Vodafone complaints

mobilejunkie

Networks (and other organisations) commonly offer better deals to new customers. They never learn (apparently) that it costs a lot more to recruit new ones than keep existing ones. Vodafone are one of the least likely organisations to want to learn anything genuine about their customers. As for being bothered about you leaving; if you do you will have to pay for the full term of the contract without them having to supply anything from that point on. Easy to see why they wouldn't care.

markish99

I have been conned into per minute billing from an existing per second billing contract.

My previous contract with Vodafone ran from Dec 2009 and was per second billing with 600 minutes and unlimited data and text. On 15th October 2011, I upgraded at the Carphone Warehouse with 500 minutes, and unlimited text. Towards the end of November 2011 I received my first bill at the new tariff it was direct debited. Instead of the normal £30 to £35, it was £110. Most of the charges related to a single weeks use after my inclusive minutes had been used. I examined the bill and realised that my inclusive minutes had been deducted at a per minute rate, and the calls made outside of the inclusive minutes were charged at a per minute rate.
I tend to make a number of short calls - less than a minute, so per minute billing penalises me.

The last weeks use on the above mentioned bill (outside of the inclusive minutes, so chargeable) cost me approximately £75 and if per second billing had been applied, would have cost me less than £10.

To say that I am unimpressed is an understatement.

I telephoned Vodafone customer services on a couple of occasions, and was consistently told "it is in the terms and conditions", I requested call backs from managers, and they never materialised. I then visited the Carphone Warehouse where I upgraded, and they were useless, simply referring me to the Vodafone store a few miles away. I then visited the Vodafone store - the manager there was as helpful as she could be, directing me to ring customer services on the in-store phone. I was on hold for 30 minutes stood in the store, I finally got through to somebody, I explained the problem, and was told (by a lady who could not speak English particularly well) that I could be converted to per second billing, she placed me on hold, then lost the call, I was then connected to another lady who told me that she could only offer per second billing on a tariff with 100 inclusive minutes. I lost patience, and then rung off after nearly 50 minutes on the phone.

I found an email address for the Vodafone chairmans office and sent an email complaining. I also printed and posted a copy of the email, and I attempted to fax a copy also, but the fax number published on the Vodafone website rang out and went to Vodafone voicemail. I eventually discovered another fax number that appeared to work.

A number of other calls I made were fruitless, and I got two responses to my letter - one in response to the email, the other in response to the posted letter.

The priceless thing about one of the responses was that the guy concerned was innumerate and clueless.

Regarding the change to per minuted billing, I quote;
"Our product development team has introduced this change based on the feedback we received from our users. With the VAT rise in the UK to 20%, the whole market was left with unrounded pricing which was not easy for customers to understand."

So, their users wanted them to effectively increase their charges because of rounding? How rounding is less round with 20% rather than 17.5% stumps me. For example - 13p plus 20% VAT equals 15.6p, 13p plus 17.5% VAT equals 15.275p - the extra couple of decimal places is obviously less 'round' I think customers would be less worried about unrounded pricing than they would price hikes - which is essentially what Vodafone have done. I hasten to add, without my knowledge or consent.

I was also directed to the Vodafone website, where the page in question referred to pay monthly call charges if connected after 31st May 2011. At no point on this page, does it make a reference to the loss of per second billing from inclusive minutes. I have taken screen grabs of the pages for reference, in case somebody at Vodafone decides to update them to reflect the correct information.

In the same reply I quote;
"We have reviewed your last bill and confirm the charges would not increase your overall bill by more than 10%; you are not eligible to cancel your account without penalty due to this reason."

The truth is that the bill increase is several hundred percent. Not 10%.

I have now reached an impasse with Vodafone. Essentially, they have converted me from per second to per minute billing without my knowledge. I can demonstrate that this change is far more costly to me based upon my usage historical usage. I would like to make the point that having per second billing is more important to me than the number of inclusive contract minutes per month - and the contract minutes are very obvious on reading the actual contract paperwork, but the per second billing is not.

The irony is that Vodafone was the first UK mobile network to introduce per second billing.

All I want is to be reverted back to per second billing from the upgrade date on my contract, and I want to be reimbursed for additional costs I have incurred as a result of being tricked into a new contract which is enormously different to my previous contract. My situation is completely unfair, and I cannot believe that Vodafone can be allowed to get away with it.

Can anybody help?

DMHReaper72

DMHReaper72 wrote: »

Im saddened to report that, having agreed with Heidi that I would not be charged anything until I received the correct handset, I was charged £48+ on 22 Dec.

I DO NOT have the handset and yet I have a friend that has the very handset I am still waiting for.

This is now bordering on the ridiculous.

Heidi, if you read this please call me

No contact as yet.

Have tried to call back on the number Heidi rang from (08080000133) but it is a 7p per minute line and I dont see why I should pay to get this kind of customer service

I take it Vodafone wanted my money for Christmas regardless.

I think Im going to have to refresh my memory on contract law

mobilejunkie

0808 is a freephone call from a landline.

markish99

Hi all, I posted a couple of days ago (please see above) about vodafone switching me to per minute billing from per second billing without my knowledge at upgrade taking me from an average bill of £35 per month for the last 24 months, to my last bill of £110. I have tried several times in writing and by email to get resolved without success.
I am sure that this is not fair/legal, can anybody help?

DMHReaper72

Glad to report that my complaint has finally been resolved.

I now have the handset I ordered and the money taken from my account will be paid back in as quickly as banking allows

Vodafone

Hi DMHReaper72,

I am sorry for my delay in jumping back on this thread, I have been out of the office until today. I can see that my colleague has resolved this for you in my absence. I am pleased it’s now all sorted out for you. If there is anything else I can help with in the future, feel free to get back in touch.

Hi steff1989,

I am sorry to hear that you were unhappy with your upgrade options. If you need me to help with anything relating to your contract, drop me an email to the address here with WRT135 FAO Heidi in the subject and include a link to your post.

Hi markish99,

I understand your frustration regarding the per minute billing change. So that I can discuss this with you further and take a look at your account, could you also email me via the above steps.

Many thanks guys and happy new year to all,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

mobilejunkie

Happy New Year Heidi et al. It's good that at least SOMEONE in Vodafone actually CARES about it's customers. Perhaps in 12 months time it won't be the same old story with the rest of your organisation (though I have little reason to believe it will be any dofferent, sadly).

martin1372

My two daughter's have phones on Vodafone. For Christmas my eldest wanted a Blackberry bold. So I got her one off ebay but locked to Vodafone. Her contract is up mid February 2012 so I phoned up Vodafone and added the £5 blackberry extension to the account. Checked on account after Christmas to see that date had been removed. I had not asked for any changes to account only for the Blackberry extension to be put on. Phoned Vodafone who changes the plan to £26 one with 500mb data. Then saw on here the £10.50 a month offer on sim only for 12months. Phoned retentions and got offered this with what I was told was unlimited data. Checked on my account and the date is down to 250mb a month. Who is it best to contact at Vodafone?:mad::mad::mad:
Thanks

reclusive46

Very impressed with Vodafone, my wife took out a contract with them and she didn't get a signal at our house. She called them up and they sent her a free Sure Signal Box and there is a £10 credit going on the account every month, which is apparently a retentions deal. 600 minutes, 3000 texts, wifi, 500mb all for £10.25