MTN: The Network that Penalises Loyal Customers

[swordfish1]

Did you know, all contract subscribers on MTN pay from R 1.27/min (on a R 1,059+/month My MTNChoice Contract) and up to R 2.52/min (on a R 55/month MTN OffPeak 50 contract), while a pre-paid MTN subscriber, who can spend literally R 1.00/month and stay connected with pretty much all the same benefits as a contract user except having to pre-pay for service is paying R 0.99/min (per second billing) flat rate (used to be R 0.79/min until recently)?

I am sure MTN has some really "smart" people working at their "pricing department" and even "smarter" CEO who could not care less about his company going down the drain.

Happily MTN share price reflect the company's collective sheer incompetence and will hopefully get much worse over the coming years.
https://www.google.com/search?q=JSE:MTN

My MTN now pre-paid bill has dropped about 20 times relative to 2 years ago, sure some of it is was for the "free phone" (which is not actually free at all), but the phone monthly contribution put aside it still has dropped about 6-7 times since I no longer lose my "unused minutes" and I now pay more than 2 times less per minute than before.

MTN, you know what's the most amazing thing of my story, I would not have moved to prepaid if you did not outright insult me in my face with your pricing structure! If your contract pricing was less per minute than the pre-paid pricing, as it should be, I would still have the contract and would still have been losing the unused "inclusive" minutes every month (or every few months), just the thought that I have cheaper rates than pre-paid would have been enough to keep me hooked, but you have exceeded your utter arrogance and have spat in the face of your loyal customers!

Well done MTN!

 

[gfmalan]

I have 4 contracts (2 voice 2 data) and very happy. I can’t see that to go prepaid would be beneficial to me.

I have to agree slightly with you, I’m with MTN from 1995 and I couldn’t make use of that 50gig per month black Friday deal, because my contract dates were out of sync.

But other than that, I get value for money and also good reception at most places I visit.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

I'm also very happy with MTN. And, just like data OOB, watch voice as well. I often have carry over minutes every month. If I know I am going to run out I purchase a voice bundle to see me through. If I know I am going to have a very long call, say to a call centre, I load one of those one day bundles that costs 50c/min (R10 for 20 mins). And more often than not I use my loyalty points to buy the bundle.

You can also set a limit to how much your can be billed OOB. We are all getting used to watching our data so we don't get charged OOB, well voice is even easier to manage. In the app you set the Rand value that your account can go over the monthly set amount. That way you don't get a shock when you get your statement.

You have to understand that a huge majority of cell users, across all the networks, are prepaid. That is where the networks are going to target customers with "specials".

 

[satanboy]

My MTN "contract" costs R59 @ month. Happy customer.

 

[supersunbird]

You have to understand that a huge majority of cell users, across all the networks, are prepaid. That is where the networks are going to target customers with "specials".

:crylaugh:

Yet some prepaid guys are always moaning how contract get the best data prices and blah blah blah, can you guys decide which is which, cause it can't be both.

 

[Ecco]

Save so much more money on MTN prepaid. And if you want cheap data, subscribe to Afrihost with your MTN prepaid sim - best combination out there in my opinion.

 

[swordfish1]

I'm also very happy with MTN. And, just like data OOB, watch voice as well. I often have carry over minutes every month. If I know I am going to run out I purchase a voice bundle to see me through. If I know I am going to have a very long call, say to a call centre, I load one of those one day bundles that costs 50c/min (R10 for 20 mins). And more often than not I use my loyalty points to buy the bundle.

or move to pre-paid, pay less and not spend half your life calculating things an worrying about if it is in bundle, out of bundle whatever ... contracts should make your life easier, not more complicated, contracts should be cheaper per minute / MB as you show long term commitment and loyalty to the operation, it is logical for the operator to show some respect to you in return by giving you better rates than those for the pre-paid guy who spends R 1.00/month and can move to another network tomorrow ... anyway, not sure why everybody is so happy with being mistreated, as far as I am concerned this is an insult, there is no other way to look at it and clearly MTN has figured out that mistreating their contract customers does work (for some bizzare reason, which I do not understand) and will keep doing it to line up their pockets with cash at your expense.

Save so much more money on MTN prepaid. And if you want cheap data, subscribe to Afrihost with your MTN prepaid sim - best combination out there in my opinion.

this is actually exactly what I did!

 

[qscwbt]

I am also fed up with MTN and decided to port to Telkom. They have better deals and much better rates.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

Well for R300 per month I get:
120mins+200SMS+500Mb (older contract) - my phone
200mins+200SMS+500Mb (newer contract) - wife's phone

If we ignore the SMS's and rollover data/minutes and I got my data from Axxess (R39/500Mb) my 320 minutes is costing me R220 or 69c/min.

 

[swordfish1]

Well for R300 per month I get:
120mins+200SMS+500Mb (older contract) - my phone
200mins+200SMS+500Mb (newer contract) - wife's phone

If we ignore the SMS's and rollover data/minutes and I got my data from Axxess (R39/500Mb) my 320 minutes is costing me R220 or 69c/min.

Do you mind telling me which of these contracts are you on, because I am not seeing any contract in this price range that has a per minute cost of < R 1.50.

My Choice is R146.27 for 100 minutes and R 1.71/minute thereafter, adding a bundle is R136.20 / 100 minutes.
MTNChoiceR110 is R1.90/minute.

There is no plan that I can see that comes around R 1.00 minute let alone to R 0.69/minute, unless it is the MTN's Top Secret Plan for people who post good things about them on MyBroadband

 

[Dairyfarmer]

If you read the last sentence of my post you will see how I got to 69c/min.

Each contract cost me R149.
The data is valued at R39/500mb if I got it elsewhere.
So it leaves R220 for 320 minutes and 400 sms's.
Dump the sms's and that leaves R220 for 320 minutes.
So I'm paying 69c/min (320 / 220 = 0.6875).

I can purchase anytime minutes using *135*0#
R20/25mins=80c/min
R135/100 or R270/200 = R1.35/min
No unlike using prepaid.

I have set a limit on my OOB purchases and I do keep an eye on what I have used of my package bundles. I also know my phone usage and can judge if I need more.

 

[HashiraMadara]

That happens to every service provider. Prepaid customers are treated as prodigial sons

 

[Barbarian Conan]

or move to pre-paid, pay less and not spend half your life calculating things an worrying about if it is in bundle, out of bundle whatever ... contracts should make your life easier, not more complicated, contracts should be cheaper per minute / MB as you show long term commitment and loyalty to the operation, it is logical for the operator to show some respect to you in return by giving you better rates than those for the pre-paid guy who spends R 1.00/month and can move to another network tomorrow ... anyway, not sure why everybody is so happy with being mistreated, as far as I am concerned this is an insult, there is no other way to look at it and clearly MTN has figured out that mistreating their contract customers does work (for some bizzare reason, which I do not understand) and will keep doing it to line up their pockets with cash at your expense.



this is actually exactly what I did!

:crylaugh: so young, so naive.

You pay more on contract, since you are locked in for 2 years and you won't move. On PAYG I can move whenever I think the competition offers a better deal, and even keep my number.