Vodafone complaints

i had a pay only sim from vodafone which my disabled daughter was using .i had a phone call from vodafone telling me for what im paying i could get a contract with a free blackberry for the same amount and same contract payments . i now find out i have been tied to a 24 month contract not 12 like my other was there customer service and way they miss sell phones is a heartless .also for four months they still charged me for sim only contract so was paying for both wouldnt mind but the blackberry i have i can buy in tescos for sixty pounds

My husband has a Vodafone contract for his business with 2 lines on it - one for him and one for me (his secretary).

He has had this contract for years without any major issues and we've always found Vodafone to be useful when there have been issues.....until now!!

On 22nd February we both received text messages to our phones saying that we were entitled to upgrades and to call a number to hear the options. We discussed that this was early but we've had early upgrades before so saw no reason why it would not be the case as they had text us!

Vodafone won't talk to me about the contract/upgrades at all as the account is in my husbands name and due to being self-employed and working long hours he only managed to get around to calling yesterday to arrange for new phones.

When he called he was told that his handset was available for an upgrade but that mine wasn't. He queried this as we both received the text and the lady on the phone said a text was sent to me in error and that I can't upgrade until December.

Once he had arranged his new upgrade we decided to call back and discuss why I couldn't upgrade as it didn't seem right to be told you can have something and then just told "oh no you can't".

When we called my husband confirmed his identity and then I was allowed to talk to the customer services. A gentleman called Theo then told me that the text came to me as my phone number is the leading number on the account (actually it isn't as it was added about 2 years after my husbands) and that again I am not entitled to a new phone - this time I was told I'd have to wait until November!

Upon expressing my dissatisfaction I was transferred to a manager called Ben. He again told me that I wouldn't be allowed to upgrade and asked me to read the text message. I read it word for word and told him the exact date and time it was received. He then looked on the system and said that the text was never sent to either phones - even though we both still have them on our phones!!! Ben said that if he could find record of it then it would have to be honoured but that there was no record so he couldn't do anything. I said how frustrating it is as I have the text so it WAS sent and he told me to take my phone into the local Vodafone store - if they can verify the text then it would have to be honoured.

So we bundled up the baby and child and made a trip into the local town. The assistant manager of the store was very helpful but after half an hour on the phone to customer services he informed me that head office have no record of the text so they don't have to honour it!!! EVEN THOUGH HE HAD SEEN THE TEXTS ON BOTH OUR PHONES!!!!! And then I was told I couldn't upgrade until March 2013!!!

I am so disappointed that Vodafone are refusing to honour this. Yes it may have been a mistake but it was their mistake not ours!!!! We have also be given differing excuses as to why I received the text, as well as being told that I didn't receive it!!!!, and we've been given 3 different dates for upgrading the second handset!!!

It has been such a huge mess up that we have now lost all faith in Vodafone!! Yesterday my husband was given a 7 day get out clause for his new phone so if Vodafone don't sort this out ASAP he will cancel the upgrade and we'll leave Vodafone for good. We've already spoken to both Orange and 3 this morning and one will buy out the contract and take us on with lots of benefits for free and the other will also buy us out of the contract for a fee of only £45.

Hubby's new phone is sat here in it's box and won't be opened until we get an answer from Vodafone.

The way we thought the world of business worked was that if you promise something then it is your responsibility to provide it - even if there was a mistake made! The mistake wasn't ours but it has been our time that has been wasted.

I'm going to email Heidi and hope that she can help because at this exact moment Vodafone are looking to lose customers over their refusal to make amends and take responsibility.