Handset blacklisted without warning

On 2 December 2021 we purchased online a new prepaid cell phone from a reputable dealer in KzN. The device was an MTN issued device, but because of the poor MTN signal quality in our area (another conversation for another day!) we opted to use the device with our Vodacom sim instead.

The device worked for 10 months until 4 October 2022 when it stopped receiving/making calls; we thought this was due to loadshedding in the area. Eventually we called Vodacom customer service on 8 October (after L/S was suspended) who advised that MTN had blacklisted the handset due to ***** and we were to contact MTN. We received no warning from MTN (who were certainly able to identify the MSISDN the handset was being use with – GSM being what it is - and could at least have tried to SMS us?). The device was unilaterally suspended.

We called MTN customer service who advised we need to send the handset details and invoice to their customer care email address which we duly did and received a reference number. We called MTN customer care again on Monday morning to follow up and were then told to go into the nearest MTN stored and provide the proof of purchase to be assisted. We went to MTN Clearwater, only to be told by the customer consultant (who shouted across the store because she was busy with another customer) to provide a signed affidavit and bring it back to have the phone “white listed”. We did this only to have another store clerk (who consulted with the first one who was now in the back room and didn’t bother to come out to see us) that MTN was not able to assist because we had used the phone on another network and should go to Vodacom for assistance.

After arguing our case with the store clerk, she reluctantly agreed to lodged the case - using the affidavit provided - with their “blacklisting department”. We are yet to hear from this department or the store clerk (and bear in mind we DID give an alternative contact number). We received an email from MTN customer care today advising they are not able to assist but that we should go back to the dealer we bought the handset from.

For the record, the sim we used in this handset was our business line; this has affected our business contactability and very likely our revenue stream. MTN made absolutely no effort to contact us or warn us; this devices was legitimately purchased and yet we are the victim here due to MTN’s heavy-handed treatment of us. We agree there is crime in SA, and we agree there should be consequences for this to perpetrators of crime. But we are innocent of any ***** and have received absolutely no support from MTN in their “righteous” efforts. Their contact centre staff and store staff are ill-informed on process, and therefore ***********!

So this is what we are going to do: 1. We have one last company contract with MTN; we will be porting this to Vodacom 2. The 8 staff who we buy prepaid data for each month on their MTN sim cards so they can work from home will be receiving Vodacom sim cards (or a competitor card if the Vodacom coverage is not good enough), and the average R5200 we spend each month (average R650 each) on data for them will now be spent with an MTN competitor 3. We will NEVER, repeat NEVER, buy another MTN product, service or device again as long as our company exists. And that is my personal promise too!

So well done, MTN, for the price of a R6999 handset you have successfully and heavy-handedly disgusted a consumer to the point that they will now boycott you…we lost R6999 once-off (not counting our revenue loss), you will lose an annual revenue of R57,200! After all, everyone needs a win, right?