MTN – Get your network healthy before expanding into the rest of the world!!!

I was always a MTN supporter but service levels lately has gone to you all know what!

To get a reliable network connection is getting more and more difficult but MTN pursue a larger network and business overseas while they can’t even keep there home network up and running without us getting frustrated with there incompetence.

MtnUser said:

I was always a MTN supporter but service levels lately has gone to you all know what!

To get a reliable network connection is getting more and more difficult but MTN pursue a larger network and business overseas while they can’t even keep there home network up and running without us getting frustrated with there incompetence.

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And they seldom bother to reply on this forum

hear hear!

Does MTN not resemble Telkom in that sense? Oh, wait, Telkom at least responds with obvious lies, which makes for juicy articles. MTN does nothing other than invest in other African (edit: and mid-eastern) countries and promote mms.

In my somewhat biased (but only a little) opinion, Vodacom's network peformance as well as Customer Service, is shocking compared to MTN's.
I'll tell you why...

I was an MTN subscriber for good on 4 years, and in those years, I never, ever, experienced a dropped call...one or two not connected calls, but no dropped. I also experienced quite a good level of customer service, most of the time. In general, my MTN experience was largely a good one.

Then...

I was comming to the end of the 2 year contract job, and decided to check out the competition a bit, so I moved to VodaCom, and the wheels fell off.
In the second call I made, after 2/3 minutes, the call dropped, so I called the person back and it happened again, now in the interests of scientific experimentation, I foned 5 other people aswell. All of these calls dropped.
This happens every day, as well as me being guaranteed that 50% of dialed calls will not be successfully connected on the first try, and sometimes not even the 2nd.

Next gripe: Try to activate GPRS with a VodaCom Service Provider...

With MTN, all I had to do was give them a ring, and they activated it. Hell, I think if you dial *123# and follow the instrucations you wont even have to fone them.
Now at VodaCom, you call up their helldesk, and ask nicely for GPRS. They tell you to go away and fone your service provider (Autopage), oki doki.
Give them a call up and they then tell you that they will fax you a form, which you need to fill out and fax back, then they will look at it in 48 hours, then another 48 hours for activation...I don't have GPRS

Those are just some of the more annoying things I have found.

Oh yes, VC is the only network I have ever used that tells you "Number does not exist" when you fone voicemail.

I am biased (only a little) becuase my Father is s founder member of MTN, and is still with the group in Uganda.

rasputyn said:

In my somewhat biased (but only a little) opinion, Vodacom's network peformance as well as Customer Service, is shocking compared to MTN's.
I'll tell you why...

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Your father aside, I don't completely agree with you. Your issue with the sp (autopage) is just that, an issue with them, not Vodacom. Sure, VC should be able to assist you with GPRS settings, but MTN has to activate the feature on the network as well as send you the settings. I have had instances where the *123# settings are sent but no service is available. Only once phoning the helpdesk (808, various times), it gets done. It doesn't happen always, but way too often is more than once.

I admit that I have never had a dropped call (not counting really bad coverage areas), but maybe you were in an area with a really weak signal or a congested tower?

I also admit that MTNsp responds rather quickly compared to a couple of years ago, but 173 is still useless and not very helpfull. What the networks can't seem to get past is the fact that the users are not as idiotic and uninformed as they once were and that they now expect detailed assistance that would solve a complicated problem. Like the fact that the port settings on various MMS configuration settings made available by the network are different and may not work on all phones. (as experienced) I phoned the helpdesk and no one could help.

Until I asked this on this forum.

Another thing that REALLY annoyed me, was the fact that when it was time to upgrade, no one person gave me the same answer wrt the exact date. I had spoken to various individuals (8 or 9) and not one would correspond. Even the local dealer wasn't sure and that was after I gave them the date my subscription commenced. How is this possible? How thorough is MTN's training?

And then there are the local mtnsp dealers. They are better than what they were a year ago (so it seems) but they still don't know enough to be of any real assistance. Before my upgrade the guys tried selling me a v3. And only because they only had that phone in stock. For them to order any other phone was an effort. I was then promised delivery within 2 days, then a week, then another week. Then no stock was available (6630). I got it eventually though, after a lot of phone calls and having to arrange one at Mount edgecomb myself, which is 350km from where I stay)

I would also agree that in many areas VC's 3g signals are pathetic. But at least I have that in my area. MTN does not.

