Vodafone Issues
 

Did anyone hear on the news on the radio that the telephone ombudsman said vodafone customers can be released from their contract early due to the recent problems?

My phone has been playing up for 2 weeks - not too bad now but I still cant get the internet that often and I get lots of dropped calls, it never used to be like that so I am sorely tempted.

I called the customer service place today and this woman told me she could offer me a brand new phone with interest free payments??? and I could have 3 months free off my bill. But to be honest I do wonder if there are better mobile providers out there :confused:

Any of you guys affected by Vodafone last week and would it be enough to make you cancel?

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I have had three occasions when I thought my phone was playing up, seems like it may have been Vodafone then. I'll have to look this up.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

They sent me a text apolgising for any problems that I had over the weekend.I presume they meant with my phone and not just general problems.:D

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Bit presumptuous of you...maybe they've been listening in on your calls :D

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

And then you can finally get an iphone ! :thumbsup:

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Im not fussed about the iPhone now, someone at work was saying something about an HTC Desire HD or something that is meant to knock spots off the iPhone, dont know how true that is but Vodafone seem to be the only ones that have that phone so I am not sure what to do.

The ombudsman said I can keep my mobile number as well when my account is closed with vodafone, if vodafone gave me a new phone I might consider staying but they just said I can have 4 months free, initially 3 then they upped it to 4 and if I want a new phone, it is full price on interest free credit.

Virgin have offered me an iphone, but I dont know how good Virgin is.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I had real issues getting a signal with Virgin. I'm now on 3 mobile...which is essentially the same as Vodafone since they got took over :D Not had any problems on 3 at all though

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Ive heard Telstra have the best coverage - is this true?

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Easily. The network is by far the best in Australia and much of the world. You pay slightly more for it but especially for smart phone use (iphone, HTC etc) the data 3G coverage and speed is awesome.

Now as to not getting an iphone, look what happened last time when you didn't get one :p

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I know :o

But everyone is going on about the HTC Desire HD, Telstra only do the HTC Desire and the HD is exclusive to Vodafone.

I have to wait for the ombudsman to talk to Vodafone, they said I can port my number to my new provider if I like, I dont know how its all going to happen or work out, but I am still having trouble with vodafone, cant get internet, calls keep dropping out, my colleagues having the same probs, vodafone said its 'all fine' when I spoke to them, but some of them have such poor English, he could have said anything and I wouldnt have understood.

Never used to have probs with them :(

iPhone 4 it is and I have to wait 2 weeks for it.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Now I am really going to cry, been holding on to talk to customer service for 25 mins, already waited for a callback which was promised in 30 mins and its been 8 hours.

And I think I am going to kill 'Lara'.

Telstra have said I can have an iphone 'when it comes in' if I sign up with them but they dont know when that will be, Virgin said 2 weeks and Vodafone are impossible to get through to.

:eek:

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

You can go to wow sight and sound or similar shops like that and sign up.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Is it the same for thier Internet Dongle?

We've had nothing but problems with his. Weeks can go by before he gets a good enough connection so we can talk. Calls are forever being dropped and that's if he can get online in the first place and as he needs it for work too it's not one of those things that he can do without.

He called the centre just for them to say basically "Tough, you've signed the contract now put up with it" and the shop it's self bascially said the same thing.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I have been trying to get in touch with them all afternoon and cannot get through or we get disconnected while waiting.

They are prepared to give me 4 months free but their connection is so shite I dont want it, if they put that 4 lots of $80 towards an iphone then I could be persuaded/bribed to stay but they said I can only have a new phone if I have interest free credit.

I cant even get in touch with their customer services, the Ombudsman say they have taken it up now and will organise cancellation of my account and my number will be 'quarantined' for 4 days while I organise a new provider.

Trouble is, noone has the iphone at the moment, Telstra dont even know when they are getting any in, Virgin reckon 2 weeks which I could wait for but I dont know how good Virgin is for Perth regards to reception.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

PP have you tried the shops that sell iPhones in Perth? When I got mine in Brisbane some Telstra T-Shops were quoting a few weeks wait and I just walked into a wow sight and sound and got it there and then. It pays to ring around each shop that sells it in Perth as stock levels of iphones usually change daily store to store.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I was going to get one as part of a new contract, wish I could buy one outright though.:(

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Mine was through a contract...they sign you up with Telstra. As well as Wow, the Apple store can do it too + Telstra owned and franchised T-Shops + maybe other places I don't know?

