TERRIBLE SERVICE

I’ve been a loyal MTN client for many years

My contract was due for an upgrade since 2016 but I’ve never felt the need to upgrade my contract.

Thabo Bapela VIP CUSTOMER RELATIONS AGENT – Cell Network VIP Department (Centurion Head Office) - *** +***3 reached out to me on the 7th of August with the following deals

Below are some packages on offer. The subscription price will change once you add a device.

MTN SKY Bronze (1 600min + 30GB) @ R969 x24 months (SIM only)

MTN SKY Silver (4 500min + 50GB + Unlimited MTN-to-MTN calls) @ R1199 x24 months (SIM only) MTN SKY Gold (7 500min + 100GB + Unlimited MTN-to-MTN calls) @ R1799 x24 months (SIM only) MTN SKY Platinum (10 000min + 200GB fair usage + Unlimited MTN-to-MTN calls) @ R2399 x24 months (SIM only)

As a valued client, find herewith a 20% accessory discount voucher, which can be redeemed via our website www.mtndeals.co.za Please use the following discount code MTNDEALS02 on checkout. Valid for all accessory purchases. Errors and omissions excepted.

On the 28th of August I emailed Thabo and asked him if he has any “deals” on the S24 Ultra on contract

Thabo rep**** and offered me the following deal

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 256 GB

Yellow Prime

5GB Anytime

500 MIN

+ Free Samsung Galaxy Watch7

I rep**** to Thabo the same day and accepted the deal based on the Free Samsung Galaxy Watch7

Thabo sent me an email on the 29th of August saying “I will arrange for my call center agent to contact for a voice binding recording and finalize the upgrade”

The call center agent called me the same day (29th of August)

I must point out that he mentioned that all the calls are recorded for quality and security purposes.

We went through the entire contract in detail, updated personal information which, I must add is still incorrect as my latest statement was emailed to ewebber*emperorspalace.com (note that this is not my email address and never was)

We discussed the phone in detail AND we discussed the watch in detail, the call center agent went as far as to ensure me that he will make sure I get the GALAXY WATCH 7 and not the 6 and we discussed the colors and I told him that I do not want a ladies watch I want the men's watch in black

After this Thabo sent numerous email and copied me in to other clients that was due for an upgrade (not sure why I was copied in on his emails to other customers)

On the 3rd of September I emailed Thabo and asked when I will receive the phone and the watch

Thabo rep**** saying:

Hi Etienne,

Yes apologies, it has been invoiced and should come thru before the end of the week.

Hope you well.

Kind regards,

I sent Thabo a follow-up email on the 6th of September saying

Afternoon, any idea what the status is? MTN Upgrades keep contacting me to upgrade, I will be paying for something at the end of this month that I do not have. No feedback on the status, no handset or watch received to date?

Thabo rep**** saying that it is all sorted

On the 11th of September I send another email

Hi Thabo

Any idea what the issue is? We started this process on the 28th of August and today is the 11th of September. Is there a deal or no deal? I am confused. Emails are flying back and forth, receiving sms's contracts etc. but no handset and watch. I hope I don't get charged at the end of the month for something I don't have? I am a bit worried about this deal to be honest

Thabo rep**** to me on the 12th of September saying

Good Morning Etienne,

The deal has been invoiced, apologies for the delay.

I rep**** the same day saying

If there is ANYTHING else you need then please count me out! This is the last and if there are any other problems or issues then I'm cancelling everything.

Cannot carry on like this anymore

On the 17th of September I sent another email

Morning Thabo

Do you know what is happening? It's been three weeks now and still nothing

I then got a phone call from the reception at an ABSA bank in PTA that there is a phone delivery for me at the ABSA branch. I called Thabo and asked him what is going on as I do not work for ABSA and I am not in Pretoria. I live in Cape Town and I gave Thabo and Kevin the call center agent my delivery address both in writing and on the phone

I sent another email to Thabo on the 17th of September, and he then stated the following

Good day Etienne,

The package was re-routed to your address, you should receive it before the end of the week.

Kind regards,

I eventually received the delivery VIA RAM hand to hand couriers on the 23rd of September – WHAT I RECEIVED WAS A PHONE BUT NO WATCH AS AGREED

I EMAILED Thabo again on the 25th of September saying

Morning Thabo

The deal we agreed on was the special below, can you please advise when i can expect the Samsung Galaxy Watch7?

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 256 GB

Yellow Prime

5GB Anytime

500 MIN

+ Free Samsung Galaxy Watch7

For R1199 per month

I did not receive a watch with the delivery as agreed.

