MTN going down the tubes?

Due to the economy in our country, i recently experienced hard times and was unable to pay my account timorously. On the first month, i called MTN to explained my client has changed their payment date and I will make payment when this comes through. It so happened, it is now in 90 days, the client has not paid. This is my only source of income. I received a SMS (which was delivered in my "unknown & junk") I saw this a couple of days later. On 15th October at 19:13, I received another message (in same junk box) informing me they are in the process of reactivating my services, which could take between 2 and 24 hours. Meanwhile on 12 October, I received a notification via email advising me to pay within 10 days from date of letter. By the time I saw my SMS message, MTN has deactivated my account so I was unable to contact them. I hadn't received my account for me to see how much I owe. (I had idea of the old amount) I received my bill from MTN on Wed 17 Oct, 19:17. When I tried to access the account, I was unable to access my account since it has been deactivated. My question is; how do you get to contact them and see the account if everything is shut down? My understanding is that I had to make payment within 10 working days from the letter dated 12 Oct? I have been threatened with legal steps if it not paid. (I want to add, that I have every intention of paying my account and this is the first time I have been treated with such disdain. Perhaps, they don't need the little accounts because they have grown too big to care. Is this how MTN is now treating their clients, is there no compassion and leeway in making a payment arrangement?