MultiChoice Africa / DSTV
reviews and complaints

date of incident -23 December 2020
client number - [protected]
on the aforementioned date i paid my monthly dstv subscription (compact plus) in advance for the month of January 2021. Later in the week i received a sms reminder to pay R1200 for my monthly subscription for January 2021 even though I am on the compact plus package. I contacted DSTV call center and the agent asked me to send proof of payment which I did. I called 2 days later as the amount still showed the same. I was informed that I had 2 packages on my account.(1 x Premier and 1 x Compact plus) The agent removed the premier package at this time and I was supplied with a reference number with the incorrect billing. (reference 107349243_i233 Agent name Andiswa) I was informed that my package wont be disconnected as the query was pending. I have spoken to numerous agents since then who promised me one and the other thing and with different excuses. This morning I was called by an agent to upgrade to a price lock package which I also explained my dilema. After I spoke to her my balance was correct when I checked via the whatsapp app but it showed that it is due on the 1 of January 2021. I have paid my account for January 2021 on 23rd December 2020. Only thing I can think of was that my subscription was upgraded without my knowledge as I did not know I had a full package. Please advise what I need to do to reconnect my package as I am not the one responsible for this mess. If I do not get any positive feedback I will have no other option but to seek help with the consumer ombudsman.
Please advise

Mrs Shanaaz Cupido

I would like to report the bad, incompetent service I received from DSTV call centre.

It all started on the 3rd of December 2020 when I tried to switch off my DSTV for the month that I will go on leave. This started a whole heap of mistakes, incompetent actions and feedback from DSTV.

Just to name a few :

• My DSTV was never switched off.
• On my short return on the 18th I reported this to DSTV. The call centre agent then cancelled my DSTV membership and informed me that I would have to send a mail to get a credit on my December instalment.
• Above actions caused me a lot of problems! On my return (2 January) I could not activate my DSTV account.
• It took 9 phone calls and in total almost 3 hours on the phone just to get my explora decoder to work 100%, with all functions activated again.
• My PVR decoder is still not working.
• I was informed by the call centre yesterday that the delay was caused by previous call centre agents not escalating my calls and basically "not doing their job" .
To add to my frustrations :
• I had two calls that was disconnected, with no call backs.
• I asked on three different calls for the call centre manager to phone me. I'm still waiting for that call.
• A call centre assistant phoned me yesterday and said she would phone me back yesterday after all was sorted out. I'm still waiting for the follow up call…
• On one of my very frustrated calls to the call centre, I was put on hold for almost 10 minutes! This fuels a already big fire. My understanding is that your company policy is to not leave a caller on hold for longer that a minute or two…?
• I was informed yesterday that my call on the 3rd of December was logged only as a duel view issue. I find this very concerning and would like to see accountability for call centre agents not doing their job.
• On one of my calls the agent refused to give me a reference number until the end of the call. This was after two of my calls were "cut" without getting a reference number…

I am including the reference numbers, but unfortunately only started asking after a lot of wasted calls.

[protected]/i488
[protected]/i496
[protected]/i503
[protected]/i505

If possible, please follow up on all my calls for feedback and accountability.

Thank you for your time, and looking forward to your feedback.

For example. Mamelodi sundowns played orlando pirates on saturday dated 02 january 2020, bloemfontein celtics played maritzburg united and I am writing this complain on the 03 january 2020 at 23:10 and still there is nothing on catch up and premier league already updated yesterday games yesterday and todays games are also updated. Please give us a better service on mzansi.

I have been a client of multichoice dstv for 20 plus years and recently encountered payment problems resulting in a cut of transmissions after consultation with call centre i was advised to pay r1607.00 with next payment on 17jan2020 the payment was made but after a few days service interrupted again, then switched on again and now switched of again .Isent an e mail to dstv with no response can you please help i will be making the next payment on 17 january account detail
j a strydom
id [protected]
61 sunny road benoni
tel no [protected]

thanks

I have tried in vain to have a decoder changed into my name and am having no help! From multichoice since receiving an email 8 days ago with reference 2714434 I have had no further correspondence. When I call [protected] I am told there is nothing they can do as the documents I have sent through are not on the system. Perhaps posting this complaint here and on hellopeter may get some response so that I may watch dstv again, or perhaps cancelling my subscription that I have had for over 20 years would be my next best option. I am totally frustrated and disgusted at your level or rather lack of level of service.

