MTN numberless SIM system

Tweak said:
V3G so what if I purchased 200 starter packs in 2008?

Will I stil have to go to customer care to activate their numbers?
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<subject_to_confirmation>
IIRC, a forumite reported [in the thread I referred to earlier], that an expired SIM Card could be activated, just that the MSISDN on the starter pack differed from the MSISDN the SIM Card received on activation.​
</subject_to_confirmation>
ajax said:
Saw Cell C ones at Checkers for 5c a while ago.
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Maybe Checkers got tired of dusting off the same CellC starter packs every week.
 
DXL said:
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
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You made a mistake! 071 is owned by MTN. I know cause I bought a MTN stater pack with that number range! :)
 
Tweak said:
V3G so what if I purchased 200 starter packs in 2008?

Will I stil have to go to customer care to activate their numbers?
Click to expand...

afaik if they have expired then you will have to go thru customer care. very likely too for the rest, bcoz on their system those numbers arent active.

so it's probably easier for them to allocate centrally, because they dont know when you will activate your specific number, if ever.

guess it's bye bye bidorbuy sellers with their "unique number for sale"...
 
"stolen cell number"

HA HA HA this is specially tailored for SA conditions.
The cellphone companies must compromise for the cellphone theft in SA. Cut their hands off, when they steel cellphones. That should do the job.:D
 
DXL said:
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,
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It might look that simple but it is not.
 
Yup, mtn following in cell c and vodacom's footsteps. Pity all round to not being able to choose a nice no. Virgin were a step ahead in complying with ICASA regulations when they started by registering all new sim sales. They departed from that when they began selling cheap starter packs in supermarkets. Guess they'll drop the numbered packs too soon. When will telkom mobile join the party?
 
Gues comin out now and claiming a particular number range belongs to a particular network is misleading any ntwork can use any prefix...and you should have known MTN has been using 071 for some time now,not ported but straight from the shelf.
 
Sackboy said:
Maybe they should use the numbers in the ID book as cell numbers in some way.
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Thats a grand Idea!

No longer would illegal imigrants be able to communicate so easily in this country.

There has to be some cutbacks to being an illegal in south africa. Tightening the noose so to speak
 
HI vodacom3G,

i have a huge problem with Vodacom

Their new numberless Starter Packs say "you have the option to request a specific number if it is available on the vodacom network"

Yet every call centre agent i speak to, and every Vodashop i try simply say "its not possible"

Please help?
 
Al Buraaq said:
HI vodacom3G,

i have a huge problem with Vodacom

Their new numberless Starter Packs say "you have the option to request a specific number if it is available on the vodacom network"

Yet every call centre agent i speak to, and every Vodashop i try simply say "its not possible"

Please help?
Click to expand...

If the number is not available (already in use) then no luck.
 
The_Librarian said:
If the number is not available (already in use) then no luck.
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The number has actually been deleted about 2 months back. it has not been assigned to anyone (this has been confirmed by the call centre 082 111)

so i know thenumber is not is use, nor is allocated. yet Vodacom says they cannot allocate it to me, despite it being clearly stated on their starter pack :-( sad life
 
Qwikslver said:
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.
Click to expand...

The reason for the networks adopting this new system is that you have hundreds of outlets sitting with starter packs on their shelves and many do not sell, the numbers expire (in 2 years shelf life) and the number needs to be recycled. So selling a starter pack with no number assigned means less hassles and no starter packs sold that don't work.
 
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