MTN was Nigeria's best GSM service as at about 3 years back. But now they have a huge reputation of being the worst GSM operators in the great land of Nigeria:
[list][li]They charge the highest call rates.[/li]
[li]They have an extremely slow internet browsing speed: gees it took me "15 MINUTES" to send a mail to a friend.[/li]
[li]They have the poorest connection (as at now though).[/li]
[li]They spend all their time on adverts that inspire young men to do stuff at least once in 2 months where as they don't have nice services for customers.[/li]
[li]they have the most expensive customer care charge.[/li][/list]

What do you think? Please help me tongue-lash them if you are with me or help save their face if you're not.

MTN sorry, i'm with Owen on this one. GLO and Vmobile...much more pocket friendly.

yes o. na true talk be that. what annoys me most is their i-dont-give-a-damn-attitude. i mean they must know that nigerians are not happy with them yet they carry on. i use mtn and it annoys me each time i want to recharge. one other thing, they are as proud as hell. when u call their customer care, they not only keep u for hours on end they CHARGE u for it as well. i hate their guts!

Bagoma has already said what i have in mind...

MTN no dey happen at all!

I know their call crates are the highest and they are the least customer freindly people but lets tell each other the truth they offer the best services and  people like me wont mind payin.. as long as we get the services. forget the mms and wap thing. its still under testing. i bet it would be the best when they are done. you talk of glo. i have a glo line. Yes their rates are cheap but their services are poor.
You'll be trying to send a text.it says failed. but your money has gone and trhe person isnt gettin any txt. thats glo for you. im not the only one that complains about this. Mtn on the other hand returns your 15 naira to you if you send a text that has gone but wasnt delivered maybe cuz the persons phone was switched off or something.
Vmobile's.( my mum uses that) network is still the most erratic. trips off and on like Nepa
To send text is wahala. it'l fail 10 times before 1 is sent (but at least your money is not going like glo)
So speaking from my experience Mtn still offers the best services. (but they need to improve on their customer hostility. they should give more free stuff)

Also glo you would browse and your credit would keep disappearing for a minimum of 5 days. with glo you'l think you are saving cost. but when it comes diown to the truth you spend more. just like uignoring a top of 5k that'l last 5 yrs to buy one of 1 k that will last 5 months

Well I've been using a Glo line for close to 3years and I haven't noticed my money being taking when the text failed to go. Yes they do deduct money up to 5 days after you browse but thats nothing compared to MTN and their atrocious acts.

oh uchetobi, so are encouraging them, eh. No wonder they've refused to come down from their high horse.

True their services are marginally better than the the rest (i.e. considering voice calls only) but that isn't enough reason to rip us off. They carry on as if we are at their mercy and to think they are from South Africa. Kai! They piss me off, big time.

Another thing, why scream and shout and make all the noise in the world about Sightz and Soundz when the thing never ready? Eh? Whats up with that?

<edited>

You sound really pissed! Much more than I am!! Well the reason is obvious...I only wish they could really know how people feel about them, maybe then they'll change.

I stopped using MTN since last year and I'm very happy that I've saved a lot of money by switching to Vmobile...

I'm on the Vstep prepaid plan and my call rate starts from 70kobo/second and reduces gradually to 48kobo/second within a month without the use of boostercards...
Comparing the savings I make here to the flat tariff of 80kobo/second that MTN charges, I've figured out that I make savings close to 40%, amounting to 3k/month plus additional 12 free SMS to any network/month, free calls to customer service, better service and recharge cards don't cost more than the authorized price, it's even sold lesser than the authorized price..

I wonder what you guys are still doing on the MTN network where you buy a recharge card that's suppose to be sold for 400naira at an outrageous 450naira, that's a good enough reason to ditch them, when I can buy Vmobile 500naira recharge card for 480naira...

The Vmobile network now has gprs and it's blazing fast, It is stable and is even present in states like Ondo state which MTN gprs hasn't even dreamt of covering yet.


The questions I'll like to ask MTN are as follows...
What is the reason behind the release of 0806 when the 0803 network hasn't been exhausted? I feel this is a cooked up strategy to confuse subscribers that they are far far ahead of other Networks because I really don't see the reason when their subscriber base is still far below 10million.. Subtracting 08030000000 from 08039999999 gives you approximately 10million lines of which 70% hasn't been exhausted..

