BUDGET CELLULAR - TERRIBLE TERRIBLE SERVICE!! ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING

My phone got ****** and insurance delivered a new phone to me. However, upon receipt of the phone, the phone was faulty as it could not read my sim card although every other phone could read my sim.

I went to MTN (my service provider) in Sandton City to check that the sim wasn't faulty and they did the relevant checks and also confirmed that the phone must be faulty. The faulty new device was reported in less than 24 hours and was picked up without day.

I had to follow up with the consultant, Nicole Bragga, who indicated to me it would take 14 working days to have this defective new phone replaced. I would make regular follow ups as no update was provided to me and all that was said was the phone is at "the assessment centre" and that "Please note as per policies and procedures set out by the manufactures that an OBF is not being repaired it is being assessed for liquid and physical damage" which takes FOURTEEN WORKING DAYS.

Mind you - I understand they need to do their checks but this is a completely new phone that THEY issued out to me so how it would have liquid damage and how it takes at least 13 working days to assess such damage is completely beyond me. On this Nicole very courteously indicates in her email "As soon as I have an update on your device I will be updating you." but no such update was received...I would have to call her to find out what was happening with the phone.

On the 13th working day she then tells me that the first day that the phone is received at their offices doesn't count.

The company cannot expect a client to operate without a phone for 14 working days esp with a brand new phone that was defective on use.

At the very least, I would expect a loan phone to be issued out in such a scenario given that the process takes so long. Consumers are put in a worse off position since a new phone was issued to me without a loan phone being presented in its place and I feel like I am being punished for THEIR ERROR in issuing me with a defective phone.

She then indicated that they are the distributors - this is now the 14th working day by her standards and she tells me that delivery of the phone will take up to 48 working hours.

Do not associate yourself with such a company that is very quick to tell you about their policy wording but fail to deliver on their own wording. Please note the wording below per point 10 which she very nicely highlighted for ME to see but Cleary not for her to honour: 10. After the assessment has been completed and the device approved as an OBF, Budget Cellular will replaced the handset with a new device within 14 working days.