MultiChoice Africa / DSTV
reviews and complaints

Good Day

I would like to lodge a official complaint against multichoice for incorrect billing against my multichoice account, I am being billed for a PVR Decoprder which i do not own, I have called multichoice numerous times, and every time I call in my query is supposedly being escalated, but I have never received a call back, this has now resulted in my bank taking strain, as some debits return unpaid

Good day,

DSTV Premium is an expensive product and with competitive streaming solutions with an array of choice its beciming increasingly harder to justify subscription.

The most irritating thing is all the adverts at 5 minute intervals. This is obviously how you make more money which makes me question why you make your customers pay such an excessive amount for mostly adds during their favorite shows when trying to unwind.

Hi yesterday 4 Jan 2016 I called in to get a clarity on my account for having outstanding balances all the time, the lady who first help me had an attitude as if she's doing me a favour she couldn't help me as I got pissed for her poor customer service I asked for her supervisor she said okay and she just put my call on hold, I literally hold for 58 min its obvious she just let me hold until my airtime get finished.I dropped the call and called again a lady by a name of Fesile answered she was professional I told her I need to speak to her supervisor and I ask how long will i hold she said it won't take more than 5min and indeed I didn't hold that long a supervisor by the name Nomsa she attended my call and I explained everything to her she was so willing to help me and I was so happy the way she handled my complaint she told me to drop the call and she will call me back and she did call back I must say she was really helpful and she treated me well as a customer and I felt I'm getting the service I deserve at the end I was satisfied with her service my complain is for the first lady who wasted my time and my money and let me hold for almost 58min I have the call log history to prove it, im also a paying multi choice customer and I don't appreciate to be made a fool instead of being helped I asked Nomsa the supervisor to please investigate what happen and listen to our conversation with the lady who gave me an attitude and found out why I was made a fool instead of her calling the supervisor for me she just made me hold for an hour this is totally unacceptable, she promised that she will look at the call and hand it over to the relevant person they will contact me after they have investigated I'm still waiting.. I need answers I can't be made a fool I mean holding for an hour this is seriously not on.

I cant see dstv from December 2016. You suspence my services and account. On this moment two of my dstv smartcards no pvr [protected] and smartcard no [protected] is inactive

I sent you many emails and was by the office in Pretoria lynwood Road. Nobody can help me Nobody answer the emails

Two case no 4806140I120 and 4806140I117

I am so cross is a active account since 1986 (mnet) You give no service. I will not pay this month, I am going to cancel my debetorder by the bank.

No service or DSTV no payments

My account no 4806410 M C Van Zyl

Being a Loyal customer for 15 years +, I can say that we've had long hours of fun and entertainment. I've upgraded over the years and were very excited about Box office as well. I'm sorry to say that channel surfing is all we do recently. Disappointed in all the Animated movies on Box Office. Who wants to rent all six Barbie Movies, needles to say something about all the old movies. Currently I cant even remember when was the last time I've enjoyed watching something on television. With everything costing more these days, I would like to feel that this is my money worth. Please do something about this urgently.

Subsrcibed to DSTV explora price lock on compact services. The guy who took all my details initially for the subscribtion said i can upgrade anytime i like. 3 days ago i upgraded to the DStv extra package to no avail, services have been suspended and i have been sitting without any viewing for the last 40hours. Everytime i talk to a consultant it takes more than 20min to explain to them what the story is, making out as if its my fault that everything has been cancelled.

DStv you are pathetic, your services are pathetic, its unfortunate this is the only thing in SA we can subribe to, to watch relevant material.

I had the exploration with extra view installed on the 2nd November. The installer informed me the signal was not strong enough for the explora and I would experience problems. I removed trees as recommended in an attempt to improve signal - this made no difference. I have been in contact with Dstv and their field technician came out to try and resolve the issue to no avail. I suggested swopping the explora around with my PVR. I was informed the explora could not be a secondary decoder. I am now sitting with the situation that I can only watch TV if weather is absolutely perfect without a cloud in the sky. I often sit without signal for more than eight hours at a stretch. Not once was I informed of the requirement of having direct and clear line of sight with the satellite. Dstv's attitude is I can try various (expensive) options of installing high extension poles - which they advised may or may not work. I am extremely annoyed that I am paying so much extra a month for the explora yet the older PVR decoder gave far superior coverage and I hardly ever had a problem of no signal. I am now stuck with an expensive subscription for a decoder that in my opinion is not fully functional.

