MSE News: Vodafone refunds customers left out of pocket by roaming changes as...

Former_MSE_Callum

The regulator Ofcom has intervened after a change to Vodafone's roaming policy meant millions could be charged £5 to send a single text message while abroad. It's now given affected customers extra time to leave their contracts penalty-free and is refunding some who've lost out...

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'Vodafone refunds customers left out of pocket by roaming changes as Ofcom steps in'

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boatman

I think I'm right in saying its actually £6, from the 1st Nov you will be charged VAT on the £5, making it £6..

Good news as you will get another 30 day window to leave Vodafone.

I wonder if you will receive the text message if you haven't been to one of the countries yet, they say the text will go to more people this time? The rules say 'likely' to suffer material detriment, so just because you haven't been yet, doesn't mean you won't.

Its worth linking the Vodafone forum discussion with regard to this:
https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly/Roam-further-is-it-mandatory/td-p/2559927

Surely this is applicable to all Vodafone customers, any of them could go to one of these countries and suffer material detriment because Vodafone changed the contract?
From their terms:

Because of changes.
If we, (i) increase your monthly plan
charge more than once per year or by more than the RPI
rate; (ii) increase your out of plan charges or change our
services or the Agreement to your material detriment, you’ll
have a right to leave the Agreement early without paying
a termination fee (although you’ll need to pay for your
equipment subsidy). We’ll let you know if this is the case
and what to do before the changes are made. If you take no
action within 30 days of us telling you about the changes,
you’ll be considered to have accepted those changes.

mailmannz

Ive been arguing with vodafone about this today. They have no idea about the "ruling" from OFCOM!

Talking to vodafone is like talking to a brick f89king wall!

malky39

It would make more sense for vodafones customers to offer an opt out option, where if you opt out you pay the standard roaming charges for these countries

boatman

malky39 wrote: »

It would make more sense for vodafones customers to offer an opt out option, where if you opt out you pay the standard roaming charges for these countries

That would be too easy!! They would charge you anyway then swear blind you hadn't opted out..

drewziph

boatman wrote: »

The rules say 'likely' to suffer material detriment, so just because you haven't been yet, doesn't mean you won't.

Exactly my thoughts. Just because you haven't been detrimented yet, doesn't mean the change isn't to your detriment.

Obvious example being someone who hasn't been abroad this year, but was about to go travelling for several months.

I guess we'll see...

boonkoh

Interesting.
I got the text in May about the £5/day charge, so I clearly fall into the bucket of affected customers.

But I haven't received any texts or emails in the last few days that Vodafone had promised to send to highlight the right to cancel?

All very suspicious.

boatman

drewziph wrote: »

Exactly my thoughts. Just because you haven't been detrimented yet, doesn't mean the change isn't to your detriment.

Obvious example being someone who hasn't been abroad this year, but was about to go travelling for several months.

I guess we'll see...

To my mind, its a change in the contract which at the end of the day is to make Vodafone more profit, it doesn't need to happen, they have chosen to change it, as such they have to take the risk of some rejecting it. If they want to change it, they can, the terms allow it, but you shouldn't have to get in to arguments about whether you think you might or might not be going abroad. The fact is anyone might and therefore 'will' be worse off. Your past travel history is no predictor of future plans.

overpricedcoffee

I am going away to Indonesia with my wife in April so looks like I will be buying a local SIM card to avoid crazy charges.

Shame you cannot cancel for travelling plans in the future!