Upgrade Nightmare

I had a Top-up SIM only contract with Cell C expiring in December 2018. I was contacted by agents that I'm due for an upgrade in September 2018. I advised them that I do not want my current number to be part of the upgrade, I wanted to let the contract expire and elect to convert my current number to prepaid. I've had this number for several years and use it for business and personal calls. In fact this number was ported from Vodacom to Cell C. The agent at Upgrades advised that I can make the upgrade to the 20GB Smart Data Share with a mobile router and they will perform a number change so that the contract kicks in on a new Cell C number and my current number would become prepaid. I was also advised the number change would be free because it's part of the upgrade and would be effective on the day I receive the router. I then bought the required SIM card from a Cell C store. So on 11 October 2018 I received an SMS that an upgrade was successfully processed. I queried this because I did not want the data loaded on my current number, but I was advised that a number change would sort that out. A few days later I received the router and I called Cell C to advise that they should proceed with the agreed number change.

This is the point at which my problems started with Cell C. I was told that the number change was performed and should take a few hours. The next day I checked, the number change was not effected. I checked again the next day, same situation. Eventually I was advised the servers were down when the number change was being effected and will be sorted soon. Under this current setup I am stuck with my current number now on an open line, I struggle to make calls and I am advised I should use *147# or the APP to buy voice bundles. I try this and I always get an error. Since 11 October 2018 to today 31 October I have not been helped. I've been passed between Upgrades, Retention, Cancellations, Customer Care, Follows Ups, and today Legal. I called daily the first week, then I gave another week and tried again on the 29th October 2018. All have pointed to other departments and no one wants to own this problem. I've indicated several times that I want them to cancel this contract and return everything the way it was or at least follow though on the deal. I asked that they can fetch their router, which is still sealed, at their own cost.

My major inconvenience here is that I use this number for business and have lost clients due to the fact that I can't recharge airtime, I struggle to connect to systems that require me to reply via SMS, I am sitting with data on the SIM that is supposed to be used for calls and the Office and Home have no data. When I get home I have to Wifi Hotspot using my phone for everyone to connect and I can at least receive calls. I was given a reference by Follow Ups on 29 October 2018 (Ref: ********** 485), saying they will investigate and listen to recordings, only to get an SMS that a number change can only be done after 12 December 2018.

I really regret agreeing to this deal because no one will take responsibility for it at Cell C. Worse yet is the inconsistency of information you get from different agents, some saying one thing is possible and others saying it's impossible.

I would however like to point out that there is an agent I was in communication with most of the time at Upgrades, it sounded like he was really trying and the system was not working with him, after several attempts of trying to recharge, he was able to load about R150 of airtime in the mean time from his side, but it was quickly finished and I'm back to that situation, whereby agents are telling me to use the APP. He also said his manager will try give me a free one month subscription. Even though I appreciate that, but I am still very much inconvenienced. I have no idea if they are gonna start charging me for this router or not. I have no idea what's the way forward. I feel I have exhausted my options with Cell C and I struggle to understand what kind of business they are running if the customer's voice is not important.

I anyone reading this review knows of means to resolve such a situation though other third parties or a regulator please advise me. Thank you.