No Data Depletion SMS Sent to Device Resulting in Exhorbitant OOB Charges

Data Contract Number ********** 480

As a company we have 29 data contracts with Vodacom and a number of other data contracts with MTN and Telkom Mobile. Other companies within the group also have data and device contracts with Vodacom and MTN.

While many of our Vodacom data contracts are Top Up we also have Open Contracts. All our staff have been trained to monitor data bundle depletion SMS's sent to the device they are using, especially those who use devices with Open Contract sims as we are well aware of the exhorbitant OOB charges. In the event that these SMS's were ignored then the staff member would be held liable for any OOB charges. One of our Open Contract staff suddenly has a bill on the above number of R2 801.42 instead of the usual R402.99 This is virtually unheard of. We run a tight ship, the staff are trained in the use and management of their data allocations. This is the first time in many years that any of my staff members has become subject to the punitive OOB data charges.

A disciplinary action now has to be instituted against this staff member as they have ignored the bundle depletion SMS's. The staff member claimed that they received no such warning SMS's. They were then asked to submit the device to our IT department to investigate. It turns out they were correct. No data depletion warning SMS's were sent to the device. The last SMS received by this device was on 27/12/2018. There were no SMS's received since then. As this is the case, we cannot take disciplinary action against this staff member and recoup the OOB costs.

Which brings me to my point. Why were data bundle depletion SMS's not sent to this user's device. I know for a fact that I have in the past received data bundle depletion warning message from Vodacom on my data device. MTN and Telkom Mobile also sends bundle depletion warning SMS's to the devicd being used without fail.

This does not sit well with me. I feel that our company is being ********** by these exhorbitant OOB charges. If data bundle depletion SMS's were sent to the device we could have topped up with a 3GB data bundle at a cost of R191.00.

I trust that you will look into this issue and revert back to me with an agreeable solution.