Why do they have to produce substandard recharge cards that aren't scratch friendly? I've come across so many people that scratch their recharge cards and end up scratching off the PIN,thereby loosing their money to MTN without refund..

Here's a picture of a badly scratched card from www.phonerism.com ...

Why do I have to pay 450naira for 400 card, and 800naira for 750 recharge card? This is rubbish..

Most times, you load recharge cards and your money reflects 2 weeks after loading.. This happened to me so many times when I was still using MTN, I even wasted my money calling MTN 180 customer care to complain about their mistake.. I've never noticed this on Vmobile, besides if it happens, I can always call their customer care for free to make complaints.

Why do they have to be forced to give freebies by other networks? I've never heard of MTN giving anything without being pushed by other operators, most especially globacom..

I'm not trying to brainwash anybody, and neither do I work for Vmobile, this is just my honest opinion since I'm a techno guy and have 2 SIMS each from each of the four different GSM operators which I use regularly for review purposes...


To sum it all up, MTN NIgeria is not a failure but will have to do more and struggle to win me back to its Network

No. im not encouraging them. Its just that ive tried the 3 and they are the best. Trust me on glo. im not the only one that has complained. i'd rather not have a line than have a glo line

Yeah, randomly last week, I came across 3 people complaining bitterly about MTN network and wondering aloud why some people are still using the network. MTN is an empty barrel that makes so much noise! Glo, V-Mobile and Mtel on the other hand had their own shortcoming, but MTN is beginning to gain the first in the worst network, from shylock to not being able to load your cards etc. Na wah o.

It never ceases to amaze me how much effort we Nigerians expend in complaining about MTN. The fact of the matter is that MTN certainly has it's problems (i.e. I think we all agree they are not very customer friendly etc.) however at the end of the day MTN is not a public service. It's a business providing a service to consumers and therefore we the consumers have the ultimate sanction of moving to another operator if we are not satisfied with the service they provide.

I also find that it is also sadly sometimes the case that people criticize MTN from a position of absolute ignorance and they therefore don't add anything to the debate. Constructive criticism is a very good thing and I think we should therefore try to use this forum to make valid points to MTN about deficiencies in their service especially as I suspect that MTN management probably read these forums more often that we may think.

In terms of the primary purpose of a company, which is to make money for its shareholders, MTN Nigeria is an enormous success. However, they have acquired a bad reputation due to their tendency to charge as much as possible and their customer service which is dissapointing for a company that tries so hard to appeal to our hearts and minds through adverts.

If MTN cares so much about their perception shouldn't they rather train their customer support employees to be more courteous and helpful, instead of merely spending all that money to create ads? Wouldn't that be a more effective way to win our hearts?

Seun, you make a very good point, but i think the issue is BMW does not make any apologies for their prices because if you can't afford it ... you buy scoda.

I don't get this high expectation for MTN to become cheap. They just need to provide a service that matches the cost.

I need to take up Mamba's point regarding the 0806 numbers

What is the reason behind the release of 0806 when the 0803 network hasn't been exhausted? I feel this is a cooked up strategy to confuse subscribers that they are far far ahead of other Networks because I really don't see the reason when their subscriber base is still far below 10million.. Subtracting 08030000000 from 08039999999 gives you approximately 10million lines of which 70% hasn't been exhausted..

I'm sure you know that for MTN to start with this new range, it had to be approved by the NCC. Which implies that whatever justification they gave was accepted by NCC. So, do me a favour, and ask NCC why they approved, instead of making statements like that. I'm sure that i read somewhere that the MTN subscriber base is more that your estimate (70% of 10mill)

What about the issue of poor customer service, which I mentioned in my post?

I covered that in MY post

They just need to provide a service that matches the cost.

I wouldnt trade my mtn sim for any sim.. in Nigeria presently

I think "whocares" hit the nail right on the head

It should also be noted that poor customer service is certainly not unique to MTN.  I believe it's a general problem we have in Nigeria but having said that it is of course up to organizations to make the effort to improve this.

