How can MTN improve?

[Mr.CookieMonster]

MTN can improve its services by increasing the throttled speeds of their uncapped 3G accounts to at least 512kbps. MTN's network is great, I have not had problems with it. They must work on bringing 3G to rural area's too.

Since MTN will launch LTE sooner or later, they should launch bigger capped products, 50GB for about R499, 100GB for about R899 and 150GB for R1299 .Pricing must be affordable.

 

[Deezil]

After 12 years with MTN I'm leaving in December ...

1. Your add-on data bundles is ridicolous ... how can a 500mb data "bundle" cost the same as a 2Gb data "deal"
2. Your data network has lost a significant portion of it's ayoba-ness since 2010 ... Annlin / Bon Accord (Nortern Pretoria) has abysmal signal strength and I consider myself lucky whenever I actually get a 2G connection.

 

[siyya]

i chose to leave mtn becoz of network coverage. first thing to do fix network. make R10 free airtime to expire after 7 days.have tariff options with different prices, it is fustrating to call a call centre for such a simple thing. loosing on network & prepaid packages.

 

[Crowley]

My 3G reception is pretty good where I am so no complaints about that and I haven't used their tech support in a long time so no comment.

I use MTN on my mobile, mainly for data but I will be moving to Cell C or 8ta this week and the main reason is their ridiculously priced data bundles. 2Gb data at R389 can get me 6Gb+ data from 8ta.

 

[Ecco]

My feedback for MTN and Vodacom are similar:

1) The option to purchase data without a 24 month contract
2) The option to buy data bundles at data only contract rates which you can bolt onto your normal voice contract - be it for a month of for a year
3) Offer free itemised billing (especially if you receive your bill electronically) and free clip. I still don't see how in this day and age you have to pay to receive you bill. And clip shouldn't even be something that people should ask for let alone be charged for.
4) Completely free on network calls off peak - without having to subscribe for this - should be standard on the contract - if this is too much, a friends and family type setup will still do
5) Equal to prepaid, if not better deals/rates (sms, data, voice) for customers on contracts
6) An app for smartphones - something that you can use to check your balance, free minutes etc. Via the same app you are able to do airtime or bundle purchases (via credit card - or directly to you monthly bill), transfer airtime, update your personal details etc.
7)They should better handle situations if a customer wants to speak to a supervisor or manager - especially if they have the reference numbers to show their query has not been resolved after a standard SLA for resolution expires.
8) MTN need to really get better with the data billing and adding of data bundles. I struggled with this for a long time and have the posts on this forum to back me up. You should easily be able to check your available balance at anytime.

 

[Raphael123]

More value on data packages. Introduce something similar to BIS for Android & SymbianS40. The masses use these entry level handsets and some only experience the internet via a cellphone. Offer free unlimited email through your mtnloaded email and offer reasonable browsing on social networks and introduce a WhatsApp roaming data plan. Your Opera Mobile plan does not work. Seize the initiative and you will get the market share.

 

[phoneJunky]

Which new products would you like to see?

I would like to see smartphone packages that is really smart. The smart plans just don't cut it in my opinion and it is just the same thing presented a different way.

I would also like to see the pricing of the ad-hoc data bundles to be in-line with the promotions that they are running.

One other thing that I would like to see is better variety in choice when purchasing bundles. For smartphones users would typically want to make 50MB jumps in choice from 50MB to 250MB typically.

I would also like to see a product that is as easy to understand as Cell C's packages.

Are there areas where MTN can improve its support?

Yes definitely - last time I bought a data bundle I had to phone the call centre to get an accurate usage report. The data counter on the my anytime contract hasn't been functioning for almost 4 years when using the USSD code.

Can they make it easier for you to buy their products?

Also, most people dislike phoning a call center and doing this to add a once off bundle really grates me. I would much rather do it through the USSD portal and verify my contract pin. I know this is in place for pre-paid people, but us contract holders are feeling a bit left out when everything new and good is for pre-paid people.

Where do you think the company is losing ground against its competitors?

Firstly cost - the one that no-one wants mentioned, but also the most important one. An anytime 350 gets about 140 minutes and that doesn't compare favourably to the competitors. For almost half the price you get more minutes, more sms's and data from competitors. Doesn't bode to well.

Secondly - Simplicity. MTN Zone is complicated and not everyone has access to it. And basically it is stupid. No-one cares that there is a 1% chance that MTN may be cheaper than the competitor when MTN chooses it to be. I want to be able to call any time and I want to know my rates are competitive.

