CELL C @#$%! AIRTIME WINDOW!!!

JerryMungo

JerryMungo

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So I bought a sim for my mom to use in her modem. She DOES NOT MAKE CALLS WITH IT. I wanted to get her one of the prepaid data packages for R89 once off = 100MB every 30 days x 12
http://www.cellc.co.za/data-prepaid-packages

The sales person told me I should rather consider one of their redbull data packages they have on special - R45 once off with 200Mb data per month.

I confirmed with the sales person that this is going into a modem and confirmed that she can't load extra airtime on it - I asked her to confirm that it DOES NOT EXPIRE IF ADDITIONAL AIRTIME IS NOT LOADED ONTO THE CARD. She said Yes - it does not expire.

Today, a month later, my mom can't use her modem because she needs to load airtime. She has received her 200Mb data but can't use it without loading airtime.

WHAT THE HECK'S THIS ABOUT CELL C?
I've never come across a company with such incompetent employees.
So far this year:
I have been overcharged on my account and told it needs to run until next year (3 years). The sales people in the shops refused to believe that I signed up over 2 years ago 'cos the computer shows me...'. It was eventually sorted when I demanded someone at the help center produce a piece of paper with my signature on it... 4 months after the contract end date.
I have been told that I should phone the call center for my problems cos the sales staff are 'too busy today'.
I've been told that they can't do cancellations and I have to phone 143 for that - only to be on hold forever.
I've had it with Cell C.

3 of 5 contracts cancelled so far - 2 have a few months left. Can't wait for them to be done.
 
Oj0 said:
But where will you go? Vodascum? MostTerribleNetwork? Helkom Mobile?
Click to expand...

I don't care as long as it's prepaid. They're all the same so I'm just never getting another contract and I'm going to make sure I spend as little as possible on cell companies.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sounds fishy.

I have been using the 200mb RBM deal for the last few months or so in my tablet, and have never loaded a cent of airtime. No problem to date. So very surprised!
 
Does not compute. How can you "receive" 200 Meg, but not use it. What error message or SMS do you get? I had a redbull sim RICA'd and everything and still working 3 months later when I first opened it.

Just take out the sim, put it in the phone, load like R5. See if it's really the problem or if the network was just down at that moment.
 
iaywtimnbe said:
I don't care as long as it's prepaid. They're all the same so I'm just never getting another contract and I'm going to make sure I spend as little as possible cell companies.
Click to expand...

Best option. Stick to prepaid. Porting has opened a lot of doors now. So if you don't like or better deal elsewhere then just port since you can port your number every 60 days if you are on prepaid.
 
HideInLight said:
Does not compute.
Click to expand...

I am one of those who has lost faith with Cell C. Little about their service computes.

It is just over a month now since I tried [in vain] to get a month to month Straight Up 200. I gave up trying. I wanted it treat as not taken up, as I still have not had the benefit of the package despite having been billed for it already.

The worst part of my experience is that their only portal of complaint is also their greatest flaw. Call centre is a dead end. And their email address either gets no reply or gets response only when they feel like it.

So, to an extent, I feel OP's pain. I heading away from Cell C too.
 
iaywtimnbe said:
Today, a month later, my mom can't use her modem because she needs to load airtime. She has received her 200Mb data but can't use it without loading airtime.
Click to expand...
I agree with others, it is something fishy. I use two R99 (now R49) RBM starter packs since December. One SIM recharged once, other one was never recharged. Works as advertised.
Ask this lady how she knows she have to recharge. It might be network problem, not a billing issue.
 
Last edited:
sajunky said:
I agree with others, it is something fishy. I use two R99 (now R49) RBM starter packs since December. One SIM recharged once, other one was never recharged. Works as advertised.
Ask this lady how she knows she have to recharge. It might be network problem, not a billing issue.
Click to expand...

From 1 May, when putting the sim into a smartphone and visiting any web page, you are redirected to:
m.cellc.co.za/wap/.....
"You've run out of credit and need to recharge to continue using cell c's data services and continue browsing"

Pretty clear :mad:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
iaywtimnbe said:
From 1 May, when putting the sim into a smartphone and visiting any web page, you are redirected to:
m.cellc.co.za/wap/.....
Click to expand...
Now it is clear. PM CellC rep on this forum with your details. Typically he is sorting out such matters during working day.
 
iaywtimnbe said:
From 1 May, when putting the sim into a smartphone and visiting any web page, you are redirected to:
m.cellc.co.za/wap/.....
"You've run out of credit and need to recharge to continue using cell c's data services and continue browsing"

Pretty clear :mad:
Click to expand...

Yeah it happens on my openline cellc contract too. It looks like its a bug somewhere in their system. I end off putting my iphone in airplane mode for 5 min then it starts working again.....
 
I've had this problem occasionally as well.
The rep here extended my airtime window for a year, problem solved (until next year, I guess).
 
iaywtimnbe said:
So I bought a sim for my mom to use in her modem. She DOES NOT MAKE CALLS WITH IT. I wanted to get her one of the prepaid data packages for R89 once off = 100MB every 30 days x 12
http://www.cellc.co.za/data-prepaid-packages

The sales person told me I should rather consider one of their redbull data packages they have on special - R45 once off with 200Mb data per month.

I confirmed with the sales person that this is going into a modem and confirmed that she can't load extra airtime on it - I asked her to confirm that it DOES NOT EXPIRE IF ADDITIONAL AIRTIME IS NOT LOADED ONTO THE CARD. She said Yes - it does not expire.

Today, a month later, my mom can't use her modem because she needs to load airtime. She has received her 200Mb data but can't use it without loading airtime.

WHAT THE HECK'S THIS ABOUT CELL C?
I've never come across a company with such incompetent employees.
So far this year:
I have been overcharged on my account and told it needs to run until next year (3 years). The sales people in the shops refused to believe that I signed up over 2 years ago 'cos the computer shows me...'. It was eventually sorted when I demanded someone at the help center produce a piece of paper with my signature on it... 4 months after the contract end date.
I have been told that I should phone the call center for my problems cos the sales staff are 'too busy today'.
I've been told that they can't do cancellations and I have to phone 143 for that - only to be on hold forever.
I've had it with Cell C.

3 of 5 contracts cancelled so far - 2 have a few months left. Can't wait for them to be done.
Click to expand...


Hi iaywtimnbe, your number is active. I have extended the airtime window. *DM*
 
Cell_C said:
Hi iaywtimnbe, your number is active. I have extended the airtime window. *DM*
Click to expand...

Thanks! Is this normal for these accounts? It would be nice if the sales people knew their stuff.
Thanks for the help!
 
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