Vodafone PAYG1 is now PAYG £2 - Rip-off

Phones4Chris

I wonder how many people on PAYG1 haven't be informed that it all changed on the 11th December!
Some of us are used to getting "promotional" texts for Big Value bundles, but if you're a low user you probably, like me, ignore them until such time as you know you're going to want 30 days worth of use.
Well I've had several since the 11th Dec., you see the first line or two and don't read the rest BUT tucked away in the middle is "Your current Pay as you go 1 plan is £2 a day for 50MB of data and unlimited minutes and texts."

That £2 a day just happened to catch my eye in yesterdays text!

I've had several texts from Vodafone since 11th December, half of them trying to flog me a pay monthly plan, but nothing specifically mentioning the change of £1 a day going to £2 on PAYG1.
A quick search found https://www.vodafone.co.uk/pricechanges/pay-as-you-go1 but ceratinly I had no link to such a page at the time.

I notice their Pay go ! Terms and Charges still say "Changes to your terms, services or charges. We may make changes at any time. If we increase our charges to your disadvantage, we will give you at least 30 days’ notice in a way which we consider is reasonable, for example by sending messages using the services"
Well, they did NOT send me any specific message, not even to my registered email address - just those trying to flog me a pay monthly plan or a big value bundle with no mention of the price change to PAYG1 !!

Too many mobile operators seem to think they can get away without giving notice on PAYG these days, we had "3" Data Reward changes last year. What next, O2 Classic PAYG 

Emmia

Phones4Chris said:

I wonder how many people on PAYG1 haven't be informed that it all changed on the 11th December!
Some of us are used to getting "promotional" texts for Big Value bundles, but if you're a low user you probably, like me, ignore them until such time as you know you're going to want 30 days worth of use.
Well I've had several since the 11th Dec., you see the first line or two and don't read the rest BUT tucked away in the middle is "Your current Pay as you go 1 plan is £2 a day for 50MB of data and unlimited minutes and texts."

That £2 a day just happened to catch my eye in yesterdays text!

I've had several texts from Vodafone since 11th December, half of them trying to flog me a pay monthly plan, but nothing specifically mentioning the change of £1 a day going to £2 on PAYG1.
A quick search found https://www.vodafone.co.uk/pricechanges/pay-as-you-go1 but ceratinly I had no link to such a page at the time.

I notice their Pay go ! Terms and Charges still say "Changes to your terms, services or charges. We may make changes at any time. If we increase our charges to your disadvantage, we will give you at least 30 days’ notice in a way which we consider is reasonable, for example by sending messages using the services"
Well, they did NOT send me any specific message, not even to my registered email address - just those trying to flog me a pay monthly plan or a big value bundle with no mention of the price change to PAYG1 !!

Too many mobile operators seem to think they can get away without giving notice on PAYG these days, we had "3" Data Reward changes last year. What next, O2 Classic PAYG 

If you don't read the texts properly (essentially dismissing them as junk) how do you know they haven't given you a suitable amount of notice?

The onus is on you to read your text messages.

Neil_Jones

I think the problem here is obvious.  You've admitted you didn't read the texts so you probably were notified but didn't read it.  That's not Vodafone's fault.

You can do better than Vodafone PAYG anyway, so use up your credit, get your PAC and find somebody else.

PAYG doesn't actually make the providers any money, its effectively a loss leader service for them but they count as "users" on the books.

Phones4Chris

Thanks for your not very constructive comments, no doubt from two of you not low PAYG users. I'm well aware of many of the potential PAYG choices but you forget that choices can be limited by how good the coverage might be where you need to have signal! (never mind potential usage patterns). Those of you that only frequent urban areas may not encounter such problems as often.

Secondly, as a typically low user on Vodafone, Big Bundles are not something of regular interest, only occasionally when I'm away for a few weeks. BUT I don't consider "Your current Pay as you go 1 plan is £2 a day for 50MB of data and unlimited minutes and texts." that's stuck in the middle of a promotion for Big Bundles adequate notice about the change in the tariff ESPECIALLY when it's first appearance in such a text is on the day the price actually went up! It certainly is NOT 30 days notice.

