 hours. Eight hours later still nothing. I mentioned to my husband that I think I should move to Vodacom. He suggested we wait until Monday. Monday at 10:00 my cell phone was activated and working. Hooray!

So, let me see if I got this correct? First MTN overcharges me for 4 months, then they disconnect my business phone from the MTN network for 7 days. They then ignore my pleas for help of which there were at least 10. After which they insist I pay R150.00 for a new SIM to fix their mistake? This is a business phone! I am now compelled to ask if MTN really care about their contract customers. Is MTN the right network for business people? My husband went through a similar migration exercise a year ago with Vodacom and he had no such problems? I have been patient for days after every time being told it is either 4 hours or 24 hours before I will be on the air again. I could be losing business. What about all the costs contacting MTN and the new SIM? Who pays for these? All because I wanted to stay with MTN after my contract expired and opted for a bigger and better contract. I am very disappointed in MTN and I cannot advise this network to anybody who is serious about business or very reliant on their cell phone. Although I received excellent service and support from the MTN shop in Woodlands, I cannot say the same about MTN. It would have been nice if someone had called me and explained that they had to cancel my old SIM, that they were providing me with a new SIM and that it would take about a week to complete. This would have been great customer service. Luckily the Internet provides the ideal platform to tell my story to whoever will listen. Maybe it will convince some people to think carefully about their service provider and choose the right one"

Well, is the Internet handy or what partner!