Areanas 13 industries cc t/a metrosat, this company is one of your installers that promised to come to install the explora at my house and I waited for them the whole day, whilst I kept on calling them asking if they still coming and the lady at the office (loren) confirmed to me that deon will definitely come to install the decoder today. I am writing this complaint now and they still have not even called me. This is one of the pathetic service I have ever received, how about calling me to apologize for delay or something ?I took a day off at work to get t his sorted and we had an appointment for today since the morning deon told me they will do the installation still in the morning. I am a very unhappy customer who sat at home the whole day with a black tv, couldn't even watched cricket, my kids are asking me when are these people arriving. Very unprofessional installers you have in your panel for a great company like multichoice. I don't even know what we are going to do tomorrow I regret getting this explora that I can't even experience thanks to people who don't give a damn about customers.

Customer: marius jansen
Customer no: [protected]
I. d no: [protected]

I was contacted by one of dstv’s telemarketers or sales person on the 12th dec 2016 with a promotion deal on the new explora2.
I was told that for r100.00 a month for x24 months I can get the new explora2 with smart lnb & dish installed.
The total value apparently came to r1999.00
On the 14th dec 2016 I received a sms that ram couriers has received a parcel from on air for delivery.
The parcel was delivered on 15 dec 2016 which consists of only the explora2.
Today is the 03 jan 2016 and the agreement was not honoured.
The explora2 decoder costs only r1500.00 but the promotion deal is r100.00 over 24 months which is r2400.00.
No installation happened at all, no smart lnb and no dish.
I was forced to purchase a smart lnb myself and fortunately my old 500mm dish works with the lnb.
I was also forced to install the decoder and smart lnb myself.
This is absolutely unacceptable and disappointing from dstc/multichoice.
I have been a dstv customer for about 15 years and I never expected this.

I would rather take that this is an isolated incident and that dstv will honour the customer agreement.

I am sixty-six years of age turning 67 years on 11 february 2016.

On 02 january 2017 I was served by a gentleman whose name I can no longer recall. One of the issues we discussesd was moving my debit order date to either the 2nd or the 3rd of each month as of january 2017. He advised me the system was slow and I accepted it because he spent time requesting me to be patient with him. Due to difficulties on dstv side he told me he had set set same for the 3rd monthly. He however advised me of his further difficlty of not getting a feedback on his side and he then advised me to call dstv at about 07hrs today to get a confirmation.

Unfortunately I was only able to make the call today, before 10hrs. I was served by a very unfriendly lady who confirmed my debti order was now going through on the 3rd of every month. She further advised that I will have to pay a reconnection fee of r700. She confirmed my services were disconnected this morning, on the very same day the debit order is supposed to go through. When I tried to voice my displeasure she totally ignored my displeasure even when I told her I was a pensioner.

I therefore wish to advise you I was not at all please by the way I was treated by this lady. This is the first time I have ever complined as a long standing customer of yours.

Secondly I do not believe it is fair for dstv to levy disconnection penalty when arrangements were already in place that the debit order will go through on the 3rd, the very same day the service is connected. I therefore expect to be reimbursed with the sum of r700.

DSTV Movie - Changeling (expires 31/01/2017) is incomplete. Only 56:52 minutes of the 136 minutes as per the information section shows. We have full uncapped internet and does not have this issue with any other movies, series or programs that we watch or download on our explora. Please advise on status of how and when you fix this. Tour urgent attention and feedback on this matter is appreciated.

