Generally, I hate shopping. I'm really not one of those women who can spend hours trying on everything in sight in the mall.
However, this Saturday I simply could not resist popping along to Eastgate and having a peek at what various vendors have done about mobile number portability (MNP).
With hubby in tow, we wandered aimlessly around the mall, ricocheting off prams and trolleys, and having our feet squashed beneath those of less polite shoppers.
Here's the deal: Hubby has been sans a contract for the past 18 months. He has solidly refused to upgrade since Vodacom told him that he would have to pay them so that he could remain a loyal customer.
Having failed to get any sense out of the call centre, he told them that, come MNP, he was leaving them like a scorned lover.
So, the big day dawns - and not a moment too soon because, frankly, his cellphone is less than useless and can never pick up a signal.
We moseyed around Eastgate, looking for balloons, promotional material, posters, leaflets - anything really.
No fuss
I had figured all the providers, especially Virgin as it had been hammering on about MNP for months, would have fully fledged promotions.
I was wrong.
Whoever served us knew what she was talking about, talked us through it step-by-step and really gave us enough technical and package information to allow a consumer to make an informed choice.
Nicola Mawson, senior journalist, ITWeb
Peeking inside the Vodacom store, I saw what could only be described as the diametric opposite. One customer, two sales staff leaning lazily on the counter, grinning.
A few more customers were in the MTN shop, but neither of these giants of the cellphone world had bothered putting on an MNP party.
Cell C, on the other hand, had folk all dressed up just like the television adverts - crash helmets and numbers on their overalls - standing outside handing out pamphlets. We went in.
And had a very pleasant surprise. Whoever served us knew what she was talking about, talked us through it step-by-step and really gave us enough technical and package information to allow a consumer to make an informed choice.
Next, we found the Virgin store - a must see after Sir Richard Branson's rants. Not bad, but not good either. A bit lacking on the technical side and no real flair or pizzazz.
All in all, if sheer effort is anything to go by - I know who I will pick when I port.
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