Vodacom Misleading broadband pricing

[tpilan02]

Vodacom advertised that from the first of August you will be reducing your megabytes rates for example 500mb at R149. So today I bought airtime of 149 and tried to load those megabytes through *111# the menu is not updates then I call the call centre they are clueless. They then tell me to send an sms to 100 with the message "mymeg500" and i get a response saying that pricing is no longer available. You guys are steeling our hard earned money.

[chrissy]

Contract prices, not prepaid.

[VodacomData]

Vodacom advertised that from the first of August you will be reducing your megabytes rates for example 500mb at R149. So today I bought airtime of 149 and tried to load those megabytes through *111# the menu is not updates then I call the call centre they are clueless. They then tell me to send an sms to 100 with the message "mymeg500" and i get a response saying that pricing is no longer available. You guys are steeling our hard earned money.

If you are on prepaid you do not qualify for the new tariffs yet. So if you are going to attempt to purchase via *111# or www.vodacom.co.za you will be presented with the old tariffs.

You will experience the same if you are on topup and try using those methods to purchase , however you do qualify for the new tariffs if you purchase the bundles as a VAS service.

[LeonP]

If you are on prepaid you do not qualify for the new tariffs yet. So if you are going to attempt to purchase via *111# or www.vodacom.co.za you will be presented with the old tariffs.

You will experience the same if you are on topup and try using those methods to purchase , however you do qualify for the new tariffs if you purchase the bundles as a VAS service.
Dear VodacomData, just two questions:
1. How does the data used by a prepaid customer differ from that used by a postpaid customer?
2. What is the difference between the money handed over by a prepaid customer and that paid by a contract customer, except you benefit from the cash flow?

Looking forward to your reply.

Leon

[Acydebyte]

If you are on prepaid you do not qualify for the new tariffs yet. So if you are going to attempt to purchase via *111# or www.vodacom.co.za you will be presented with the old tariffs.

You will experience the same if you are on topup and try using those methods to purchase , however you do qualify for the new tariffs if you purchase the bundles as a VAS service.

Actually your VC *111# system will not allow you to make any bundled purchases, i should know i am trying to buy a bundle on my top-up package, i am now forced to pay Out of Bundle Rates, R2 per MB until you fix the problem, your services are all falling apart and nothing is working the way it should....

[zahpat]

If you are on prepaid you do not qualify for the new tariffs yet. So if you are going to attempt to purchase via *111# or www.vodacom.co.za you will be presented with the old tariffs.

You will experience the same if you are on topup and try using those methods to purchase , however you do qualify for the new tariffs if you purchase the bundles as a VAS service.

So when can we expect it to be rolled out to pre paid users?

[Gnome]

So when can we expect it to be rolled out to pre paid users?
You really expect that to happen.

Answer with your wallet and port your number. With Cell C allowing people to port their numbers to those prepaid data sim cards I see no reason to stay with Vodacom.

Data is the future of telecoms but these guys just don't get it.

[VodacomData]

So when can we expect it to be rolled out to pre paid users?

We never received official communication regarding the prepaid offering yet.

[mazelove]

So today I bought airtime of 149 and tried to load those megabytes through *111# the menu is not updates then I call the call centre they are clueless. They then tell me to send an sms to 100 with the message "mymeg500" and i get a response saying that pricing is no longer available. You guys are steeling our hard earned money. FOR your R149 you can get 1gig and 100SMS ,100 on net minutes + R52 CHANGE @ Cell C :D

[Saajid]

FOR your R149 you can get 1gig and 100SMS ,100 on net minutes + R52 CHANGE @ Cell C :D

If I was on prepaid, I would have ported to Cell C long time ago. Damn contracts. Then again, when I signed up for the contract, all I said to myself was, I must have that HTC Desire no matter what. I couldn't afford to pay for it cash, so I took it on contract....

Tsk... the choices we are forced to make in life...

[LeonP]

Dear VodacomData, just two questions:
1. How does the data used by a prepaid customer differ from that used by a postpaid customer?
2. What is the difference between the money handed over by a prepaid customer and that paid by a contract customer, except you benefit from the cash flow?

Looking forward to your reply.

Leon

@Jannie and/or @VD: Surely you guys aren't stumped by a simple question like this?

