CAPE TOWN – Mobile Network Cell C experienced a nationwide outage over the weekend after the Neotel Data Centre experienced a power surge due to load shedding.
Cell C has identified the fault that affected data and voice services on its network for approximately 2 hours on Saturday. A Data Centre experienced a power surge due to load shedding, which tripped the air-conditioning.
— Cell C (@CellC) December 1, 2018
This problem resulted in users not having any signal which caused frustration and consumers took to social media to inquire about the problem.
This resulted in the Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) system, that enables the routing of traffic on the network, to overheat and power down. Additional generators have been deployed and the equipment has been restored.
— Cell C (@CellC) December 1, 2018
According to Cell C, its service was down for two hours on Saturday December 1 but some users stated that their service was down for longer.
In a response via Twitter, Cell said: "Cell C has identified the fault that affected data and voice services on its network for about two hours on Saturday. A Data Centre experienced a power surge due to load shedding, which tripped the air-conditioning."
After the issue was resolved, the company then decided to gift users with a free 1GB of data which will be valid until Thursday the 6th of December.
Cell said in a tweet: “We want to thank our customers for their patience during the unprecedented network outage earlier today. To show our appreciation, we will provide each customer with 1GB of data valid for 5 days. We will notify you of when data will be loaded. Again, our sincere apologies.”
We want to thank our customers for their patience during the unprecedented network outage earlier today. To show our appreciation, we will provide each customer with 1GB of data valid for 5 days. We will notify you of when data will be loaded. Again, our sincere apologies.
— Cell C (@CellC) December 1, 2018
Here are what users had to say:
You guys are legends👌🏻 thanks man!!!! @CellC pic.twitter.com/FnaRYTMuFa
— Mo Sabi (@Mo_sabi) December 2, 2018
@CellC's response to their network outage is an example of how organisations need to respond to a crisis.. Be honest, apologise and be sincere by making it up to your customers...
— Mihla (@teamSA4eva) December 2, 2018
@CellC thank you for the data 😭❤️
This is why I stay with yall pic.twitter.com/W8nUGPynDr
— The Ultimate (@TheUltimate_ZA) December 3, 2018
As I wait for another apologetic 5 day 1Gig from Cell C. Can my eyes roll any further back?? pic.twitter.com/Z0pjGZOffB
— Kina (@AniksaGodwin) December 3, 2018
Cell c network is trash😡 it is slower than the service delivery of our government pic.twitter.com/g7SN8uMHvm
— Earthly Deployed RULER💡 (@Siyanda_EC) December 3, 2018
@MTNza do you see what CellC is doing for their costumers pic.twitter.com/j0qV3Ue02t
— yours truly forever. (@l_ooker) December 3, 2018
I had absolutelyno network yesterday at #GlobaCitizenFestival, basically had no network the entire weekend. What happened @CellC???
— Reabetswe Motlana (@Roxibetswe) December 3, 2018
So Thank you @CellC for my 1000mb. Please take it back because you've throttled the speeds so badly that I can't connect to anything. #rubbish. Don't pull a useless PR stunt.
— IG: WineSnob_V🍷 (@LadyVera06) December 3, 2018