Data Bundle ripped off, or what?

[PJGP]

Hello

On completion of a download on the 24th my MTN F@stlink "dashboard" claimed that I had used around 1,6 GB of my 2 GB pay-as-you-go bundle since re-setting on the 2nd. The Huawei Mobile Connect software (which seems to keep up to date even when not being used) said I had used around 1,7 GB since being re-set on 29th April.

When I tried to start another download "the website is unavailable". After going to the schlep of transfering the SIM card from the E220 modem to my cell phone to check my date balence, I found that I had zero airtime and zero data! The bundle was valid until the 2nd of June.

Has MTN ripped me off, or what is going on?

 

[moklet]

In general the databundles are a rip off. It should at leats carry over for a few months

 

[Road runner]

I am soooo upset! Stuck away from home for a week, just to discover MTN data bundles cannot be renewed if you used the bundle up before the actual month that the data was valid for is finished! So not only can you not carry over the data you get punished if the data is used up before the time. Aghrh! I cannot think of words that wont involve swearing so my rant will end. Now my data costs R2 a meg! Robbery.

 

[Syndyre]

I am soooo upset! Stuck away from home for a week, just to discover MTN data bundles cannot be renewed if you used the bundle up before the actual month that the data was valid for is finished! So not only can you not carry over the data you get punished if the data is used up before the time. Aghrh! I cannot think of words that wont involve swearing so my rant will end. Now my data costs R2 a meg! Robbery.

Buy another sim and load a bundle on there.

 

[Dr_Data]

Hi
An out bundle rate applies to the remainder of the 30days if all of the bundle is utilised before that.
Regards
DD

 

[Dr_Data]

Hello

On completion of a download on the 24th my MTN F@stlink "dashboard" claimed that I had used around 1,6 GB of my 2 GB pay-as-you-go bundle since re-setting on the 2nd. The Huawei Mobile Connect software (which seems to keep up to date even when not being used) said I had used around 1,7 GB since being re-set on 29th April.

When I tried to start another download "the website is unavailable". After going to the schlep of transfering the SIM card from the E220 modem to my cell phone to check my date balence, I found that I had zero airtime and zero data! The bundle was valid until the 2nd of June.

Has MTN ripped me off, or what is going on?

PM me your number, I will have a look to see what occurred.

Regards
DD

 

[Dr_Data]

Hi
According to the records you used up all the data by the 24th. So the bundle didnt expire, it was used up before the 30Day period.
Regards
DD

 

[Road runner]

What sickens me is the way us users have to accept the "specials" handed out by Vodacom / mtn / Iburst etc, we are supposed to be grateful to be allowed to have 500MB of data for x Rand and if you use it up too quickly you must wait and then pay R2 / Meg for MTN or of you dont use it you LOSE it! Thats just nasty. It shows how companies can abuse the public make a lot of money and get away with it. What we need in SA is real competition, And proper price wars.

 

[PJGP]

So wse is the MTN F@stlink "Dashboard"?

Hi
According to the records you used up all the data by the 24th. So the bundle didnt expire, it was used up before the 30Day period.
Regards
DD

The title says it all Dr Data. Both pieces of monitoring software say that I had not used 2GB, but MTN say that I had.

If I cannot believe what the manufacturer's or MTN's own usage monitor software says then I must regularly move the SIM into a cell phone so that I can check on the remaining balence; remember that the E220 does not have a keyboard or display so you cannot check from the modem.

Of course even if I check the balence from time to time it won't help because I cannot trust the monitoring software to accurately tell me how much data I use after determining how much of the bundle is left.

However, there is something fishy going on here because last month the Huawei Mobile Connect monitor was correct. I found that I had left exactly what I calculated from the monitor's figures. I do not expect that MTN will be prepared to admit that there is something wrong; the appalling brush off that you get from the "help desk" (and appalling speech quality and "music") shows that they don't give a stuff about individual customers.

To put it bluntly, this whole "product/service" offering is a shambles.

 

[Road runner]

LOL PJGP. I dont think the MTN execs use the help desk, otherwise that horrible distorted loop would be removed. I cannot face that song for the 15 min it takes to get a equally distorted and noisy help line. Have you tried Netmeter to measure speeds and data usage? Its freeware and ver 0.9.9.9 beta is easy to use and uses very little pc power.
Can your modem work with Vodacom?

 

[Dr_Data]

Hi
Is there any chance that you may have accidently reset the counters somewhere during the month? A query like this is hard to investigate as we can see the records created for each session and the depleted amounts. And when I checked all did deplete on that date. If there were billing isssues on the network, we would have had thousands of people calling in to query and we didnt. So maybe what you can do is monitor for the next month daily. The moment the two amounts differ (Counters and the balance check via IVR) let me know. So we can look upto that point. Its extremely difficult to look once its all depleted. Hope you understand.
Regards
DD

 

[PJGP]

No, as I said in my first post, the Huawei counter was reset on 29th April, and the F@stlink on 2nd May. Come and see for yourself - I am in Centurion.

What is IVR?

Regards

 

[PJGP]

Hi Roadrunner

Good question about Vodacom. I bought my E220 modem from an MTN outlet, but I will get a Vodacom SIM and find out. Here we only get EDGE with MTN, but I understand that Vodacom provide 3G so perhaps they would be a better bet?

 

[SecretCode]

Bought my E220 from Autopage, used it with MTN initially. Worked fine with a Vodacom SIM ... after about 36 hours to activate.

 

[Road runner]

What is the cash price of a E220? Where can I get a 2nd hand one?

 

[CellBel]

What is the cash price of a E220? Where can I get a 2nd hand one?

Cash price for a new E220 at Vodashop = R2300.00

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[psynapt1k]

I would suggest cancelling any MTN bundles and rather look at the Vodacom Prepaid at about R189 for 1Gig MTN's modems are not networked locked.....check it first with a R5.00 Vodacom sim card....and they are cheaper per meg....
I have had TOO MUCH trouble with getting my money back from MTN - been trying for two months now.......

 

[SecretCode]

What is the cash price of a E220? Where can I get a 2nd hand one?

I paid R1500.00 at Autopage in February

 

[Road runner]

Thanks guys

 

[PJGP]

HELP!! I have installed a Vodacom SIM and loaded some airtime. The modem recognises the Vodacom base station and I received a couple of SMSs from the network. However, it will not connect. Do I have to change some of the settings (from the MTN ones) in the Huawei Mobile Connect "Network Connection Settings", and if so what?

Vodacom is going to be better (once it works) because MTN only provide EDGE, whereas Vodacom displays UMTS on the Mobile Connect panel!

Thanks