Cancelling a Cell C contract

[Slingshot]

I have a 24-month Red Bull Mobile contract (RBM 200) which is now 6 months old. Things started off well, with average signal at home which was usable. Over the months, things got bad and most of my calls started dropping or become so unclear that the person on the other side can't hear me. The tower also went offline at regular intervals, apparently due to cable theft.
The only statement I received so far was when I lodged the problem with the Cell C rep. He was very helpful, but unfortunately I only received the one he sent me and nothing more. I suspect my details were never updated correctly on their system.

So now I'm at the point where I want to cancel my contract. I emailed Cell C asking what the implications were and how I should proceed. I expected that I had to pay a reasonable cancellation fee as stated by the CPA.
However, Cell C replied stating that the contract still have 18 months to go, and I must now pay in a bit more than R7000 to cancel it. How the heck do they get to that amount, when my monthly fee is only R249 (R249x18=R4482)? And why am I expected to pay anything more than a reasonable cancellation fee?

And why oh why did I sign up for a contract...

 

[ajax]

If you set your phone to roam on Vodacom it should clear up your signal/dropped calls issue, but you will only be able to use EDGE for data connections.

 

[Slingshot]

Yes that second part is a problem. I have 500MB per month to use, and on EDGE I won't even make a dent in it.

 

[ajax]

It will be slower, but depending on the tower you could still get a reasonable connection for IM, Facebook and browsing. If you need high speed for a while then switch over to Cell C 3G temporarily. That's the best you can do for now.

 

[Park@82]

I am still pretty happy with this contract.

Guess you could chuck the sim and pay R4482 over 18 months, but that would make no sense. Let us know the outcome please...

 

[Park@82]

how do you set it to roam ajax?

 

[ajax]

Under Settings, Network you choose Manual Network selection, wait for the search and then set it to Vodacom. You may also have to enable data roaming on your device - not relevant here, only if you go overseas it's best to have data roaming disabled.

I myself keep my SGS1 on Cell C on 3G only mode (instead of auto or GSM only) as the 3G signal at 900 MHz is better inside my place and at work than the GSM1800 signal. Call clarity I find is also better on 3G than on GSM with Cell C.

 

[Park@82]

thanks, hmm must be an app that can do that quickly..

 

[ajax]

Wait, according to this post it's no longer available in CT.

 

[Slingshot]

Update: Just received an email back from Cell C that the R7000+ amount is in fact the cancellation amount. How on earth is this possible? It's way more than even my remaining monthly payments amount to. This is ridiculous. Cell C, what happened to "reasonable cancellation fee" according to the CPA?????

 

[ajax]

Ripoff yes, all the networks do that.

When I wanted to cancel a MyCall100 contract on MTN years ago (subs was R29 per month) they wanted to charge me R1000. Thing is, I was only 8 hours early. Maturity date was 0h00:01 the next day. So the shop assistant told me to come back the next day. :wtf:

 

[Slingshot]

Haha, your story sounds even more ridiculous.
But this contract was taken out after the CPA came into force, or does that mean less than snail slime to the cellphone networks?

 

[Slingshot]

Cell C general counsel Graham Mackinnon says its policy is that customers cancelling post-CPA contracts will only pay a “reasonable” cancellation fee, which is linked to the cost of the handset, and not for any more airtime.

Source

My phone is a Motorola Defy, around R3500 cash I think. Minus whatever I've paid off already, which comes to no more than R3000 that they can ask me.

 

[Cell_C]

Source

My phone is a Motorola Defy, around R3500 cash I think. Minus whatever I've paid off already, which comes to no more than R3000 that they can ask me.

Hi Slingshot

I have some one that can check it correctly if you want.
Please just PM me and let me know.

Regards
~AM~

 

[Slingshot]

Thanks, will do.

 

[Cell_C]

Thanks, will do.

Good day Slingshot

PM received, have sent it.
Asked for feedback later today.
Will PM you.

Regards
~AM~

 

[Slingshot]

Thanks to Armando, the cancellation fee issue was resolved. The amount is now substantially less than originally quoted, and seems more reasonable.

 

[BB_Boy27]

Thanks to Armando, the cancellation fee issue was resolved. The amount is now substantially less than originally quoted, and seems more reasonable.

hi. can u pm me the price. thanks

 

[Slingshot]

hi. can u pm me the price. thanks

Done.

 

[Cell_C]

HI BB_Boy27

If you would like to know please send me your derails.
I can assist.

Regards
~AM~