Your websites do not work correctly at times.

Some of the helpdesk staff are incredibly rude. HUH is not a method used when greeting someone else. And when disconnecting me, at least do it after the problem has been solved, not wafter putting me on hold for 10 minutes.

So there you have a summerised experience.

And at least VC has an active rep here on these forums. WHAT EXACTLY HAVE WE GOT?

Edit: MTN(SPBB), please feel free to respond. As polite as you are.

Cube said:

Your father aside, I don't completely agree with you. Your issue with the sp (autopage) is just that, an issue with them, not
Vodacom.

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I would have also thought that, until the helpdesk chap told me, and I quote, that I can't speak to his supervisor about the stupid policy, because it came directly from VodaCom.

Sure, VC should be able to assist you with GPRS settings

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They told me to go away and fone AP first, wouldn't even give me the settings.

MTN has to activate the feature on the network as well as send you the settings. I have had instances where the *123# settings are sent but no service is available. Only once phoning the helpdesk (808, various times), it gets done. It doesn't happen always, but way too often is more than once.

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I didn't have a problem with that, on all my fones (I tend to go through them as often as I change underwear), all I did was *123#, even on new sim's, but then again, it was allready activated on the account, so that's probably why.
Even so, the initial activations wasn't as much shlep as with VP/AP

I admit that I have never had a dropped call (not counting really bad coverage areas), but maybe you were in an area with a really weak signal or a congested tower?

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I thought that this may be the case, a congested tower, peak volume etc. but it happens in all sorts of areas. Once even in the middle of nowhere in the North West, with full signal.

I also admit that MTNsp responds rather quickly compared to a couple of years ago, but 173 is still useless and not very helpfull. What the networks can't seem to get past is the fact that the users are not as idiotic and uninformed as they once were and that they now expect detailed assistance that would solve a complicated problem. Like the fact that the port settings on various MMS configuration settings made available by the network are different and may not work on all phones. (as experienced) I phoned the helpdesk and no one could help.

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MTNSP aka M-Tel was a disaster a few years ago, you don;t even want to know the stories, but luckily in the last few years they have seemed to work out the kinks.
I agree, these here network people do really have to realise that the vast majority of their users actually do know what's going on, and would really like a detailed explination.

Until I asked this on this forum.

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I Love this forum.

Another thing that REALLY annoyed me, was the fact that when it was time to upgrade, no one person gave me the same answer wrt the exact date. I had spoken to various individuals (8 or 9) and not one would correspond. Even the local dealer wasn't sure and that was after I gave them the date my subscription commenced. How is this possible? How thorough is MTN's training?

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It's a problem, and I'm sure as hell not condoning it, in all large companies... internal communication is non-existent. It's terrible. I think they learnt for our favourite monopoly.

And then there are the local mtnsp dealers. They are better than what they were a year ago (so it seems) but they still don't know enough to be of any real assistance. Before my upgrade the guys tried selling me a v3. And only because they only had that phone in stock. For them to order any other phone was an effort. I was then promised delivery within 2 days, then a week, then another week. Then no stock was available (6630). I got it eventually though, after a lot of phone calls and having to arrange one at Mount edgecomb myself, which is 350km from where I stay)

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I've not had much experience with them, but your situation isn't cool

I would also agree that in many areas VC's 3g signals are pathetic. But at least I have that in my area. MTN does not.

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VC killed MTN ito 3g hands down

Your websites do not work correctly at times.

Some of the helpdesk staff are incredibly rude. HUH is not a method used when greeting someone else. And when disconnecting me, at least do it after the problem has been solved, not wafter putting me on hold for 10 minutes.

So there you have a summerised experience.

And at least VC has an active rep here on these forums. WHAT EXACTLY HAVE WE GOT?

Edit: MTN(SPBB), please feel free to respond. As polite as you are.

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My website?

Rude helpdesk staff should be fired, but VC also has it's share. I.E: the clown who told me politely to bugger off untill I had foned AP, and then hung up.

I would love to see an MTN rep here, as well as a Telkom rep.

Thats me for now, sorry it's so terribly long and awful looking!!::