Lack of communication to customer and different information provided

On Monday the 20th I decided to pass by Calton Centre MTN to upgrade on one of my two contacts, a lady by the name Ivy helped me to upgrade who was helpful as I bombard her with many question is the process, in the process I discovered that she was going to charge me R163 or 5 for the sim card, due to the fact that I did not have the money needed I then took the device with out the sim card, I asked her why is she charging me for the sim card as this is an upgrade and not a lost sim or sim swop , she then said no this is a new policy

She then gave me the phone with no sim card but did however check that the device did switch on and instructed me to charge it to full before using it

When I arrived at work around 12 I then called 808 and spoke to a consultant who I explained that I just did an upgrade and wanted to know why was I not handed a sim card the lady did explain that all upgrades came with a sim card and the store needed to provide me with one which was good news to me, I did not get her name nor did she confirm any of my details as the call was short and brief

On Sunday morning I then made a call around 8am to 808 option number 4 for upgrades and then 0 to speak to an consultant I then was spoke Bongisiwe Nkosi who I then explained my story and she explained that the store was suppose to charge me for the sim card as this is a new policy and all upgrades as per new policy I will have to buy a sim card, this was indeed very discouraging and felt as though the company has told me two different stories regarding the sim card that was initially owed to me Bongisiwe Nkosi did not not give me a change to speak and kept interrupting me in the process the only time she gave me time to speak is when I requested her surname and reference number for the cal and then her manager Melanie Laikran who also did say that the store was suppose to provide me with a sim card and that she can't help me in the mean while and only the store will be able to assist me I feel that Bongisiwe didn't want to hear my side of the story and only wanted me to hear what she had to say, which came to a point we I started crying when I was speaking to Melanie, what was also very discouraging was the fact that I could hear someone laughing in the background, the call was then cut however no called back as I was expecting Melanie to call back as we were still discussing my options, which one of them was to go to any MTN store for assistance

Shortly after the call I then decided I should go to the store as I heard from more that one person that I was suppose to get a simcard with the new handset I just ungraded with, I then went to the MTN Calton Centre

As I arrived there the store was closed however the whole mall was open and operating, to my disappointment there was no trading hours displayed like any other MTN store or store around which I took pictures as proof

I then decided to go to the MTN store in Maponya Mall then I was assisted by Steven Netshevhumpfe who I told my story and still no help, he they called the store manager Nkosinathi Nkuna who was surprised to hear that was was I initially handed over a device with no sim in the first place considering the fact that the phone has a seven day warranty OBF period, what if the phone is faulty and I am sitting with a phone with no sim card all this time

Unfortunately they could not assert with a sim card as the handset was purchased at Calton Centre and simcard belong to the store as store stock and could not give me one without buying one, understood I left the shop very discouraged and hope I will be assisted here

My concerns are as follows, how can I constant hand me a device with out a sim card, and why did she not advice me of the OBF 7day period? Why as a company (MTN) are people instore and the callcentre are not aware of the new procedure regarding upgrades (charging the sim card ) and why was this new policy not communicated to customers such as my self since this was implemented a month ago as I alway receive communication emails and sms's? I am now sitting with a new phone with no sim but just did an upgrade? Why I am being billed for a sim swop as if I lost a sim card? Why was this not communicated to MTN customers? Why do I hear different stories for different people? My last request is for the telephone conversation between Bongisiwe Nkosi and myself and advise if this is how an MTN certified consulted is suppose to speak to customers?

I am a very unhappy customer for the lack of communicating with the new procedures

Regards Palesa Dithebe