MTN RICA process failing

cfilorux

cfilorux

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I bought an MTN SIM card on Saturday, and tried to put it through the RICA process. The system said something like, "You didn't buy this SIM card in this shop," and said "error". Every single SIM card in the whole shop said the same, as did other shops in the same mall. When phoning 173 on this SIM, it says, in a rather automated way, "The number you are calling from has not yet been RICA'd. Please take your" blah blah blah.

I bought an MTN SIM card on Wednesday in another town, and put it through the RICA process. The system said it was all happy. On trying to use the SIM in a real phone, it plays an automated voice "Your service has been RICA-barred".

Is it just me, or is the ship sinking?
 
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what, something is not right i think it is Rica run by the anc failure... ANC another night of candles...
 
I recently changed from Cell C to MTN. It was a huge mission. 6 days passed and my application wasn't processed. I visited them and they said they can't transfer my RICA and that I needed to go to Cell C and unRICA. I went to Cell C and was told that such a process doesn't exist, and was given the national RICA number. I phoned RICA and they said my number is in order. I went back to MTN and sat around while they tried getting my application through the system. After a while I was told it went through and that the process could take 2 to 24 hours. After 23 hours I get an sms to say that a porting process has commenced. After 12 hours my MTN sim card becomes active, but attempts to make calls are met with "you have been RICA barred". For two days I have a non-working phone because I don't have a moment to go see MTN. When I get there, MTN just shrugs and sorts out the issue in 10 min. They offer no explanation as to why my pro-rata'd freebies on the contract have not appeared in my balance and submit a complaint on my behalf.

All the while, the branch cannot be contacted telephonically because the main listed number just rings in a backroom somewhere (I checked while I was there), and none of the employees pick up direct calls to their MTN phones or reply to smses.
 
Had the same issue with a new MTN sim, go to the shop, deregister it, then re-register it, that should sort it out, it was almost immediate for me
 
I phoned the RICA helpline ("help" line - they that say "If you are still experiencing issues with RICA, please contact the helpdesk directly on 0831237422"), and found out how they work:
  • They check if your SIM is registered for RICA.
  • They tell you it is not
  • They tell you to go back to the shop and try again - deregister, register, whatever
That's it. There's no investigation into why the system fails, no correction of the problem -- nothing at all. It seems you have to take a trip per day to a shop, go through the motions and see if you happen to get a working SIM. No wonder they have the RICA nonsense at the same till as the lottery!

Seems I'll have to buy a SIM off a bergie - let them earn their drink money.
 
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RICA is....

1) An utter joke
2) A waste of time
3) A waste of money
 
Segg said:
Had the same issue with a new MTN sim, go to the shop, deregister it, then re-register it, that should sort it out, it was almost immediate for me
Click to expand...
The shop knows nothing: you need to go to the MTN shop if you're hoping to have this gamble against the broken system pay off. It's like trying to post a letter: you have to go to the post office, and you have no assurance that the process will work as designed. It is more economical to opt out of RICA, and buy a pre-RICA'd SIM from your friendly neighbourhood SIM / crack dealer.
 
I RICA'd a MTN pay as you go sim on the same day as the OP and it was active before I got home. The next day I did a TM sim and also no problems.
 
Smells off. If they can RICA an MTN sim they can RICA all MTN sims. It doesn't matter where it was bought so there's no reason to throw that error. It's clear the RICA system is buggered with the various systems not communicating properly.
 
Trying to port my number to MTN and went to the V&A Waterfront store yesterday with ID and proof of residence and they said everything is sorted, will take 2 - 24 hours. Now when I try to make a call I'm also getting the "Your service has been RICA-barred" message :mad:
 
Got a contract at MTN on Friday and I still have the 'Not registered on network'. :(
 
They finally registered me on the network and now I get the whole 'you are rica'd barred'. :mad:
 
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