davemc
Executive Member
Oh wait. *facepalm*
Who is the regulator again?
Who is the regulator again?
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R40 000 acount
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whyonearth
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That's 20 times the normal monthly usage and it's not a nominal amount! Surely MTN have processes in place that can pick up irregularities like this!
Is it possible that MTN can legally supply credit to consumers to that extent? Does NCA not protected against this kind of "reckless lending"? I will use myself as an example. I have a R3200 call limit on my account, managed to run up a R35 000 bill which I'm disputing .... http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=191515 MTN are insisting that I settle the account, the banks won't even give me credit because I simply can not afford it.
As far as I'm concerned call limits are put in place to protect both the supplier and the consumer. The account should therefore be locked if the limit is reached. If not the supplier should take the heat!
diabolus
Executive Member
What happened to the National Credit Act and Credit limits?
Your MTN Account is considered a CREDIT ACCOUNT. It should be borderline illegal to have a R40k limit on an account without your approval AND on which your monthly usage is R2k .
When you sign that contract they put a credit limit on it related to your salary, usually it's more a standard R2,000 or R3,000 limit , i'd assume on a R2,000 account a limit of R6,000 should be max.
I've hit my CREDIT LIMIT [it's in caps because this is not the same as this other usage limit people are talking about] plenty of times , they shut you down if you hit it [account suspension] and you are forced to pay the amount in full. You can't use 3G, you can't phone, nothing.
So it's not physically possible for me to ever rake up R40k, if i do, i'm sure i can put the NCA onto MTN because this is what the regulator is for...MTN is not legally allowed to extend me credit i can't afford or even applied for.
How is this then possible? Really, even if it's in a single session, MTN is not that stable that you'd download R40,000 data = 40GB+ in a day even.....surely the usage did not happen overnight ??
I think the poster should consider going to the NCR if they don't come right with MTN, as this is similar to ABSA [or any bank] lifting your credit card limit [without your consent] allowing you to spend way beyond your means and then not taking responsibility when you can't pay it.
Your MTN Account is considered a CREDIT ACCOUNT. It should be borderline illegal to have a R40k limit on an account without your approval AND on which your monthly usage is R2k .
When you sign that contract they put a credit limit on it related to your salary, usually it's more a standard R2,000 or R3,000 limit , i'd assume on a R2,000 account a limit of R6,000 should be max.
I've hit my CREDIT LIMIT [it's in caps because this is not the same as this other usage limit people are talking about] plenty of times , they shut you down if you hit it [account suspension] and you are forced to pay the amount in full. You can't use 3G, you can't phone, nothing.
So it's not physically possible for me to ever rake up R40k, if i do, i'm sure i can put the NCA onto MTN because this is what the regulator is for...MTN is not legally allowed to extend me credit i can't afford or even applied for.
How is this then possible? Really, even if it's in a single session, MTN is not that stable that you'd download R40,000 data = 40GB+ in a day even.....surely the usage did not happen overnight ??
I think the poster should consider going to the NCR if they don't come right with MTN, as this is similar to ABSA [or any bank] lifting your credit card limit [without your consent] allowing you to spend way beyond your means and then not taking responsibility when you can't pay it.
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how convenient
it's strange how the prepaid system updates so fast, cutting one off at exactly R0,00 - where contract just "doesn't really work" enabling one to run into huge bills even if a limit is added
I know. I found out the hard way when I received a bill for over R800.
When I queried it they told me its not guaranteed. I told them that I was not told this! They just replied its in the terms and conditions!
Did you ask them to point you to the clause in the "Terms and Conditions"?
I can't find it.
Tell them that they supplied you with incorrect data balances. And tell them that they did not warn you that their counter is faulty.
The new "Consumer Protection Bill" will protect you from probs like this.
Don't diss MTN completely. I am sure they will work something out eventually. It is now 4 months and they have not suspended me or summoned me although I keep reversing my bill.
I can't find it.
Tell them that they supplied you with incorrect data balances. And tell them that they did not warn you that their counter is faulty.
The new "Consumer Protection Bill" will protect you from probs like this.
Don't diss MTN completely. I am sure they will work something out eventually. It is now 4 months and they have not suspended me or summoned me although I keep reversing my bill.
HapticSimian
Honorary Master
Same. I get a call from their credit division every couple of days, at which point I ask the telephone jockey to kindly scroll down to the notes on my account. This is then followed by a brief exchange of 'I see there is an exception on your account', 'Yes', 'Has it not been resolved?', 'No', 'I will escalate it', 'Again? Thank you', *click*.
They seem to have a fundamental comprehension issue with the fact that I am not disputing data used. Fine, I used it, but only because your counters are screwed. And besides that, you go around charging OOB rates for PSD calls that should have been deducted off active bundles as & when they were made, not 2 or 3 months later.
It's a slow process, but I'm getting there. They now know I will not pay a cent until my queries are resolved. Withholding my money is the only leverage I have... Idjits...
upup
Executive Member
They put the cell modem on a router, about 6 computers, and then friends.
She use the internet mostly for emails and reservations.
Then they install the router.