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Ah I see, I thought you meant buy outright, I am trying to get through to customer service now but I cant :(

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Just found this thread from a search - how did you get on with customer services, PP?

I've had so many problems with dropped service in the last few weeks that The Geek said I must need a new phone (my beloved HTC is about 19 months old) but I read about Vodafail so guessed it was their fault.

It seemed to right itself for a while so it took me a few days to realise that I've hardly had any service over the holidays - people assumed we were away so got me on Facebook, and I make most of my calls to The Geek, who I was with 24/7. Every time I've picked up my handset, I've had to search for the network and then texts have come in. When I've tried to reply, it's killed the service again.

I can't go on like this - what if I'm out and my sister is trying to reach me in an emergency? Geekboy is currently on the phone to Telstra, switching me over.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I had one last patronising chat with the Indian call centre last week, the guy had shit English and told me that my suburb 'is the best in Australia' and he then admitted it will be AT LEAST until the end of January before issues start to resolve and then offered me a new simm card with free number divert for 1 month - what ******* use is that when their signal is shite!!!!

I have had dropped calls, poor/non existent internet and sometimes just not being contactable.

So I told him that I will leave things with the TIO and if necessarry I will take them to court, he offered to get me out of my contract for $1,000. I told him I will let the TIO fight this and I will see him in court and he replied 'That is very nice madam' and that was that, he put the phone down.

I have joined the class action against them, I will take them to court and be released from my contract and I wont pay them a cent either. I would not care if they offered me 10 new phones, they are shit and the service in my area is 'not the best in Australia', it is crap and the guys at work have all been having problems so I know it isnt just me.

If a fight is what they want, then a fight is what they will get and I will rip them a new arsehole, they have already said they will not under any circumstances release me even though they have told me the issues will be ongoing and they admitted that yes, it is a breach of contract.

I am waiting until 10 January, if I have had no reply from the email that the TIO sent to them, then I shall call them and take it to the next stage. No way do I pay what I pay for that kind of service. I know I had issues with Telstra but at least they have better coverage.

Dont pay to be released, please dont pay them.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I've always thought they were crap here in Oz; I only went with them because The Geek's business line was Vodafone (is no longer) and I had such trouble when I was travelling that I don't know why I stuck with them. Also when we lived in the cottage (about a km from the harbour bridge, so not exactly in the sticks) I mostly only had service in one room in the house - the smallest :rolleyes:

Geek says I'm out of contract but I assure you I would not be paying a grand to get out of it.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I TOLD THE PEOPLE IN QUESTION I HAD KEPT A LOG,of all the times i had tried to call them,they had not contacted me as promised and how long i had sat in queue after queue being transferred ..
they told me i was free to get out of contract with no charges...

may i also add that life without that frickin bitch lara is a much happier one...

by the way can i just ask,who is Wodafone?

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

:rofl::p

Good idea about taking note, I have a few dates recorded but not all of them - do you still think its worthwhile telling them?:o

Their attitude has been so arrogant and patronising, I told them about a client who had tried to call me about a snake in her shed but couldnt get through to me and all they said was how noble I was for doing snake catching.:frown:

I might tell them about how long I have waited in the queue and how many times I get transferred each time I call.:frown:

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

It was funny at the cricket in Melbourne as Vodafone are the main sponsor and there advertising was everywhere but i couldn't get any reception the 4 days i was at the MCG.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

:lol:

I was on a complaints website yesterday and there were thousands of vodafone complaints, one woman was saying that one cheeky shit at Vodafone said 'Madame, take us to TIO, we look forward to receiving you' - seriously, dreadful English and communication/customer skills.

Then Vodafone called her on her landline and said the TIO case must be dropped as they had tried to get her on her mobile but couldnt get through as there was no signal.

Its not the fault of the Indian call centre staff but I am afraid when they have poor English which depending on what they say, can come across as quite rude and patronising, it doesnt help the cause.

One guy has been waiting 9 months for a resolution, the TIO are involved but he has still been waiting 9 months, how the hell does that work - I am wondering if there is any point in involving the TIO and what sort of 'clout' do they have?:confused:

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

if your in a low coverage area or have problems getting a signal,wodafone have no choice they have to let you out of the contract...end of...you may have to wait a week for them to check out what you already know but after the week your outa there!!!

