MTN Charging For ATTEMPT to Connect!!

[Skeptik]

Ok, I've identified more clearly the problem with the MTN data service since they made some changes. (Yes they've made changes alright!)

If you buy a R15 voucher, and you buy a 10Meg data bundle, your airtime left over should be R5. Once the data bundle is used, you should then start to use up the remaining airtime at 'out of bundle rates', i.e. R2 a Mb, so you should get another 2.5 Mb. That's 12.5 Mb for your R15.

What it happening is that if you surf the internet without disconnecting, you get all of your +/- 12.5 Mb. However if you disconnect after using up the initial 10Mb bundle or go slightly over it doesn't let you connect again. This is despite your 'airtime balance showing, say, R4 left over it gives the error you get when it's all used up.

UPDATE: You will need to leave the connection for some time before trying again and ONLY THEN will you be able to connect.

MTN is DEFINITELY deducting an amount for every failed attempt at connection. I started out last time with 10Mb and failed to connect. I then checked the data balance and it said 9.9Mb. <---pure theft of data IMHO. [I was using GPRS only]

If someone from MTN is reading this, please forward it to the relevant department for checking. I really do not wish to go through their call centre again and try and explain this to people who won't listen or who just hang up on me. If anyone else can check my observations I would also be grateful.
**KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR BALANCE.**

 

[ginggs]

MTN is DEFINITELY deducting an amount for every failed attempt at connection.

What about successful connections? Can you try connect, then disconnect without downloading anything and see what your balance is? Perhaps they've silently introduced a connection fee.

 

[Skeptik]

A successful connection immediately starts transferring data so how can I measure anything odd except the total?
==

Now I was disconnected and my credit was zero. An hour later it was OVER R4.
Something's definitely screwed up on their system!!

 

[ginggs]

A successful connection immediately starts transferring data so how can I measure anything odd except the total?

There should be a brief burst of activity and then your connection should idle. It should just be a couple of bytes for establishing the PPP connection, authenticating, assigning your IP address and DNS servers, which might not be charged for.

The best would be if you could measure this from your phone or data card's counters as the Windows RAS counters include the initialization and dialling strings, which definitely should not be charged for.

Now I was disconnected and my credit was zero. An hour later it was OVER R4.
Something's definitely screwed up on their system!!

It sounds to me like MTN have implemented a reservation system similar to Vodacom's.

 

[flenters]

My suggestion would be is to run a tcp/ip dump tool like wireshark or something similar. Run the app and configure it to capture the correct PPP connection. [Start the logging process]

Make a successful connection and wait till the connection is idle and then disconnect.
[Stop the logging process]

Examine the IP logs the check what data is being sent.

 

[Skeptik]

There should be a brief burst of activity and then your connection should idle. It should just be a couple of bytes for establishing the PPP connection, authenticating, assigning your IP address and DNS servers, which might not be charged for.

The best would be if you could measure this from your phone or data card's counters as the Windows RAS counters include the initialization and dialling strings, which definitely should not be charged for.

It sounds to me like MTN have implemented a reservation system similar to Vodacom's.

It looks like MTN have fixed this problem, I'm pleased to say

However I've noticed now it's doing something else a bit odd.
When I connect, my data counter just spins and spins faster than usual, even when I'm not doing anything. I've turned off all auto-updates. In fact I restored my whole system so I definitely don't have anything running.

The speed is much the same, but I'm getting far less time on the web! I tried Virgin and then Vodacom just to compare and they seem quite sober, if only the same characteristics that drove me to MTN in the first place.

Is there something that MTN has missed in their recent fix??

 

[marco]

My totals from NETMETER, E220 dashboard and MNET account don't add up.
I only go to forums (to complain about stuff) no heavy sites. I have used 350MB on PAYGO and on the last day have to update as much as I can to use it all up. Now that I am on contract, after 2 weeks my bundle is finished. Wot is going on for crying in a bucket.