iPhone 5 on Cell C

[SkyNet505]

How many of you guys have received an iPhone 5 after 14 Dec? Cell C told me they don't know when I will get my phone. They did tell me that I am getting preference over people that are upgrading because I am a newcomer to Cell C (I wouldn't be too happy to hear that if I was an existing customer). I need to know if I should be bugging my cell c branch to wake up if you guys are receiving your phones.

 

[sSslik]

I received mine on the 14th but I would suggest you phone a few branches every day and just check of they have stock.

 

[SkyNet505]

Ok, is it possible to get the phone from any branch even if I have signed the contract at a specific branch?

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

Most shocking experience with CellC. Neither pre-reg nor filling out the contract form has resulted in any contact from CelLC. One would expect a company run by AKC to be more agile and hungry for business, but despite all the hot air CellC and AKC is blowing, it's no different or better than a MTN or Vodacom. Just lot's of hot air and marketing gimmicks and complete lack in the sales and customer care department.

I had the intention of porting to CellC but their customer service is crappier than MTN (and it takes quite a lot of incompetence to beat this). Tomorrow will be day 5 where a contract signup remains unanswered - why on earth does CellC then bother having web-site signups?

 

[nadeem_k]

Anyone know which cellc stores have stock of the iphone 5 16gb?

 

[Johnny Law]

New subscriber preferential treament is nothing new in the telco industry. I was was vodacom for 10 years and when I wanted to upgrade to the iPhone 4 they told me only new subscribers can get the phone.....so much for customer retention then. I went to another provider the same day.

As for your iPhone 5 dilemma, I've been in and out of CellC stores (and phoning them) since their advertised "launch date" of 14 Dec....I'm yet to come across a CellC store that actually has (or ever had) stock. Yesterday I was told I can sign up for the StraightUp 200 contract now but will then only receive the phone next month sometime. Huh? It's ridiculous. Every store has a different answer and none of the sales people seem to know anything regarding the iPhone 5. CellC is not alone in this regard but they were probably the least prepared out of all the providers.

 

[jiteshraj]

Got mine on 14th on straight up 200. Couldn't be happier. Brilliant deal. Call around to the different stores. Also call cell c direct. They should have stock as they called me yesterday offering me the phone.

 

[Maverick Jester]

You guys know that there are other service providers out there? On top of that, you do also realise that ALL of them have the same issues of no stock, INCLUDING Apple's own iStore?

Can't believe that you people can't wait a few days for this rather overhyped phone. iSheep indeed. Joining myBB just to winge over having to wait for an iPhone. Honestly...

 

[Joker]

You know what's even more boring than Apple fanboys? People complaining about them.. :erm:

I used the cellc contract builder last week - and also not a single word from them.

Filled out an application with FNB instead, and will just stick with Vodacom. FNB have updated me saying they're low on stock, and I'm on a waiting list, and that's fine at least it's some form of correspondence.

 

[SkyNet505]

The idea of a forum is to get ideas/info from others that are interested in a similar thing. Seeing that there is a lack of information from the service providers this is a good way of learning from others experiences. Being told by the service provider that they have no idea when I will receive the phone is worrying since I need a phone. If you believe the phone to be "overhyped" why are you following threads labelled "iPhone 5 on cell c"?
Secondly did you join "myBB" to follow threads you are not interested in and give pointless/useless comments?

 

[Maverick Jester]

The idea of a forum is to get ideas/info from others that are interested in a similar thing. Seeing that there is a lack of information from the service providers this is a good way of learning from others experiences. Being told by the service provider that they have no idea when I will receive the phone is worrying since I need a phone. If you believe the phone to be "overhyped" why are you following threads labelled "iPhone 5 on cell c"?
Secondly did you join "myBB" to follow threads you are not interested in and give pointless/useless comments?

I think my comments have given more information than yours, seeing as you seem to ignore the fact that Apple stock is not controlled by service providers. So there goes your attempted point about "learning from other experiences".

The point is- have patience. You are being melodramatic over a product that does not have sufficient stock globally, and you act as if it is the end of the world. The phone has been available here for less than a week now, even Apple's distributors do not have stock.

