Cell C Network Issues: Disconnects, Coverage, Throughput Problems - Report Here

[richjdavies]

Sorry trying again.
Location: Constantia Village and Meadowridge
Date & Time of Issue: 10-12:00 22nd December
Device Manufacturer & Model: Moto G60s
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): Prepaid
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk:n/a
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): all, inside mall would only connect as E, outside showed 4G still no internet
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): could not connect no internet
Cell ID (if possible): (sorry could not get, but was connected)
RSSI (if possible, see How to check signal strength (RSSI))

 

[Leno]

PE / Nelson Mandela Bay

shows 3g on MTN instead of LTE (we have been roaming on MTN for a few months now)

but no data, no calls, I do have airtime

Back at home on wifi calling all is working, this happened yesterday also

 

[mgkoch]

Location: -26.444, 27.123
Date & Time of Issue: Ongoing for weeks now. (2022-01-30 11:20)
Device Manufacturer & Model (e.g. Huawei E1820, ZTE MF190, Not: Black Modem, White Modem): ZTE MF286R
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): prepaid HomeConnecta flexi
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: didn't bother trying. Reported it through the website every for a week now (no reference numbers received)
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): LTE
www.speedtest.net results (if possible):
https://www.speedtest.net/result/12686206129,
https://www.speedtest.net/result/12686209811,

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Cell ID (if possible): Don't know how to get this
RSSI (if possible, see How to check signal strength (RSSI)) -81db
Any other information relevant to the problem:
Sometimes the signal drops out completely for hours although this hasn't happened for a few days. I moved in on 31 Dec 2021 and I must work from home. Had to travel 80 km a day to another house with a fiber connection and back to actually get something done. I am on the verge of getting replaced by another freelance contractor because of this.

 

[Stevo1]

My wife bought a huge prepaid deal from cell c. All of a sudden she gets the message "not registered on network"

She has tried on other devices with the same result and am feeling sick now because all seems to be lost. This is in discovery area. What is going on ?

 

[Cell_C]

Hi Stevo1

Thank you for reaching out to us.

Please PM us the affected location, the number in question and her contact number.

^SM

 

[Stevo1]

Hi SM as i said the affected location is discovery, the sim is only used for internet connection so we did not bother memorizing the nr, we cannot use USSD code to check the nr. because it is not registered on the network.She is beyond furious with cellc and that she has lost the data and airtime that is why i am posting.

 

[BCR]

Hi SM as i said the affected location is discovery, the sim is only used for internet connection so we did not bother memorizing the nr, we cannot use USSD code to check the nr. because it is not registered on the network.She is beyond furious with cellc and that she has lost the data and airtime that is why i am posting.

My suggestion is to take that SIM (along with ID of the registered user, just in case) to a Cell C shop - assuming you live near enough one?

They should still have a record of the purchase and all data still available on their system.

If that's the case, they'll do a SIM swap for what was R11, which is a bit of a kick in the teeth (because after all, it's their network that's failed), but well worth getting your data back for.

Quite a few of us had similarly go wrong with their SIMs and they managed to resolve this way.

EDIT : re-read your post ; especially seeing as you don't know the number, take ID along so they hopefully can search for the number using those particulars.

 

[Cell_C]

Hi SM as i said the affected location is discovery, the sim is only used for internet connection so we did not bother memorizing the nr, we cannot use USSD code to check the nr. because it is not registered on the network.She is beyond furious with cellc and that she has lost the data and airtime that is why i am posting.

Please PM us her ID number as well as a number we can reach her on.

^SM

 

[kaaskop]

So I am back to 1994 dialup.

MyBroadband Speed Test

Ping: 109ms
Download: 0.16Mbps
Upload: 0.92Mbps

Malmesbury

CellC never had the best reception in my area but it wasn't this bad.

 

[DTBA]

So I am back to 1994 dialup.

MyBroadband Speed Test

Ping: 109ms
Download: 0.16Mbps
Upload: 0.92Mbps

Malmesbury

CellC never had the best reception in my area but it wasn't this bad.

Don't worry since the roaming agreement with MTN any small town suffers sub 1mbps speeds

 

[km2]

Location: -34.1214,18.3898
Date & Time of Issue: 7 Apr 12:30, but this has been going on over multiple days
Device Manufacturer & Model: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Dual SIM
Contract Type: Pre-paid
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: None, but did speak to them yesterday and walked through resetting network settings
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): LTE
www.speedtest.net results (if possible):
Cell ID (if possible): 13014 & 13015
RSSI: Signal Strength -99dBm 41asu
Any other information relevant to the problem:

When I'm on certain Cell IDs in an area I cannot access the internet at all (can't run ping tests or anything). However by toggling flight mode, or by forcing down to 3G and then back up to LTE I can seem to change the cell and coax it into working again.

