Both MTC & Alfa announced plans for 3G and officially launched it but what we all missed out is that they will be ripping us off for a period of 2-3 weeks.
How is that so?
While 3G is available for all users now, the mobile internet plans have not been upgraded yet. This means that if you have a 10$-50MB GPRS connection, you will be able to use 3G but only have 50MB until the next billing date.
I have the 10$-50MB Edge connection right now on my iPhone, and I’ve consumed a total of 125MB in 6 days time, by simply texting, tweeting, checking emails, whatsapp etc …
125MB means an additional 75MB = 7.5$ extra charge, which is 75% of the original cost. If I keep going at this rate, I might end up paying some 50$, or 400% extra charge before my next billing date.
I don’t know if it’s the same way for MTC users, but that’s the case for Alfa and I found it better to switch off 3G until my plan gets upgraded. Speaking of which, the plans will not be automatically upgraded, as each user will have to call in, cancel his/her current internet package and ask for the new one.
The only positive side of all that is that we are finally getting 3G, even though I am still worried huge loads will result in disconnections and slowness, like what happened with MTC & Alfa today.
but october is over in a couple of days. So the next billing date is in a couple of days right? how could they be ripping us off for 2-3 weeks?
stop whining for God’s sake!
Cyril,
It’s not until the end of the month but until your next billing date. Mine is on the 8th and I’ve had 3G now since the 23rd.
Kaak,
What’s your problem?
mtc touch scheduled the migration to 3G for its GPRS(2G) customers so that they won’t be overcharged with consumption – the migration will take place as close to the 3G launch as possible as per the below:
GPRS $10 -50MB to 3G 10-100MB
GPRS $15-120MB to 3G $10-100MB
GPRS $25-250MB to 3G $19-500MB
mtc touch customers don’t have to call in to move to the new 3G packages, they will be moved seamlessly and automatically!!
Alfa costumers have been already moved seamlessly and automatically to 3G!!
I did the same thing. Switched it off until my next billing.
Did I mention I hate alfa?
I dunno about the post-paid switch but the pre-paid switch was surprisingly good with alfa.
Took me about 2min to activate 3G on my phone pre-paid.
Now the thing is the network doesn’t appear really stable yet. I’ve been bouncing between 3G and Edge randomly and got some download speed between 45Kbps and 1.8Mbps randomly.
lol at Kaak!!
I think we have the right to lawsuit the companies for upgrading our service without even mentioning it and for cause us additional charges without customers approval! similar cases in Europe or the USA would lead to huge compensation from the companies towards its customers ! are we living in a country or a FARM ?
actually nothing is wrong about the 3g network and the services offered. and i have a special note for everyone complaining about the upgrade and specially those who wants to lawsuit the companies. first, you are not obliged to use the 3g network and no matter what device u carry u can switch 3g or UMTS off an simply use the GSM network or in other words 2g. Second, you cant lawsuit anyone simply because law dont protect ignorant. U must be knowledgable enough about your case before throwing threats. Finally we are living in a country, a great country but unfortunately some people just cant move over from the farm state they are used to live in.
i totally agree with ALebanese! stop nagging and whining and move on!
3G is here and 4G very soon!
Lisa,
If you are dumb enough to get ripped by your government, I am not and wish to share such useful info with readers so they avoid paying extra charge.
There’s no nagging wala ballout and 3G is not here yet as plans were not yet implemented.
Until then, we are screwed if we set our internet to 3G. this is a FACT.
ALebanese,
That is not the issue I raised. All I said is that I want to switch to 3G but I can’t right now cause plans were not yet upgraded.
I agree that the issue doesn’t need a lawsuit but the way operators are treating Lebanese is similar to how things work at a farm, while lawsuits and customer relationship management and accountability is how things work in a civilized society.
najib,
you are right and i agree with you that there is no customer relationship managment in most of the comapnies in lebanon and this is a very annoying stuff and it must be treated. almost
most of lebanese companies treat you unfairly as if you are begging for their services while it is completely the opposite, They are living from our payments.
Najib,
actually plans are implemented and allready working, and plz stop being so naive talking about me being ripped by my government or any silly stuff people like you are used to say.
actually u could have saved your time offering us such useless info that allready existed on the alfa website “since mtc didnt launch its services yet”.
and if you dont want to join the 3g network its your own choice and you are completely free. trust me the companies wont declare bankrupcy due to your decision. and actually thats much better for other user where connection traffic will be much less on the network offering us a better speed to do something usefull other that posting useless and childich comments.
will we ever know who najib really is ? :O 😛
ALebanese,
I know for a fact Najib can rebut you easily. However, you seem the childish person here who is not making any sense. You remind me of a slave who has been depraved and deprived for so long that would kiss his/her masters’ feet if a piece of loaf is thrown his way.
Your country is not great and not even close to being a third world country. It is people like you who give their masters a free reign to rape and pillage.
We all need people like najib who conscientiously bring these riff raffs up to task.
ALebanese,
I see you still did not get my point. I had no clue 3G was gonna show up on my phone before November 1st because this is what our dear MOT miniter said! I had no clue I will remain on the old plan and have 3G until my next billing date.
I want the 3G but I dont want it for 50MB. I want it as proposed by Alfa & MTC, for 100, 500 and +.
Please do me a favor and re-read my original post to understand what is it I am talking about.
najib,
i read your post and still im not convinced that what happened is wrong. actually ur gprs plan will not be upgraded automaticly untill the 3g network coverage is complete. and since you already charged for gprs for a month, that means that the contract between you and alpha depends on a fixed payment, fixed amount of $ , fixed amount of $ per extra usage. and such contracts usually are done over a software that is not made to be ultered in the middle of the process. And its not the comapnies fault if u used extra megas due to the high speed. your acting as if the government offered u a sports car and you dont wanna pay speed tickets !
lets be fair, imagine someone is naging because his battery dies faster on 3g ! or naging because his mobile doesnt support 3g. man you are naging because your consumption increased due to the increase in speed ! it was a save of time if you regulated your consumption and didnt lose controle enjoying the high speed connection 😉
jeff,
you look so experienced in slavery, try to rebel.
ALebanese,
My GPRS plan ends on the 8th of November, however 3G service was launched and we could detect it and use it on our phones. However, the plans were not upgraded as soon as 3G was launched, meaning that I was using 3G on my 50MB plan. This is why I have 3G but I don’t want it now, cause it’s consuming mbytes like crazy and overcharging me.
My whole point is:
Why kick off the service without upgrading the plans?
Why giving people the satisfaction of using 3G and ripping them by extra-consumption?
It’s not like giving me a sports car and letting me pay speeding tickets.
It’s more like giving me giving me a sports car to drive on 200 meters road.
I am not nagging nor complaining cause am using too much. I am stating that I will be charged extra cause my plan wasnt upgraded while 3G was activated, and that it’s unethical for operators to do so.
How hard is that to understand?