Hi I purchased your product on the 23dec 2016. Today being the 2nd of Jan an I stil can't get someone to instal my dstv. [protected] Kule was recommended to be be my install by pep stores. The guy is blatantly a liar an can't keep to his word of when he be avail. This I feel is totally unacceptable from a big company like dstv. Tomorrow I will post my complaints to hello Peter so everyone can knw wat a inconsiderate liar an rude person u guys have allocated to instal my dstv. How can u hire such people to work for you. Very highly disappointed ne client

On the 31st of dec I called dstv and requested them to upgrade my service from compact to premium on the special they were having for r599. The operator that I spoke to advised me that I do qualify foe the r599 special and he will do the upgrade. He then cut my services and could not put them back on. He made me hold on for 30 or more minutes while he tried to sort the problem out. He came back on the phone and advised me that he will call me in the next 15 minutes. Hours passed and still he did not call. I then called again and waited on the phone for another 15 mins while the next person escalated the matter. Today is the 2nd of january and still I am without dstv. My explorer functiona are not working. They cannot connect me on compact which I paid for. Every time I contact the call centre I wait on the phone for over 15 minutes and no1 can help. Dstv customer service stinks! Because they know that there are no other options for south africans...

The account reference above ([protected]) is in question.

I called the Multichoice call centre on 24th December 2016 at 9:14.

I enquired about the trade in options available as I have a SD PVR as well as the HD PVR with 4 tuners linked to this subscription.

The consultant verified that for each of these decoders I would get a trade in for an Explora 2 and have to pay in an amount of R999 each.

I decided to trade in these decoders on 28/12/2016, but knowing that things are always subject to change, I called the Multichoice call centre once more at 17:55 and the consultant once more verified that I would get to trade in each decoder with a pay-in of R999 each. He went one step further to state that I would get installation vouchers as well with each upgrade.

With only an hour before close of business left, I hurried to Multichoice Walk-In centre in Umhlanga Rocks Drive and was given ticket 2046 at approximately 18:28 and I had both decoders with me for trade in.

I was called to counter 32 and to my dismay, told that I would get a trade in for my SD PVR for R999 which wouldn't include installation, and that I wouldn't qualify for the R999 trade in on the HD 4 tuner PVR. If I wanted to trade that in, it would be R1299 sans installation.

When I explained to the consultant that I had verified the pricing etc, she said that this is the only option she could process on her system.

When I asked her to call the call centre, she looked at her watch and refused.

I left with my family and my 2 old decoders having to drive back the 40km I travelled to get to Multichoice with no joy.

I called into the Multichoice Call Centre once more at 18:58 and spoke to Itumeleng. She placed me on hold repeatedly after I explained my plight so as to verify the trade in offers and came back to me stating that there is no such R1299 trade in and that I qualify for 2x Explora 2's for my current decoders with a pay-in of R999 per decoder.

She further went on to state that a consultant in the Walk-In Centre is obliged to call into the call centre at the customer's request and could not understand why I was refused.

I begged for something in writing or at least a reference number or sms to furnish at the Walk-In centre and she said that it is unfortunately not call-centre practice to do this. However, after asking her supervisor, she advised that I should draft this communication asking for same proof of deal.

I finally received a written confirmation from Multichoice Enquiries that they would trade in my SD PVR and 4 Tuner HD PVR for R999 each. This was from a Karabo Mangadi. (Attached)

When I went in to do the trade in, I was once again told that it is R999 per decoder and only once the first transaction for the SD PVR was confirmed and the money out my account was I told I had to pay R1199 for the HD PVR trade in.

As a consumer I have rights and this treatment has severely infringed upon them. I have taken enough nonsense from Multichoice and will now escalate this to the highest point to get finality in my favour.

I furnished this proof at the umhlanga walk-in centre and they said they couldn't do anything for me. The consultant refused to call the call-centre.

My slips for payment are also attached as well as the idiotic response sent from Kwena Mphela showing the incompetence or rather scams that DSTV are up to. Accoriding to their system I took a whole different trade in package!

Will this nightmare ever end?
Zach

Dstv send me a sms to saying the following: "Dear DStv customer. We mistakenly credited you with an amount of R800.00. We'll fix the mistake but please pay R800.00 by 31st Oct to stay connected. Dial *120*68584# for payment options." Date: 21 October 2016.