[4Motion]

Dear VodacomData, just two questions:
1. How does the data used by a prepaid customer differ from that used by a postpaid customer?
2. What is the difference between the money handed over by a prepaid customer and that paid by a contract customer, except you benefit from the cash flow?

Looking forward to your reply.

Leon

Its a retention tactic, they don't want fly by night users abusing the service. Current data contract holders and contract users can take advantage of it. Cell C knows a lot about this.
Data users are very quick to discard a sim coz the number means nothing to them.

[charlh]

Dear VodacomData, just two questions:
1. How does the data used by a prepaid customer differ from that used by a postpaid customer?
2. What is the difference between the money handed over by a prepaid customer and that paid by a contract customer, except you benefit from the cash flow?

Looking forward to your reply.

Leon

I doubt they will answer you. I have previously asked similar questions about promotions being available to contract customers only. Prepaid users are being ripped off by the providers. We pay the highest tarriffs for calls and data, while we pose no risk to the providers. Everything has to be paid for before you can even start to make a call, use data etc.
And then I get a vague answer about talking points or something being available for prepaid users. WOW!

[ajax]

I doubt they will answer you. I have previously asked similar questions about promotions being available to contract customers only. Prepaid users are being ripped off by the providers except Cell C.

Fixed it for you

[charlh]

Fixed it for you
LOL!. I would consider Cell C if we get decent speed here. The best I get with Cell C in this area is EDGE.

[LeonP]

I doubt they will answer you. I have previously asked similar questions about promotions being available to contract customers only. Prepaid users are being ripped off by the providers. We pay the highest tarriffs for calls and data, while we pose no risk to the providers. Everything has to be paid for before you can even start to make a call, use data etc.
And then I get a vague answer about talking points or something being available for prepaid users. WOW!

I would have thought it is different because these prices are not a promotion, but the 'new and improved' prices?

[VodacomData]

Dear VodacomData, just two questions:
1. How does the data used by a prepaid customer differ from that used by a postpaid customer?
2. What is the difference between the money handed over by a prepaid customer and that paid by a contract customer, except you benefit from the cash flow?

Looking forward to your reply.

Leon

The only difference between the postpaid and prepaid option is the billing system it resides on. The amount of data these offerings receive are the same per gig , 1024 Mb is the same on postpaid as it is on prepaid.

[LeonP]

The only difference between the postpaid and prepaid option is the billing system it resides on. The amount of data these offerings receive are the same per gig , 1024 Mb is the same on postpaid as it is on prepaid.
Thanks. I have to surmise then that this different billing system is very expensive to run as not even the cash flow advantage of prepaid vs postpaid is adequate to allow Vodacom to charge the same data prices?

[charlh]

Thanks. I have to surmise then that this different billing system is very expensive to run as not even the cash flow advantage of prepaid vs postpaid is adequate to allow Vodacom to charge the same data prices?

Prepaid customers have to pay for the bad debt created by contract customers who never pay their accounts.
That's the conclusion I come to, anyway. I may be wrong....

[disabled]

Vodacom advertised that from the first of August you will be reducing your megabytes rates for example 500mb at R149. So today I bought airtime of 149 and tried to load those megabytes through *111# the menu is not updates then I call the call centre they are clueless. They then tell me to send an sms to 100 with the message "mymeg500" and i get a response saying that pricing is no longer available. You guys are steeling our hard earned money.

Hey there tpilan02 Us prepaid people mean nothing to VC even if some of us support them with R1300 a month :-(

[disabled]

Dear VodacomData, just two questions:
1. How does the data used by a prepaid customer differ from that used by a postpaid customer?
2. What is the difference between the money handed over by a prepaid customer and that paid by a contract customer, except you benefit from the cash flow?

Looking forward to your reply.

Leon

As said VC have so far shown no great interest in doing us prepaid folk any favours...I spend R389.00 for 3.3GB on Data & R500.00 on calls =R889.00PM and I'm sure there are thousands who do the same thing!

[VodacomData]

As said VC have so far shown no great interest in doing us prepaid folk any favours...I spend R389.00 for 3.3GB on Data & R500.00 on calls =R889.00PM and I'm sure there are thousands who do the same thing!

As i recall Pieter Uys said that there would be a price reduction for prepaid users , we just need to exercise a bit of patience.