Resolution to my issue with Vodacom re: huge (OOB) bill

[blunomore]

Seems to me they stepped up to the plate on this one, irrespective of your bad-mouthing Jannie. Well done to them. Bottom line is in all likelihood, you probably did inadvertently use the data, basedon the previous thread, so this seems like an opportunity that you should grab hold of.

I'll still fight Vodacom tooth and nail for their unwillingness to safeguard their customers (they are making a fortune on this), but it does appear to be an offer of goodwill, more than likely prompted by the exposure it received on this very forum (read: Jannie got involved). Some might see it as a sign of weakness and try to take them on now. Personally, I don't think it is the right move forward...

I doubt Jannie has a single thing to do with this!

Vodacom's letter starts off this way: "We acknowledge receipt of your complaint from the National Consumer Commission and we have concluded our investigation on the complaint and below are our findings...."

[DJ...]

I doubt Jannie has a single thing to do with this!

Vodacom's letter starts off this way: "We acknowledge receipt of your complaint from the National Consumer Commission and we have concluded our investigation on the complaint and below are our findings...."

Which precludes Jannie's involvement how exactly? You're assuming they're a disparate group of heads that don't communicate here. Anyways, happy to see a middle ground was found. None of us get 50% discounts on our OOB shark bills so well played to you...

[abzo]

And our parents taught us that whining and tantrums wouldn't get us anywhere

[marine1]

I think its fair they are willing to take half the blame.

The issue here is the systems are not in place, probably intentionally, to stop this happening.

I do not think this OOB rubbish should be allowed. It should be against the CPA in my humble opinion.

Oh and if you go over your bundle, by default you should be soft locked until otherwise instructed.

[rorz0r]

I think its fair they are willing to take half the blame.

The issue here is the systems are not in place, probably intentionally, to stop this happening.

I do not think this OOB rubbish should be allowed. It should be against the CPA in my humble opinion.

Oh and if you go over your bundle, by default you should be soft locked until otherwise instructed.

I think it's fair that they take half the blame, as in they work out the real cost price of the data and charge half of that... You can't say "take half the blame" and instead of making 1000% profit they only make 500% profit?

[morkhans]

I don't see why they can't just charge you what a similar sized bundle would have cost...

This is the honourable way to deal with customers and large OOB shark bills.

I just wish these mobile companies would wake up and realise the positive press this kind of "goodwill gesture" would buy them...

[DJ...]

This is the honourable way to deal with customers and large OOB shark bills.

I just wish these mobile companies would wake up and realise the positive press this kind of "goodwill gesture" would buy them...

Sets a precedent that they can't afford. The OOB shark attacks not only affect the odd huge-bill subscriber, but imo generate large revenue for the SPs for the thousands each month who fork out an additional R100 here and there...

[bboy]

They should only charge you the equivalent data bundle rates, anything more is just them being a bunch of aholes.

[StevenC]

The fact that we still have bundle and out of bundle rates in this day and age is a mystery to me. Sure, the bundles provision how much they will purchase in terms of bandwidth and the onus is definitely on the customer to make sure that they don't break it. However they should also disable OOB by default and hard cap users on the amount they have paid. I mean, it's not like they don't have methods to track your usage! But of course, they are naaiers and thats what they do to customers paying a premium to them in the first place!

I will say though, the blame does not lie entirely with them. Knowing full well that your 2GB does not equal 10GB and not monitoring your usage is just dof (you do get a meter with 3G software so it's no excuse that you didn't know) I think you are lucky to get even a 50% goodwill gesture so grab it with both hands and run and consider ADSL uncapped

[R13...]

I think ICASA must step out of the operators' collective ass and do something about this profiteering OOB. By operators I mean Vodacom and MTN.

I mean, sure charge OOB if the person never uses a bundle, but they have no reason to charge a personal who regularly uses bundles R2/MB (I think Ockie is wrong about that R1/MB, the call centre told me it is R2/Mb).

[blunomore]

Which precludes Jannie's involvement how exactly? You're assuming they're a disparate group of heads that don't communicate here. Anyways, happy to see a middle ground was found. None of us get 50% discounts on our OOB shark bills so well played to you...

We submitted a complaint to the NCC, they must have forwarded it to Vodacom for comments and then Vodacom approached us. What makes you think Jannie was involved? Unless you are implying that he deals with all NCC matters? I seriously doubt it.

In addition, he did not communicate with me in a professional manner - he replied to say it is being investigated and after that, all my emails were ignored. I don't know about you, but I consider that unprofessional. In my books, he cannot claim the credit for it.

[jannievanzyl]

I doubt Jannie has a single thing to do with this!

Vodacom's letter starts off this way: "We acknowledge receipt of your complaint from the National Consumer Commission and we have concluded our investigation on the complaint and below are our findings...."

While I won't claim it was my doing, I did escalate as well.

Probably a case of the more, the better.

In any case, I hope the offer helps. It was a massive amount.

In general on this issue:

- Vodacom 's got a OOB=IB option and (IIRC) was the first to market with it.
- If you use Top Up, and you don't have extra money in your account (no reason if you're on data-only), you can't go OOB.
- You can request a soft-lock on your account to ensure you don't go OOB on Contract.
- We're working hard on a real-time locking capability for Contract.

[blunomore]

While I won't claim it was my doing, I did escalate as well.

Probably a case of the more, the better.

In any case, I hope the offer helps. It was a massive amount.

In general on this issue:

- Vodacom 's got a OOB=IB option and (IIRC) was the first to market with it.
- If you use Top Up, and you don't have extra money in your account (no reason if you're on data-only), you can't go OOB.
- You can request a soft-lock on your account to ensure you don't go OOB on Contract.
- We're working hard on a real-time locking capability for Contract.

Obviously, an offer of 50% off helps.

As a consumer, it would also have helped if you kept up constant communication with me and kept me in the loop as to how matters are progressing, instead of ignoring my emails. Consumers do not appreciate being ignored. We are good enough for your company to make money off, but when we complain, we are ignored for weeks on end. That is not Ayoba. Yes, I just went there

[rorz0r]

That is not Ayoba. Yes, I just went there

fo' real?

[Maverick Jester]

- Vodacom 's got a OOB=IB option and (IIRC) was the first to market with it.
- You can request a soft-lock on your account to ensure you don't go OOB on Contract.

Why do these things need to be optional? Should safeguarding your clients not be the first port of call? I think that this is the general issue that people have with SP's.