MTN numberless SIM system

vodacom3g said:
Vodacom have been having it for a while already.
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Thats news to me! Although I dont have a need for it.
Question: If you dont "like" the number that you are smsed can you request another? Just like some people browse through the starter packs with the numbers on them and choose the one they like best.
 
So who needs a Nokia 1100 then?

Lovely!

I guess that kills the market for Nokia 1100's, then.

Drat! I guess I was too slow to sell mine!
 
V3G so what if I purchased 200 starter packs in 2008?

Will I stil have to go to customer care to activate their numbers?
 
Sackboy said:
They have expiry dates don't they.
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yes but thats only around 2010

One thing I have to mention about these 2cent starter packs. What a lot of Pollution they have created.

When Starter packs cost less than plastic bags Rofl
 
I think this is a very good move. Up to now you always had starterpacks that expired and never got sold. Using the new way the providers can just provide numbers as they are required - there are less numbers 'in circulation'.

I think this will also see the end of the 99c starter packs :( (?)

I reckon all the 'old' starter packs and their numbers should still function in the conventional manner as long as they haven't expired yet.
 
ObeyTheDiode said:
I think this is a very good move. Up to now you always had starterpacks that expired and never got sold. Using the new way the providers can just provide numbers as they are required - there are less numbers 'in circulation'.

I think this will also see the end of the 99c starter packs :( (?)

I reckon all the 'old' starter packs and their numbers should still function in the conventional manner as long as they haven't expired yet.
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The cheapest I've seen is 49c.

I quite liked the idea of having some say in what number I had, even if it involved rummaging through a bin of 1000 packs :p
 
Just_Ice said:
Thats news to me! Although I dont have a need for it.
Question: If you dont "like" the number that you are smsed can you request another? Just like some people browse through the starter packs with the numbers on them and choose the one they like best.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way. I'll go through 50 starter packs looking for a number i like. Usually with repeating numbers so that it's easier to remember. Being given a number is not what i want. Would be better if you got 5 numbers to choose from at least. Sigh.

Sometimes it feels like mtn WANT to make their customers live's harder.
 
Number Range Abuse by Mobile Operators

Good day,

I wish to raise a complaint against MTN & Vodacom's abuse of the numbering range allocated to them by ICASA.

I would like to bring to your attention the reason MTN & Vodacom consistently seek new number ranges from the Regulator.

Currently the following number ranges are in use :

Vodacom :

082 000 0000
072 000 0000
076 000 0000
077 000 0000
079 000 0000
071 000 0000

MTN :

083 000 0000
073 000 0000
078 000 0000

Cell-C:

084 000 0000
074 000 0000

Each Number range has the ability to carry almost 10 million numbers. With the current estimated active subscriber numbers being issued by the mobile phone networks,

Vodacom - 25 million
MTN - 15 million
Cell - C - 5 million

That would give us a total of around 45 million mobile phone users in this country. Why would we need almost more than double the number of numbers in circulation, 110 million numbers. Well I concluded that since MTN & Vodacom activate Voicemail by default on all their new sim packs this is a revenue generating service for the mobile phone networks. ICASA needs to stop issuing number ranges to either of the mobile phone networks and encourage the recyclying of numbers that are not active over their respective networks and also declare that all mobile phone sims sold be defaulted without Voicemail and Voicemail should be a service requested for. Under current market conditions if a call is made to a mobile number and the number is out of coverage or the mobile phone turned off, the calling party is billed for the full minute without reaching the person in question. While Voicemail is a handy service to have not many people actually return calls or actually listen to them. In most countries throughout the world Voicemail is a charged for Service, yet in South Africa it is supposedly for FREE. Ironically this is not free at all. The Calling party normally foots the bill for this service. The number range is a scarce resource and should be issued wisely and should not be issued for Revenue Generation. Assumingly Vodacom has about 10 million numbers issued and that are not in use and lets say for argument sake that one call is made per month to every numberand it diverts to Voicemail. 10 million calls mulitplied by R3 = R30 million Rands per month incoming revenue. This equates to R360 million per annum for FREE to the Network. This sort of practice must be stopped now. New Network operators that will be entering the market soon will be limited to number ranges and this will force ICASA to Create a whole new Band of numbers for no apparent reason. The blind eyed approach by ICASA to issue number ranges to the mobile phone operators needs to be stopped. The recycling of numbers needs to start now. ICASA needs to mandate that Voicemail to be a Requested for Service by the customer. The poor are being abused financially by the network operators sly business tactics.


Kind Regards

DxL - mobile
 
That answers IT !

The above e-mail was sent to ICASA almost a year ago.

Only recently did they inform the mobile operators that new Number Ranges won't be issued to them any longer and they must recycle and better manage the number ranges allocated to them.

Hopefully they are accomplishing all the stuff i send to them.

DXL - Team
 
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