Cellular operators give away millions

Dont know if it's related but my son got a Voda SMS to say he won R100.00 airtime and would receive it within the day. So far nothing arrived!
 
I think that most "competitions" nowadays are there to get contact details for some database.... and people still wonder where the tele-sales companies got their number.
 
I have been a customer of MTN with several accounts since just about the very beginning. My first 2 phones were a huge Motorolla with a flap that opened and closed over the keypad and a Nokia (I think 1610, could be wrong.)
The fact is that I have never won anything from MTN in all these years.
I also like the fact that you are automatically entered in the Vodacom competition because you are using their products. On the other hand, you need to enter via sms for the MTN competition resulting in sms expenses.
 
Got the VC message last night. There is an "out" option - free sms to opt out.

Why not cut back on the marketing budget and lower call costs? Notice the teams playing in today's Currie Cup semis?

Vodacom Cheetahs
Vodacom Blue Bulls
Vodacom Stormers
Mr Price Sharks (the odd one out???)

Link - click all over the sponsorship tab for the full list!
http://www.vodacom.co.za/sponsorships/rugby/stormers.jsp
 
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The Voda one sounds really cool hey. As for MTN, whats the "Standard Rates" thing, as in, how much, R1, R2, R5? I just dont like the sms competition cause as we all know it, people end up maxing up their cellphone bills, no matter whats the cost of the sms. Bad idea MTN.

Kudos for Voda, unfortunately I'm not a Voda subscriber.
 
I agree with some of the people above. These competitions do sound great however you have to wonder how much money these companies would contribute towards them if they could not write the amount off against tax. Perhaps then we would have cheaper rates, better service and technicians who know how to fix cellphones.
 
Interestingly enough this comes a week after this:
http://mybroadband.co.za/news/Business/9899.html
MTN CEO Phuthuma Nhleko is also not doing badly with a total salary package of R19.958-million...
Vodacom CEO Pieter Uys received a total pay package of R 10 468 444.
Click to expand...

I guess Phuthuma must earn more than Pieter because he has to pay for his entries to "win", whereas Pieter's entries are free...

Times are really tough - the two companies can only afford to "give away" double their CEOs' salaries. No wonder they are bleating about the interconnect rate being cut!
 
rpm said:
Cellular providers give away millions

MTN and Vodacom have launched their summer marketing campaigns, totalling R55-million in prizes
Click to expand...

MTN you suck. You should be banned from running any competitions. I bought my first and only contract with you 15 years ago. My latest 3 bills have "promotion fee" slapped onto it. WTF? Is this so you run your stupid competition?

Cannot wait for my contract to end so I can move over to another provider.
 
rogerwe said:
MTN you suck. You should be banned from running any competitions. I bought my first and only contract with you 15 years ago. My latest 3 bills have "promotion fee" slapped onto it. WTF? Is this so you run your stupid competition?

Cannot wait for my contract to end so I can move over to another provider.
Click to expand...

That can't be right surely, it must be for something else? I can't believe they'd be dumb enough to levy an explicit charge on their customers to fund their competitions.
 
Screw you MTN. You are a disgrace to the South African public.

Your service is pathetic. You celebrate your 15th birthday by ripping off the SA consumer in a "so-called" competetion. You run a new competition and still insist on charging the SA consumer to enter (standard SMS rates), while the competition provide FREE ENTRY.

Your internal systems are a mess. Your call center sounds like a fish market, and your call center staff are uneducated, unhelpful, rude, and continuously give the consumer the run around, while shifting the blame, instead of truly helping YOUR CUSTOMERS.

It is a disgrace to South Africa that MTN is an anchor sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
 
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I am Penguin said:
Dont know if it's related but my son got a Voda SMS to say he won R100.00 airtime and would receive it within the day. So far nothing arrived!
Click to expand...

I received a similar SMS from Vodacom, however, it said I didn't have to do anything, it would automagically be added to my account/removed from my bill.
I can't/won't see this as it's a corporate contract and I don't receive the bill, but it's most likely the same in your case.

Props to VC for this, once again, another MTN competition fail.
 
I wonder just how long these competitions will last before some "irregularities" rear their heads again?

What a waste of time......:rolleyes:
 
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