Thank goodness we have MTN staffs here that can help redeem their poor image.. MTN is not comparable to BMW in the area of quality so that's not a point.
Glo's probably the best & most advanced as rated by NCC & i understand ur defence of the 0806 numbering approved by NCC.
i use Vmobile & i'm happier with them..
what do u guys have to say about poor quality & overpriced recharge cards?
what of credit hanging on system for weeks with excessive conjestions, coupled with rude customer service..
MTN is not my style cos they lied to Nigerians that per second was not possible till glo came to save our asses from them..
Vmobile didn't utter a word but beat MTN to per second billing implementation, not after MTN had finished collecting 100 naira unlawfully for switching to per second.
We thank God for NCC o!

NCC still needs to do more o
I mean with people out there giving the impression that Nigerians are willing, no, not just willing but begging to pay EXTRA for good quality service which is our[b] RIGHT[/b] in the first place, we need them even more to help curb their(MTN) excesses.

MTN Nigeria is a failure: True or False
Of course that is TRUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

OMG

It is apparent that my BMW analogy is wasted on Mamba et al.
I did not mean MTN is BMW or vice verse; if a person cannot afford to buy BMW they jejely go and buy scoda or tokumbo. Likewise if MTN is expensive and you feel the service is poor, you have a choice to buy something cheaper and stop asking them to become cheaper.

As for you assumption

Thank goodness we have MTN staffs here that can help redeem their poor image..

I guess everyone that attempts to defend MTN works there. Abeg if they have vacancy let me know- yes oh, i have some knowledge of the telecomms industry and i dey find new job.

MTN is not my style because they lied to Nigerians that per second was not possible

I'm sure MTN never claimed that per second billing was impossible from a technology standpoint. The fact that they didn't have the infrastructure at the time, does that constitute lying?
BTW, why was it unlawful that they charged N100 for switching? Do you have any idea what it takes to switch from one type of charging to another? I am very sure you don't. NCC asked them to stop charging for it and refund, so they did. If it was illegal, them for dey court or something similar.
Anyway , as Nigerians we choose to believe what makes us comfortable, as opposed to what is true.
I am glad to see that some people hate MTN (with a passion) and others can't live without them. We thank God for democracy and free will.

Mr/Ms Bagoma, very interesting post you made

NCC still needs to do more o
I mean with people out there giving the impression that Nigerians are willing, no, not just willing but begging to pay EXTRA for good quality service which is our RIGHT in the first place, we need them even more to help curb their(MTN) excesses.

Make no mistake, any type of service, from a private company is NOT your right. Like any other company providing a service, you pay for it... if you don't like it, u know what to do. Like someone said earlier, it ain't a public service.

@whocares,
there's a colorful f beside my name. that should give an indication of my title!
you love MTN with a passion too, i must say. 

hitherto, i thought that when you pay for something then you have the RIGHT of maximum value derivable from that item irrespective of who sold it to you. abi no be so?
so weda na public or na private enterprise it doesn't matter..

anyway we'll continue to speak the truth until a positive change comes, cause i know they can do better. they do need to know the truth!

All my ranting here's only gonna help MTN to improve somehow..
The only reason why i'm complaining about them is cos i've used before, was disappointed, ditched them, and now bashing them to make em wake up.
Who can explain why the 400 recharge is sold for 450 naira?

Do the MTN service centres sell the N400 card at N450?
Why don't you ask the person that sold you the card.

BTW, i am sending this from my (MTN) phone...Seun rocks ;-)

i don't know why 400 goes for 430(ITS 430).
aNYWAYS 750 GOES FOR 730 AND 1,500 GOES FOR 1,400
IS MTN Nigeria a failure
my answer is NO

MTN is crab. Down with it. They take people's monies any how. Their GPRS packed up for no reason in my phone. Their customer care is rubbish yet they charge money for it. I think they believe that in Nigeria, you can just come in and grab all and go. Thats their attitude. I believe that someday, they'll just pack their bags and leave for South Africa where they regard and consider as home. Else, they would have cared a hoot about how we feel. But they don't. I thank God for Vmobile and Glo.

this MTN bashing is getting too much.. why dont we praise them for once.. i think they've done well in wap service delivery cos their gprs is the only one that allows full internet and it's still free.
another area i'll praise them for is the recent mess they had with their billing system, i woke up and saw over 100,000 naira in my account and boy was i happy to have used 17,000 before the system was repaired..
at least i don chop their money..

no kidding where was i

Hey mamba you mean you had over 100,000 naira in your phone and only suceeded in using 17000 out of it!! i wish I had your luck and I'll remain on the phone for as long as my battery holds on!!!