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

The call centre staff will have been given a script and will struggle if they have to deviate from it. One would hope they've been given the official line on dealing with this particular problem but who knows, they'll be scared to say much for fear of getting into trouble * or in case it gets litigious and they're paid jackshit so our anger should be directed at Vodafone.

It would be a better PR stance for them to set up a local response centre and re-route the calls for a while, but that would cost a bomb so it ain't happening.

Well my Telstra SIM is due to be delivered on Tuesday. Until then? I've reset my network so many times this morning that I've now given up; every time it finds service and I send an sms, it crashes. I can't say for certain that it's not my phone but it was perfect until a few weeks ago so I'll see how it is when I switch over.

* A Sydney friend called a call centre and realised the person on the other end was Filipino (as they increasingly are), so asked if they could converse in Tagalong as he is Filipino too and would find it easier; he was told no, it wasn't allowed. No initiative or discretion is allowed in these call centres.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I shall give them the allotted time that the TIO recommend and I will call them again but they keep transferring me and I waited nearly 50 mins on one occasion, its so hard and other times I have given up waiting.:(

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

From a friend at Telstra.. the TIO doesn't often follow a single complaint, they more compile them together and when it is deemed that the telco is failing it's customers then it will impose hefty fines. So it's more a case of quantity than quality of complaints.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I've had two problems now with the Vodafone signal, but it is not very easy to understand, as each time, I have used my other Vodafone sim which was getting a signal even though one wasn't. I have two sims in the one phone.

My daughter is on a Vodafone carrier, and complains about them quite often, but still racks a lot of calls and messages...

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Oh god, what should I do now? Wait until the deadline imposed by TIO or call them now and try and find a resolution, although the thought of being on the phone for an hour talking to someone with language/communication difficulties fills me with dread, not to mention be yet again told my suburb is 'the best in Australia' and yet again, be offered a new sim card.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

dunno mate, i'm considering my options with them too, why can't they just admit their failings and compensate everyone

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I just want out of the contract, they are making it so stressful on everyone concerned. I shall call them next week and if we cant get a resolution, I shall call the TIO as instructed and take it from there. I am tempted to cancel the contract and let them take me to court.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Pennytel use them as a link to mobile calls.... Pennytel gave away free 10,000,000 minutes and crashed every phone system they connected too including their own. They totally stuffed all incoming calls to China from Aus as well apparently.

I was not a happy chappy. I'd say that was the bulk last weekends problems.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Anyone know what has happened to them to suddenly have all these issues?

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

Not sure but they have admitted to me it will take a while to resolve. I sent a message to my husband this morning that he received 5 times and 5 times I was charged, dont know why that is happening. And I cannot get internet on my phone at all.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

How's everyone going? (I'm now on Telstra.)

Thought you might be interested in this:

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sec...108-19j9j.html

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

On the news this morning - I am ****ing horrified.

They made me go into the store yesterday to get a new sim card 'to resolve my issues', they denied having major signal issues as well.

I am receiving my messages/voicemails days after they have been sent, my calls are dropping out, I havent made any calls on my new sim card yet but Vodashite have said if I am still having problems 'they will consider releasing me from my contract' - bastards.

Now this recent news has made me furious, what do we do? They havent told us what to do, do we change our bank accounts? Jesus Christ, they are so crap they cant even advise us what to do, they havent even gone to the cops about the breach of security.

I am contemplating phoning them up now, actually I am angry enough so that is what I am going to do.

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

I still find it hard to believe that your contract is not already ended because Vodafone are in breach of it - you contract them, and pay them, to provide a service to you. Seems like basic BTEC Law to me. :confused:

Just googled it: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1598480

Haven't read right down this one: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1614444

Re: Vodafone Issues
 

The TIO wont do anything until the specified timeframe which is up tomorrow I do believe.

I have a signal this morning but if I call someone, I will invariably lose that signal and be cut off.

I have left a message on the callback service but wont hold my breath that they will call me back and even then they cannot understand my accent so I normally get transferred several times.

I shall try customer service one more time tomorrow and then I will call the TIO back and tell them I cannot get through. On a different note, I wonder how Telstra differs with the security of customer details and keeping them safe.