Okay I must give recognition to Cell C for driving down mobile broadband prices, but if there is one thing that really pisses me off is when I pay for something and then I can’t use it.
Last night from between 19:00 and 20:00, users started complaining about connectivity issues. I was unaware of this until about 21:00 when I realised I have still about 700mb left for the month and decided to make use of the bandwidth I pay for and upload some photos.
I hooked up the Speedstick and connected but when I tried browse to a site it just timed out, I decided to disconnect and reconnect as I get the error quite often and this usually resolves it but alas it did not help, I eventually gave up at around 23:00.
Heading to Twitter from my iPad with MTN broadband, I saw numerous users that was not very happy with the Cell C network reporting the same issues, and eventually Cell C tweeted “South Africans are WOOSHING big time tonight! We apologize for any intermittent connectivity caused by extra load, but we are working on it!”. Clearly users are fed up with the promise of great speed but getting either slow or no connections whatsoever.
No my question to Cell C is what are you going to do about the fact that I, and all of the other Speedstick users could not use our cap before you reset it? I think it is just fair that you reimburse us for this seeing as we pay for something we could not make use of.
After reading some tweets and forum posts it seems like this is something that has happened before, an easy solution to this load issues is to just make the it roll over every month end. This was my first month with the Cell C Speedstick and I am really not impressed, during the month I also had speed issues where my connection was getting dialup speeds and I live almost next to a Cell C tower with full signal and HSPA signal.
So Lars I think it time for you to take some action and offer explanations and what you are going to do about the fact, and perhaps you must rethink your social media strategy also as you official twitter account spends more time tweeting tech articles that has absolutely nothing to do with Cell C rather than assisting customers. I sent out numerous tweets that mention @CellC and did not receive one response.
Well, so its not just me. I’m all for you Cell C so I will hang on for now, Lars just get this stuff working sooner!
But I do think you should…you must change your system to be such that I have my 24GB of data regardless of time. In other words, I bought 24GB of data on a prepaid basis, and since I have paid for it I should be able to use it at infinito. If I only get to use the total 24GB in 10 years time, so be it, I paid for it.
I think you should remove the time window you place on the prepaid data – at least the prepaid data. This will have the effect that more people will buy into the the CellC network because they know they have the bandwidth until one day they have used it all, whether 1 week or 3 years.
2: they (I) will not be forced to use the “remainder” of my cap at the end of the month, so no-more network overload at the end of the month – it should even out usage
3: They way I know myself (and consumers) if they do end up using the whole 24GB of data withing say 7 months, they will just buy another prepaid package again – or even a larger package – and if your up for it, provide a uncapped service at the same per/mb rate.
4: Happy customers!
But this is just me, I’m no CEO of a big company, but it does tend to make sense to me.
Chow!
Good Day AM, we have still not had a response from Lars on the following post:
“Cell C
Your customers want a response from Lars on the following:
1. Why do we not get the speeds your ad implies (especially on the 21.6mbps dongle). We don’t even get close to 20%, and probably an average of 10% of the speed.
2. Why, when buying either the white/black dongle upfront (no contract) are the remainder GB’s taken away at the end of the month? WE HAVE PAID UPFRONT FOR THE BANDWIDTH!
3. Why are some people not even able to get to a website or download mail even though the Cell C software says the dongle is receiving full signal? Has the software been “doctored”?
4. Some times you get to an area (which is marked as HSPA+ on your coverage map) and there is no signal whatsoever (or at best EDGE). Why?
This is poor performance. SA consumers were really hoping that Cell C would infact make a difference. Unfortunately you are on the same service level as a local licensing department.”
Your comment was:
“Good Day Black or Red
duly noted, will address the above issue.
and get feedback, so can update you all.
Regards
~AM~”
Please advise, are we ever going to get a response??
when can we get answers on “Black or Red’s” post?
between last night and this morning, downloading has been really crappy, have only been receiving a transfer rate of between 3 and 11kbps … NOT COOL! concidering this is supose to be sa’s fastest network
Using the black dongle. living in CPT central. My connection dropped from 31 Jul to 1 Aug 2011 from the fast HSPA+ to EDGE. reset the dongle and it suddenly comes up again to original strength for 30 secs, but then suddenly disconnects and goes to “no signal” then back to EDGE. I am so tired of the empty promises that cant be kept by big service providers. TIA danny boy. TIA.
I live in Midrand, Jhb and have never been annoyed so much since i moved to Cell internet. I used Vodacom before, excellent connection anytime and anywhere, although a bit pricy. Cell C’s whoosh thing does not cut it at all. I’m expecting to forfeit my unused 2Gb by end this month, but i’m going back home (Vodacom). Ek is gat voll oor Cell C
Good day AngryAsHell
Please can you send me your details.
Will contact you and help with your issue at hand.
Email.Onlinesupport@cellc.co.za
ATT: Armando
Regards
~AM~
Another dissatisfied cell c Internet user here. Max speed I’ve picked up in Parkhurst on the 21Mbps dongle is barely 1Mbps, despite my connection indicating full signal strength. Have probably had 7days without any signal at all in my first month of usage, and will likely lose my unused data as I approach my recharge date.
A tip which may help some: you can switch manually to the 2G network which works sometimes when the 3G network is down. (go to the settings tab, then “network”, then change to “manual” and select 2G after it searches)
Good day Riyadh
Please can you send me your details.
Will contact you and help with your issue at hand.
Email.Onlinesupport@cellc.co.za
ATT: Armando
Regards
It’s the first and last time i will ever use Cell C ! Cell C you are working on empty promises. The 24GB internet stick nealy ever have a upload speed.
