Vodacom - trying to rip us off every time they can... again...

[albert123]

so from what I can see on google a few facts:

Most BB users in the world, including most in SA, can download OS7.1 over the air for free for more than a week now.. Vodacom tells customers to:

The Blackberry OS 7.1 is available on the Vodacom network.

Please download the Blackberry O.S 7.0 from your desk top manager. Once completed you have to download The Blackberry OS 7.1.

then after another reply to them as to why i cant do it free like the rest of the world:

Please be advised that you may download it on your phone. This would be at your own risk

in affect "at your own risk" meaning "at your own cost"
then after another reply
[quote]

We apologise for the incorrect information given in the previous email.

OS version 7.1 is not supported on the Vodacom network and we are working with RIM on the next release. The launch date will made available in due course.

Customers can upgrade to BlackBerry 7.1 for free, by browsing to http://za.blackberry.com/services/blackberry7/ or using their BlackBerry desktop software.

so they contradict themselve in 3 emails totally, within a matter of 30 minutes. and still no explanation why i cant just update it like the normal way would be "check for updates" "click update" ...

simple answer if you get half of the 2 million bb users to download something via their pc's rather than their bb, u get to bill them @ R2.00 per mb, instead of free. sure they may complain but why would vodacom care... funny that their email address is "customercare@". useless freakin company...

Cancelling 1 vodacom contract end of this month, others to folllow as soon as they expire.

[marine1]

Sounds dodgy if they charge for it. Is it free everywhere else?
I downloaded it months ago on home adsl though

[Centronix]

Vodascum... What else is new

[craigfza]

Being running 7.1 on my BB for months now. But I guess that's because I download the leaked versions. Works fine on the Vodacom network. Just gotta wait for FNB to catch up with a new version of their app now....

/looks the other way

[VodacomData]

BlackBerry 7.1 OS - available on Vodacom’s website

BlackBerry 7.1 is now available for customers to download from the Vodacom website, www.vodacom.co.za


The Blackberry 7.1 software is available for the following devices:
• Blackberry 9320
• Blackberry 9360
• BlackBerry 9380
• Blackberry 9810

Please note that OS 7.1 for BlackBerry 9900 is not supported on the Vodacom network and we are working with RIM on the next release – watch the media for launch info.

For more information about the BlackBerry 7.1 OS update, visit http://za.blackberry.com/update/

Regards

[albert123]

BlackBerry 7.1 OS - available on Vodacom’s website

BlackBerry 7.1 is now available for customers to download from the Vodacom website, www.vodacom.co.za


The Blackberry 7.1 software is available for the following devices:
• Blackberry 9320
• Blackberry 9360
• BlackBerry 9380
• Blackberry 9810

Please note that OS 7.1 for BlackBerry 9900 is not supported on the Vodacom network and we are working with RIM on the next release – watch the media for launch info.

For more information about the BlackBerry 7.1 OS update, visit http://za.blackberry.com/update/

Regards

after over a month... "South Africa's leading cellular provider" yeah right...

whoever typed this up was thinking he is working somewhere else...
http://www.vodacom.com/av_wwa_strategy.php

I have about 12 emails from vodacom about 7.1, EACH one contradicting the previous one totally as to how to get 7.1, why one cant, why its "possibly your computer"and even "please visit your branch"... at least he said for more info visit the BB website and not contact vodacom, since nobody at vodacom know whats going on in the world

[Pianoman]

So why is it taking so long for Vodacom to get the 9900 upgrade to 7.1 out? When I go to the site http://za.blackberry.com/services/blackberry7/ that you refer to, it lists the 9900 as being Blackberry 7.1 enabled.

This is utterly pathetic. Just about every carrier in the world has it.

[jannievanzyl]

So why is it taking so long for Vodacom to get the 9900 upgrade to 7.1 out? When I go to the site http://za.blackberry.com/services/blackberry7/ that you refer to, it lists the 9900 as being Blackberry 7.1 enabled.

This is utterly pathetic. Just about every carrier in the world has it.

Was held back due to a bug we discovered.

[Maverick Jester]

Does anyone know why service providers need to test mobile operating systems for network compatibility? Maybe I am asking a stupid question here, but I am not quite sure of this?

[Pianoman]

Was held back due to a bug we discovered.

It can't have more bugs than the 2406 bundle. Just release it. All the other carrier's in the world think it's fine. If you people actually did test the OSs you would not even have released 2406.

[jannievanzyl]

Does anyone know why service providers need to test mobile operating systems for network compatibility? Maybe I am asking a stupid question here, but I am not quite sure of this?

You'll be surprised how often we get a phone that fails on the most of basic networking functions. Sometimes they can even break the network by not following proper protocol specification. I recall one example where a specific model took down a whole tower.

So the network tests the GSM/3G components fully (but not the application functionality beyond basic levels.)

[Pianoman]

I installed the .523 bundle on my 9900 and all of the most basic networking functions are working. And I didn't hear of any network breaking or my model taking down a tower.

So from now on I'm going to download the latest international OS because Vodacom is just way too slow. If RIM makes an upgraded OS, it means there are bug fixes that they want us to have. Why withhold it?

[Pianoman]

It's almost August and still no Vodacom 7.1 release for the 9900. I think anyone who wanted to wait for Vodacom to release it should give up and get it from http://crackberry.com/blackberry-os