MTN Can I buy data bundle with top-up airtime? [answer: no]

[johandutoit2000]

If I am on a Anytime Topup package, is it possible to purchase a data bundle and then it just subtracts from the total value? You can do this with Vodacom Topup, so I am wondering.

...and I quote from the Vodacom section:

"
FAQ FOR PREPAID DATA BUNDLES:

 Available to both Prepaid and Top Up customers.
 Only (MyMeg 500, MyGig 1, MyGig 2) options will be available at launch – 01 April 2007
 Customers purchase a data bundle by allocating available funds in their prepaid account for the purchase of the data bundle of their choice. It is the customer's responsibility to ensure that they have adequate funds in their prepaid airtime account to purchase the data bundle of choice.
 When a customer purchase a data bundle, the funds used to purchase this data bundle is converted into the appropriate MB of data usage that has been bought. Balance enquiries will then display the appropriate amount of MB still available for usage in the data bundle.
"

 

[ginggs]

If I am on a Anytime Topup package, is it possible to purchase a data bundle and then it just subtracts from the total value?

Apparently not, from the fine print:

4. Any services that incur a separate charge such as Itemised Billing, Calling Line Identity, SMS Bundles, Data Bundles, BlackBerry, migration charges, Me2U transfer charges etc. will not deplete the inclusive Airtime Value.

 

[johandutoit2000]

Vodacom +1
MTN -1

 

[psc]

Strange, in there blurb they say the following

Enjoy flexibility with the inclusive Airtime Value : use your inclusive Airtime Value on a variety of MTN products and services such as voice calls, SMS and MMS messaging, email, Internet browsing or MTN Loaded content.

3rd Paragraph

Unless of course they are referring to browsing as been out of bundle

 

[KrazyKid]

Services

Strange, in there blurb they say the following

Enjoy flexibility with the inclusive Airtime Value : use your inclusive Airtime Value on a variety of MTN products and services such as voice calls, SMS and MMS messaging, email, Internet browsing or MTN Loaded content.

3rd Paragraph

Unless of course they are referring to browsing as been out of bundle

In the standard sense of the package ALL services will be deducted from your airtime value; voice calls, SMS (Inc Premium Rate) and MMS messaging, email, Internet browsing (Data) or MTN Loaded content.

When talking about SMS & Data bundles and services like Blackberry, these are Value Added Services (Bolt-on's) to the standard package and the cost is in addition to the standard or reduced subscription.

For example; if you had a AnyTime200 and 100 SMS bundle,they would deplete in the following manner; FREE SMS 1st, then form SMS bundle, then from airtime value. Therefore after 125 SMS you would pay for SMS at the 100 SMS out of bundle rate (R0.44 /SMS).

Regards

 

[KrazyKid]

What the score!

Vodacom +1
MTN -1

Be careful, MTN might score on the rebound!!!!

 

[johandutoit2000]

"If I am on a Anytime Topup package, is it possible to purchase a data bundle and then it just subtracts from the total value? You can do this with Vodacom Topup, so I am wondering."

How about this plan? Perhaps I could use Me2U to transfer to a Pay as you go sim and then purchase a data bundle with that sim?

 

[johandutoit2000]

"If I am on a Anytime Topup package, is it possible to purchase a data bundle and then it just subtracts from the total value? You can do this with Vodacom Topup, so I am wondering."

How about this plan? Perhaps I could use Me2U to transfer to a Pay as you go sim and then purchase a data bundle with that sim?

No.... from the website

All of the TopUp packages shall not be able to send a Me2U airtime transfer, but will be able to receive a Me2U airtime transfer

 

[johandutoit2000]

No.... from the website

All of the TopUp packages shall not be able to send a Me2U airtime transfer, but will be able to receive a Me2U airtime transfer

Perhaps this was possible with the old MyChoice Topup packages? Can I still migrate to those from my current Procall120?

 

[Dr_Data]

Hi
The old and the new topup packages dont allow the inclusive Rand value to be used on any add ons e.g. databundles SMS bundles etc
Regards

 

[johandutoit2000]

OK. No it is not just Autopage that I hate. I hate MTN too. How can they do this if Vodacom allows all this good stuff. Don't they even want to try and compete?

 

[DXL]

NO COMPETITION AT ALL IN CELLULAR

OK. No it is not just Autopage that I hate. I hate MTN too. How can they do this if Vodacom allows all this good stuff. Don't they even want to try and compete?

Sorry to inform you that there is no competition in the South African Cellular Market.

GHANA, KENYA, BENIN, TANZANIA and NIGERIA have good competition going at the moment.

We will never have Competition in the South African Cellular Market.

DxL - Team

 

[StrontiumDog]

Therefore after 125 SMS you would pay for SMS at the 100 SMS out of bundle rate (R0.44 /SMS).

Have MTN reduced their sms price? Is 44c for both peak and off-peak or how does that work now? MTN sms'es used to be 75c 24/7, IIRC.
EDIT:
I called 808 and I added a 10MB data bundle to my Anytime200 subscription today. I asked the MTN consultant what happens if i use up my 10MB bundle. Could I purchase another 10MB? She said that if I use up the 10MB bundle, I have to wait until the next month for my next 10MB bundle. I told her "that sucks" and told her it was stupid, as the next bundle up was 100MB at R80 per month, which was way too much for me. Why the huge jump from 10MB to 100MB? WTF? I'm thinking of complaining to MTN about this lack of choice or flexibility, but I wonder if it will do ANY good as they are likely to ignore the issue.

 

[Budza]

Don't hold your breath...


Johan- they do want to compete, they seem to want to make all the others look better.

MTN has just priced itself out of the market I'm afraid. One (k*k) rate, no friends and family benefits for using the same network (wtf?) and "Inclusive Rand Value" isn't really that valuable...

 

[hoegh]

as the MTN catch phrase goes for these "new" contracts, it just takes 3 words - What the F@#$?

 

[diabolus]

Why the huge jump from 10MB to 100MB? WTF? I'm thinking of complaining to MTN about this lack of choice or flexibility, but I wonder if it will do ANY good as they are likely to ignore the issue.

Just a hint for you, Vodacom does not have the "wait till next month" thing. You can buy bundles the moment your current one depletes. If you use up 10MB in one day, then you buy another 10MB bundle and so on.

So even though you complain about the jump from 10MB to 100MB, don't ask for a 50MB or 25MB bundle...it does not solve the bigger issue....

This is why MTN is quickly losing my business, Vodacom has made more money out of me the last year simply because MTN gives me NOTHING once my bundle is used up...and i have a 2GB contract with them...yet once i hit the cap , guess what? I switch to Vodacom.....wake up MTN

 

[StrontiumDog]

So either MTN's systems are so kark that they cannot handle additional bundle purchases or they are so greedy that they want u to pay out-of-bundle prices for data, once ur bundle is depleted!

 

[Budza]

I'll go with kark, greedy and lazy. They are so bad at the moment, that only a combination of all three can explain their new contracts and pricing options.

 

[AirWolf]

I've got top up contracts from both Vodacom & MTN and I have experienced the problems mentioned above with the MTN contract. The MTN contract is coming up for renewal and I am seriously considering dropping MTN for another Vodacom contract. Once I get some figures on paper, then I can plot my strategy ahead.

 

[Budza]

Check out the yebo4less TopUp, I'm on MyCall100, but will be leaving when that expires in March... Am not even considering MTN for the next contract. It's Virgin vs. Voda at this stage...