Early in October the telemarketer from the Cell C Connect Mr. Naidoo had called me several times advertising the contract. He has offered Nokia 73 phone on the 100 off peak subscription. Mr. Naidoo described very highly the qualities of the phone and confirmed that this phone is GPS enabled.
I had not heard of the latest phones on the market as I am using my old phone for over two years. I trusted Mr. Naidoo that the phone I am getting is the latest technology on the market and I had not made detailed investigation.
After some thinking I had agreed and given my particulars to the telemarketer. A day later the phone was delivered to my house.
First I noticed that this is not a GPS phone. It is a slightly advanced version of the Nokia 6680 phone that I currently have. Disappointed I called Cell C and asked for cancellation.
I have not opened the box and never used the airtime.
The Customer Care and Cancellation departments were putting me through until I give up. Some one by the name of Eloise has told me that the cancellation is impossible because it was over 7 days since the phone had been delivered. How would I know about these 7 days if the telemarketer has not told me?
The bill exceeded the quotation three times. The telemarketer put insurances and fees on top of the initially offered basic services. I had never agreed on that!
I decided just to bring the phone back and I handed it over to Rose Marie and Jonas in the Sandton branch. They made a few calls to Cell C Connect and told me that the tape will be inquired and heard. We made an appointment for the next time to listen to the tape.
Yesterday Rose Marie called me and that that Cell C Connect confirmed that ‘I agreed on Nokia 73’. She did not listen to the tape.
This matter did upset me a lot. I feel robed. I am angry with the dishonest telemarketer and his manager. I do not want any business with Cell C Connect.
I am very sorry that I let the telemarketer to make me listen to him. I had little time at work and I was harrying up to do tele-application because people waited for me. I might not been as alert and concentrated as necessary.
I am asking you for the understanding and help me. I can not afford this contract. I am prepared to defend myself in court against the tele-marketing scam. I am prepared to address this matter to the Consumer Protection Organisation.
Please be fair and do not let Cell C Connect to rob me!

We have 2 cell contracts with cell c and have been customers with them for maybe 5 years. Cell c never ever responds to a complaint in 24 hours and if they promise it will be dealt with in 48hours, you can be assured that 2weeks later it has not been dealt with.

We gave cell c 2 months notice to not renew 1 of our contracts that were going to be due for renewal. After maybe 5 e-mails and 5 calls they finally said that it would be done.

when the time for this contract to be canceled came, it was not canceled.

Were we were going to use airtime till we opened a new contract with a different network, we could not do so since this current contract was still in operation. After contacting cell c everyday via e-mail or their customer care no. there was not any improvement.

The phone was used and since we were unable to put airtime on it, there were charges incurred.
I spoke to cell c and they finally agreed to a credit.

Now they want to credit me with R76.00 when the bill for this account is R500.00.
Had cell c done their job, we would have opened another contract then and there would be no extra charges. I do not accept that I need to pay this bill since we gave them adequate time to cancel, being 2 months notice and they did not. We complied with the rule set out to us by cell c.

we would have opened another contract as planned as soon as this 1 was canceled.
in the mean time we were planning to use airtime on the same no. as it would be prepaid till the new contract was active.

This is their problem and now i have a contract with vodacom which is going well.
I do not need to pay a bill which should not have been existing had cell c done their work.
Their customer service is pathetic as they will reply to your e-mail only once you have sent maybe 6 e-mails to them. This is pathetic.

Please can I have some feedback because I am now fed up with their incompetence.
Thank you,
Risha

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.