Cell C
Reviews and Complaints

I would like to express my immense dissatisfaction with cell c. I cannot even remember how long it is that I have been experiencing problems with them.

I have two contracts with cell c. When the contracts were taken out, the contract was not on my name, due the fact that I was not 21 yet and the law required this. The banking details however, were on my name and this was the account that was debited every month.

The first problems started in the first month I had a contract. I was billed for this I did not understand. Whenever I requested and explanation, I received none. I was told that nobody can assist me in any way, as I am not the contract holder. This really frustrated me as I was the one who was paying for it at the end of the day.

A few months later, I tried to transfer the contract to my name. I went to the cell c store in cavendish, and submitted all the documents that they required to make the transfer. I then spoke to oriel khan from the customer complaints department, who told me that no enquiry was actually made to transfer the account to my name.

I asked oriel to assist me regarding the transfer of ownership. The surety I provided was declined. I obtained new surety and tried again. I e-mailed oriel numerous times enquiring as to what the progress of the transfer is, but to no avail. I

in the month of september my bank details changed and I had asked oriel to update these, which she did. At the end of october, my account was not paid because according to the customer care department of cell c, the bank details on record were invalid. The details that were on record, were in fact my old details, which oriel had told me, she updated. How is it possible that one month the details are correct and the following month they have reverted back to the wrong details?

I contacted the customer care department and spoke to a lady by the name of bonolo. She told me she is unable to assist me due to the fact that the contract is on my name, she cannot tell me what the process of the transfer of ownership is because the person that I am dealing with is supposed to assist me.

I spoke to kevin, at the call centre, who was a super star. The only competent person I have dealt with at cell c. He assisted me very well and eventually the transfer of ownership was completed.

I have posted numerous complaints on the site www.Hellopeter.com, you can view them here: http://www.Hellopeter.com/search_results. asp

It is now february, and once again, I am furious.in the month of december, my account was not debited. I passed this off as a mistake on cell c’s side. When now, by the end of january, the payment did not go off, once again, I was concerned.

I called the contact centre, only to discover that once again, cell c managed to get hold of my invalid bank details with the closed account. I updated these details, if my memory serves me correct, on friday. I told the gentleman to please re-submit the debit order. I was told that this was done and the payment should go off within two working days.

By this morning, tuesday 08/01/2008, the payment did not go off. I contacted the call centre to confirm that the correct details are on record. This was confirmed. I went ahead and posted another comment on hellopeter.com as this seems to be the only way in which to get cell c’s attention.

I was informed by the lady who contacted me, that the claim was never resubmitted. As I am sitting here am shaking with anger and disgust.

I feel that you have breached your side of the contract and I do not feel that I have received adequate service from you. Therefore I feel that the contract I signed is no longer valid.

I spoke to somebody in one of your customer care departments and tried to explain to her that I feel the contract should be cancelled, without me paying any penalties. She kept telling me, in a very abrupt tone, that this would not be possible. The conversation kept on going in circles, until I eventually, gave up.

I no longer know what to do and I truly feel that you have not honored your side of the agreement. Therefore I feel the contract should be cancelled, without me being penalized. I feel that I have no other choice, but to resort to the media and my lawyers.

I am currently on my third consecutive Cell C contract. When I renewed my contract in September this year, I was sent a Samsung D900i directly from Cell C. Two and a half months later, my phone was making no sounds so I therefore was unable to hear incoming calls and sms alerts. I reported the faulty phone to Cell C and they said it would take four to six weeks to repair. When I asked a about a "loan phone" during the repair time they told me that it is "not their policy". If I do not have a friend or family member that can lend me a cell phone during the six week repair period, what am I supposed to use? I do not have a home phone and therefore rely on my cell phone. My phone is only two and a half months old...surely it must have some sort of warranty? Cell C's service is nothing short of shocking and as far as I am concerned, I have been a very loyal customer. I am now into my fifth year with them. This will most certainly be my last contract with Cell C.

I moved to an Active Chat 220 in February this year. Cell C politely forgot to bill me in Feb and double billed me in March. Now for a conservative cell user (Average bill of R600 per month), a R1000 bill nearly made me faint. Well I first lodged my complaint on the 08th March 07 and to date (27.03.07), nothing has been done. I have even gone as far as emailing the CEO. Not ONE person at Cell C understands that I want a credit and I want to pay off that subscription bill not invoiced in Feb, over three months - NOT ONE PERSON! I have been told that they don't do credits, that I have to manually pay them back the payment arrangement as there system doesn't allow for highly complicated things like what I asked for, AFTER signing an acknowledgment of debt! I have never signed one of those before - the irritation is that they are making THEIR mistake MY problem! I have now had it and have quoted the CEO's office with Cell C's Code of Conduct with no response yet... They do say you can complain to Icasa or take legal action... I think Ill try Icasa first. This has now gone from a simple query to me fuming over the worst service I have ever received from any company... Ill be canceling my contract as soon as I can...

Re: Cell C

I am very disappointed in Cell C as I have been a loyal customer for nearly 5 years with 2 contracts. One still active. Last year Aug 2006 I was contacted by one of your sales agents asking me to extend my contract that was expiring that year. I was not keen, until he offered me a Nokia N80 making it sound like the best, most advance phone in its range. I even took out insurance to protect this wonderful phone. Beginning Nov 2006- 3 months later the phone stops charging. I took it to a Cell C shop in the Sanlam Centre Ranburg where 2 shop assistants told me that I have to pay for the repair and it will take up to 6 weeks. I refused to believe them as I have a contract phone, and asked if I could phone head office from their phone which they also refused for me to do. Eventually I had to ask them if they scream and shout at all customers the same way. What an upsetting experience and appalling customer service. I then phone IXIA who fetched my phone from work and delivered it within a week stating that there is nothing wrong with the phone. After trying to charge the phone on 2 different charges without any luck, I sent it back on the 16 Nov 2006. It is now more than 2 months later, several phone calls with different answers every time, and no one phoning me for an update or follow up on the phone. The latest excuse is they are waiting for software as the phone needs an upgrade. Such an advance phone needs a software upgrade after 3 months of it being desperately forced unto me, making it sound like the phone of the century? I call this false advertising and theft...

Please attend to my matter urgently or else I will have to take it further.