Vodafone PAYG price hike on 2nd Nov

JohalaReewi

Had a TXT from vodafone about PAYG T&Cs changing on 2 Nov. It said to see the website for details. No sign of them on website so I quizzed Vodafone CS.

"On 2 November, we ’re introducing two great new rewards for PAYG customers, giving free texts and web browsing, or free international calls when they top up as little as £10. And the best news is, the more they top up the more they get!"

They then deliver the sting...

"We’re also making changes to our PAYG charges on 2 November, which we ’re telling customers about from today, 11 October. These include:-
Simply tariff calls are changing from 20p to 21p
Some changes to voice calls abroad
Daily data charge is changing from 50p to £1"

jarviser

Here is yet another hike from the tax-prudent Vodafone. From Feb 2011 their 3GB for £15 PAYG dongle broadband is going to be cut to 2GB for £15 instead because "90% or our mobile customers only use 2GB"

Well good for them but, as one of the 10% who use all of whay I pay for, it's a 50% price hike. :mad:

I wonder if it's even legal?

Wintermute

Express yourself by walking away, last time I checked 3 still give you 3GB for £15 and they'll allow you to top up as little as £2 which is quite good if you're keeping the dongle for emergency use (I used to use mine all the time, now it's very occasional or emergency use when my home connection goes down).

jarviser

Good advice - I started with Three and found them a very fair company. Unfortunately their mast is over half a mile away across a massive housing estate so I only got 100kbps (It's my only home broadband). Vodafone Orange and O2 masts are only 100 yards away.
Three, to their credit, gave an advertised 14 day trial and took back the contract dongle no questions asked. The other companies are not so open about their trial periods - you need to search the T&C to find the 7-day trial periods where they exist.
I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and go 18 months contract as I have no problems with VF's service, just their draconian action which I see as using the minority to subsidise absorbing the VAT increase for the majority. Of course Sod's law states that things always go elbows-up on month 2 of any contract!

gjchester

jarviser wrote: »

Good advice - I started with Three and found them a very fair company. Unfortunately their mast is over half a mile away across a massive housing estate so I only got 100kbps (It's my only home broadband). Vodafone Orange and O2 masts are only 100 yards away.

Distance is not really the issue, a typical cell can work for anything up to 22miles. Think the scotish highlands they don't have cell sites every kilometer.

The housing estate is probably attenuating the signal, down to what it passes through to get to you than the actual distance travelled.

jarviser

gjchester wrote: »

Distance is not really the issue, a typical cell can work for anything up to 22miles. Think the scotish highlands they don't have cell sites every kilometer....

Sorry I migrated this original post from 2G to 3G. 2G voice is pretty well covered but 3g+/HSDPA is very dependent on distance and the difference between 100 metres and one mile on 3G+ is huge. It's the difference between 2 meg and 0.1meg bandwidth.

Just try and get a 3G signal in Norfolk where it's flat but you have to be in sight of a known mast. In Cromer you have to go up the Norwich road where there's a single Orange mast, or on the pier there's a mas for the lifeboat (Three I think). In town - nothing.
Even to get Orange 2G in Sheringham you have to stand near the old Woolworths shop to get a signal. Go on the beech or the Splash and it's gone. Go 3 miles to Overstrand and Orange is strong but no Vodafone at all.