Thirdly - Customer Care. Not being able to give your data bundle etc is really not that good, and while I have overlooked it for my previous upgrade, all these factor might push me into the direction of another SP. Also, getting sms when you are close to the limit of your data bundle goes a long way, but I assume if you can't even show your clients their data balance, then the sms is a step to far.

Edit: Also stock the Nexus range. Failing to do so, is in my opinion really, really bad.

 

[Lazy.Me]

The things I would love MTN to do:
1. The pricing structure on MTN is disgusting, what would cost R200 on cell c, costs an astonishing R690 on MTN
2. The cost per minute and per sms and per meg is way to high
3. Your coverage needs to get better, i have called your courage line 3 times, firstly no one seems to care, secondly i have been having issues (especially with data) in the Bramfontein, Milpark, Aucklandpark area for the past three and a half years, i find this disgusting
4. In the past MTN use to have a good network, now i have up to 7 failed calls in a row, your twitter "support" team doesn't seem care
5. Further more, your social media support team, and actually your social media in general needs a reality check, following both MTN and Vodacom support on twitter, Vodacom outshines MTN on a daily basis, they are more active, help more people, are available for longer, friendlier, the great thing about twitter is that you can easily compare them and get a feel for who is providing better support
6. The attitude at MTN is scary, the customer does not seem to matter, you dictate how it shall be, you are not interested in actual customer satisfaction
7. Your staff are NOT trained, they are not qualified to assist in almost anything. They do not know phones, they are not aware of packages, hell they don't even know how to operate the MTN system, and provide incorrect information

Its sad that this is what MTN has come to, i use to be happy, now its a daily fight with the network and my phone, will i get my emails and messages, will i be able to make and receive calls, and all this from the most expensive provider in South Africa. If you are going to differentiate yourself in the market, then you must be able to provide a COMPETING product, not a product that lags behind the cheaper alternatives. At the moment i am seriously considering buying myself out of my MTN contract and moving to a provider that is willing to offer a working servie.

I hope the courage team will actually respond to the information that is given to them, I hope they messages posted in this thread are taken seriously and acted upon, if not its obvious to see more corporate and private customers moving away from MTN. I hear how people and companies are moving on a near daily basis, since MTN cannot ofter what other networks can, and the cost is now unrealistic and sadly every day moving makes more sense. Its just a shame that MTN has ignored all the warning signs and allowed this to happen.

 

[thijei]

I want to be able to use my contract airtime I as please - do away with any restrictions
When advertising a product, all costs should be included (even CLI)
Do away with this ridiculous contracts where you don't get data for the duration of the contract

 

[Shaun_SA]

Definitely cheaper Data bundles compared to the competition MTN's data is way over priced.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9790 using my fingers

 

[Sapphiron]

Same advice as for Vodacom:

1. Dramatically simplified product range, each component priced separately.
- flat rate for voice (always per second)
- flat rate for data (same in and out of bundle pricing)
- flat rate for sms
- same price for contract. prepaid or top-up
- pricing drops the more you buy
--over R250 total, price drops 10%
--over R500 total, price drops 20%
--over R1000 total, price drops 30%

2. smartphone data bundles at same price as data card bundles

3. data pricing in line with CellC and 8ta offers (5c per mb)

4. don't hold up software updates for so long. Better yet, get out of the way of them.

5. do something about the terrible call drop rate and the failed to connect call rates.

 

[Michael_M]

I've had ongoing problems with poor speeds (30kbps) in an urban area, and despite repeated requests for help, the MTN people were useless. Kept passing the buck, telling me to email this person, phone that, all coming back to the one person. They wouldn't give me the name of the supervisor who was apparently looking into my case, nor did he phone me back as promised numerous times. I was also given different answers (cap finished / I've been throttled / there is a problem with billing / a problem with the tower).
So number 1, jack up support staff and tell them to follow up and don't lie to customers.

Secondly, I received a bill of almost R4000 after an average monthly bill of R1200 for 4 contracts (2 phones, 2 data). My 2Gig package has not cut-off when reaching the 2 Gig allocation, so for the first time in 14 months, suddenly that modem used an additional 8 Gigs of data for the month when I had NEVER gone over. (I dispute this overusage).

So in this case, a warning to the customer, or better still, cut off before additional rip-off charges accrue.