So now she will have to get some kind of monitor.
She use the internet mostly for emails and reservations.
Then they install the router.
So now she will have to get some kind of monitor.
Terencek
Expert Member
The whole concept of a data cap is pretty flimsy anyhow, if my own experience with MWeb/MTN is anything to go by.
In theory I have signed a form putting a R10 cap on my monthly 1GB package, so in theory I can never be billed more than R10 over my standard monthly charge.
In practice I have had to fight this one several times, and the argument on their side always comes down to the fact that 'the cap does not apply during the actual session on which you exceed your normal data package'. In other words, if you, like most of us, are online all day and on that day you download a hundred MB or more over your cap, you will pay the (huge, full-rate) excess data fee.
But also in practice on my account, even that doesn't work correctly, and even though I am over my cap, my ISP still allows me to reconnect for subsequent sessions -- and charges me accordingly. So once again, we pay when their technology doesn't work.
Moral of the story: track your own data usage with a reliable counter, and ignore the online trackers that your provider posts. As I write this, MWeb/MTN insists I have used 18 MB this month -- and my carefully-maintained NetMeter says 671 MB!! Slight difference.....
In theory I have signed a form putting a R10 cap on my monthly 1GB package, so in theory I can never be billed more than R10 over my standard monthly charge.
In practice I have had to fight this one several times, and the argument on their side always comes down to the fact that 'the cap does not apply during the actual session on which you exceed your normal data package'. In other words, if you, like most of us, are online all day and on that day you download a hundred MB or more over your cap, you will pay the (huge, full-rate) excess data fee.
But also in practice on my account, even that doesn't work correctly, and even though I am over my cap, my ISP still allows me to reconnect for subsequent sessions -- and charges me accordingly. So once again, we pay when their technology doesn't work.
Moral of the story: track your own data usage with a reliable counter, and ignore the online trackers that your provider posts. As I write this, MWeb/MTN insists I have used 18 MB this month -- and my carefully-maintained NetMeter says 671 MB!! Slight difference.....
RoosTa
Expert Member
Are you sure she did not use Voice over IP, like skype? MTN charge something ridiculous like R22 per MB.
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=191162
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=191162
You omitted informing him about the clause that Vodacom's "limit lock" is not guaranteed and if it fails you are still liable for the surplus. There are many complaints on this forum as well as Hellopeter about this
Voldemort
Death eater
Same clause we have.
i have to agree with you on this....
In other words, the "limit lock" is as worthless as t!ts on a goose...
Ridiculous if you think about it. I have this system to prevent you from spending too much, but if it doesn't work, Toughski *****ski, you pay.
If I walk into the butcher shop and ask for R100 worth of biltong and the guy pile R150 worth of biltong on the scale he will have to give it to me, even though I have only R100 on me?
yebocan
Honorary Master
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Soft locks were never designed to be part of the consumer proposition.....was more to be a credit control tool utilised by the credit control guys. Guess someone thought would be a nice service, to assure clients, you will not be able to overspend.
If clients are given a complete review of the process of soft locking,and not just the disclaimer to sign, maybe they will be more aware of the sort comings of the service. In essence you have three systems that have to work together to get the net result of a "soft lock". 1. Billing system-- short comings here -billing data can be delayed, resulting in going over your limit. Once you reach your limit, its handed over to the network element, which pushes it through to your relevant switch/HLR---which activates the lock...if there is delays between either of the network elements, you are still going to run up that bill.- Which you are liable for....and common sense should be there...you spend you going to pay.....
I am sure that one day we would have real time billing as on prepaid,,.........guess for now it is not a priority, and to overhaul Eppix would be too rich for anyone.
If clients are given a complete review of the process of soft locking,and not just the disclaimer to sign, maybe they will be more aware of the sort comings of the service. In essence you have three systems that have to work together to get the net result of a "soft lock". 1. Billing system-- short comings here -billing data can be delayed, resulting in going over your limit. Once you reach your limit, its handed over to the network element, which pushes it through to your relevant switch/HLR---which activates the lock...if there is delays between either of the network elements, you are still going to run up that bill.- Which you are liable for....and common sense should be there...you spend you going to pay.....
I am sure that one day we would have real time billing as on prepaid,,.........guess for now it is not a priority, and to overhaul Eppix would be too rich for anyone.
You said it, I didn't....
To go back to my analogy about the biltong. I asked for R100 worth of biltong, but you don't have a scale in your shop, so you give me the biltong and I eat it. At the end of the month you do a reconciliation and send me an invoice for R150?
A service provider's intricate systems and the lack of synchronisation is not the client's problem!
Why anybody in his right mind would even consider a data contract with any SA service provider is a mystery to me.
It is equally inconceivable that companies that make profits in the billions have such K@K billing systems, but then again, the billing systems generate a lot of profit...
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yebocan
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Anton, I hear you on that one....- well, if they are not able to produce any disclaimer that you have signed or recording where you confirm that you accept the terms and conditions , then you are not liable....someone did not do their job again, and now the consumer gets asked to bend. Typical South African Business Practice, we screw up, you have to pay up.