[Mythbuster: ]Vodacom Prepaid 3G a scam

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Mokgohd

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I am currently using Vodacom 3G prepaid 500 meg bundle costing R189.00.
Recently I discovered how Vodacom has been cheating on their subscribers, firstly there is no recharge voucher of R189.00, so customers then spend about R220 which is made up of R110 vourchers times two. When you buy the data bundle for R189.00 you should have a credit of R30.00 but with Vodacom what they actually do is that the credit is first used when you surf the net and the customer is then charged R2.00 per meg and only after the credit is finished the data bundle is used. I complained that what this means is that customers are fooled thinking that the package is costing them R189.00 but the truth is that they actually pay more. The other scam they are practicing is not allowing our unused data to roll over to the next month. Until they introduce R189.00 vouchers and allow roll over, they should be seen as scams. How does a multi billion company like them fail to introduce a recharge voucher for a service that they advertise daily, the reason is simple
to steal our money...

MD Mokgohloa
 
Mokgohd said:
I am currently using Vodacom 3G prepaid 500 meg bundle costing R189.00.
Recently I discovered how Vodacom has been cheating on their subscribers, firstly there is no recharge voucher of R189.00, so customers then spend about R220 which is made up of R110 vourchers times two. When you buy the data bundle for R189.00 you should have a credit of R30.00 but with Vodacom what they actually do is that the credit is first used when you surf the net and the customer is then charged R2.00 per meg and only after the credit is finished the data bundle is used. I complained that what this means is that customers are fooled thinking that the package is costing them R189.00 but the truth is that they actually pay more. The other scam they are practicing is not allowing our unused data to roll over to the next month. Until they introduce R189.00 vouchers and allow roll over, they should be seen as scams. How does a multi billion company like them fail to introduce a recharge voucher for a service that they advertise daily, the reason is simple
to steal our money...

MD Mokgohloa
Click to expand...
Yesterday I decided to try Vodacom's pre-paid data bundle system for the first time, so I activated a pre-paid SIM card which comes with R25 credit pre-loaded, and then using Internet Banking I credited that pre-paid SIM card with exactly R189.00, which I then used to purchase a 500MB [searchforum]PPDB[/searchforum], and I still have a R25 balance on my account after having used some of the data on my PPDB.

I recommend that you do the same thing that I did, instead of mucking about with two R110 recharge vouchers and complaining that Vodacom is cheating you.
 
Mokgohd said:
I am currently using Vodacom 3G prepaid 500 meg bundle costing R189.00.
Recently I discovered how Vodacom has been cheating on their subscribers, firstly there is no recharge voucher of R189.00, so customers then spend about R220 which is made up of R110 vourchers times two. When you buy the data bundle for R189.00 you should have a credit of R30.00 but with Vodacom what they actually do is that the credit is first used when you surf the net and the customer is then charged R2.00 per meg and only after the credit is finished the data bundle is used.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure why this is happening to you but its never happened to me even when I've had excess airtime.
 
Mokgohd said:
I am currently using Vodacom 3G prepaid 500 meg bundle costing R189.00.
Recently I discovered how Vodacom has been cheating on their subscribers, firstly there is no recharge voucher of R189.00, so customers then spend about R220 which is made up of R110 vourchers times two. When you buy the data bundle for R189.00 you should have a credit of R30.00 but with Vodacom what they actually do is that the credit is first used when you surf the net and the customer is then charged R2.00 per meg and only after the credit is finished the data bundle is used. I complained that what this means is that customers are fooled thinking that the package is costing them R189.00 but the truth is that they actually pay more.
Click to expand...

Can anyone confirm or deny this first using the credit and then the bundle claim?

For sure it's not the business rule.

Mokgohd, please PM me the number you used and I'll look into it.
 
Last edited:
vodacom3g said:
Can anyone confirm or deny this first using the credit and then the bundle claim?

For sure it's not the business rule.

Mokgohd, please PM me the number you used and I'll look into it.
Click to expand...

I've loaded quite a few bundles and had "excess" airtime before and its never happened to me, maybe he loaded a bundle via V4ME and there was some delay in the bundle being activated? :confused:
 
ic said:
Yesterday I decided to try Vodacom's pre-paid data bundle system for the first time, so I activated a pre-paid SIM card which comes with R25 credit pre-loaded, and then using Internet Banking I credited that pre-paid SIM card with exactly R189.00, which I then used to purchase a 500MB [searchforum]PPDB[/searchforum], and I still have a R25 balance on my account after having used some of the data on my PPDB.

