Summer Mobile and MTN Partnership a nightmare on customers

Dear MTN

"How can I brighten up your day?" is what they say when you call in... Every consultant I've dealt with has done their utmost to assist but ISSUES still not resolved despite escalations.

Firstly, payment made on 1 August, despite sending to 4 different consultants is still not showing and thus my line is continuously being disconnected due to arrears. Note each time its a phone call with holding ranging between 5 to 45 minutes. I have the call log to prove.

Secondly and perhaps the most bizarre. Summer mobile calls me 3 September on very bad connection and I heard was MTN offering me upgrades. I explain that financial I did not want to upgrade as yet due to cost constraints. They explained the offering which was minimal cost and no device. I accepted. After the call I thought that she may have missed that I don't want to upgrade immediately but have every intention if getting new device in next 3 months and do not want to be tied into a 24 month agreement. Since all I heard was MTN I called MTN who had no evidence of call or who I spoke to. I repeatedly explained that someone from MTN did call me and consultant reassured me not on recorded. So since i had her on the line she assisted with a month to month option that would allow me to upgrade at a later date. Matter resolved, or so I thought.

Suddenly on the 14th September my inbox is inundated with credit checks and notifications of success of upgrades. Yes all 3 my contracts have been upgraded to who knows what. At first chance that afternoon I can MTN to query this and now suddenly they can tell me on their System that it is one of their agents Summer Mobile and I should contact them to cancel since. They gave me Summer mobile number and tried connecting me. Unfortunately we could not connect so I tried the number which turns out that it does not exists???? So I call MTN back to only have another lengthy hold but this time the consultant make effort to log cancellation from her side, MTN reference number *** refers. She does mention to follow up to ensure it has been action.

I followed up two days later and was sent back to Summer Mobile. MTN still providing incorrect number. I googled Summer mobile and even on their website they have an 021 number which is also incorrect number. Call MTN again and get another number which turns out to be the correct number.

Repeated phone call to Summer Mobile with no response or lengthy hold over days.. Maybe I just have bad timing.. , Eventually someoen answers but not sure between us which had more attitude, mine understandable though. eventually we both calm down and her advice is even though I'm still in my cooling off period to cancel these upgrade it will not be possible. My only option is to go in store and request upgrade which will override the existing contracts with some fee... I really don't understand what any of this means. And I'm still maintaining that I really did not want to upgrade now at all for cost reason and was holding out till January.

So I decide to go and fight it out at a branch as non of this makes sense. Yesterday was really the first instance I could go to a branch. Lo and behold I get to branch only to learn my account is in arrears. Consultant also not aware of this arrangement where I am not able to cancel and refers me back to Summer Mobile... Politely defiant I plead they call Summer Mobile and resolve as to what it is should do. Summer Mobile offers same explanation that customers that were moved over to Talula, or whatever its called, if upgrade is complete, where previously they could cancel or customer could change, MTN has taken that function away from them. They have someone learnt the only way for customers to resolve is to re-upgrades at branch...

Obviously I had proof of payment in hand. Handed over and watched consultant processing. Consultant explain we can't do the new upgrades (upgrade of an upgrade) until account query is resolved and she politely explains she'll get back to me on Wednesday, tomorrow as she is not in today.

This morning my account is suspended. I call MTN and unbelievable that the August payment is the one still not reflecting. She even confirms that she can see the escalations of proof of payment from previous consultant on 3 September but these have still not been attended to. She also explains not to use my account number as reference (even though I've done so since first contract) but to use my main mobile number going forward.

My queries are: - When will my payment be allocated and how is this repeated arrears on account impacting my credit profile. - Why are we not able to cancel the Summer Mobile upgrades since I am within my cooling period and made repeated effort to cancel from the first day - Why does MTN and Summer Mobile not have correct contact phone numbers for Summer Mobile - What happens if my credit profile does not allow upgrade considering I have recent upgrades from Summer Mobile and supposedly defaulting on MTN Account????? - After having contracts with MTN for over a decade with reasonable monthly spend and payments on time, why should I maintain any loyalty with MTN based on current experience???