MTN DataShare unceremoniously removed

[rejuved]

I'm so pissed right now.

I took a 36 month data contract specifically to share among my prepaid business devices (laptops, tablets, and phones).

When I took the contact I was assured this would work and it has for nearly a year, until today, when one device after another received ” successfully delinked" messages.

According to support prepaid devices are no longer eligible for DataShare!

This is the most short sighted policy ever. As soon as retention opens tomorrow I'm going to see about cancelling what's left of the contract. I've been an MTN subscriber for decades but enough is enough

 

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

Rejuvenate….. my friend… take a chill pill and relax
EMPTY-N my brah… SUCKS

 

[Teh Guvna]

I'm so pissed right now.

I took a 36 month data contract specifically to share among my prepaid business devices (laptops, tablets, and phones).

When I took the contact I was assured this would work and it has for nearly a year, until today, when one device after another received ” successfully delinked" messages.

According to support prepaid devices are no longer eligible for DataShare!

This is the most short sighted policy ever. As soon as retention opens tomorrow I'm going to see about cancelling what's left of the contract. I've been an MTN subscriber for decades but enough is enough

Just seen my kids being kicked off my contract. Amazed no news outlet has picked this story up. MTN are being shady here.

 

[chickenbeef]

Their support doesn't know what's going on, depending on who you get they are either aware of the issue and investigating or they blatantly deny there's any issue and blame the customer for removing the numbers.

I'm cancelling my contract if it happens again because the only reason I have it is for the datashare. I would rather get 5 separate packages/prepaid (it won't be with MTN) than deal with paying for a service and not being able to use it.

 

[Speedster]

Here's a workaround

F

Post in thread 'MTN Black Friday Discussions'

Aug 31, 2025

Price Plan: Business Access Mobile (Known internally as Number for Life)
Price Per Month: R6.15incl vat
Deal ID: 202501BAM001

Update: Sorted just in time.

All 7 prepaid lines have been migrated to our business account on that number for life plan as detailed above and in the nick of time too, because all 7 sims were delinked from our 2 main datashare sims yesterday. I was able to add them again this morning via the new MTN App so all sorted and at least I won't have to load R2 airtime and send a sms every 80 days on each sim to keep them alive now.

One annoyance of the process...

• FlashSA

• 

 

[Teh Guvna]

Prepaid support is literally in their T&C's

I am guessing one of their devs did some vibe coding and broke something.

 

[chickenbeef]

Here's a workaround

F

Post in thread 'MTN Black Friday Discussions'

Aug 31, 2025

Price Plan: Business Access Mobile (Known internally as Number for Life)
Price Per Month: R6.15incl vat
Deal ID: 202501BAM001

Update: Sorted just in time.

All 7 prepaid lines have been migrated to our business account on that number for life plan as detailed above and in the nick of time too, because all 7 sims were delinked from our 2 main datashare sims yesterday. I was able to add them again this morning via the new MTN App so all sorted and at least I won't have to load R2 airtime and send a sms every 80 days on each sim to keep them alive now.

One annoyance of the process...

• FlashSA

• 

That's not really a workaround because this is affecting the non-business contracts which are allowed to share to prepaid numbers.

 

[Speedster]

That's not really a workaround because this is affecting the non-business contracts which are allowed to share to prepaid numbers.

Non business datashare is still fully working on my sims

 

[chickenbeef]

Yeah, that's great but it doesn't help those that are affected by this bug We get screwed over till the next billing cycle because they have no andon cord to manually increase the quota or manually link the numbers back to a customer's datashare on their end.

 

[Speedster]

Yeah, that's great but it doesn't help those that are affected by this bug We get screwed over till the next billing cycle because they have no andon cord to manually increase the quota or manually link the numbers back to a customer's datashare on their end.

I see you have a different issue to op. But then also you don't really say what your issue is either.

 

[M3C]

Their support doesn't know what's going on, depending on who you get they are either aware of the issue and investigating or they blatantly deny there's any issue and blame the customer for removing the numbers.

I'm cancelling my contract if it happens again because the only reason I have it is for the datashare. I would rather get 5 separate packages/prepaid (it won't be with MTN) than deal with paying for a service and not being able to use it.


View attachment 1849148

Same thing happened to me on 3rd September and again today, 18th September

 

[Decarin]

Getting out of a contract with Satan is easier than getting out of a contract with MTN.

I have had my struggles with them, but it was years ago.

 

[ScratchBox]

Really pissed, also been using 3 contract data sims and sharing with my various iot devices and family members on prepaid. Have been doing this for over 10 years.

Not sure who is making these decisions at MTN but Im certain this goes against the ICASA regulation stating that data should be shareable. MTN, really?

 

[airborne]

Their support doesn't know what's going on, depending on who you get they are either aware of the issue and investigating or they blatantly deny there's any issue and blame the customer for removing the numbers.

I'm cancelling my contract if it happens again because the only reason I have it is for the datashare. I would rather get 5 separate packages/prepaid (it won't be with MTN) than deal with paying for a service and not being able to use it.


View attachment 1849148

Is that support channel via WhatsApp, if possible could you share that number please?
Pm if you prefer

 

[chickenbeef]

Is that support channel via WhatsApp, if possible could you share that number please?
Pm if you prefer

Nope, Twitter. I do not recommend it TBH. The chat bounced between 4 people and didn't get anywhere, I think I was chatting to a bot at some point because the response was robotic and missed the context.

The numbers were not delinked from my account this week. I'm not sure if it's due to the email I sent on 11 Sep to [email protected] expressing my dissatisfaction with their support and this issue which caused them to investigate and fix it (They replied on 12 Sep apologising but didn't provide a clear answer on whether they fixed anything).

 

[airborne]

Nope, Twitter. I do not recommend it TBH. The chat bounced between 4 people and didn't get anywhere, I think I was chatting to a bot at some point because the response was robotic and missed the context.

The numbers were not delinked from my account this week. I'm not sure if it's due to the email I sent on 11 Sep to [email protected] expressing my dissatisfaction with their support and this issue which caused them to investigate and fix it (They replied on 12 Sep apologising but didn't provide a clear answer on whether they fixed anything).

Thanks, I've been through their Twitter support, I had the same thing - they seemingly don't bother reading your messages, copy and paste replies. Fk them, useless spineless bastards

 

[Katelknaap]

Yeah, this is some underhanded BS. Just received SMS on my 2 linked numbers yesterday that they have been delinked. No notifications, nothing. Thanks MTN for changing your terms of service and letting your customers know. Can't relink these prepaid simcards.