Open letter to Cell C - RE: Network quality

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Jeffrsnapln

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Cell C,

I have 3 contracts with Cell C, One that I use myself, and two used by family members.

I have been a Cell C customer for about 18 months, and from day one I have had problems with poor network. Intermittent 3G coverage, no throughput in spite of full 3G coverage, dropping calls, Incoming calls going directly to voicemail, Incoming calls going directly to voicemail, outgoing calls failing regardless of signal strength, incoming calls going directly to voicemail, and incoming calls going directly to voicemail.

I have noticed a very steady deterioration in general network quality from Feb 2013 until now.

I have reported issues many times, and have always received a very positive response, except for the fact that noting has improved.

The trouble is that every time I report a problem, it is treated as a very localised issue, and very specifically. I get questioned closely as to exactly when the problem (not problems) occurred (not occur), then they send someone to my house who sits outside in their car with a laptop for half an hour or so and then tells me its fixed. Its not fixed. Its not one problem, and its not only at my house.

Yesterday I managed to receive one call and make one call the entire day. My office had calls from three clients, complaining that my phone was off and they can't get hold of me. This is now more or less normal for me, throughout the Nelson Mandela Metro.

I know of others who are experiencing the same trouble, and have simply accepted the fact that they will need to change service providers when their contracts come to an end.

My question to you is this:
I have 6 months left on my contract. Can you give me ANY reason why I should remain a Cell C customer?
 
Good to know I'm not the only one. I have three and a half months left on my contract, and I am seriously considering dumping Cell C for good. As much as I hate Vodacom and MTN at least they have good network coverage.
 
I have a friend on cell c and and his calls drop out the whole time when driving around, and also his data connection. Very annoying calling the bloke.

As fed up as I am with vodacom at least their network is stableish
 
Yep, I've had the same experience with Cell C. Unfortunately I have little more than a year left on my contract, but after that, I am moving.
 
Makes my brain explode. We can transmit HD quality video from mars to earth, but we can't have decent cellphone connectivity.
 
We have issues with our connection coverage last 10 odd years [we tolerated it] and i just recently sent Cell C a FB PM and they said the network guys are investigating so let us see what comes about. My contract is due for renewal next month so that was an incentive to them :p.

Hope you come right.
 
I would dump them, given your situation. I think it will be many more years until Cell C has fully repaired their network.
 
Incoming calls going directly to voicemail, outgoing calls failing regardless of signal strength, incoming calls going directly to voicemail, and incoming calls going directly to voicemail.
Click to expand...

Uhm try disabling voicemail. Maybe you have a wrong setting making it almost immediately?
If there's a problem with the network, how can you still hear the recordings of people via voicemail.
 
Jeffrsnapln said:
Cell C,

I have 3 contracts with Cell C, One that I use myself, and two used by family members.

I have been a Cell C customer for about 18 months, and from day one I have had problems with poor network. Intermittent 3G coverage, no throughput in spite of full 3G coverage, dropping calls, Incoming calls going directly to voicemail, Incoming calls going directly to voicemail, outgoing calls failing regardless of signal strength, incoming calls going directly to voicemail, and incoming calls going directly to voicemail.

I have noticed a very steady deterioration in general network quality from Feb 2013 until now.

I have reported issues many times, and have always received a very positive response, except for the fact that noting has improved.

The trouble is that every time I report a problem, it is treated as a very localised issue, and very specifically. I get questioned closely as to exactly when the problem (not problems) occurred (not occur), then they send someone to my house who sits outside in their car with a laptop for half an hour or so and then tells me its fixed. Its not fixed. Its not one problem, and its not only at my house.

Yesterday I managed to receive one call and make one call the entire day. My office had calls from three clients, complaining that my phone was off and they can't get hold of me. This is now more or less normal for me, throughout the Nelson Mandela Metro.

I know of others who are experiencing the same trouble, and have simply accepted the fact that they will need to change service providers when their contracts come to an end.

My question to you is this:
I have 6 months left on my contract. Can you give me ANY reason why I should remain a Cell C customer?
Click to expand...

Hi Jeffrsnapln. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I would like to follow this up, and determine the real issue. Please DM me reference numbers of previous calls logged. I will follow them up. If indeed the problem cannot be fixed, we will explore other alternatives. *DM*
 
The major issue of Cell C is that they need more customers or higher ARPU to be profitable, but their network is not able to hold more.

So invest massively and take more debt on (knowing that the shareholders have lost a lot), or try to shuffle it how they can is what they deal daily with !
 
Good Day-

I have been threatening myself to bring this up as well.

Cell C's network has been deteriorating significantly the last year or so. Calls are dropped when you drive, there is sometimes no / poor data throughput, regardless of your movement.

I have logged numerous calls with Ashley as Cell C in the Western Cape with regards to poor reception in my holiday house area - also with feedback such as "the reception has been tested and has been improved" - but of course with no improvement.

Cell C has a lot of unhappy customers. I will be porting back to Vodacom when my contract ends May'15.

Cell C should stop spending money on advertising a service that they cannot fully offer and rather spend their time / resources in improving / fixing their network - otherwise their future will continue to look bleak in the long run.

"Free minutes don't count if you are unable to use them"

Have a good day.
 
I've actually worked with them for a few years and they are perfectly aware of the issues (they use Cell C themselves), their issue is that the shareholders have lost a lot of their investment and cash injections (even tried to sell it two years ago but nobody was willing to put a reasonable price on the table) and are not willing to put more money on the table which does not allow for the problems to be solved.

And calling on the market for such amounts with the financials of the company is really difficult.

It doesn't help the customers and the management is stuck with this.

The amount spent in advertising is nowhere near the investments they require !
 
Signal is a problem with Cell C. The only reason i stick with them is because the call rate is low, at 79c per minute, i put it up with the dropped calls.

Maybe one day i will reach my limit and move to another service provider. Thankfully I am on a month to month contract.
 
HideInLight said:
Uhm try disabling voicemail. Maybe you have a wrong setting making it almost immediately?
If there's a problem with the network, how can you still hear the recordings of people via voicemail.
Click to expand...

No occasionally calls will just go directly to voicemail without even ringing. And then another call soon afterwards will come through fine. It's got nothing to do with voicemail settings.
 
I experience the same issue all that was stated here. Luckily for me, my contract expires next month.
 
I have been with both MTN and Cell C since 2007 and, in all honesty, I have had MORE issues like mentioned in this thread with MTN than I have had with Cell C. More often than not people will be directed straight to my voicemail when they phone me on my 083 number. Immediately after that, they'll phone on my 074 number and ask me why my 083 is off ... when, in fact, both are lying right next to me and both are powered up indicating decent 3G signal.
 
EssieJr said:
I have been with both MTN and Cell C since 2007 and, in all honesty, I have had MORE issues like mentioned in this thread with MTN than I have had with Cell C. More often than not people will be directed straight to my voicemail when they phone me on my 083 number. Immediately after that, they'll phone on my 074 number and ask me why my 083 is off ... when, in fact, both are lying right next to me and both are powered up indicating decent 3G signal.
Click to expand...

That was kinda my point with my first comment.
The problems outlined in this thread are international.
Look at sitcoms that make jokes about "... sorry, you're breaking up ...".
Its pretty ridiculous if you look at the level of technology available.
But I guess upgrading technology means spending money :P
 
Cell C rep responded on the same day as the original post, asking for previous reference numbers etc. Heard nothing back yet.

I have yet to make or receive a successful phone call today.
 
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