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Vodafone cancel contract early/lower tariff?

I've been with my 24 month contract with vodafone for about 13 months now (£30/month, 600 minutes, unlimited texts, "unlimited" internet [500MB limit])

I discovered today that after 9 months I can lower my tariff to a cheaper one (some advice on how best to do this/how to get the cheapest possible one would be ace)

More importantly though, I was wondering if anyone knew a way of cancelling my contract early (I wouldn't mind staying with vodafone - they've been very useful) so that I can take advantage of one of their other deals - namely one that includes a free HTC Desire.

Apparently phones4u will buy out the rest of your contract for you if you have 6 months or less remaining (which I'll definitely do if it comes to this)

More enticingly however, I read on an American website that a contract voider for most cell companies in America is if you go over their internet usage (I can tether my internet to my computer and download a 500MB+ film overnight to do this)

I looked on the vodafone forums and someone asked what happened if you went over their "limit" - the answer being that they'll call you up and ask you to lower your data usage and possibly move you on to a contract with a higher limit. They won't terminate your contract though...



If anyone has any good suggestions for terminating my contract early (WITHOUT incurring Early Termination Fees) please let me know!

Comments

  • matty538
    matty538 Posts: 240 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Its a 24month contract you signed up for it so you pay it.
    If i remember correctly Voda will drop your tariff to the next cheapest,An thats it, they may however let you drop it one tariff a month for so many months though.
    It really is that simple. As for phones4you buying 6 months out, sure they will but expect to pay more for your HTC Desire. You certainly wont get it free and 6 months of your contract paid for.
  • Annie._2
    Annie._2 Posts: 516 Forumite
    If you have committed to a 24 month contract and wish to terminate early, you will need to pay the remaining months line rental charges with a 25% discount, minus VAT.

    You cannot lower your tariff if your price plan has 'your plan' or YPL.

    The 500mb mobile internet package is for mobile browsing from a handset and does not include downlowding a film overnight which would use a massive amount of data.
  • gjchester
    gjchester Posts: 5,741 Forumite
    J_Kitson wrote: »
    Apparently phones4u will buy out the rest of your contract for you if you have 6 months or less remaining (which I'll definitely do if it comes to this)

    Do they still do this? No doubt you'll get a poor deal as they have your contract to pay off.
    J_Kitson wrote: »
    More enticingly however, I read on an American website that a contract voider for most cell companies in America is if you go over their internet usage (I can tether my internet to my computer and download a 500MB+ film overnight to do this)

    I looked on the vodafone forums and someone asked what happened if you went over their "limit" - the answer being that they'll call you up and ask you to lower your data usage and possibly move you on to a contract with a higher limit. They won't terminate your contract though...!


    They will hoever charge you for the useage over ans above 500mb at (i think 25p a megabyte IIRC)...[/QUOTE]
    J_Kitson wrote: »
    If anyone has any good suggestions for terminating my contract early (WITHOUT incurring Early Termination Fees) please let me know!

    Not really. If you leave early then the company hasn't made enough from you to cover the costs of the phone and service provided. The Desire is not free, they are over £400 sim Free, someone has to pay for the phone, and although the networks will get a discount it still needs paying for. It was the increasing cost of phones people want, and increasing regulation to drive down prices that has mean the mobile co's don't make as much per user per month, hence the move to 18 and 24 month contracts in order to make a profit from us users.

    Not to mention the increases electrical waste going to landfill as people want the latest shiny phone.
  • gjchester
    gjchester Posts: 5,741 Forumite
    Ann_S wrote: »
    If you have committed to a 24 month contract and wish to terminate early, you will need to pay the remaining months line rental charges with a 25% discount, minus VAT.

    You cannot lower your tariff if your price plan has 'your plan' or YPL.

    Once again I'll point out that is wrong. It may be on some networks not all.

    I can tell you for a fact Vodafone will not give you a reduction as of Monday the 12th when I rang up. I have 2 months to go and they wanted the full line rental x 2 for a termination fee. No discount at all.
  • Annie._2
    Annie._2 Posts: 516 Forumite
    edited 14 April 2010 at 7:38AM
    gjchester wrote: »
    Once again I'll point out that is wrong. It may be on some networks not all.

    I can tell you for a fact Vodafone will not give you a reduction as of Monday the 12th when I rang up. I have 2 months to go and they wanted the full line rental x 2 for a termination fee. No discount at all.

    I know for a fact that Vodafone are the one network that definitely do give you a 25% discount for early termination.

    If you call up Vodafone to request your early termination fee, the amount comes off the system. You get the 25% discount and no VAT since you are not receiving a service.

    Can a Vodafone company representative please confirm the 25% discount so I am not told again that I am incorrect.
  • gjchester
    gjchester Posts: 5,741 Forumite
    Ann_S wrote: »
    I know for a fact that Vodafone are the one network that definitely do give you a 25% discount for early termination.

    Can a Vodafone company representative please confirm the 25% discount so I am not told again that I am incorrect.

    As I said not according to customer services on Monday. They said it was full price, this is not a guess, or a reading of a web site but what I was told by Voda Customer services.

    I hope your right it will save me money, but if a Voda Rep disagree's then Vodafone need to sort out their internal communications.
  • eranou
    eranou Posts: 377 Forumite
    Hi Wendy,

    The only thing I'd add here is to let you know that any cancellation fee we charge is VAT exempt and subject to a 25% reduction inline with Ofcom guidelines.

    Many thanks,

    Lee

    Web Relations Team

    Vodafone UK


    This was posted in response to a thread regarding mobile broadband but usualy terms for MBB and phone contracts are very similar
  • gjchester
    gjchester Posts: 5,741 Forumite
    eranou wrote: »
    This was posted in response to a thread regarding mobile broadband but usualy terms for MBB and phone contracts are very similar


    If it's true then disconnections don't know about it. I was told I need to pay for the months in full.
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