Vodafone uhelpful -- any tips?

paulh177

I've just spent a fruitless 48 hours trying to persuade Vodafone to retain me as a contract customer ... they won't move an inch on my current contract price (which I admit is pretty good value already at £16 for 600op+250txt) and were very consistent in their "we don't negotiate" stance ... but they *had* managed to sign me up to an increased price contract and new phone without my consent. I only found this out because I rang them to have another go at changing price plans!
Then I thought I'd change to PAYG and they won't even transfer me to their own PAYG without 30 days written notice ...
This is after 18months of consistent poor service on billing, replacement-under-guarantee cockups, having my GPRS switched off with no reason given and so on and so on.
SO I think it's time to change but here I am with 48 hours til my contract ends and likely to lose my cherished number! partially my own unmanageability of course in leaving it late.
Any tips ?

spirit

Hi Paulh

I work for vodafone altough not in the section that deals with your account. I would advise sticking to your guns. Have you asked to speak to a manager? Just because your contract ends, does not mean you lose your number or get cut off. these things run on a rolling contract basis. If all else fails, you should find that they will give you a PAC code to migrate to PaYT rather than lose you altogether.

Hope this helps

paulh177

Thanks very much Chris ... i had intended anyway to have another go tomorrow when my ire had died down and i wasn't so tired frustrated and grumpy! (These things don't put me in a good place from which to negotiate )

They sounded *very* embarassed about the phantom order (especially as brand-new W900i had already left the warehouse destined for my billing address -- where there is no-one to sign for it) and I got the impression that they thought it might be an attempted internal fraud and/or that someone was likely to get a severe slapping anyway.

Reminding me about the "rolling" nature of the contract is really useful -- I hadn't thought about it clearly, but of course it makes sense, and gives me breathing space to research a bit more. I think I'll end up going PAYG as my usage pattern is wildly inconsistent depending on girlfriend status! And I only ever went on contract to get a RAZR when they first came out and nobody else had one. God I'm so shallow ...

Thanks again for your assistance

Paul

pennypincher_2

without 30 days written notice

48 hours til my contract ends and likely to lose my cherished number!

In any case you have to give 30 days notice or supply a PAC code to the your chosen network,the number won't just vanish - you are in control,its your choice,if you do nothing it will stay connected even past the anniversary date of your contract expiring!Don't panic.

pennymakespounds

paulh177 ... this shows what a farce the mobile industry is !!!..

i've come on to make this post .....

my aged uncle has asked if i can advise him ....
he's had a vodaphone tariff for 2 years ... and gets 30 any minutes and 50 texts per month .. at a "discounted rate" !! of £16.49 a month

(i've never heard of such a small contract at such a high price !!)

he got a motorola v525 with it, told he'd be elible for an upgrade after 12 months .. but when he asked after 12 months they said he wasn't eligble .

he got it all through the local vodaphone shop.

he said he could do with say double this number of calls/texts... and does need a new handset .. nothing flash but must have a camera.

I think the best idea is to see if he can negotiate with the vodaphone shop for a contract renewal at same or preferably lower cost... for bit more minutes/texts + phone.

What sort of deal has anyone actually achieved in this sort of situation ??