Data cost spiral raises hackles

[caption id="attachment_96877" align="aligncenter" width="599"] HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW: Cell phone users are doubting the evidence of their eyes as their data runs out in a flash[/caption]

Customers fuming but cell giant MTN says customers were notified in May

FUMING MTN customers who claim they are being ripped off have been fobbed off by the cellphone giant, which says charges went up in May and customers are only now noticing the effect.

With allegations of disappearing data and excessive tariff charges, Weekend Post consumer column Fair & Square has been inundated with complaints.

About 50 e-mails came in from as far as Pretoria and Cape Town.

Les Blyth, 66, of Pretoria, said his bill went up by 180% in June.

“I am now contemplating laying a fraud charge against MTN.”

Righardt du Plessis, 37, of Despatch, said his data contract with MTN would normally cost about R149 a month for two gigabytes (GB) of data. This had skyrocketed in the last two months to R940 and R450 respectively, even though “I hardly use it”.

Ruth Mbabela, 29, of Walmer, said her data bundles were depleted within days of using the internet.

Mbabela bought one GB of data on June 26 and got an extra GB for free. “I was stunned when, just a mere 11 days later, on July 7, my data was depleted,” she said.

MTN SA chief customer experience officer Eddie Moyce said the cellphone network provider had increased tariffs in May. This included out-of-bundle data rates and he attributed this to escalating costs.

“MTN increased its pricing in May as well as its out-of-bundle rates due to escalating operational costs resulting from increasing taxes, fuel, distribution and electricity costs,” he said.

Moyce said customers were only starting to feel the pinch now.

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has received 32 complaints about Vodacom and Cell C after the cellphone networks increased prices.

This comes as the Independent Complaints Commission of South Africa (Icasa) is investigating the two companies.

No complaint have been lodged against MTN.

Anyone with a gripe about cellphone pricing can contact the NCC.

You can phone (012) 761 3000 or e-mail complaints@thencc.org.za. -Devon Koen