Vodacom ripping off smartphone users by deliberate obfuscation of usage statistics

[eugenevdm]

I recently purchased a new smartphone from Vodacom and a 100MB data bundle, on contract.

To my shock and horror Vodacom is unable to give me the usage statistics on my bundle once I have gone past the 100MB mark.

What they provide:
* The ability to query my remaining data balances by dailing *111#, but not actual usage
* An online web site showing me I have nothing remaining, but again, not the actual usage

What they don't provide:
* The ability to see my data usage over 100MB
* The ability to put a cap on my data usage

According to the lady at the shop I can only put a cap on the total monetary value of my account. And I can only see my usage statistic at the end of the month, after I have received my bill. So they put themselves neatly in front of getting money from the client before a dispute arises. Any savvy computer user know you have to monitor your usage, especially if you are paying R 1 per meg. But they intentionally don't give you access to these stats.

I find this deliberate obfuscation of my usage statistics incredibly bad service and would go as far as saying they are greedy capitalists that are intentionally doing this so that the consumer can't control their usage and react to bill shock.

I run an ISP and I have developed our own internal Radius systems, I personally know how easy it is to give this information to your client.

I insist on having access to my current and up to date data usage statistics, and I insist on being able to put a cap on my data usage. Unless I hear from Vodacom in the next 7 days with regards to this I will be reporting the matter to the following parties:

1. Hello Peter
2. ICASA
3. Competition Commission

[Jola]

Why wait 7 days, they have been doing this forever?

[ginggs]

...data bundle, on contract.

I see your problem.

[morkhans]

Welcome to OOB waters

[kilobits]

Welcome to OOB waters

I did that picture! Scary and funny at the same time. Notice how the meerkat's eyes follow you around the room.

[YingYang]

What I do for me and the wife is buy data bundles. I just find it easier and more manageable.

Vodacom is a greedy company and they make no secret about that!

[Jola]

What I do for me and the wife is buy data bundles. I just find it easier and more manageable.

Yes but you can only avoid OOB if you are on some form of pre-paid or top-up.

Data bundles on a contract does not help you to avoid OOB shock.

[Tick]

I find this deliberate obfuscation of my usage statistics incredibly bad service and would go as far as saying they are greedy capitalists that are intentionally doing this so that the consumer can't control their usage and react to bill shock.

Nothing in principle wrong with being a 'capitalist' provided competition is allowed in the market and the customers have a choice. Vodacom is well known as being a bunch of greedy f-ckers that will rip you off seven ways from sunday, they have been like that for well over a decade and show no sign of changing, so I must admit I'm a little curious why you picked them in the first place - you actually seem surprised. I ditched them long ago. Vodacom wrote the book on ripping customers off. There are for most purposes reasonable alternatives these days. Don't reward these okes with your money if you can.

[YingYang]

Yes but you can only avoid OOB if you are on some form of pre-paid or top-up.

Data bundles on a contract does not help you to avoid OOB shock.

Actually, I'm on TopUp and she on Talk 120 and I check our usage (remaining data) regularly. I I see either of us running low I buy a 100 or 250 meg bundle

[VodacomData]

I recently purchased a new smartphone from Vodacom and a 100MB data bundle, on contract.

To my shock and horror Vodacom is unable to give me the usage statistics on my bundle once I have gone past the 100MB mark.

What they provide:
* The ability to query my remaining data balances by dailing *111#, but not actual usage
* An online web site showing me I have nothing remaining, but again, not the actual usage

What they don't provide:
* The ability to see my data usage over 100MB
* The ability to put a cap on my data usage

According to the lady at the shop I can only put a cap on the total monetary value of my account. And I can only see my usage statistic at the end of the month, after I have received my bill. So they put themselves neatly in front of getting money from the client before a dispute arises. Any savvy computer user know you have to monitor your usage, especially if you are paying R 1 per meg. But they intentionally don't give you access to these stats.

I find this deliberate obfuscation of my usage statistics incredibly bad service and would go as far as saying they are greedy capitalists that are intentionally doing this so that the consumer can't control their usage and react to bill shock.

I run an ISP and I have developed our own internal Radius systems, I personally know how easy it is to give this information to your client.

I insist on having access to my current and up to date data usage statistics, and I insist on being able to put a cap on my data usage. Unless I hear from Vodacom in the next 7 days with regards to this I will be reporting the matter to the following parties:

1. Hello Peter
2. ICASA
3. Competition Commission

Hi Eugene

IF you have logged a query for a charge dispute and received a ref number , you could receive feedback with in 14 working days. You can send me the ref or cell number to have a look at the query.

Regards

VD

[eugenevdm]

IF you have logged a query for a charge dispute and received a ref number

I think you are missing the point VD. I don't have a charge dispute, I simply want to know what my data usage is this month in bytes. I don't want to log into a system or dial *111# only to be told my bundle is finished. And I don't want to know what my total bill is this month.

I want to know exactly how much data I have used up to today, or yesterday, or any day for that matter. I want access to daily data usage statistics and I want Vodacom to stop this deliberate obfuscation of data usage for contract customers.

If you want me to go away, then I suggest Vodacom does the following:

1. Give me detailed statistics of my usage for this month. I used Vodacom's data and they are charging me R 1.00 for OOB. Surely I can have access to my usage before you give me my bill??

2. You allow me to put a cap on my data usage. Why should I as a contract customer be trapped in Vodacom's game whereby I can only dispute usage AFTER you have sent me a bill? We all know how this is going to end.

I hope this makes it very clear. If it's still unclear, then perhaps you should read Jola's message again:

Data bundles on a contract does not help you to avoid OOB shock.

If it's still confusing then I suggest you log into your ISP account and you have a look at a typical ISP they give you. Detailed statistics on a daily / hourly basis of exactly what you have used. If ISPs in South Africa used Vodadom's same menacing tactic by just simply saying "your cap is gone" without reporting how much the user has actually used, there would have been major consumer backlash. But because Vodacom has 'exclusivity' on radio frequency they are getting away with murder.

[morkhans]

@eugenevdm

You can back off a bit on the attitude. VodacomData is one of the good guys and is here to help.

[The_Librarian]

@ OP : Blue Monday?

[eugenevdm]

@eugenevdm

You can back off a bit on the attitude. VodacomData is one of the good guys and is here to help.

Then VodacomData must read my initial post. I don't have a billing dispute. I want my daily usage statistics after my bundle is depleted. If VodacomData read my post properly and if he supplied me with some way of getting my usage then I will back off. In the meanwhile I will pursue every conceivable avenue to get this sorted out. Including having extremely bad attitude. I am sick of being ripped of by companies like Vodacom.

[morkhans]

Then VodacomData must read my initial post. I don't have a billing dispute. I want my daily usage statistics after my bundle is depleted. If VodacomData read my post properly and if he supplied me with some way of getting my usage then I will back off. In the meanwhile I will pursue every conceivable avenue to get this sorted out. Including having extremely bad attitude. I am sick of being ripped of by companies like Vodacom.

So why don't you just login to vodacom.co.za and go to "my reports" for your itemised invoice?