MTN Coverage & Speed

[Buglish]

Hi All,

I just got a MTN uncapped bundle with a MTN Sh@relink B683 router that is 3G & HSDPA but at any time the speed is always below dial-up speeds.

The coverage map indicates I have 3G in my area (silver lakes) but it does not feel like it. Between 5pm-1am the line is unusable.
http://www.mtn.co.za/MTNServices/broadband/Pages/CoverageMap.aspx

Did use the Speed MAP and my area is just out of reach of the 3G/HSPA 7.2 and it indicates I should have 3G/HSPA 3.6.
http://196.13.230.221/facts/documents/Coverage/CoverageWebMain.html

• Is there a way to boost my signal?
• Is there a department in MTN I can contact to ask when they will improve the line signal speeds in my area?

I can tell it's a tower problem with to many people on it as it gets faster early in the mornings so it can not be a distance thing. Must be their towers in the area that can only handle a certain amount of people at a time or throughput.

 

[Wikkels88]

Hi All,

I just got a MTN uncapped bundle with a MTN Sh@reLink router that is 3G & HSDPA but at any time the speed is always below dial-up speeds.

The coverage map indicates I have 3G in my area (silver lakes) but it does not feel like it. Between 5pm-1am the line is unusable.
http://www.mtn.co.za/MTNServices/broadband/Pages/CoverageMap.aspx

Did use the Speed MAP and my area is just out of reach of the 3G/HSPA 7.2 and it indicates I should have 3G/HSPA 3.6.
http://196.13.230.221/facts/documents/Coverage/CoverageWebMain.html

• Is there a way to boost my signal?
• Is there a department in MTN I can contact to ask when they will improve the line signal speeds in my area?

I can tell it's a tower problem with to many people on it as it gets faster early in the mornings so it can not be a distance thing. Must be their towers in the area that can only handle a certain amount of people at a time or throughput.

In the 4 months I had mine, I only had a problem with speeds twice, the first time, I phoned countless times, and each time they tried to make it out that the problem is on my end (after about an hour spend on each call), the problem ended up sorting itself out. The second time started about a day ago, I've only been able to get edge connection, and if I change the the network to "3g only" it doesn't pick up any signal, which makes me think it's a problem with a tower again, I wouldn't bother phoning, you'll just end up being frustarted.

 

[Buglish]

If only I tested first but now I am buggered with a 2 year contract.
Perhaps I should just pay the early cancellation fee and tell them to go screw themselves.

What is the early cancellation fee or is there a test period when I get the contract so I can opt out?
Vodacom has way better signal in my area.

 

[Buglish]

They will not be sending a consultant to test the signal (they say if its full signal I have reception) so they are forcing me to cancel the account. But it's better to k nip it in the butt now then dragging it along paying them for **** speeds for 2 years.

Yeah I would have to pay in about 2k to cancel the account. And even though force me to pay for August they will still stop the line as soon as I made the payment (today). MTN feels like a bunch a crooks.

But its the principle and MTN can go screw themselves.

 

[Wikkels88]

Look 90% of the time I had the advertised speeds, doing between 30-60GB of downloads a month(without downloading non stop, I only download through the nights, laptop is off during the day), so I'm getting my money's worth, maybe just give it a day or 2 and see if your speeds pick up, everyone on here who has the MTN deal will tell you that at one stage they had crappy speeds, 2k is a lot of money to pay for the cancellation of a service you never used.

Edit: Isn't there a 7day cooling off period, doesn't sound like you've had it long, maybe you can still get out.

 

[R13...]

I wonder if MTN sold too many of these uncapped things. My speeds have been getting progressively worse over the year and are currently unusable as the OP experiences. I'm not even on uncapped the one day the thing couldn't download 50Mb file the entire night

I get 2-5b/s as soon as I start a download. The only way I get above 10k is if I use a download manager.

 

[Heisenborg]

That coverage map site is complete rubbish, you cant zoom in more than one level wtf

 

[Buglish]

Isn't there a 7day cooling off period, doesn't sound like you've had it long, maybe you can still get out.

I did phone and enquire on stopping the account and not having to pay the cancellation fee but I was told to get a technician to property first to test if there really is no signal. When I phoned them they said they cannot send a technician since I have full signal strength and they only send a person when there is no or weak signal. Since I have signal I have to complain to some other department (he mumbled the name) that handles poor throughput in an area.

Why fight with them to improve the speeds in an area that is suppose to have 3g speeds (according to them) but has GPRS/dial-up speeds during peak hours?

Sure it's better during the day or at 3am-6am but I use the internet only from 5pm-12pm when I get back from work.

Paying them to get rid of them now is better then leaving it for many more months. The Business Uncapped Pro account I have now is always going to require a 2k stopping fee as they always bill a month in arrears and for current month which they screw you on.

edit: if I pay for their biggest contract: Business pro uncapped service and all I get is 10kbps at all times its a huge waste of money, when the 2gb topup (R899 Vs R145) would more then suffice.

 

[Wikkels88]

I wonder if MTN sold too many of these uncapped things.

+1 I'm almost sure this is the case. But ah well I've always had my first 3GB at decent speeds, as long as keep getting that, I can "hang on" for another 18 months haha

 

[Buglish]