EL
Ester L
1 reviews | Active since Dec 2009
08 Jul 2016, 08:34
Usage limit introduced without my consent
<p>I made the mistake of upgrading my tablet contract that I've had with MTN for 11 years now. I also have two cellphones on my MTN contract - have had them for 17 and 14 years now. </p> <p> </p> <p>During this upgrade in June 2016, the agent decided to put a usage limit on my account. This was done without consulting me first. Yesterday evening, I received a sms informing me that MTN has suspended my services, because I reached my usage limit. This did not really worry me, since I know that my new month's benefits are creditted to my account on the 8th of every month. This morning, even after my account was creditted with airtime, data and sms bundles, my service is still suspended. I managed to contact a MTN support agent who just kept on telling me that I've reached my usage limit and that my account has been suspended. SUSPENDED, but I have no money outstanding on my account!! She's unable to tell me when the usage limit will be reset for the new month, and she's also not willing to remove the usage limit that was introduced. She's now agreed to reconnect my services, since there is no money outstanding on my account, but now I have to wait 2 to 24 hours for services to be restored. ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC MTN! Why inconvenience your loyal clients with your incompentance? I've been a loyal MTN client for 19 years now, but I will not hesitate to move my accounts elsewhere if this is what your service will be like in future.</p>
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MTN South Africa's replyOfficial
09 Jul 2016, 11:48Thank you for your post.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced with our service.
Please take note on the account you have a credit limit of R1539.49 for the 3 lines you have on the account.
The account is not suspended due to the usage limit set up for R0.00 on line ***, the account is suspended due to the credit limit reached for the 3, lines on the account for the un-billed invoices balance, the invoices is not as yet finalized. Your un-billed invoice's balance is more than the credit limit for the 3 lines .
You may change the usage limit on your devices as per your own request to be able to make calls and Internet usage after the allocated data and minute's received with the package. Example, if you set up the usage limit for R250.00 after you utilized your allocated data and minutes the system will allow you to make extra calls and data usage for the R250.00 and the account will be billed for this extra usage. If you place it on R0.00 the account cannot be billed for calls or data you need to purchased airtime and data until the next allocation of the minutes and data .
Please use the short code *141*5# dial option 1 option one again. set up and press ok.
Once the usage limit has been removed you need to switch off the device and on again no 24 hours.
Kind Regards,
Alice van der Merwe
REQ:***
Best regards,
MTN South Africa's reply09 Jul 2016, 11:48
Official
Thank you for your post.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced with our service.
Please take note on the account you have a credit limit of R1539.49 for the 3 lines you have on the account.
The account is not suspended due to the usage limit set up for R0.00 on line ***, the account is suspended due to the credit limit reached for the 3, lines on the account for the un-billed invoices balance, the invoices is not as yet finalized. Your un-billed invoice's balance is more than the credit limit for the 3 lines .
You may change the usage limit on your devices as per your own request to be able to make calls and Internet usage after the allocated data and minute's received with the package. Example, if you set up the usage limit for R250.00 after you utilized your allocated data and minutes the system will allow you to make extra calls and data usage for the R250.00 and the account will be billed for this extra usage. If you place it on R0.00 the account cannot be billed for calls or data you need to purchased airtime and data until the next allocation of the minutes and data .
Please use the short code *141*5# dial option 1 option one again. set up and press ok.
Once the usage limit has been removed you need to switch off the device and on again no 24 hours.
Kind Regards,
Alice van der Merwe
REQ:***
Best regards,
EL
Ester L's updateReviewer Update
12 Jul 2016, 11:48Hi Alice
Thank you for your reply. I understand the credit limit, and why it exists. I also respect the fact that it protects me from overspending.
The real issue though, was not the limit as such, but the sudden reduction in the limit that was made without informing me, along with the fact that customer services did not know when the limit would be reset.
I checked my previous accounts, and up until the June invoice, my usage limit was set at R4000. Suddenly in July, it is now set to R1539. Any limit should have a reset point or date or method, whether it involves an account being paid, the start of a new month, or a simple agreement or product rule. When I queried the fact that the usage limit had not been reset for the new month, even though I had been creditted with my new month's credits, the customer care agent just kept on telling me that I had reached my usage limit and that I won't be able to use my phone anymore. No matter how many times I told her that I had been creditted with the new month's credits, and that there was no outstanding amounts on my account, she just kept on telling me that I won't be able to use my phone because I had reached my usage limit. Even when I asked her when the limit would be reset, she still kept to the same story over and over again, never answering the question I was asking.
I expect the same situation to occur at the end of July, since I had to buy a data bundle from my limitted account, to at least be able to contact my daughter and let her know why her phone was also not available. The limit is currently set to the exact amount of the three packages I have on my contract, leaving no room to buy additional data bundles or anything. I'm hoping that MTN has taken note of the fact that they should address the limit resetting, and that I will not have to phone again, and then wait hours to be reconnected. I've spoken to two different consultants, and neither of them were able to assist me with increasing the limit. I have tried using the *141*5# option, but this tells me that I've attempted to set my usage limit above the maximum allowed. (I tried R1650 as limit). I'm stuck with this limit for life then, it seems. This means that I will, in future never be able to buy additional data bundles from my phone or even send data or airtime to my daugther or anyone else I might need to. Truely a sad situation which I will keep in mind when I decide whether to upgrade or cancel my relationship with MTN in January 2017.
Regards
Ester Labuschagne
EL
Ester L's update12 Jul 2016, 11:48
Reviewer Update
Hi Alice
Thank you for your reply. I understand the credit limit, and why it exists. I also respect the fact that it protects me from overspending.
The real issue though, was not the limit as such, but the sudden reduction in the limit that was made without informing me, along with the fact that customer services did not know when the limit would be reset.
I checked my previous accounts, and up until the June invoice, my usage limit was set at R4000. Suddenly in July, it is now set to R1539. Any limit should have a reset point or date or method, whether it involves an account being paid, the start of a new month, or a simple agreement or product rule. When I queried the fact that the usage limit had not been reset for the new month, even though I had been creditted with my new month's credits, the customer care agent just kept on telling me that I had reached my usage limit and that I won't be able to use my phone anymore. No matter how many times I told her that I had been creditted with the new month's credits, and that there was no outstanding amounts on my account, she just kept on telling me that I won't be able to use my phone because I had reached my usage limit. Even when I asked her when the limit would be reset, she still kept to the same story over and over again, never answering the question I was asking.
I expect the same situation to occur at the end of July, since I had to buy a data bundle from my limitted account, to at least be able to contact my daughter and let her know why her phone was also not available. The limit is currently set to the exact amount of the three packages I have on my contract, leaving no room to buy additional data bundles or anything. I'm hoping that MTN has taken note of the fact that they should address the limit resetting, and that I will not have to phone again, and then wait hours to be reconnected. I've spoken to two different consultants, and neither of them were able to assist me with increasing the limit. I have tried using the *141*5# option, but this tells me that I've attempted to set my usage limit above the maximum allowed. (I tried R1650 as limit). I'm stuck with this limit for life then, it seems. This means that I will, in future never be able to buy additional data bundles from my phone or even send data or airtime to my daugther or anyone else I might need to. Truely a sad situation which I will keep in mind when I decide whether to upgrade or cancel my relationship with MTN in January 2017.
Regards
Ester Labuschagne