Vodafone Broadband - A cautionary tale

grumpyoldsoandso

When TalkTalk took over our broadband service from Shell in September 2024, they immediately doubled the cost, so I checked the MSE website and signed up with Vodafone. On paper, an excellent deal for full fibre.
To cut to the chase, SIX AND A HALF months later, Vodafone have informed me that it is now going to be at least ONE YEAR before it will be possible. Yep, a year.
OK, I understand that there are some infrastructure challenges, but seriously?
Vodafone have been about as useful during this time as my neighbour's cat. In fact, the cat is a much better communicator.
Vodafone were relying on BT OpenReach to undertake the work. I have had more than a dozen futile engineer visits, some better informed than others. The chap who turned up from Kelly Services, on behalf of BT, on behalf of Vodafone left in a very confused state. Nope, me neither. Various divisions of BT were needed to do different jobs and generally ignoring each other as well as providing Vodafone with as little information as possible, or simply lying to them. I have wasted so much time speaking to Vodafone, when I know more than they do. More recently, they decided that they weren't going to talk to me at all and kindly sent me my first bills for a service that I wasn't getting and an email telling me that I was eligible for various upgrades.
Naturally, I complained, and as I am old school (or just old) I wrote a letter. This was totally ignored for six weeks. The follow-up letter of complaint eventually prompted a response and a lady was good enough to call me a few times, but I now prefer to speak with the aforementioned cat.
I have worked in service roles for 40 years and have purchased goods and services from a multitude of suppliers and this is by far the worst service I have ever experienced.
Now, I have to wait for Vodafone to terminate the transfer request, so I can find another service provider. Who knew that could be so difficult? At the time of writing, they are refusing to compensate me and my partner for this fiasco, other than a small amount that they were obliged to offer from the outset. I should complain to BT they say. It's BT's fault they say.
Anyhoo, this saga will continue for a while, I'm sure.  I will be wary in the future of any service that requires the support of an additional party, especially if it is BT. The cat agrees.

southsidergs

Ah rhe age old complain to BT, that wouldn't get you anywhere. Vodafone would have to complain to openreach as it's the openreach infastructure & the relationship is between them. Yet again we find out why Vodafone are cheap for a reason.

Also sounds like any other openreach supplier will run into the same issues too tbh

AndyPK

I signed up to Vodafone for full fibre too. 

They communicate and apologise plenty. Don’t tell you anything technical though. 
I’m sick or them phoning me TBH, as it takes so long to get thru security! (They are phoning me! And it’s not as if any changes are being made)

But with the compensation of £6.10 per day for a max. of 60  days, I might get a years free service, so I’m not that unhappy !

On the other hand EE are annoying me. 

They make virgin media’s retention team look honest! EE Gave me a good price on the phone, but the contract said that price was only for 1 month. Had I not noticed, I would have been out of my cooling off period.