Vodafone: very cheeky price rises on way from August

eagle

Hello money savers,

Thought you would all like to know that Vodafone, the network that promised never to increase its prices for the duration of your contract, has decided that the price rises from 1 July were not enough. So it has decided to put prices from 10 August for the second time in as many months.

Some people have received messages already, but not all.

Here is the link to their website where this is clearly stated:
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/explore/costs/call-charges/index.htm

Most categories list several sections:

• charges before 1 July 2015
• charges from 1 July 2015 to 10 August 2015
• charges after 10 August 2015

So much for their honest approach to mobile contracts!! Honestly, that combined with the number of customer services related issues that we all too often hear about, how can anyone want to be with them?

simax

Most interesting is the 084/087 access charge. 23p to 45p.

The free 0800's have to be paid somehow :-)

20aday

From a release in relation to not increasing the Line Rental on their Airtime Agreements:

VODAFONE COMMITS TO FIXED PRICE LINE RENTAL FOR ALL CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR CONTRACT TERM

Vodafone UK is introducing a fixed price promise today which confirms that customers will not have to pay any increases in their monthly line rental for their contract term. The promise applies to all Vodafone Pay monthly customers, not just those signing up after 23 Jan 2014 and ensures the monthly mobile or tablet line rental cost will remain the same for the contract term – whether that be over 12 or 24 months.

Cindy Rose, Consumer Director at Vodafone said, “We asked our customers what they thought was fair when it came to charging, and the clear majority told us that it was unacceptable to increase monthly prices during the contract term*. So from now on, when you sign up with us, a deal’s a deal, and we promise the monthly price you pay will stay the same for the period of your contract term, provided you stick within your allowance.”

In line with Ofcom guidance we may still change prices outside of the monthly line rental agreement. These would include calls to premium rate numbers, non-geographic numbers and calls, texts and data use outside of allowances as set out in a customer’s line rental agreement. However, we’ll continue to let customers know of any changes that might affect them in advance to make sure customers don’t suffer from any nasty surprises.

Granted there are some hefty changes to the Out of Allowance charges from July (and August) but as Simax says the Freephone Numbers need to be paid somehow.

So Vodafone are saying they will never increase your monthly line rental (unless it's subject to an increase in VAT for example) but they reserve the right to amend prices for out of bundle charges and as demonstrated on the website they have done so.

Ian011

What Vodafone appears to be doing on 10 August is taking all of the non-inclusive calls and charging them at 45p per minute.

This includes the access charge for calls to 084, 087, 09, 118 numbers, calls to 01, 02, 03 numbers when your minutes have run out, video calls, calls to CI and IoM, calls to 070, etc.

One exception is 076 which will be 45p per CALL.

Some prices are going up. Some are going up a lot. Some are going down.

Vodafone are doing a simplification. Everything that is non-inclusive will be 45p.

eagle

20aday wrote: »

Granted there are some hefty changes to the Out of Allowance charges from July (and August) but as Simax says the Freephone Numbers need to be paid somehow.

So Vodafone are saying they will never increase your monthly line rental (unless it's subject to an increase in VAT for example) but they reserve the right to amend prices for out of bundle charges and as demonstrated on the website they have done so.

Reading the contract terms word for word you are right. But my argument was that in principle, Vodafone are being a bunch of hypocrites. Give with one hand and then take double with the other hand. Absolute hypocrisy in my opinion.

eagle

Ian011 wrote: »

What Vodafone appears to be doping on 10 August is taking all of the non-inclusive calls and charging them at45p per minute.

These include the access charge for calls to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers, calls to 01, 02, 03 numbers when your minutes have run out, video calls, calls to CI and IoM, calls to 070, etc.

Some prices are going up. Some are going up a lot. Some are going down.

One exception is 076 which will be 45p per CALL.

Vodafone are doing a simplification. Everything that is non-inclusive will be 45p.

It seems to be that Vodafone have gone and announced charges would be 23p (or whatever it was) from July 1st, then realised EE are charging almost double that. So the bean counters at Vodafone have gone and worked out that they too can get on the 084 / 087 number gravy train and made a second change.

Not one to moan, but as a consumer, this is a diabolical way to run a business. At least maybe if they put the prices up next year it would have made more sense.

moombamike

So I'm guessing somehow neither of these price rises are grounds for early termination?

In addition to the 080 number increases there's this:

From 10 August we are changing the cost of calling certain numbers. This change does not affect your existing inclusive minutes bundle or any standard voice calls made to UK landlines and mobiles. For full details we recommend you visit https://www.vodafone.co.uk/pricingupdatepaym1

Surely this counts as a detrimental change to contracts?

Ian011

moombamike wrote: »

In addition to the 080 number increases there's this:

Calls to 080 numbers become free on all mobile networks on 1 July 2015.

20aday

No, I'm afraid the Out of Bundle charges being brought in by Vodafone aren't grounds for terminating your contract early.

I guess it's because they offer a paid for service to have said calls included on your tariff for x amount of £s per month and the fact you can find ways around of avoiding being charged for those kinds of calls (certainly 084/087.)

eagle

20aday wrote: »

No, I'm afraid the Out of Bundle charges being brought in by Vodafone aren't grounds for terminating your contract early.

I guess it's because they offer a paid for service to have said calls included on your tariff for x amount of £s per month and the fact you can find ways around of avoiding being charged for those kinds of calls (certainly 084/087.)

I have already written to them requesting cancellation. It's worth a shot I suppose as I am also very unhappy with their signal in general. So I will be trying hard to get out of my contract (it's a SIM only so I doubt they'll lose anything).

I'll report back when I get a response...

moombamike

I may contact them too. Out of bundle charges are a big part of contracts so this increase, in my opinion, should be covered in terms of being able to cancel early.

We will see though...