I've attached cell info taken in the same spot when it works and when it doesn't work.

 

[Happy Sloth]

Right I did the router dance again today.



Router is a Huawei Model: B618s-22d "unlocked"

 

[Gene the cow from Fringe]

Right I did the router dance again today.

View attachment 1293696

Router is a Huawei Model: B618s-22d "unlocked"

 

[Cell_C]

Location: Plumstead CT
Date & Time of Issue: since 5pm last night
Device Manufacturer & Model : Not a router - Galaxy Note 4 /Samsung cellphone
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): prepaid
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: 2052701509
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+):NA
www.speedtest.net results (if possible):Not possible
Cell ID (if possible):NA
Any other information relevant to the problem:
No signal to my cell phone since 5pm last night. Flits between limited/no signal and MTN roaming. On MTN nothing works - get an intermittent whatsapp coming through every couple of hours. Before 5PM was working properly, since then nothing. Restarting / flight mode on and off does not fix it. It cannot find cell c. Usually when it roams to mtn (which never works), doing on/off thing it can find cell c. Not this time. Is there an issue with cell c? Cannot use my phone data.
My home connecta sim in my router is working - only having this problem with my cellphone sim

Good day

Thank you for reaching out to us.

As per the TT2052701509 we have tried to reach you today, to provide assistance. May we have an alternative number we can reach you on for assistance.

You can send it to Twitter via DM.

^NZ

 

[Lindsay79]

Location: Rosebank, Cape Town
Date & Time of Issue: For the last month
Device Manufacturer & Model : Cell C SIM card in both Cell C 3G E1752 USB dongle as well as Huawei Y3 2018 (cellphone)
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): prepaid
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: None
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): Initially connects at 4G on reboot of cellphone then falls back to EDGE after a couple of minutes
www.speedtest.net results (if possible):Not possible
Cell ID (if possible):NA
Any other information relevant to the problem:
My parents have had the same problem for about a month with the Cell C SIM card that they recently topped up with data. The issue appears when using in both their 3G USB dongle and phone. When the phone is rebooted, or USB dongle is plugged in they will initially get good speeds, 3G or 4G, however after a couple of minutes it will fall back to EDGE connection and be unusable. They have had the issue in Rosebank, Mowbray and Kenilworth.

They took it to the Cell C shop in Kenilworth Centre where someone checked that the SIM card was fine and getting 4G, but he did also "reinstall the network settings" just in case. I don't think the person in the shop tested it for long enough as the issue only seems to appear after a couple of minutes.
My parents have not had previous issues with the network in their area and have been using the same SIM card for a couple of years. Can you please assist?

 

[BCR]

@Lindsay79
Suggest you or they start looking for alternatives, or at least test a few.

Tomorrow I'm porting a Cell C number used for calls, over to MTN.

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"Cell C has not been able to pay its debts, and should the recapitalisation not succeed it is not expected to survive."

 

[Lindsay79]

@Lindsay79
Suggest you or they start looking for alternatives, or at least test a few.

Tomorrow I'm porting a Cell C number used for calls, over to MTN.

Crucial Cell C meeting postponed after curious punctuality problem

A meeting that will determine Cell C’s future has been postponed, but it looks like the outcome of the adjourned meeting will be in the company’s favour.

mybroadband.co.za

Existential Cell C debt vote meeting postponed

Crucial Cell C meeting postponed after curious punctuality problem A meeting for Cell C's priority creditors to vote on whether they will take an 80% haircut on their debt to facilitate the operator's recapitalisation plan has been postponed. Cell C has not been able to pay its debts, and...

mybroadband.co.za

"Cell C has not been able to pay its debts, and should the recapitalisation not succeed it is not expected to survive."

Well I'm hoping @Cell_C can help as they bought a bunch of data only a month or two ago

 

[BCR]

Well I'm hoping @Cell_C can help as they bought a bunch of data only a month or two ago

I hope so for their sake, but for the medium to longer term it's prudent (in my view) to start testing other networks in their area (for 4G / LTE).

It's unfortunate, because I've used Cell C in the past for data, and prefer supporting "the underdog" whenever feasible.