They constantly disconnect my services although all my payment are up to date. They made a mistake on my account and therefor I have to suffer by calling their call center every second day! This is very bad service from them.

I now have made dubble payments just to ensure I can watch TV over this festive season. My calls to the contact center is never less than 20min.

This is inexcusable and has cost me a Lott of money and unneccassary tension and anger.

Feel like giving up on my subscription.

Unlink
Package: n/a active
Device: tds850
Sc no: [protected]
!not linked
Link
Package: dstv premium active
Device: dps500
Sc no: [protected]

Payments
01/07/2016 m-choice m-choice20032659 -799.00
01/08/2016 m-choice m-choice21707022 -1, 454.13
Debit order r655.13 more overcharged
01/09/2016 m-choice m-choice23382736 -1, 783.00
Debit order r984.00 more overcharged
01/10/2016 m-choice m-choice25098139 -1, 713.00
Debit order r914.00 more overcharged
01/11/2016 m-choice m-choice28342966 -1, 748.00
Debit order r949.00 more overcharged
01/12/2016 m-choice m-choice32722765 -1, 868.07
Debit order r1069.07more overcharged

Difference r4571.20 multichoice owe me
[protected]-i33 melusi [protected]

Pathetic! Loses signal. Need to phone in using airtime for 30 to 60 minutes weekly. Agents not able to assist keep on telling ne to do the same thing. Festive season where DSTV causes moods and house molest due to signal being lost withou bad weather. Works 100% next moment error E30 which relates to subscription being verified which is pathetic and a lie as there is never a signal problem when my debit order goes of to pay for a service. Why get message to check subscription if premium is paid? Then when speaking to an agent get told that they will resend signal. Error does not relate to suggestion from agent nor true as the only problem with subscription should be when premium is not paid. How will I be compensated for the frustration and upset caused by DSTV for not rendering a 100% service after service is being pre-paid at an expensive rate, being a luxury. All who wins is DSTV being a pre paid service, the customer is lucky if they get a proper service. As mentioned to the agent DSTV should not be offering extra services and products if they cannot have the initial product 100%.

I'd like to find out why I'm paying +R1000 a month (full bouquet) for endless re-broadcasts of old movies, old series, old National Geographic and the list continues? You have a boxoffice option that offers you so-called new movies at R35 per movie. However, the same movie is available for free a week or two afterwards on catchup and this goes for the series as well. In addition, the same movie is again for hire a month or so later. This kind of service is usually expected from a company that is financially in trouble. Are you going bankrupt or have you just lost essential skills in your company?

The only "new" broadcasting is the BBC and CNN news and even that gets regurgitated a thousand times. Please let me know which option I should choose so as to not waste my money and still receive fresh new shows on DSTV.

I am supposed to be credited for incorrect information given. i have spoken to numerous people. the last person being andile limba. See email below :
From: Andile Limba [mailto:Andile.[protected]@multichoice.co.za]
Sent: 18 November 2016 12:41 PM
To: Khabonina Phadziri
Subject: Dstv account

Good day Ms. K Phadziri,

The balance on your account will be changed, I have done some investigation from my side and yes indeed you are supposed to receive a credit for the incorrect account balance given. I will notify you as soon everything has been completed from our side.

Regards,
Andile Limba/Dstv consultant/[protected]

My name is Snenhlanhla Magubane([protected] or [protected]) On the 20th of December 2016 I went to Dstv Multichoice at Kwa Mashu Bridge city Mall to buy a Compact decoder. and I was helped by Nomfundo I was told that it will be delivered on the 22 of December For installation ever since I haven not received the Decoder...IS THIS HOW THEY TREAT THEIR CUSTOMERS? I am not interested anymore then can keep their Decoder for ever...I am Interested on getting my money back because its seems like they don't know what they doing..

I do not have time to run around I work from Monday to Sunday... I sent my brother to go and see what is going on with them and he was told that they need me to come. This is totally unacceptable I think their Service its actually stings...