Auto response
Hi there,

Thanks for getting in touch with the dstv help team. We're here to help with all queries related to dstv. Your query has been logged and your reference number is [protected].
Given the current coronavirus situation, we are putting precautionary measures in place to protect our staff. As a result we will be rotating and down-scaling our contact center staff to minimize contact and travel risks. These measures may result in delays in our ability to service you. You can in the meantime use dstv.co.za, our social media platforms, the dstv app or whatsapp us on [protected] to do the following:
Check balance, make payments, up/downgrade, clear errors, manage holiday home and more
Thank you
Dstv

Query can't wait? Next time contact us in the following ways:
Self service: dial *120*68584# on your cellphone or login to the website on www.dstv.com
Social media: facebook or twitter, 7am - 11pm everyday.

Good day,

Please do change of ownership for decoder.

Regards,

Good day

I wanna file a complaint about one of your incompetent installers. We've been cut out of watching TV because your installer came to my house to install a new explora for us only for him to realize he had someone's else decoder. He said to us he has to go back and change the decoder (which was Wednesday and today its Friday) we've been waiting on him the whole week to come and finish the installation. We spoke in the morning this past few days he keeps promising to come and finish the installation but later when he doesn't pitch up he even decides to not pick up our calls. We've been waiting without any TV the whole week he disconnected our old dstv till today we are still waiting for him to come with the new decoder and what's worse is that he decides to not answer our calls and never gets back to us. His name is Kenny his phone numbers are [protected]. Please get this resolves as we cannot spend the whole month without watching TV and get billed for it. I have left 15 missed calls on his phone.

You guys are just ripping us by showi g us same all boring repeat shows like we don't pay. I so hope what happened to telkom happens to dstv cos you seem to not listen and take advantage and wanna learn the hard way and your same shows sucks and bore like hell I just can't wait to see you fall apart in future you scammers make me sick like hell

have been in constant contact with multi choice regarding my account .

In November last year I have taken the price lock compact package on a R499 a month deal.

In October I have spoken to Kuvesan and I was advised I was allowed to upgrade to the premium package for 2 months then downgrade back to the compact package .

At the end of November I have downgraded back to the compact package however I was advised my debit amount will be R609 which is incorrect

If I am on a price lock how did I move from R499 pm to R609 pm?

I then spoke to a guy by the name of Isaac Tembo which he then told me multichoice did not give me my discounts and I was paying for all my usages separately.

He then did advise me that he reversed the debit order and I will then be debited at R499 which never materialised and I was debited R609.

I then spoke to Amanda( a manager), Xhanti and another lady last week who gave me your details.

I am absolutely disgusted with the service I am receiving from multichoice as I have spoken to 5 people and my matter is still not resolved .

My details are as follows:

Id: [protected]

Customer number: [protected]

Account number : [protected]

Please may I ask you kindly assist me urgently

I phoned 4 times and when ever they cant answer my question they simply cut me off after every time I stayed on the line with my cell phone for more than 10 minutes. This is un exeptable.
The insurance replaced my decoder now I must pay r100.00 more without my being informed or knowing about this as I payed insurance all these years and I destingkly asked, do I have to pay more. The mail that they sent me confirmed this free of charge and price increase. I normally pay r850.00 a month and I paid r1700.00 in november for november and december and still need to pay r391.4 to reconnect my service. By not communicate extra fees or cost is fraud by just adding it to your account

Since the new CEO came in things have gone feom bad to worse! 4get about self-service when the poir agents start complaining about how disempowering their IT system is - they look like the bad guys whe everything nust now be referred to the technical team. More than us getting such appalling service for the simplest of things like pairing decoders/ getting one's PVR back, I feel frovthese frontliners we curse and shout at and yet the big fat cats are not enabling and empowering them. CRIMINAL!
MY brother long left this nonsense of a company but my 19vyear old needs the sport

