MTN: Bend Over

<p>In Mid-January 2017, my contract cellphone numbers were suspended, even after I paid my account on the 7th of January 2017. I struggled for probably a week to try and get my phones reconnected, sending Proof of Payments and what ever else they requested on a daily basis to various email adresses. Finally my lines were reinstated. On the 7th of February 2017, driving to an appointment in JHB CBD, I realised my phoneline was suspended once again, without prior warning, and after I paid my account that day, I was stuck en-route and couldn't locate the address or contact the people due to my suspended phone - and lost huge business and credibility that day. My daughter who uses the other MTN number, was stuck in Cape Town, next to the road for 3 hours, because she couldn't contact her lift/uber, leaving the house in the morning unaware that our lines have been suspended. Usually they send a warning saying that your line will be suspended within 24 hoours if you dont pay your account etc, but I received NO notifications. Phoning MTN callcentre, they told me account was handed over to the legal department and they wont be able to assist me further and I will recieve a phonecall from the lagal department within the next 3-4 hours. The next day, with no contact from the legal department, I phoned MTN call centre again, same story: They have forwarded my complaint to the legal department and I should expect a call within a few hours. Same story. No contact. On Thursday I phoned again, I explained my frustrating story, the lady on the line gave me the legal department number and told me to phone them directly. I phoned the legal department, and they told me that they have no record of my file. I gave them my ID number and my mobile number, but they could not locate my file. They asked me for a reference number starting with HB, which i didnt have, and they suggested I phone the Call Centre once again, which I did. Requesting the reference number from the callcentre, I was told they have no such reference number and I was told they would send legal department an email and I should wait for their call. Later that day, I phoned the call centre AGAIN to hear if they have any news for me. Alroy van Ross assited me, and it was the first person I came accross who actually seemed interested in helping me. He told me he will do his best, but can't make any promises. He asked me to forward my proof of payment to him so that he can send it to the Legal Department. He told me he sent a high-priority email to the Legal Department to contact me urgently. The next morning I sent him an email asking if he has any news for me, and he regrettably told me, "no". On Friday, the 10th of Feb, I phoned the call centre again, almost in tears, I begged the lady on the other side of the phone to please help me. She told me that because its at the legal department, it is out of her hands and I should rather put the phone down, as there is nothing further that she can do for me. I told her I want to speak to the manager or the supervisor immediately, she asked me for what reason do I want to speak with her, and I told her, because I am a paying customer and my phonelines have been suspended unfairly, and I have been on the phone for FOUR days trying to sort this mess out, with the last advicce from the call centre, to just give it up. After waiting 20mins on the phone, she finally returned to my call, and said that the supervisor said that she cant help me, but they sent an email to the legal department, and I may also send my proof of payment to the legal department. Feeling frustrated and hopeless, I hung the phone up, and emailed the legal department with my proof of payment. Later that day, the email was returned, stating that it was the wrong email adress (!?) The entire weekend I spent without a cellphone, my car broke down next to the road in the country, and I wasn't even able to phone for help! I was stuck next to the road from 2am to 9am, when someone was finally able to assist me. On Monday morning, I phoned the callcentre AGAIN. I once again, told the person on the other side of the line, my long soppy story. She told me she will send an email to the legal department, but then returned and said that she can't allocate any escalation emails sent to the legal department (!?) I sent her my proof of payment once again, and she sent the email to the legal department, once again. Yesterday morning (13 Feb) I FINALLY received an email from the legal department. I almost fell off my chair. The contents of their email? Requesting me to email them my proof of payment. You would think that after the 8 times I sent it, they would have it by now! I immediately rep**** with the requested Proof of Payment, and that is the last correspondence I had from them. I am at my wits end!</p> <p>With my account at the Legal Department, it means that my number is totally useless. Its not a soft lock but a total suspension which means I cant even receive phonecalls or sms's. MTN has costed me business and money, have endangered both lives of both my daughter and myself, have created the MOST inconvenient week, and treated me like an unimportant, just-another-number 'customer" even AFTER I PAID AND MY ACCOUNT WAS COMPLETELY UP TO DATE! This is totally unacceptable, and MTN should be ashamed of themselves! Seems like MTN just wants their customers to shut up and bend over.</p>