Beware of data sharing affecting your data bundle extensions

I had a total data balance of 4GB expiring on 27-05-2026 which consisted of a 30-day 3GB data bundle previously purchased, as well as a 30-day 1GB data bundle which was shared from another number during the month.

When I purchased additional 30-day data bundles before the expiry date in order to extend my data balance, only the 1GB data bundle was extended, and the remaining 3GB data was set to expire on 27-05-2026.

This means that anyone who has an existing data balance of any amount, has to forfeit the balance upon expiry, that existed at the time that any shared data was received. For example, if you have existing data of 10GB valid for 30 days, and you received shared data of any amount up to the maximum limit of 1GB for 30 days, you will be forced to forfeit your existing 10GB balance and be left with 1GB or less. How is this reasonable and fair?

Nowhere in the terms and conditions of Cell C’s data bundles, data sharing, or data rol***** does it state that existing data bundles need to be forfeited if shared data is received. On the contrary, the data rol***** terms and conditions state that:

“Customers on the 30-day Data bundle product will be able to extend the validity of a bundle AND ANY REMAINING VALUE by purchasing a new bundle before the expiry of the current bundle.”

Therefore, based on your terms and conditions, the total data balance should be consolidated and the full balance extended with the additional 30-day bundle purchases.

I have reported the issue to Cell C Customer Care by calls and email for the past 2 days, but after speaking to 3 agents, the case is not resolved nor understood. In the meantime, I am expected to incur a loss based on my purchased data being taken away with no reasonable explanation. This is a very ********* way of exploiting customers with no transparency nor recourse to clients. This would provide grounds to lodge complaints with the NCC as well as ICASA if no satisfactory resolution is reached.