Are you no longer getting data bonuses as before or you have data bonus but unable to use it? These are two different bonus issues and below we will be looking at them one after the other to see the reasons why your MTN data bonus is not working.
If you are one of those who is no longer receiving data bonus as before, then it’s likely you are no longer on the default tariff plan.
YafunYafun is a special tariff plan that rewards New MTN customers with lots of benefits after registering and activating a new SIM.
You get a 700% bonus on EVERY recharge of N100 and above, which includes a 300% data bonus and 400% bonus airtime. You also get a 100% data bonus on SELECT data bundles.
The benefits of the YafunYafun tariff plan are designed to be enjoyable for a limited period. You will be able to enjoy the 100% Data Bonus for 3 months ONLY while you will enjoy the 700% bonus on ALL your recharges for 6 months. After that, it stops.
Why is my MTN data bonus not working
So if your MTN data bonus is not working again and you are not receiving data bonus, then it’s likely that you have exceeded the time frame for enjoying those bonuses.
As of yesterday, I had about 10 Gigabytes of data on my balance and a bonus data of 22 Gigabytes. Fast forward to now, I only have 2.3 Gigabytes left on my main data balance and the bonus data is still at 22 Gigabytes, untouched.
This was my experience while browsing with my mtn line. If you are reading this article right now, then it is safe to assume that you are experiencing the same thing and you are wondering why it is so.
Well, you are in the right place for answers. As you read further, you will find answers you need to why your MTN data bonus is not working.
It is quite natural to want to use more data when you have a lot of data bonuses in your account. Which is why it becomes very frustrating when you find out you have been using your main data balance all these while instead of the bonus data.
The answer to why your MTN data bonus is not working lies in what data bonus you have. While they all fall under the general name data bonus – meaning extra data you get in addition to whatever bundle you purchased – data bundles actually differ.
Depending on your tariff plan, you can get data bonuses when you recharge airtime or purchase a data bundle. Some bonuses are in the form of airtime and you can use it for both calls and data.
And there are others that are YouTube bonuses which you can only use for YouTube. Most of the time, the reason why your MTN data bonus is not working is because you are trying to use a YouTube data bonus to surf the internet.
In which case you will be charged from your regular data balance. From the experience I narrated in the first paragraph of this article, the 22 Gigabytes of data is actually YouTube data that have been accumulating from my data bundle purchases.
And since I have not been using YouTube the data bonus has remained untouched.
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How to activate data bonus on MTN
There are two ways you can activate data bonus on MTN. Either through a data oriented tariff plan or a bonus giving data bundle. Let’s look at them one after the other.
First, you can activate data bonus on MTN by being on a tariff plan that gives data bonus benefits. If you are on MTN BetaTalk prepaid tariff plan, for instance, you will get a 250% airtime bonus and up to N2500 worth of data bonus on every recharge.
MTN pulse tariff plan offers larger data bonuses on special data plans.
To activate data bonus that comes with being on a particular tariff plan, migrate to the tariff plan by dialing the code *123*2# on your phone.
Select the tariff plan that you want to migrate to by pressing the digit corresponding to the option of your choice.
Secondly, you can activate data bonuses on MTN by purchasing select data bundles that give data bonuses.
There are different data bundles on the MTN network, each bundles to provide the best value depending on what you use data for.
For instance, the 10GB for N3,000 will give you an extra 4GB bonus data for YouTube. This is a good option for someone who uses YouTube. If you do not, the 11GB for N3,000 option will be a better choice.
When can I use my MTN data bonus
You can use your MTN data bonus anytime of the day, but there are some data bonuses that are time bound. That is they are designed to be used at a particular period of time.
For example, the YouTube data bonus can only be used to stream Youtube videos via the Youtube app or website from 11PM to 6AM (7 hours daily).
Outside this usage period, you cannot use it and data traffic charges will be charged from your main data account or other data balances that you have that can be used then.
So, to conclude, check your data bonus validity time and which type to know when to use it and avoid being charged for data traffic from your main data balance.
Lastly, when you have more than one data plan on your mtn line, data traffic is usually charged from the one with the earliest expiring date.
You can also dial *559*43# to check out more details like a total bonus, earliest bonus to expire, and expiry date.
If the bonus data has an expiry date later than another plan on your line, you will be charged first from that data plan before you can start using your bonus.
This is usually the case for general usage data plans and bonuses. Bonus data that are for specific use, like the YouTube bonus data, will always be used when you open YouTube regardless whether you have any data bonus with early expiry date.