MTN to Vodacom Port Declined

[Bl1zz4rd]

Hi all!

A few days ago, I cancelled my MTN contract and moved to MTN prepaid. I confirmed that prepaid is active with the MTN call center, and in store, and I am able to use my phone on prepaid now.

I went to a Vodacom store yesterday (and again today) to request to have my number ported to prepaid on their network. They entered my number, I got a PIN SMSed to me, gave it to them, and they said I should await a confirmation of port SMS and then bring my ID and proof of address.

Instead of that SMS, I got one stating that my request to port was declined. No reason was given. Vodacom says that MTN needs to approve the port request and that they're not sure why it's being declined. I spoke to MTN reps in store and in the call center, and none of them knew why it would be declined, and they all confirmed that my number is active, my SIM has been RICAed, and, according to their system, I should be able to move my number to wherever I like.

Does anyone know why the port might have been declined? Since I only recently moved from contract to prepaid on the MTN network, do I have to wait a while before I can port to a different network?

Thanks in advance

 

[Swa]

It's MTN...

Unless you did an actual port to a different network recently there's no waiting period.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

Vodacom have been having big problems with their new system. It's taken over 6 weeks for them to sort my number out so that I could port out of Vodacom. When speaking to Vodacom porting department they did mention that the new system is also having problems porting ins.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

It's MTN...

I'm looking so forward to being off their network.

Vodacom have been having big problems with their new system. It's taken over 6 weeks for them to sort my number out so that I could port out of Vodacom. When speaking to Vodacom porting department they did mention that the new system is also having problems porting ins.

One of the Vodacom reps mentioned that they had been having problems with Customer 3D (their new system), but he said they've all been resolved by now. I'll give their call center a call and ask about that today.

Apparently MTN has a porting problems department, for which I have the number, so I'll try that too.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

I'm going the other way. Vodacom has such bad reception where I am, and their towers are overloaded. At 4am you cannot get a call out even with full bars. So much for contract customers getting priority over pre paid.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

I'm going the other way.

Maybe try Cell C before moving to MTN.

So much for contract customers getting priority over pre paid.

Is that actually a thing? I've never heard of that before.

 

[Ockie]

I'm going the other way. Vodacom has such bad reception where I am, and their towers are overloaded. At 4am you cannot get a call out even with full bars. So much for contract customers getting priority over pre paid.

The new system is not to be used to port numbers in. Soon as the customer has a number that needs to be ported over to Vodacom, we use the old system instead.

 

[Ockie]

@ OP. PM me the number and let me see what the fault code is that was received from MTN.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

@ OP. PM me the number and let me see what the fault code is that was received from MTN.

PM sent! Thanks very much

 

[Dairyfarmer]

Maybe try Cell C before moving to MTN.

Does CellC not use Vodacom towers? Their reception also very bad, maybe worse than Vodacom. MTN also has the benefit of using Axxess for data (cheap data with a 3 month roll over)

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

Does CellC not use Vodacom towers? Their reception also very bad, maybe worse than Vodacom. MTN also has the benefit of using Axxess for data (cheap data with a 3 month roll over)

Cell C uses Vodacom's towers in areas where it doesn't have its own (roaming agreement). As the Cell C network grows, those areas are decreasing.

The Afrihost data packages are awesome. You can even use an APN to avoid having to dual SIM or swap SIMs. If it wasn't for the fact that it runs on the MTN network, I'd definitely use it.

MWEB has data packages that use the Cell C network, but they don't have the APN option (for reasons of which I'm not aware), so I'd have to swap my SIM between using the internet and making phone calls, which would be ridiculous.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

Afihost and Axxess allow you to use your current MTN SIM. Work well with prepaid or sim in a tablet or modem. Afrihost if you want to buy a block of data to use over 12 months, Axxess for monthly data (has 3 month rollover).

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

Afihost and Axxess allow you to use your current MTN SIM. Work well with prepaid or sim in a tablet or modem. Afrihost if you want to buy a block of data to use over 12 months, Axxess for monthly data (has 3 month rollover).

Awesome! I wasn't aware that there were differences. I wonder why Afrihost decided not to allow the same rollover system for its data offerings.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

Afrihost offer you the ability to buy a block of data and/or voice that is valid for 1 year.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

Update: got another declined SMS, but this one gave new reason. Instead of "other", it said "MNP - Account type mismatch".

Anyone know what that means?

 

[zorro5614]

For me Telkom and MTN packages just offer much better value than Vodacom

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

I eventually ended up calling the MTN porting department whilst sitting in a Vodacom store. Had the Vodacom rep submit the port request, and then asked someone from MTN to approve it while I waited on the line. They did so.

It's ridiculous that I had to go to such lengths to get MTN to release my number, but at least it's sorted now.

For anyone who sees this in the future: call 083 123 7667 for MTN's porting department.

So glad I'm finally on a different network

 

[SykomantiS]

I had a similar situation when I cancelled my contract with Vodacom and tried to move to Cell C. Apparently if you cancel, go prepaid and then port, you have to wait six months before you can port- that was the reason given to me by staff in Vodaworld Midrand. (Can't remember if the Cell C guy said the same).

Not sure if this is even accurate or if they were thumb sucking or if this applies to the OP.

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

(Accidental double post).

 

[Bl1zz4rd]

I had a similar situation when I cancelled my contract with Vodacom and tried to move to Cell C. Apparently if you cancel, go prepaid and then port, you have to wait six months before you can port- that was the reason given to me by staff in Vodaworld Midrand. (Can't remember if the Cell C guy said the same).

Not sure if this is even accurate or if they were thumb sucking or if this applies to the OP.

A rep at MTN Canal Walk told me 1 month. Everyone else said as soon as your number's on prepaid, you can port. Since I managed to port after less than 2 weeks, I doubt there's a waiting period.

I think there is a waiting period after you've successfully ported to another network, to port again to another one. I saw that online recently as far as I can remember.

What was your reason for moving from Vodacom to Cell C?