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Is MTN over-billing?
- Thread starter rpm
- Start date
mancombseepgood
Executive Member
Well, I cancelled my MTN account and my last payment was much higher than usual... A month after cancelling, I received an 'invoice' for -R140 ish... hmmm
cookiemonster
Well-Known Member
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On the other side with Vodacom, I used 300 something MB out of bundle that I wasn't charged for 
Not that I'm complaining as their billing is usually accurate, but how do you explain that?
Not that I'm complaining as their billing is usually accurate, but how do you explain that?This has happened to me on two occasions as well. The first time it cost me R300 and the second time R200. This is very upsetting.
MTN Data Dude, can you maybe comment on MTN's awareness of this issue and also any plans on addressing it?
MTN Data Dude, can you maybe comment on MTN's awareness of this issue and also any plans on addressing it?
My uncle had the 100meg (or so) bundle, which was supposed to be around R140 (I am not sure about the correct details) but at the end of the month he got a bill for about R4,000. Someone was downloading on his account. MTN said they could see this on their records but they cant give him the information with out a court order(privacy laws). So he had to pay for it.. how crap is that. Now he sit with a 24 month contract which he does not want to use, in fear of getting another bill like this. For this reason I'll never touch anything to do with MTN.
vodacom3g
Vodacom Representative
On the other side with Vodacom, I used 300 something MB out of bundle that I wasn't charged for
PM me your contact details and I'll have it fixed.
Abe
Expert Member
Was the overcharged amount your last transaction for the month? I have an idea that it's a specific set of circumstance, otherwise it would be more widespread (It may be happening to everyone and that people just haven't noticed).
For example (Assuming that people have 1000 byte limit):
Transaction 25 - 100 bytes - no charge
Transaction 26 - 100 bytes - no charge
Transaction 27 - 1000 bytes - charge for 1000 bytes because of bug
but maybe something like this wouldn't be overcharged:
Transaction 25 - 100 bytes - no charge
Transaction 26 - 1000 bytes - charge for 100 bytes
Transaction 27 - 100 bytes - charge for 100 bytes
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Abe
Expert Member
This happens for most cancelled contracts because you typically pay in advance for your contract minutes and then only get charged at the end of the month for your over minutes. In almost all cases where I have cancelled a contract, the cell phone provider charges something and then gives a credit back the following month when they reconcile the systems.
No, the first time it happened I had about 300MB left. I specifically checked how much I had left to not exceed it by too much. I did however go over a little (all in the same session). I was then charged out-of-bundle for that entire session.
Using the next day (100MB for example) would then use my bundle again. I didn't realise then what was going on (thought they / or me was just counting wrong). The second time, last month this happened again and it became clear that it is not a good idea to use more than your available data in one session
Im not MTNDD, but i can tell you that MTN is working on a new billing system called "PowerBill" that will be implemented soon . . .
vodacom3g
Vodacom Representative
The Vodacom December problem was that you were not billed for data used in December and this was added in your Jan or Feb bills, creating the impression of overbill.
DavidJ
Well-Known Member
Funny how "mistakes" *cough* virtually always seem to be on the side of over- and not underbilling.
I know Vodacom also 'overcharges' elsewhere, e.g. I'm still struggling to get a refund after being signed up for look4me and look4help without my consent or knowledge. It's also clear from other threads on MyBroadband that there are serious billing "problems" at iBurst too.
Everybody is out to steal from you in South Africa. The other day I had incidents at both Pick 'n Pay and Clicks where goods rang up at a notably higher price than indicated on the shelf. Actually, whenever I do bother to watch carefully, I've noticed this practice is frequent. The Pretoria municipality has twice sent me outrageous electricity bills and insisted I pay. Discovery is currently in a lawsuit for overcharging too. Just yesterday on this forum I had somebody seemingly try to pull deposit fraud on me for one of my classified ads. It's everywhere.
You have to watch everything, check every last detail, be continually alert - if you drop your guard for a moment, you've been robbed.
I know Vodacom also 'overcharges' elsewhere, e.g. I'm still struggling to get a refund after being signed up for look4me and look4help without my consent or knowledge. It's also clear from other threads on MyBroadband that there are serious billing "problems" at iBurst too.
Everybody is out to steal from you in South Africa. The other day I had incidents at both Pick 'n Pay and Clicks where goods rang up at a notably higher price than indicated on the shelf. Actually, whenever I do bother to watch carefully, I've noticed this practice is frequent. The Pretoria municipality has twice sent me outrageous electricity bills and insisted I pay. Discovery is currently in a lawsuit for overcharging too. Just yesterday on this forum I had somebody seemingly try to pull deposit fraud on me for one of my classified ads. It's everywhere.
You have to watch everything, check every last detail, be continually alert - if you drop your guard for a moment, you've been robbed.
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Abe
Expert Member
Agree 100%. The worst part is that even when they give you a credit, you only get the money back the next month. I even said to the MTN call centre the one time. "What if you overcharged me by R100000, would I still have to pay it this month and then get the credit back next month" and the answer was "yes".
I have actually started complaining at places now when the pricing on the shelf is lower then the price charged. Builders Warehouse have charged me R10 more for a R80 item then the price on the shelf. It's gotten out of hand.
On the other side with Vodacom, I used 300 something MB out of bundle that I wasn't charged for
Back to MTN, know 4 people who have been able to use 30GB/day of data with only R15 airtime loaded.
One thing though, never disconnect.
Pitbull
Verboten
vodacom3g
Vodacom Representative
More than 1GB an Hour ?
No way mate, not even I can do that
Time to get a Vodacom SIM then.
Or get your MTN SIM upgraded to 3.6!
I can klap more than a Gig per hour easily on my 272. (or 220, for that matter). Best I've done is just over 2GB in one hour. Download obviously. 1GB upload takes about 2 hours (272 only, though).