Oh and FYI- the point of a forum is to discuss topics. Regardless of whether I have any inclination towards the iPhone or not, I am free to express my opinion here amongst other things. I don't have all of my posts complaining about the lack of the iPhone 5, unlike you.

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

I think most customers issue (regardless if it is about the iPhone 5 now or any other device) is that companies like CellC/MTN/Vodacom aggressively advertise (knowing very well that they are unable to meet demand). So an expectation is set which can not be met and leads to disappointment.

Companies should really step up here and provide some clarity and the great confusion/lack of knowledge across the various customer engagement channels is just not helping. How difficult can it be to post on the website/social media or in-store a message about the current status - i.e. "We are out of iPhone 5 stock and expect delivery by XX January" or "Our store does not have iPhone 5 stock - we will get 100 items by XX January". This will take the load off retail-staff being answered the same question and gives customer a reasonable expectation.

SkyNet505's and other people's complaints/posts are there because of lack of communication from the companies. Some people prefer an iPhone over a Samsung (just like people prefer a Beemer over an Audi) - nothing wrong with that.

 

[Maverick Jester]

I think most customers issue (regardless if it is about the iPhone 5 now or any other device) is that companies like CellC/MTN/Vodacom aggressively advertise (knowing very well that they are unable to meet demand). So an expectation is set which can not be met and leads to disappointment.

Companies should really step up here and provide some clarity and the great confusion/lack of knowledge across the various customer engagement channels is just not helping. How difficult can it be to post on the website/social media or in-store a message about the current status - i.e. "We are out of iPhone 5 stock and expect delivery by XX January" or "Our store does not have iPhone 5 stock - we will get 100 items by XX January". This will take the load off retail-staff being answered the same question and gives customer a reasonable expectation.

SkyNet505's and other people's complaints/posts are there because of lack of communication from the companies. Some people prefer an iPhone over a Samsung (just like people prefer a Beemer over an Audi) - nothing wrong with that.

I do understand you guys frustrations... But given that you are going for a product that has had stock availability issues since its inception, perhaps a little bit of patience was going to be needed for this?

In any event- I think that Apple should be the ones bearing the brunt of the criticism here. They control who distributes their products. I think that the SP's have precious little to go on seeing as they rely on Apple to tell them when stock will arrive. They are the middle man in all of this.

I just hope that for your guys sakes, that the SP's are not charging you for a service and product they have not provided you with as yet?

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

I disagree with your comments on shifting blame to Apple. It's a simple task of supply chain management and ensuring that your customer channels are well informed. If you can only provide 3-10 phones per outlet and your pre-registration shows demand for several thousand phones action should have been taken and marketing should have turned this down.

Back in 2008 Vodacom sent 15,000 iPhones (8GB / 16GB) to their stores. The 15K phones was as much as Apple provided back then and all stores knew very well how to deal with the high-demand (bearing in mind, that it was the first official iPhone launched in SA). Vodacom managed this very well. Also note (at least back then) Apple received daily ERP feeds (I assume this would still apply to any service-provider) with stock- and sales-levels.

It's just a phone, but important enough for many people as xmas gifts or spoiling themselves. I guess many vocal customers tried to get their hands on a device for just that purpose (i.e. gifting). I think CellC is perhaps more disadvantaged as Apple's ERP process and provisioning requirements are rigid and MTN/Vodacom had enough time over the last few years to get this process done properly and therefor have no excuse of mismanaging customer expectation.

 

[SkyNet505]

The issue is exactly as MagicDude4Eva has put it. It is the lack of communication. I think if the service providers themselves knew what was going on they would inform everyone - i.e. as Maverick Jester said that Apple is at cause here. The issue is that different and incorrect information is given from different branches of the same company. For example I got a call today from Cell C direct offering me a contract for the iPhone 5. They said I will recievve the phone in 7 working days. When I told the caller that I already took the same contract he is offering 6 days ago he then said he does not know when the phone will arrive.

The phone can arrive whenever - I just don't appreciate being conned into taking a contract and then being made to wait. If they do bill me for the contract even though I have not received anything then it will be a serious issue.