HTC Desire Vodafone 500mb Fair Usage Policy

1jim

I think that the unlimited internet with 500mg cap/limit/fair useage policy etc is being referred to as the handheld data bundle

TheLibertine

So the story is going everywhere (see links a few posts above this and also just google the issue), but is not covered in the best detail. Two things could be useful…

Firstly in the message boards under the story that almost all these websites have please go on and point to this thread, if you can’t add a link just do the best you can.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/32582219#Comment_32582219

And this facebook group
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/group.php?gid=121369471223650&v=wall

Secondly and more importantly, email these websites (just look on the site for the contact address) and say they havn’t covered the full extent of the story, and that…

1. Vodafone have sold the HTC Desire for two months and during this time have been advising customers that the 500mb is a soft limit, and they won’t be charged effectively unless they abuse by tethering etc (this can be seen on the same eForum thread where they eventually posted their official response). The cap must have been planned for some time and so they have mislead customers who were looking to TMobiles 3GB limit especially, and sold probably thousands of Desire’s on the back of this ‘lie’.


2. They still call the Desire’s 500mb policy ‘unlimited’, yet also they call the Nexus1/iPhone 1GB limit ‘unlimited’. They claim it’s hard to go over 500mb so why give 1GB to the Nexus1 which is the SAME phone essentially.

3. Customers have begun complaining to the Advertising Standards Authority that it can’t be true to offer two different limits (Desire 500mb / Nexus1 1GB) as ‘unlimited’. They are currently doing this in press adverts . Customers are also looking to other consumer groups and gadget websites to back them up on this issue and what they see as Vodafone’s underhand behaviour.

4. Customers are still waiting for another official response which has been promised on Vodafone’s eForum thread in relation to being able to cancel contracts under misselling rules and exactly what charges will reply. And Vodafone appear to be dithering taking hours to respond to anything while constantly updating other threads.

5. Customers were constantly told different things by different staff which has all been recorded in live webchats and on their own forum, and a campaign is being set up through various channels including moneysavingexpert and facebook to try and get them to reverse the decision.


If lots of people send this info through the contact section of the websites listed above hopefully they will run with it and update the story which is what they tend to do.

Many thanks

elfen

Hm, mine (checked on the Vodafone page) says "Unlimited". It's not truly unlimited then is it? And I wasn't told instore there's a cap either....bloody eck!

Right, I'll phone early next week (not at home right now) and find out what this means for me

jimbo372

a few more sites although as I cant add the http & www you will have to yourselves

ZDNet (zdnet.co.uk/news/mobile-working/2010/05/07/vodafone-starts-charging-out-of-bundle-data-usage-40088874/)

Androinica (androinica.com/2010/05/07/vodafone-set-to-introduce-ridiculous-new-data-pricing-next-month/)

Pocket-Lint (pocket-lint.com/news/32977/vodafone-responds-in-data-charging)

Phones Review (phonesreview.co.uk/2010/05/07/vodafone-ends-data-abuse-by-charging-5-each-additional-500mb/)

minority

Hey guys thought I wade in with my convo I am having.

You are about to be connected to a new connection sales adviser for Vodafone UK. Please note they do not have access to existing customer details and cannot process orders or upgrades. If you have a query of this nature please contact customer services.
You are now connected with Katy.
Katy: Hello, you're chatting with Katy, one of Vodafone's online sales specialists. May I take your name please?
You: Paul
Katy: Hi Paul
Katy: Ho are you doing today?
You: I have noticed that you have changed your terms and conditions on the internet data which is FUP and "Unlimited" and as of 1st june you will be changing this but in my terms it says I require 30days which means this change will be in breach of my contract
You: I was additionally told when renewing my contract that their was no additional change for going over 500mb...which is very possible in this day and age
Katy: Paulfair usage policy is 500mb a month
Katy: It has not changed & there is no information if it will change in next few months
Katy: When you reach 500mb you will be notified for the same
You: not what being reported on the internet, over 500mb will now be charged a fee when I took out my contract no addtionaly fee would be charged if you went over
Katy: We will contact you & tell you reduce your usage. If you keep going over only then you will be charged


The last part is intresting since she says it has not changed and you will only be notified!

jimbo372

Just received this text from vodafone in response to the one I received last night which is also below:

Just received from Vodafone "We sent a text in error re. out of bundle charges. Very sorry, please be assured you have not been charged. For info, click free (cant post links so put the normal http before but no www) live.vodafone.com/zr/sa1"

This is the one I received last night "You are reaching the end of your data allowance. You will be charged another £5.00 (Inc VAT) for the next 500MB. We will notify you again before you reach the next charging point. To stop these messages Text STOP to 40506. Keep track of internet charges with Vodafone. Sent MAY 06 @23:29 UK"

CLLC

I too took out a contract for the HTC Magic with 500 MB "unlimited" internet usage.

With these changes to the terms and conditions, does this give reason for me to get out of contract?

MissKeith

RevTheory wrote: »

this is very confusing... as same with you i work for CPW but we are told is soft cap with the FUP

Do you work in retail? When Voda came back to us last year, we were given some training guides in store and I'm sure it said hard cap in there...

DarkConvict

I reckon this should appear in the weekly newsletter so customer know what is going on behind their backs. (Thread - Liked)

TheLibertine

Tom_Vodafone
Administrator

Group:Administrators
Posts:5,504
Joined:30-November 07
Gender:Male
Handset(s):BlackBerry Curve 8520, Apple iPhone 3GS
Posted Today, 06:00 PM
Hello Everyone,

Here are the answers to the questions you've raised.

Definition of excessive use?
Excessive use is listed in the current Terms and Conditions and applies for now, but when Out Of Bundle charging is introduced, the terms will be amended and so this won’t apply.

Will I be allowed to cancel my account under Clause 7?
We’ ll be giving you 14 days' notice before introducing Out Of Bundle charging which complies with clause 7a. You'll be entitled to end your contract if you can show that the introduction of the new charges has increased your total call and usage charges by more than 10%. This needs to be compared to the same amount of usage in the previous month. You must also write to us within the 14 day window indicating that you want to end your contract. (Address: Vodafone UK, Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2FN).

When will I receive the notice/when would the Ts&Cs change?
You will receive a notification SMS well in advance of any changes taking place

Why is there one allowance for the iPhone and Nexus One and another for the rest of the Smartphones you range?
This is because we offer different price plans with different handsets.

Kind Regards,

Tom

eForum Team

P.S. This does apply to all Pay Monthly accounts with an inclusive data allowance, whether it came as part of the plan or as a £5 or £7.50 add-on.

TheLibertine, all of the links are in breach of the Terms and Conditions but we let them lie initially. The thread was getting truly littered with them, and there's no need for that as all the information on this subject is here, not anywhere else. I did email you at 13:30 today at the address you've got registered on the eForum. I'll resend it now, please check your spam filter TR