The whole point of my post was to alert others that may not have realised the tariff has had a 100% increase in price, many people have their preferences set to not get Big Bundle or similar promotional texts, and the number of people I've encountered that haven't registered an account so don't have an email address where they can be notified I find surprising.
Providers (Vodafone in this case) have no excuse for not sending a Specific email (where they have such details) and Text that a Tariff is changing AND giving the requisite 30 days notice.

Finally, I don't need lectures on how profitable or otherwise PAYG may be to any given provider, there are many people on many different PAYG deals AND providers need to remember if they treat PAYG customers badly it won't endear them to take some sort of monthly deal if their usage pattern changes enough to warrant it.

Neil_Jones

I happen to be a low user on O2 classic PAYG and I moved from Vodafone to O2 for your information for both price and signal reasons.  

Changing the preferences does not opt you out of this sort of communication as that is covered in T&Cs and you need to be notified of it; what you do after that point is up to you, it is not promotional..  This will usually by text or email, but most likely text.

Anyway the overarching point is if you don't like the change, pick somebody else.

Phones4Chris

Always so arrogant with your responses. Try reading my post again.
"Your current Pay as you go 1 plan is £2 a day for 50MB of data and unlimited minutes and texts." that's stuck in the middle of a promotion for Big Bundles is not adequate notice about the change in the tariff ESPECIALLY when it's first appearance in such a text is on the day the price actually went up! It certainly is NOT 30 days notice."

The phone is on 24/7, there were no previous texts on the price rise and as already mentioned no email either.
As you have no idea about my usage or signal requirements/availability, I do not need you to tell me whether I should change, and that doesn't change my view that it's a rip-off nor the fact I didn't get 30 days notice. Endof.

ScratchyCat

I am a very low user and i moved from vodaphone many years ago when there prices rapidly increased. It was disappointing as i did like the service they offered. I just couldnt afford there tariff.  However i read or heard, cant remember which back in December, that the price was going up to a minimum £2 a day charge. So there must have been some kind of press release back then. I do think that seems a very high tariff.  I could not afford that cost. 

Emmia

If you're actually using £1 or £2 a day, it is  cheaper to have a contract than remain on PAYG. 

Edit: The SIM only 50GB Red with unlimited calls and minutes and overseas roaming in 3 areas of the world is £21 a month (that's not an offer price, that increases after a few months). I expect there may be other deals, but I'm not personally looking for one at the moment, so I've not browsed further.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/sim-only/best-sim-only-deals

Network coverage is a completely different thing. 

What "adequate notice" is in terms of time is open to debate. Personally I think 30 days (if you read your providers messages, and you should) should be fine, as you then have a month to find another provider if you're unhappy with the change.

Frozen_up_north

Emmia said:

If you're actually using £1 or £2 a day, it is  cheaper to have a contract than remain on PAYG. 

Not everyone wants a contract, the alternative is a pay monthly where you are in charge of the amount paid. Examples include GiffGaff and 1P Mobile. Both have plans from £6/month.

zagfles

Frozen_up_north said:

Emmia said:

If you're actually using £1 or £2 a day, it is  cheaper to have a contract than remain on PAYG. 

Not everyone wants a contract, the alternative is a pay monthly where you are in charge of the amount paid. Examples include GiffGaff and 1P Mobile. Both have plans from £6/month.

Yup especially people who "don't read the texts properly" as they may end like this OP:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6576077/6400-mobile-bill-for-6-day-honeymoon/

PAYG with sensible use of bundles are usually cheaper and far safer than contracts. 

zagfles

ScratchyCat said:

I am a very low user and i moved from vodaphone many years ago when there prices rapidly increased. It was disappointing as i did like the service they offered. I just couldnt afford there tariff.  However i read or heard, cant remember which back in December, that the price was going up to a minimum £2 a day charge. So there must have been some kind of press release back then. I do think that seems a very high tariff.  I could not afford that cost. 

Yes it used to be a decent value tariff for low users, it used to include unlimited calls/texts and 500MB a day for £1 and you pay nothing on days you didn't use it, so if you only used the phone (other than on wifi) a few days a month it was a good value tariff. 

There's still loads of good value tariffs for low users where you'll only pay a few £ a month.