********* over-billing on 24-month contract = *****!!!

<p>I am absolutely furious about a 24-month contract which I took out on the 8th of January 2015 for a Samsung Galaxy Tablet with 1GB data. I was informed by the saleslady at the Telkom Direct Store at The Boulders Shopping Centre in Midrand that once the tablet was paid for after 24 months, I would own the device - then the only monthly payment thereafter would be for data, and since data prices are falling all the time, I would be able to sign up for a new data contract at better pricing.</p> <p> </p> <p>I was contacted end of November 2016 by a lady named Nasreen (021 ********** ) who advised me that she was calling from Telkom’s retentions department. She informed me about a data special – a Huawei e5330 MiFi Router which could provide connectivity for up to 10 wireless devices, with a 1GB day and 1GB night data for only R 89.00 per month, or a 2GB day and 2GB night data for R 129.00 per month. I agreed to take the R 89.00 special to replace the current 1GB data on the Samsung Galaxy Tablet after my 24-month contract ended, and was informed that delivery of the MiFi device would take approximately 7-10 days. When the device was not delivered during this timeframe, before I went away on leave, I called Nasreen and she advised that the new 1GB contract would have to be cancelled and re-initiated if I only wanted delivery after I returned from leave on the 4th of January. I advised her to then cancel the entire new contract and that I would rather continue in the meantime on a month-to-month basis with my existing 1GB data contract linked to the Samsung Galaxy Tablet. </p> <p> </p> <p>I noticed on my latest account that Telkom Mobile has continued to bill me for BOTH the tablet and data on an ongoing basis – they maintain that I did not send them a cancellation form 21 days before the contract ended to cancel payment for the tablet. Nasreen did not mention anything about a cancellation form either – strange that she had all my personal details and details of the original contract, and knew when it would be expiring, but did not inform me about the requirement for a cancellation form, or send me any cancellation form for the existing tablet after I explained that I did not require a new tablet? I did NOT give Telkom permission to bill me beyond the 24 months stipulated in the original contract, and nowhere on the original contract does it state that I have to give written cancellation of payment for the Samsung Galaxy tablet, or that Telkom can continue to bill me beyond the stipulated 24-months. I also find it **************** that I am now being charged R 225.00 for 1GB of data, after the 24-months has passed, when Telkom is offering new clients 5GB day plus 10GB night data for only R 149.00 per month!</p> <p> </p> <p>I have most certainly been de*****ed by Telkom as they have extended the 24 month contract without consulting me. Why call it a 24-month contract if you plan to bill me indefinitely? Why not just cut the data and stop billing me for everything after the 24 months is up? Especially as I did not renew the contract or agree in writing to continue the contract after the expiry of the contract. It would have made sense if Telkom had sent me an e-mail in November advising me that the contract would expire on the 8th of January 2017 and that my last debit order would be end of December 2016, and pro-rata for the first 7 days of January for that matter - until the 24-month contract was expired; plus include marketing info with available / promotional device and data packages – any normal human being would prefer to sign up a new device or data contract rather than have to endure the schlepp of cancelling an existing one. Even my cancellation form, which I received from Telkom Mobile after complaining that I was still being billed, and submitted shortly thereafter, was only read 10 days after I submitted it. An apology for the delayed response and “sorry for any inconvenience” simply doesn’t cut it. Telkom Mobile stand to lose their customer base on a grand scale because of the contracts that continue to be billed **********ly regardless of the contract coming to an end after 24 months. Add to that the inability of Telkom Mobile to manage their retentions properly, resulting in what could potentially be a success story becoming a disaster.</p> <p> </p> <p>I insist that I be refunded the overpayment on the tablet, failing which I will take this matter to the Consumer Council and the Communications Ombudsman. And Telkom, do me a favour, if you plan to respond to this complaint, kindly make your response visible to all HelloPeter users - ********* business practices and how service providers deal with their contract disasters need to be aired in public!!</p> <p> </p> <p>Telkom contracts should come with a warning sign advising customers that they WILL be misinformed and treated like dirt at every opportunity!! No other company keeps billing a customer for a device once the payments over 24 months have been made.</p> <p> </p>