Vodafone Mobile Broadband - promotional deal problem. help!

les_jordan

I am hoping someone on here can offer me some sound advice. I know there are a lot of Vodafone customers/ex-customers on here, as well, I believe, as some representatives from Vodafone.

In January 2009 Vodafone customers were offered their £15-a-month 3GB mobile broadband package (on an 18-month contract) for £7.50 a month. I had been considering using mobile broadband for a while, living in rented accommodation and knowing that there was a chance I would move within the next year. I received this promotion via text message, which I decided to take them up on, by calling the given phone number.

I remember talking to a man on the phone who assured me that, despite the fact that the paperwork I would receive would state that I would be paying £15-a-month, there would be a note on my account mentioning the half price promotion. I received the Vodafone dongle and the paperwork (which I still have), stating the monthly price of £15, as promised – I’m assuming this was a generic letter sent out to everyone.

Now this is the stupid bit, and I curse myself for not looking into it sooner. As I am an existing Vodafone customer, and I do not get sent paper bills, I only ever check my online bills if I feel that the amount is too high. If I had had a bill that was, say, £100, I would have looked to see why it was so high, but as all my bills (as seen on my bank statement) , looked about right (plus the extra for the mobile broadband), I have never once queried it in 18 months. Anyway, I ended up moving last October, and, alas, my new flat does not pick up a 3G signal, so I haven’t really been able to use it since the move, other than in emergencies when I can pick up a light signal comparable to dial-up speeds. Basically, I knew I would have to just sit out the rest of my 18 month contract and then cancel.

My contract expires on the 21st of this month, so I logged into my online account to get all the details needed for compiling my cancellation letter to Vodafone. Whilst I was on there, I had a chance to look at my bills and, you’ve guessed it, I’m paying £15 for the mobile broadband and always have been, the whole 18 months. Obviously I’m a bit annoyed by this, and I have called Vodafone Customer Services, who have said that if I can prove I was offered the half price deal, they will credit me with the difference. My problem is that I don’t have anything to prove I was offered the deal. My original text message is long deleted and the paperwork I was sent with the dongle states, as mentioned, the full price of £15.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who was either offered the same deal or, even better, someone who can confirm that it is normal to be sent paperwork stating one price but to have a note on your account amending it to reflect a promotion (I’ve talked to my girlfriend about this and her reaction was that it sounded really dodgy). Any advice would be appreciated as I just don’t know how I can prove I was offered the contract at half price. Vodafone were definitely offering this deal in January 2009 as you can find mention to it on the internet, and so it is not beyond comprehension that I would have been offered this deal at the time I started my contract in January 2009. Possibly Vodafone will have record of sending me the text message and will certainly have record of me calling them to make the deal. My only idea is that they may have a recording of the call.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Carl

ghosti

hi, i just came across this post today after i sent my cancellation letter for the same thing!!
i can confirm that this offer did exist, i too got the text in jan 09 and signed up for it when i did my upgrade in feb. all the details of the discounts were in my online account and i was told that it would show up as full price but then a discount applied on top. so i made sure this was the case as soon as it started billing. has been fine ever since, but no longer need it so have disconnected.
i dont think i can help with how to prove it as mine was all detailed on my online account, like you i dont have any paperwork to confirm either
only thing i can suggest is to stand your ground and tellt hem to review the recording of the conversation you had with the sales advisor. good luck!
g

les_jordan

Thanks, Ghosti.

At the very least that proves that they did send out paperwork stating the full price and add the discount to people's online account - this is a comfort, believe me. It had crossed my mind that I was a mug for taking the sales assistant's word for it!

I may try calling Vodafone and asking if it is possible to review a recording of the converstion but how many of these calls are recorded and kept, and for how long, I don't know.

Carl

ghosti

well you know you are right, and if there is any evidence to prove it then that will be it. if a recording does exist then you will get your money back but if they never did a recording then they also know they ran this offer at that time and it may just appeal to their "goodwill". might as well try, you got nothing to loose..

les_jordan

I thought I'd give an update here for anyone encountering similar problems.

I called Vodafone (several times actually), which thankfully is free from the Vodafone handset, and eventually said that I wanted to review the phone call in order to prove I was right. I was told (by a very friendly member of staff) that I was welcome to do this, but I had to go through another department (as it is not actually Vodafone who record and archive the calls), put my request in writing, and pay £10 for the admin costs, which would be refunded if I proved my case. Effectively I would be buying a copy of the recording.

I decided to go for it as I was determined to prove I was right and fairly confident I would get my £10 back once it had been resolved. I wrote the letter, wrote the cheque and waited. A week or so later I received a phone call from, again, a very helpful member of staff, who said they had received my letter but could not guarantee that the call would be retrievable. She said she would prefer to keep hold of my cheque and pass the letter on to "escalated complaints" who she felt would be likely to resolve it.

I didn't hear back from them after that, but I received my latest online bill today and was pleased to find that my account had been credited with £135. This must be the equivalent of the extra I have been charged over 18 months or at least a reasonable amount of compensation. My guess would be that as I was willing to pay for the recording, they thought it was unlikely I was making it up. Obviously this is great. I haven't received a letter or an explanation of any kind, but that's definitely a result. Unfortunately what they haven't done is cancelled my mobile broadband account which I requested (in writing) on July 8th, so I’m still being charged full price for that. I have a copy of the letter and a proof of postage, so I will be on the phone to them, yet again, later on today, but this is a start. Vodafone really are hard work!