We get charged for a Indian Subscription on my holiday home encoder. Phone a few times with no success. The invoice for last month, November, we were told that the indian subscription will be credited but was not done. My holiday home is actually a weekend home that we use from Friday night to Sunday morning. A few weeks ago as you were updating your system we scheduled a disconnect but the encoder stayed on for the whole week. This month my invoice shows R1353.00 payable on the 1 1 2021. Which cannot be right

Why is there two dstv account on my name and now my account is almost 2000rd please help sort this out so I can't pay the write amount please and my name is colin marinus [protected] can you please look in to my problem I try to fne dstv but they put me on hold you can find me on [protected] please sort out I dont understand the balance is 2000rd p

I find it hard for you to deceive me just like that and yet lying to my face that everything was knowing very well that it is for short while, how dare this company so you are trying by all means to take ownership of credit record. Just right now I spoke to one of your employees (thembeka ngidi) she highlighted very well that the information provided above is a total lie and her manager in which she hid her name will call me, hence i'm writing this complaint again. Please just fix this and tell me that just your services because you no longer require my membership with this company in which I should have terminated my services maybe in july because none of this was happening. So now you are trying to remove by force using billing tricks. I guarantee I surrender I will find myself a new system.
[protected], [protected] and [protected]

I attempted to connect my holiday home package yesterday on messenger, around 10am. Normally, and we have been connected for over 30years! the connection is active almost instantly. DSTV seems unable to connect this service in the last almost 48hours. They are not giving any information except asking for patience repetitively. We have never experienced incompetent service from them to this degree. I would love to start my holiday watching!

I paid 2500 naira for Access extraview but the account was immediately suspended. On contacting the complaints centre in kano, I n was adviced to pay another 100 "short payment" online but there is no provision of such payment on your portal.
My line should be released as the amount paid was determined by you not me! Thanks
My smart card number is
[protected]
Abubakar Ala

I did an online payment of gotv jolli 2600 naira.. I was debited and the account was not activated.. What's going on... I need my money or the activation as soon. As possible

Dear sir /madam

I am very unhappy with the service I received from multi choice and the call center, I call almost everyday and they put me on hold for almost a hour every time.
I have two explora decoders in my house and the secondary decoder has been giving me problems for a week and I call everyday and when I call they tell me that they are fixing the problem and today when I called the decoder switched off completely and I don't even have a single channel on it, I have to call everyday with my own airtime and waste my time and at the end of the month I have to pay the full amount for a decoder I can't even watch and still we don't pay on time they are fast to disconnect you for the poor service we are receiving from them.

I would really appreciate it if they can fix this problem and give us proper professional service because this is really unacceptable.

Good day
I would want to cancel my 12 month contract as I want to take part in a new contract the lady I spoke to last told me that I will only pay a small cancelation fee and now it's told to me I will be liable to pay my full 12 month contract which is ridiculous I only have it for a month

I applied for the new dstv black friday package now I can't because of this it's like they want to milk money out of us

I would like to formally lodge a complaint and put on record that your company has harassed me and neglected all my efforts to the right of viewing what I am paying for and still continue to put my name into dispute as they are unable to get back to me regarding several attempts that I made contact to say my account is somehow being billed with someones decoders or double charges. Ive tried calling discussing with your number of your sales people and all they can say to me is that they escalated the matter nothing concrete comes out of the conversations. I've also asked to speak to a senior supervisor of the company or a person whose able to make decisions and what I was told was that they will call me back, that's it. Your company continues to charge me more, I have complained and I've sad down I don't know if this is how we are going to be treated by yourselves.
Customer number [protected]

DSTV have a service called "Holiday home". I have a two holiday homes that I rent out. Renting is typically over weekends.
To have an account activated takes an enormous amount of time. It means I must phone and it typically takes between 30 and 90 minutes every time you want it activated. Because of their poor service I pay for the call.
Secondly when you want to activate the service from, say 15h00 on Friday to 15h00 on Sunday they do not charge you for 2 days, but for 3 days. This is outright cheating.