Good Day Jerome
Please can you send me you detail.
As i would like to assist you with your issue at hand.
Will do best to resolve you issue.
Email: onlinesupport@cellc.co.za
Put ATT : Armando
Regards
Armando
Sir,
will the connectivity- and slow Internet problems be solved at Cell C?
It is important for me to know, otherwise I have no choice but to look at different service providers.
Of course, problems can occur and other service providers could face the same faults from time to time.
But as mentioned earlier, my only question is:
“Can the problem be solved at Cell-C?”
…… and when?
Kind regards
Willi
The last time the technician was out at my place we got talking a bit. A thing Cell C does not mention in their ‘stronger is better’ adds, is that the 900 Mhz standard might go further (thereby saving Cell C money on installing towers) but less people can connect to these towers compared to the higher frequency towers of Vodacom etc.
The more users sit on a tower the slower things get. So until Cell C starts putting up more towers this problem will persist, and putting up more towers takes more money and time…
My 2 cents worth
PS: Cell C connectivity has been shocking and very frustrating again the last couple of days.
In Cell C store at waterfront dealing with the issue of slow speed / constant dropped connections. Been here for hours and no one can help …. seems they don’t want to admit the truth that their network is overloaded. Owned this dongle for 8 months and have only managed a total of 13Gb usage in this time… and I am a heavy user
R3000 very badly spent.
WOW! I am so psyched I am not the only experiencing this! I fully identify with these comments, and wish I had read this forum before buying myself a speed stick recently. The ads about connection speed are complete nonsense!
IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO CONSUMERS CONSIDERING THIS PRODUCT: Avoid at all costs! Dont not believe the hype! the connection speeds are dismal at best, and that is assuming you can get connected at all! I used to have a Telkom 384 line at home, it was WAY more consistent and much quicker, I got a stock standard 30 – 40 KBps every minute of every day.
Cell C, you’ve had a shocker.
Regarding the month end issue, why not just have a group of customers for each day in the month, then there will be diffrent month ends for different people, so no single day will be so overloaded. Not that difficult cellc
Also having problems, really really annoying. Put simply, i see no reason why i should keep using a service provider that cannot provide a service. I have bought software that has costed me a fortune but is useless due to cell c,s bad service. Thanx cell c, cant wait to change to a service provider that actually knows what they are doing.
Good day Brendon Versfeld, Jantjie and Michael
Please can you email your details to:
onlinesupport@cellc.co.za.
Will try my best to assist you all.
Regards
~AM~
Idon’t know if i’m lucky but i bought a cell c prepaid sim and use my hsdpa phone as a modem. i bought this coz vodacom is a bit pricey and being a highend user, the throttling thing is working on my f#@k*^g nerves. i guess i’m lucky in the sense that i did not buy the speedstick coz i get the exact same problem without the dongle. once my data is used (if i can use it), i’m gonna chuck the sim in the sinbin and trek back to vodacom. Cell C, thanx for nothing.
No more WOOSH from Cell C. The best they can give you for your hard earned money is a EDGE connection as slow as a snail.
Yeah. I they took away their free hamburgers. They use to give me an extra 1GIG if I bought a 1GIG extra. Now, they just give you about 500MB for your R150.
I can safely advice ANYONE to keep clear of CellC….but don’t take my word for it, CellC for yourself!
Well thank goodness my CellC “not 21mbps” days are over. It has been a tiring year of battling my a$$ off with this rubbish. The CellC sim is in the bin, no top-up, no renewal….
I have decided to go back to ‘ol red. Better the devil you know.
When will cellc learn that people in this country want service service service!!!
Would love to know how many customers you have lost. Would be an interesting read now that I can surf the net at decent speeds again.
its been 4 weeks and with numerous calls to cell c I eventually got a technician to come to my office to try and work out why I cannot stay connectied to the internet longer than a few seconds,my office is at one one OF THE CELL C TOWERS SO MY CONNECTION STRENGHTH IS VERY GOOD,THERE IS A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT CAPE TOWN AT THE MOMENT AND THEY CANT WORK OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THIS CONSANT DROPPING OF CONNECTION ,
iTS CLEAR THAT CELL C HAVE AQUIRED A LARGER NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS AND DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVICE EVERYONE AS THEY SHOULD BE DOING
got the same problem this morning, I can watch the light on my SLOW stick jump from blue to purple every couple of seconds.
As is the case, this always happens at a time I really don’t need it!!!!
1 more month to go and then it is back to vodacom!
Good Day sHARON & Black & White
Please could you send an email to:
onlinesupport@cellc.co.za
Att: Armando
I will personal get in touch with you both and assist ASAP,try get some resolution.
Regards
~AM~
Armando
Cell-C
Sharon. They do it on purpose. Every time I go for a walk and my connection idles for more than 5mins it’s get disconnected. Also I get 80 – 100% signal strength where I am.
Thanks Cell-C for throttling me tonight from 500KB/s to 100KB/s just because I download a 1.6GB file in a hour.Not to mention the ridiculous price of R60/GB. I bet you are going to throttle me tomorrow tonight on the last night of the month as you usually do. Strange how I get 700KB/s every time when I am above 4Gb from my 5GB, but the moment I go below 4GB my speed get throttled???? Try to cancel a contract with this clowns. They have no direct number to that department. Just a Sales Person with a attitude. You must open a case and they will get back to you in 48 hours. Luckily I have 1 month left with this circus then I will use my SIM as a fire starter and drink a beer on your $$$$ service!