MTN Data Roaming in Botswana

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whyonearth

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Beware!

I traveled to Botswana in April this year and prior to crossing the border
I contacted MTN 808 and requested the roaming rates for data usage in
Botswana. I was not provided with the rates as requested.

I roamed on the Mascom network and used +- 300MB of data. Little did I know that I was in for a huge surprise.

MTN have since provided me with the roaming rate rate, being R102.40 per MB or R104,857.60 per GB.

MTN have basically said that the rates have been approved by ICASA and are "cast in stone". ie FIFO. I'm obliged to pay an amount of R33 000.00!

To try and understand the rate charged by MTN, I investigated the reverse, being a Mascom subscriber in Botswana, data roaming in South Africa on MTN.... Mascom charge P5.00 per MB (+-R6.00) for this service.

Now my question is how can MTN charge R102.40 per MB when data roaming Botswana and a Mascom subscriber pays +-R6.00 roaming in SA?
 
Vodacom have on many occaisions lowered the bill, or split it in half on these sorts of bills, and I would be disgusted if MTN didn't do the same.

R33000 for 300mb of data - this should be put in the news!

Articles like that should at least warn other users reading it, so they KNOW not to use MTN roaming.

This is disgusting - i'm actually quite sick of the thought of having to pay 33K for a measly 300mb - you could of bought a secondhand Peugeot 206 instead of watching 15 youtube videos or whatever...
:sick: :sick: :sick:

MTNDataDude - please explain to us why MTN charge so much for roaming in botswana, but Mascom (from botswana) only charge R6 p/mb for roaming here in SA?

MTN FTL! Don't use them people, they are thieves! :mad:
 
Syndyre said:
I wonder what Masscom charges its own subscribers? Its ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Last time I checked Mascom subscribers were paying less to use GPRS in Botswana than MTN subscribers were paying in SA. (Contract Bundled and out of bundled rates)
 
Hi

In all fairness, the rates are extremely expensive but on the other hand its clearly stated on the website. Normally people check before they use a service and what the actual cost is and then base their usage on that cost. I know its alot of money but would one pick up their new Porshe today and then complain when they pay the 1st installment of like R20 000 at the end of the month, that they didnt know the cost?

Regards
DD

Regards
DD
 
Dr Data,

It's quite clear that you did not read my post. See first paragraph below...

whyonearth said:
I traveled to Botswana in April this year and prior to crossing the border
I contacted MTN 808 and requested the roaming rates for data usage in
Botswana. I was not provided with the rates as requested.
Click to expand...

Rates were in fact requested, if you're interested in listening to the voice recordings of my conversation with the call center operator, I'm willing to give you the details of the call.

MTN go all out to advertise their 'cheap' voice roaming rates in Africa R5/min. Why do they hide their extremely inflated data roaming charges somewhere on their website? The call center didn't even know the rates. At the end of the day I'm the consumer and I should have to decide whether I will make use of the service or not. I would never of made use of these services if I was informed. Ah, come to think of it, what happened to my R3200.00 call limit on my account?

The mistake I made was assuming that MTN had negotiated a good rate with Mascom. (Inline with the voice roaming rates) My guess maybe R4, R6, or R8 per MB, is that not fair? I've offered MTN nearly R20 per MB to settle and my offer has been turned down.

With regards the Porsche example, I'm sure the sales person would have been able to provide me with the costs involved in purchasing such a vehicle. And if not, would certainly have reverted back to me when those costs were established. Over and above that do you think they would have allowed me to collect the vehicle without establishing whether I could afford it or not?
 
Dr Data, please answer me this.

WHY do you allow ANYONE to even go above even a R5,000 bill, nevermind 33K, when roaming on your network?

you have no problem letting a person know his sms'es/Data/Calltime is finished, but can not send an sms each time the person uses another 50mb/R5000 ? :confused:

This is very low of MTN to not cut a person off :mad: :mad:, especially at the cost of R5000 for 50mb
 
Hi

If you had a R3200 limit then we will have to investigate why the limit didnt kick in. If you can send the details thorugh to me via PM I will ask the relevant department to investigate.