Thabo then emailed me the following link to redeem a watch, note that nowhere in any correspondence or any conversations did anyone EVER mentioned that I will have to redeem the watch once the phone was delivered NOT ONCE!!!

https://africa.mkt.samsung.com/za/mtn-s24-redemption

Needless to say I clicked on the link provided but it said “This campaign is expired”

Again I emailed Thabo and he rep****

Ok apologies,

Will request for a new one.

Kind regards,

I emailed again to follow up this time Thabo rep****

I am still waiting for a link from my Samsung agent

Thabo then emailed me a new link

https://africa.mkt.samsung.com/za/mtn-s24-redemption

Needless to say it was the same link I received before and again I clicked on the link provided but it said “This campaign is expired”

I then emailed Thabo again saying

Worried because when I spoke to your agents (conversation recorded) we discussed the watch and the colors etc. and now I am chasing something that should have been delivered with the phone

Again Thabo rep****

Will sort it out. Ill let you know latest tomorrow morning.

Kind regards,

Tomorrow morning came and went and nothing from Thabo

Again I had to follow up and emailed Thabo the following

Morning

Please advise, if not then please send someone to collect your phone and cancel the deal. The phone is still sealed in its original condition.

This is probably the worst upgrade experience ever, now you know why my last upgrade was in 2016. Took forever to receive the handset and for some reason I was expecting this to happen

Thabo then rep**** to my email saying

Hi Etienne,

Because we submitted your documents late due to you wanting to change banking details, this caused a delay with the submission and the cut off date for the promo.

So, this is the re4ason is says expired, I have escalated the matter with at Samsung for them to over-ride , once that’s sorted I will send a new link. Apologies.

Kind regards,

NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS AND STILL AM VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS WHOL TRANSACTION AND REP**** TO THABO

Morning

I am following up!

I hear you but don't agree with your statement. You are saying that it is my fault that documents were submitted late due to me wanting to change banking details?

Not once did anyone mention that I will need to redeem a promo in order to get the watch. In fact when MTN called me and we discussed the terms and conditions (conversation recorded I must add) the watch was discussed at length. I am not sure if you have access to this recording but I made sure to ask about the watch and that it was a Samsung watch7 and not 6.

We even went as far as to discuss the color of the watch and the call center agent assured me that he will make sure they deliver the correct handset watch and color of the handset and watch. Not once did you or the call center agent mention that the watch needs to be redeemed after the handset was delivered?

If I had to redeem the watch then why after the watch was first shipped to an ABSA bank in Pretoria did you not send me the redeem link?

I am trying to understand how this is my problem now, I acted and agreed to a deal that you emailed me and the deal was a Samsung S24 Ultra 256GB, 5GB anytime Data, 500 MIN + a FREE Samsung Galaxy Watch7 and now I am chasing something that I am not sure that I will receive. Surely you can understand my frustration.

Thabo then rep**** on the 27th of September saying

Good day Etienne,

I understand your frustration, It will be sorted out.

Just waiting for a new link.

I then followed up with an email on the 30th of September – no reply

I then followed up with an email on the 2nd of October – Thabo then emailed me the following link

https://africa.mkt.samsung.com/za/a35-5g-mtn-redemption

I then rep**** with the following

Hi

Is this the correct link?

The redemption asks me for a IMEI Number for either a Galaxy A35 or A55

Congrats on your Galaxy A55/A35 5G purchase

I did not receive either. The proof of purchase I need to upload also reads Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 256GB

Also what gift am I redeeming on this link? Nowhere does it say I will be getting the Galaxy Watch7 I originally agreed to

AGAIN NO REPLY

I then downloaded the MTN complaints protocol

The protocol states that I must go to an MTN store which I did, after that if there is no resolution, I need to escalate it to customer care and the complaints department which I did

Contract Query SABC CODE SABC0334

Reference number: e9c1579e-c3ac-4ad3-8c49-3276f9d205ff

Second email

Reference number: a5db38bc-f7ef-47e3-a6f0-e4b2aad861cb

I reached out to Samsung this morning their reply was:

Please be advised Etienne that you will have to revert to MTN as it was their promotion, and they should meet their end of the bargain.

Apologies for the inconvenience caused on your side Etienne. Please be advised that since it was a MTN promotion we are not able to advise.

My last resort will be to escalate this to ICASA

I am sincerely hoping that posting on hellopeter will help me to get this sorted out

As explained I have the phone still sealed in the original case – unopened. I am MORE than happy to return the phone and revert to my old contract. All I want is the deal I agreed to