HTC Desire Vodafone 500mb Fair Usage Policy

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

Dial 191 and the Vodafone Automated Answering Woman Says:

"We are just putting you through to someone who can help".

That isn't the experience I am getting with all this.

karatedragon

Vodafone call centre are trying to wriggle out of this with me. I used less than the 500MB in July and August but in June and May used way over. I have also gone over during my unbilled period of September.

I have received the text saying I will be charged but because of my under use in July and August the call centre drones are saying I cannot cancel.

So what happens when I go over in october?? I get the £5 charge which makes my bill 14% more expensive.

Not sure what to do on this really. I have now written in stating I wish to cancel and that my bill will go up by circa 14.5% but had no reply.

I have looked up the terms and:



11.1. Either of us may end this Agreement by giving the other 30 days prior notice in writing. Your notice must include your mobile number and the signature of the account holder. You must pay the Charges during the notice period.
11.2. You may end this Agreement by writing to us if:
(a) we don’t do something fundamental that we should have done under this Agreement within 7 days of you asking us in writing;
(b) we tell you that there will be an increase in the line rental charge by more than the increase in the Retail Prices Index ("RPI", calculated as a percentage) since the last line rental increase and you write to us before the increase takes effect;
(c) we increase your Charges in the UK which have the effect of increasing your total call and usage charges (based upon your usage in the previous month) by more than 10% and you write to us before the increase takes effect; or
(d) we change this Agreement to your significant disadvantage including the change or withdrawal of Services (we will tell you if this is the case) and you write to us within one month of us telling you about the change. This does not apply where the change relates to Services which can be cancelled without termination of this Agreement.


It says in (c) "based upon your usage in the previous month". Surely September is previous to the introduction of the fee in October???

cairns136

my number ported to my new network on friday 24th sep and today i received another pac text from vodafone today. glad i have 2 emails and a letter confirming no etf just incase they try it on :eek: !!!

Notsram

Well, even though I'm now free of Vodafone, their incompetence still reaches out from beyond the grave (i.e. my now thankfully dead contract). I received my PAC via email (along with confirmation that I wouldn't be charged an EFT) more than two weeks ago. I used it, and have been with a new network for well over a week. Yet this morning, I received a text from Vodafone saying that my PAC is now vaild and I'm free to use it.

Am sorely tempted to change my number just so they won't be able to contact me anymore

ruggedtoast

karatedragon wrote: »

Vodafone call centre are trying to wriggle out of this with me. I used less than the 500MB in July and August but in June and May used way over. I have also gone over during my unbilled period of September.

I have received the text saying I will be charged but because of my under use in July and August the call centre drones are saying I cannot cancel.

So what happens when I go over in october?? I get the £5 charge which makes my bill 14% more expensive.

Not sure what to do on this really. I have now written in stating I wish to cancel and that my bill will go up by circa 14.5% but had no reply.

I have looked up the terms and:



11.1. Either of us may end this Agreement by giving the other 30 days prior notice in writing. Your notice must include your mobile number and the signature of the account holder. You must pay the Charges during the notice period.
11.2. You may end this Agreement by writing to us if:
(a) we don’t do something fundamental that we should have done under this Agreement within 7 days of you asking us in writing;
(b) we tell you that there will be an increase in the line rental charge by more than the increase in the Retail Prices Index ("RPI", calculated as a percentage) since the last line rental increase and you write to us before the increase takes effect;
(c) we increase your Charges in the UK which have the effect of increasing your total call and usage charges (based upon your usage in the previous month) by more than 10% and you write to us before the increase takes effect; or
(d) we change this Agreement to your significant disadvantage including the change or withdrawal of Services (we will tell you if this is the case) and you write to us within one month of us telling you about the change. This does not apply where the change relates to Services which can be cancelled without termination of this Agreement.


It says in (c) "based upon your usage in the previous month". Surely September is previous to the introduction of the fee in October???

I wouldnt even go there with them about the three months usage. This is their arbitrary terms not the contracts terms.

If it said "If we change the contract and only if on average of three months exceed whatever chargeable limit we decide to impose can you cancel..."

Then things would be different. It doesnt and they have effected a change in your contract, without notice, that will leave you at a material disadvantage at some point in the future.

Once they have either charged you, or given you notice of a new charge then you have the right to cancel.

I suspect the 10% thing is a load of rubbish they've invented as well, presumably to try and further deter people unfortunate enough to have high monthly bills into leaving. If you pay £15 a month you cant afford another £5, but if you pay £70 a month then another £5 is nothing? Right.

Disgraceful treatment of customers designed mostly, as far as I can see, to hope that people get fed up trying to argue and just keep quiet and accept the contract changes they have made.

ZootHornRollo

bym007 wrote: »

Hi folks,

I am getting a little freaked out right now, since 1st Oct is around the corner. Despite my usage being clearly above 500MB over past few months, I have not receieved any text warning from Vodafone at all.

I am confused and unsure about what step I should take to safeguard myself now. What would you guys advice me ?

Cheers

i guess if you haven't been informed than there is not a lot you can do. Might be worth firing off a letter just in case.

ZootHornRollo

got my phone call yesterday. been offered a couple of options... new 12 month cheap deal - £12.50 per month, new 18 month contract with new phone (smasung galaxy S) - £25 per month, leave on 30th Sept or get PAC and leave once it is activated. not quite sure what to do. need to decide today tho!

enigma368

i am fed up fighting managers on this but keep getting nowhere and always end up in an argument about when a FUP is not a FUP and whether the new £5 per 500MB charge is indeed a new charge or not.

Are there magic legal terms that you need to say before you are granted your right to leave?

I would strongly suggest pointing these managers at Vodafone's own announcement (on their forums) where they say customers who meet the required conditions will be released from their contract. This announcement is referenced earlier in this thread.

I assume you have sent a letter in and also I assume that this new charge will increase your bill by 10% based on recent usage? If not you may find it more difficult to convince them.

ZootHornRollo

enigma368 wrote: »

I would strongly suggest pointing these managers at Vodafone's own announcement (on their forums) where they say customers who meet the required conditions will be released from their contract. This announcement is referenced earlier in this thread.

I assume you have sent a letter in and also I assume that this new charge will increase your bill by 10% based on recent usage? If not you may find it more difficult to convince them.

yes letter sent, yes over 10% increase, yes pointed all to the forum anouncement. Most claimed to have no access the VF consumer website. The ones who did check it agreed on a personal level that i should be able to cancel but were not willing to do so until they got official notification... its a FUP... no new charge... blah blah.

But fortunately (check post above yours) i got my phone call yesterday.

karatedragon

It says in my contract that if they introduce new charges they should give me 14 days notice. I received my text message on 24 September. How is this 14 days notice. It is 7 days notice.

They also seem reliant on people having a computer by posting advice on their forum which I have now found. How do those that have no computer get on with this as it appears that no formal letter has been sent through the post to anyone.

If my building society changes any terms they write by snail mail and tell me well in advance.

What is galling is Vodafone expect you to object by snail mail yet they have no grace to send a snail mail letter to people on these tariffs stating that charges will apply.

A total flagrant disregard for their customers and disgraceful service.

I am going to start "maxing out" the contract now. I will make sure all of my 600 minutes in month are used by dialling a spare mobile i have an dleaving it running until all the minutes are used up.