Cell C Fibre Penalizing Clients For Moving House

I've had great service with CellC Fibre to the home, but what I've had to deal with recently is absolutely shocking.

I signed up for Fibre through CellC a year ago and had no issues. Now I've moved to another area that does not yet have Fibre access. Of course my intention was to go straight back to CellC Fibre the moment it was available. That was until I was told they're charging me almost R4000 for not staying with them for 2 years as in the contract!

It would be a totally different story if I just decided I didn't want the service anymore. But I moved to a neighborhood that they do not cover. How in the world is it my fault or problem that they do not cover the area? Am I just supposed to not move out of my dangerous neighborhood because they want to keep me as a client? Utterly pathetic.

I spoke to their customer service team via email and tried to at least be reasonable. I said I'm willing to at the very least meet them half way and pay the amount as long as I can pay it off over a set period of time. I asked the agent emailing me how I can go about making payment arrangements for this.

I was given the number to call their accounts department. I called them and was directed back to the cancellations department I've been dealing with.

A bit annoyed now, I go back to them and ask for details on how I can make payment arrangements to pay off the sum over 3 months. I've just moved house and don't have the funds to pay the lump sum, but am willing to pay it off.

I get told that I can't make payment arrangements for it and that I'd be invoiced for the full amount. At first I thought that I'd just get an invoice and be able to pay it off myself over time via EFT.

I just got the invoice and see that I've been charged the full amount to be paid in a single payment via debit order!

This is absolutely disgusting service and customer relations! What kind of company penalizes a client for not covering the area the client is moving to? What kind of a company can't even meet the client half way to make payment arrangements!?

I really liked Cell C Fibre, but they have absolutely ruined this relationship. The moment Fibre comes to my new area, I will absolutely not be going with them and will urge all my friends, family, and neighbors to do the same before this company can do the same to them.

Absolutely terrible and pathetic.

I will also not be allowing that debit to go off and refuse to make the lump payment.