I have not had any feedback on my report on this issue.

I am severely disappointed in MTN and strongly considering changing service providers as I do not feel that MTN has its customers at heart. The fact that the CEO earned R22 million reflects that the company is about profiteering ahead of service delivery.

 

[ianvt]

Better coverage! At work I only get GPRS!!! That is no good!!!!!

 

[rob_dlr]

1. Complete website overhaul - it needs to be simpler, more stable and more modern. A proper account holder / user section with all your personal info and preferences in one place.

2. More stable 3G - less disconnects, more consistent speeds. My internet has a serious case of "if you don't use it, you lose it" - after a while of inactivity I have to reconnect to get a usable internet link (multiple modems tried).

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

As a start they should really fix their web-sites and online self-service functions - never come across something as horrible as this. Contract data-bundles are completely unrealistic (too low).

And for heaven's sake why is it not possible to provide proper 3G connectivity in the Bryanston/Fourways/Broadacres area? Call quality is generally poor too.

 

[deonb]

Deon

My friends in Britain and the USA pay $30 (R210) for a cellphone deal per month. Unlike here, this contract includes FREE unlimited national calls, free high speed internet (much faster than in SA) with a fair use policy of 1gig data usage per DAY, with a free decent smartphone!! Only in SA we pay and pay like idiots. This is also true for landlines. They were SHOCKED to hear, we pay about 40US cents per minute for local calls, and about 40US dollars for ONE gig of data. Like always the cellphone companies will have a "clever" excuse why we pay so much.

 

[OfentseIOP]

Same Signal for All...

MTN needs to upgrade its towers all over, their 3G is always weak even if it's on full bars. But they need to take townships as serious as cities because we all make them, without us they are nothing.

We all deserve 42MBps signal and not 7.2Mbps or 14MBps signal, if this is taken into consideration it will better for every place in SA. It's unfortunate they ALWAYS separate cities and townships and that's what makes them a bad Telco Company. If we all get same antennas on all towers regardless of where you leave we can all enjoy our devices without any complaints.

Coverage Services...

Another thing is their technicians, whenever I call to report a bad network I'm told "on our system everything seems to be ok so it must be your device"...now that's bad for them especially when I've reported multiple times and people in my neighbourhood have also been complaining. The thing to do is to send Network Technicians at my home like 8ta and Cell C have done in my situation regarding their signals to come and check whether the traffic is heavy or not. By always referring to their system never helps solves anything if people still complain...it shows something is really wrong.

I still cry that all Towers get the same antennas in order for all of us to get the same signal speeds and not prioritizing others and "lowering others".

Phones In Stores...

And another thing is the MTN's fake phones in their stores are a turn off... When I go to a Cell C store I play and enjoy what I am going to buy but MTN u always get fake phones all the time and that's a serious turn off because I would like to feel and play with that Lumia or iPhone and see what it actually does without having to buy it first.

Promos...

MTN's 100% Mahala is a joke because the last time i had it was in late 2010 or early last year and I am always referred to the "Ts and Cs" when i voice my opinion about it, and Mahala Thursday is not enough. My dream Promo would be like this, buy R30 airtime get free 2hours to call MTN to MTN for 7 days( Not Monday to Sunday), R15 get 1hour, R60 you get 4 hours. And this should be made available during daylight than night. With this MTN benefits from our usage of the promo and the airtime we buy to get the promo and we smile as we talk free with MTN not losing a thing to other Networks but just giving us constant smiles every time we buy airtime.

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

... And another thing is the MTN's fake phones in their stores are a turn off...

The most bizarre thing about the plastic phones is that the staff in stores guard them like it is the real thing. As of late they also want to rip open the box to power on the phone - what's up with that? I always refuse (it takes away that whole unpacking event)

 

[adam88]

Let me buy a darn bundle with my top up airtime!

 

[bjoselyn]

This is what I think needs improvement:

1. 3G Coverage must be looked into where there are dead spots, especailly in the Gallo Manor and Gresswold areas in Johannesburg.
2. The lines on 1555 and 808 are of a very porr quality. Improvements are needed there.
3. Add-on bundles for contract and pre-paid users should not expire and carry-over airtime should also not expire.
4. The call charge on the anytime packages, especially on the 100 and 200 ones needs to be lowered in line with the reduction in inter-connect charges.
5. The cost of the add-on data packages on 1GB and up need to be looked at.