MTN Can I buy data bundle with top-up airtime? [answer: no]

[Tweak]

Hello, would it be possible for me to convert the airtime i get on my topup100 contract to sms or data bundles? Cheers

[eug]

Yes, it is possible. I have bought a data bundle with my airtime. I think a 75 mb bundle is R49 rand. Although it doesnt last long at all on a smartphone.
I'm not too sure about the sms, i assume you can to that too.

I ususally do it through mtn's website. Just a warning, their website is horrible and slow.

Hope that helps.

Cheers.

EDIT: Appearantly you can't anymore.

[ginggs]

Hello, would it be possible for me to convert the airtime i get on my topup100 contract to sms or data bundles? Cheers

I don't believe this is possible.

[Tweak]

I hope you are wrong hey

[Tweak]

Otherwise i wouldn't consider it

[ginggs]

http://www.mtn.co.za/Support/Legal/T...es/MTNHVP.aspx

4. Any services that incur a separate charge such as Itemised Billing, Calling Line Identity, SMS Bundles, Data Bundles, BlackBerry, migration charges, Me2U transfer charges etc. will not deplete the inclusive Airtime Value.

[Species8472]

http://www.mtn.co.za/Support/Legal/T...es/MTNHVP.aspx

As I understand it that is when you buy a montly bolt on data bundle (contract type). If you buy a once off prepaid bundle it uses your airtime.


Confirmed. I am on the Top Up 100, just bought a R10 10mb bundle. Exactly R10 gone from my airtime. (I chose the "once off" bundle, not the recurring one)

[ginggs]

As I understand it that is when you buy a montly bolt on data bundle (contract type). If you buy a once off prepaid bundle it uses your airtime.


Confirmed. I am on the Top Up 100, just bought a R10 10mb bundle. Exactly R10 gone from my airtime. (I chose the "once off" bundle, not the recurring one)

Thanks for confirming. And this is from the original R100 airtime, you haven't "topped up" at all this month?

This definitely wasn't the case previously:

Hi
The old and the new topup packages dont allow the inclusive Rand value to be used on any add ons e.g. databundles SMS bundles etc
Regards

[Kgabogk]

i always buy an aditional 75mb with my allocated airtime,and there is no waiting time or limit on the number of bundles that can be added on mtn top up

[Tweak]

Hi
The old and the new topup packages dont allow the inclusive Rand value to be used on any add ons e.g. databundles SMS bundles etc
Regards

I already signed the papers for my "contract, ball and chain" the guy told me I "Should be able to use includive monthly airtime for data bundles". If they phone me to confirm that my contract is accepted, will I still be able to give them the finger?

Cheers

[ryan411]

I already signed the papers for my "contract, ball and chain" the guy told me I "Should be able to use includive monthly airtime for data bundles". If they phone me to confirm that my contract is accepted, will I still be able to give them the finger?

Cheers

Dunno, maybe there is a cooloff period in your contract or consumer protection act might help u get out of it?

[MolefeM]

As I understand it that is when you buy a montly bolt on data bundle (contract type). If you buy a once off prepaid bundle it uses your airtime.


Confirmed. I am on the Top Up 100, just bought a R10 10mb bundle. Exactly R10 gone from my airtime. (I chose the "once off" bundle, not the recurring one)

i had the same dilemma this weekend... i had R110 and i wanted the 300mb bundle which is R149, so i added the required airtime value, and the the *blerry* thing said i had insufficient airtime! when i checked my balance it was at about R189 and i couldn't buy a R149 bundle. so i called in and my call was answered by the most condescending girl i've ever heard in a call centre...
long strory short: she basically told me that the airtime from my top up contract was not for purchasing bundles and i must add my own airtime to buy the bundle!!!

so Species8472 i figure you may have had extra R10 that u had purchased...

[Species8472]

Hmm, it is quite possible that I recharged some time before buying the bundle.

So they say you cannot use your included TopUp airtime to buy a bundle, that sucks

[demon angel]

I cannot load a bundle greater then 75mb on my top up contract either. It seems 75mb is the maximum allowed even if you have the airtime value.
Absolutely ridiculous....

Sent from my MB525 using MyBroadband Android App

[MonsterKFX]

I Purchased a Flyer on a MyCall 100 Package for R299 a month as that included 150mb per month for the first 12 months and R100 airtime per month for 24 months. My thinking was saving up the airtime and then converting it to data every 3 months, giving me a 1Gig bundle every 3 months as the unit has only data and no voice capability.

Now that I have tried to do it for the first time, I have been told you must buy airtime and then convert it to data as I cannot convert the contract airtime to data bundle, what a load of BS. When I asked the operator why, she just said it is policy, but I can still use the airtime if I go over my data bundle @ R2 / Mb, where a data bundle works out to R0.29 per Mb.

If I had known this I would not have taken out the contract at all, I also contacted the salesman that sold me the contract, and even he has recently only found out about this.

I think MTN has become the worst connection to be with.

If a company gives you airtime and then uses underhanded methods to dictate how you can and may use it, after the fact, to me that is just wrong.

They have become a company that is robbing their loyal clients, of their hard earned money. As a previously very loyal MTN Customer, I have now been shocked and enlightened to the level of ignorance, incompetence and just plain stupidity of the customer service people.

I am so disappointed in MTN stooping down to this kind of underhanded tactics to make/steal money. This kind of action is just plain daylight robbery.

Maybe it is time for the NCA to do it's work.