Penalty fees for users who cancel cellphone contracts prematurely

Paid about R4200 to cancel an MTN contract with device a few months back. Worth every penny. Was getting so little value out of the contract. Did the comparative math on finishing the contract vs paying the fee to get out and migrating to Afrihost and it worked out roughly the same price in terms of money, however by switching to Afrihost I got 5X the data immediately instead of waiting 18 months or so to move. So easy decision in the end. So if you are stuck in a long contract with one of the big expensive incumbents and wanting to switch to a cheaper MNVO just check the math. Despite how expensive the fee is, due to how little value the Voda/MTN contracts have in them it may still be worth switching out.
 
:ROFL: Now go upgrade your contract when the upgrade window opens instead of at the end of contract, you will pay the monthly amount for the new device and the remaining balance on the old device until the end of its contract term as well. Upgraded the wife's phone when the upgrade window opened, paying for that and an extra amount on the old device itself for 4 months until when that contract actually ends. Buyer beware as they say.
 
Bad Ballie said:
:ROFL: Now go upgrade your contract when the upgrade window opens instead of at the end of contract, you will pay the monthly amount for the new device and the remaining balance on the old device until the end of its contract term as well. Upgraded the wife's phone when the upgrade window opened, paying for that and an extra amount on the old device itself for 4 months until when that contract actually ends. Buyer beware as they say.
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Currently same issue with my mothers account . The amount off calls from MTN and that Mondo people is close to harassment

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Have been "contract free" for almost 15 years, one of the better financial decisions. I buy my phones (mid/low range) cash and use Airmobile. Crazy how little calls I actually make and the call minutes/balance expire only after almost 2 years.
 
Nephew_ said:
Have been "contract free" for almost 15 years, one of the better financial decisions. I buy my phones (mid/low range) cash and use Airmobile. Crazy how little calls I actually make and the call minutes/balance expire only after almost 2 years.
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Agreed, I do the same, made the mistake of getting a contract for the wife because she didn't have the cash to buy Her's outright, and am paying the price for being stupid.
 
Seeing that phones are not subsidized anymore I really think there is a case to be made that the service contract and the device financing must be seperated. Because it feels like a lot of the provisions of the NCA is circumvented by "service contracts" that is actually about device financing.
 
Lol.

Cancellation fees are for simps. With stuff like fibre, i can understand. You actually get a schity router and installation for free. With cell contracts you get fckall free. Everything is paid for.

Those contract are worth schit and unlawful by default. I simple wrote them a letter and instruct them, not ask them, to end it as per my wishes, at any time. Any product i have im my possesion i courier back to them. If i can return a product to a retailer and have them deal with the opened product, i sure as hell with return an opened phone too.

I have one hard rule...if i can buy something any time, or they can approve me any time, then i can return and/or cancel anything any time. I simply wipe my ass with them company policies.
 
JustAsk said:
Lol.

Cancellation fees are for simps. With stuff like fibre, i can understand. You actually get a schity router and installation for free. With cell contracts you get fckall free. Everything is paid for.

Those contract are worth schit and unlawful by default. I simple wrote them a letter and instruct them, not ask them, to end it as per my wishes, at any time. Any product i have im my possesion i courier back to them. If i can return a product to a retailer and have them deal with the opened product, i sure as hell with return an opened phone too.

I have one hard rule...if i can buy something any time, or they can approve me any time, then i can return and/or cancel anything any time. I simply wipe my ass with them company policies.
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Sure you do big boy
 
I was one of those idiots who took out contracts/ no more. Been free for 10 years. Everything is month to month now. Keeps service providers on their toes that they could lose you next month
 
I stopped getting contracts the the second they started upping the price mid contract.

I don't see they point of a contract if a party can just willy nilly change the conditions when ever they want to.
 
JustAsk said:
Lol.

Cancellation fees are for simps. With stuff like fibre, i can understand. You actually get a schity router and installation for free. With cell contracts you get fckall free. Everything is paid for.

Those contract are worth schit and unlawful by default. I simple wrote them a letter and instruct them, not ask them, to end it as per my wishes, at any time. Any product i have im my possesion i courier back to them. If i can return a product to a retailer and have them deal with the opened product, i sure as hell with return an opened phone too.

I have one hard rule...if i can buy something any time, or they can approve me any time, then i can return and/or cancel anything any time. I simply wipe my ass with them company policies.
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Except with fibre, there are providers where the contract it is month by month, and merely a cancellation or device fee if you cancel within 6 or 12 months.

Of course people will still fall for the 'free router' on contract promotion from certain providers on a 2 year contract.
 
I paid R10k to cancel my mtn contract.
It was nice though, the agent laughed and said "youll have to pay R10000 to cancel it" and she had this ******* attitude that mtn people generally have. So I was ready with my card. I love how their BEE staff think its leverage.
 
ajax said:
R27000 odd for a mid range phone and ear buds. The data and minutes could be had on prepaid for next to nothing.
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Agreed, and it's what I do, this particular phone wasn't for me though so I wasn't prepared to pay cash for it.
 
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