Changing Vodafone Tariff 18 months in?

Permanently_confused

Hello everyone.

I've tried my best to find the answer to my question but haven't found it yet, if anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it.

I am 18 months in to a 24 month contract with Vodafone.

Vodafone won't let me reduce my tariff now at all but in January said that I could arrange to reduce my tariff from June onwards.

I am currently paying £30.00 a month for unlimited texts and 600 minutes. I hardly ever use the phone and could get by on a £5.00 a month PAYG top up.

Someone mentioned in passing that after 18 months you can reduce the tariff but Vodafone don't like to admit to it - is this true?

I can't afford the £200 contract termination but I don't want to pay £25 more than I really need a month. I have been with Vodafone for years but will be ending my custom with them as soon as I can, they have been unhelpful for six months on this.

Any help would be lovely.

Thank you.

latecomer

you agreed to a 24 month contract - they are entirely within their right to hold you to it. You could sell the phone they gave you as part of the deal to offset the cost of the remaining months?

grumbler

Permanently_confused wrote: »

Vodafone won't let me reduce my tariff now at all but in January said that I could arrange to reduce my tariff from June onwards.

Check your actual T&C. They used to allow downgrading in the past, but stopped allowing this some time ago.

gjchester

Permanently_confused wrote: »

Hello everyone.

I've tried my best to find the answer to my question but haven't found it yet, if anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it.

If you look at your bill what is the plan called? If it starts YP or YPL its a your plan tarrif and there are no downgrades permitted during the minimum term.

To be honest Your Plan has been the default for about 3 years so its almost certain your on this tarrif.

zagfles

Your monthly payment isn't for the minutes, it's mainly HP for the "free" (or discounted) phone they gave you.

gjchester

zagfles wrote: »

Your monthly payment isn't for the minutes, it's mainly HP for the "free" (or discounted) phone they gave you.

No it's not, at least not on paper. That would imply a finance agreement, which has different rules to a airtime contract

Monthly payment is for airtime only. Part of that deal is the airtime provider provides the phone supplier with a subsidy so you get the handset free / reduced.

Effectivly it's the same thing to the end user but a HP agreement and a subsidy are two different legal animals.

Permanently_confused

gjchester wrote: »

If you look at your bill what is the plan called? If it starts YP or YPL its a your plan tarrif and there are no downgrades permitted during the minimum term.

To be honest Your Plan has been the default for about 3 years so its almost certain your on this tarrif.

Hi,

Thanks for this information, the contract is "Your Plan".

At least I can be totally sure I'm not going to be able to do anything now!

zagfles

gjchester wrote: »

No it's not, at least not on paper. That would imply a finance agreement, which has different rules to a airtime contract

Monthly payment is for airtime only. Part of that deal is the airtime provider provides the phone supplier with a subsidy so you get the handset free / reduced.

Effectivly it's the same thing to the end user but a HP agreement and a subsidy are two different legal animals.

Yes, sorry I didn't mean in a legal sense, I meant in an effective sense. Basically they subsidise the phone through excessive airtime charges which you are locked into for a long time.

Most providers will offer SIM only contracts for a fraction of the cost of contracts with a "free" phone.

grumbler

MrPhoneMan wrote: »

Go to Phones 4 u and ask for a buyout. they will give you the cash to pay off the rest of your contract and sort you out with a new one

Are you serious? Getting into another long expensive contract instead of this one? If it is a cheap new contract, why on earth will they pay £200 for buying out?

As you seem to work for p4u you are supposed to know such basic things.

robbies_gal

i think theyve been banned