99c Straight Up 50 Contract

[pulling wire]

Could someone please explain why I can't load a once-off smartdata bundle onto my straightup 50 contract.
I Have had the contract since January this year and a credit limit of R1200.
According to customer care I can only load a recurring bundle and not a once-off bundle.

 

[cavedog]

Something wrong with your contract..... I am able to buy once off data bundles AND recurring data bundles on my straight up 100 contract.

I can't see why you can't....

 

[pulling wire]

Seems its the billing system that does not allow this. If I wanted a recurring data bundle, I could activate via ussd. However a once off data bundle is not treated the same, reason being a recurring data bundle is charged for upfront, on a month to month basis, and a prorata amount is billed in the initial month of activation. A once-off data bundle would have to be billed to the account afterwards. The billing system does not allow for this, however with voice its treated differently, I would be billed in the following month for any calls over and above my initial R50 allocation up to a credit limit amount of R1200.00

What gets me is that from time to time I can't buy extra data on an ad-hoc once-off basis unless I call customer service and ask them to set it up and give me the go-ahead, and if I want to cancel a recurring data bundle that I initiated via ussd I now can't action via ussd, I have to call customer care.

 

[Cell_C]

Buying a once-off smartdata bundle is not possible on a post paid contract.
It is possible on a hybrid contract; however, you will need to have an adequate amount of airtime for the bundle.
You will be charged upfront for the once-off bundle and this charge will be deducted from your airtime. Cell C ^DK