Please send me specific information about this case, it will speed up the investigation.

With regard to the call center not having the information, I am not sure why this was the case. The rates are clearly mentioned in the roaming tariff section on the website. But here I still stand by my original statement, if one is not sure about the cost, would you go ahead and use the service?

Regards
DD
 
PM Sent. I must just note that I have been pro-active in trying to resolve this query from day one. I can't say the same for MTN SP. R33 000,00 on my radar gets considerably more attention than on MTN SP's radar...
 
Keeper said:
Vodacom have on many occaisions lowered the bill, or split it in half on these sorts of bills, and I would be disgusted if MTN didn't do the same.

R33000 for 300mb of data - this should be put in the news!

Articles like that should at least warn other users reading it, so they KNOW not to use MTN roaming.

This is disgusting - i'm actually quite sick of the thought of having to pay 33K for a measly 300mb - you could of bought a secondhand Peugeot 206 instead of watching 15 youtube videos or whatever...
:sick: :sick: :sick:

MTNDataDude - please explain to us why MTN charge so much for roaming in botswana, but Mascom (from botswana) only charge R6 p/mb for roaming here in SA?

MTN FTL! Don't use them people, they are thieves! :mad:
Click to expand...


Stop blaming MTN and check what is Vodacom's rate per mb. It also exceeds R100 per mb for data roaming to Botswana so both Networks are just as bad!

Link to thread: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=187618
 
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MTN just passes on the rate it is charged by the Mascom network, they do not determine it themselves. Unfortunately lots of networks milk GPRS roaming rates for international visitors.
 
Insider said:
MTN just passes on the rate it is charged by the Mascom network, they do not determine it themselves. Unfortunately lots of networks milk GPRS roaming rates for international visitors.
Click to expand...

Who negotiated the agreement? I have no problem with the agreement in principle, but the rate charged.

Mascom Subscriber data roaming in SA pays R6.00 MB when roaming on MTN.
MTN Subscriber data roaming in Botswana pays R102 MB when roaming on Mascom.?????? Does this tie up?

MTN should be held accountable and at the very least be in a position to give pricing to customers when requested.
 
cavedog said:
Stop blaming MTN and check what is Vodacom's rate per mb. It also exceeds R100 per mb for data roaming to Botswana so both Networks are just as bad!

Link to thread: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=187618
Click to expand...

In my opinion all the networks are charging over inflated data roaming rates, be it, Mascom, Orange, MTN, Vodacom, Cell C. Comparing apples with apples, Vodacom data roaming costs on the Mascom network - R32.37 per MB.
http://www.vodacom.co.za/rchp.do
 
whyonearth said:
In my opinion all the networks are charging over inflated data roaming rates, be it, Mascom, Orange, MTN, Vodacom, Cell C. Comparing apples with apples, Vodacom data roaming costs on the Mascom network - R32.37 per MB.
http://www.vodacom.co.za/rchp.do
Click to expand...

I agree m8 it is much lower but you will end up with a R9900 bill anyways for 300mb of data. Its still robbery. As compared to orange Vodacom also charge a high rate so its unfortunate that he got a massive bill. But he would have gotten a huge bill on other networks too. I just ask myself why our networks even allow DATA Roaming cause OMG I will kill myself if I get that bill. :(
 
Very interesting program on Carte Blanche last night with regards interconnect fees. I would assume that there are similar fees in place with regards roaming.

Having said that I'm failing to understand why there is such a huge pricing difference between what Mascom and MTN charge. MTN are not willing to explain, they simply turn around and say those are the fees that Mascom charged us. Now pay up.
 
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i don't understand why it is so expensive....had you downloaded 1GB, it would of cost 100k - that's 1/10th of a Million Rand, for a single Gig?

I mean really, MTN has got to be the biggest thieves in the whole country, stay away!
 
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