I recommend that you do the same thing that I did, instead of mucking about with two R110 recharge vouchers and complaining that Vodacom is cheating you.
Click to expand...

I have done the same - but instead of adding exactly R189 I add R189 less the current balance e.g. R174 if you have R25 available. That way I never have out-of-bundle airtime used.

btw you can use ATMs as well as internet banking - every ATM I've looked at has a 'PREPAID' option somewhere.
 
SecretCode said:
I have done the same - but instead of adding exactly R189 I add R189 less the current balance e.g. R174 if you have R25 available. That way I never have out-of-bundle airtime used.

btw you can use ATMs as well as internet banking - every ATM I've looked at has a 'PREPAID' option somewhere.
Click to expand...
I considered 'recharging' the difference, but since it was a new pre-paid SIM card, I expected to need to make a chargeable call & didn't want to find that I didn't have enough credit to purchase a 500MB PPDB, luckily I didn't need to make a chargeable call to get the SIM card running, so next time it will be the difference :).
 
Mokgohd said:
I am currently using Vodacom 3G prepaid 500 meg bundle costing R189.00.
Recently I discovered how Vodacom has been cheating on their subscribers, firstly there is no recharge voucher of R189.00, so customers then spend about R220 which is made up of R110 vourchers times two. When you buy the data bundle for R189.00 you should have a credit of R30.00 but with Vodacom what they actually do is that the credit is first used when you surf the net and the customer is then charged R2.00 per meg and only after the credit is finished the data bundle is used. I complained that what this means is that customers are fooled thinking that the package is costing them R189.00 but the truth is that they actually pay more. The other scam they are practicing is not allowing our unused data to roll over to the next month. Until they introduce R189.00 vouchers and allow roll over, they should be seen as scams. How does a multi billion company like them fail to introduce a recharge voucher for a service that they advertise daily, the reason is simple
to steal our money...

MD Mokgohloa
Click to expand...

I was told today by a sales person at a Voda Shop that you have to have R 200 available on your sim before you can load a 500 Meg bundle @ R189. He said you can do it by dialing *111# and follow the prompts. Is this true?
 
SecretCode said:
I have done the same - but instead of adding exactly R189 I add R189 less the current balance e.g. R174 if you have R25 available. That way I never have out-of-bundle airtime used.

btw you can use ATMs as well as internet banking - every ATM I've looked at has a 'PREPAID' option somewhere.
Click to expand...

So what did the ATM transaction cost you ?
 
Csnoopy said:
I was told today by a sales person at a Voda Shop that you have to have R 200 available on your sim before you can load a 500 Meg bundle @ R189. He said you can do it by dialing *111# and follow the prompts. Is this true?
Click to expand...

Nope! I bought a R189 bundle with R189 of airtime available.
 
Glad you guys are actually responding ... I barely understood what he was writing :D
 
Csnoopy said:
I was told today by a sales person at a Voda Shop that you have to have R 200 available on your sim before you can load a 500 Meg bundle @ R189. He said you can do it by dialing *111# and follow the prompts. Is this true?
Click to expand...

They dont know much ne ways. I did a collegue a favour and got him a good price for a data card through my sis who works at cellucity. Got it, put in sim card and loaded airtime. Sister ( who is one of these sales people ) told me i would have to wait at least 24hrs before i can load ne bundles. O told her she was talking BS cos i had already loaded it.
 
Mokgohd said:
I am currently using Vodacom 3G prepaid 500 meg bundle costing R189.00.
Recently I discovered how Vodacom has been cheating on their subscribers, firstly there is no recharge voucher of R189.00, so customers then spend about R220 which is made up of R110 vourchers times two. When you buy the data bundle for R189.00 you should have a credit of R30.00 but with Vodacom what they actually do is that the credit is first used when you surf the net and the customer is then charged R2.00 per meg and only after the credit is finished the data bundle is used. I complained that what this means is that customers are fooled thinking that the package is costing them R189.00 but the truth is that they actually pay more. The other scam they are practicing is not allowing our unused data to roll over to the next month. Until they introduce R189.00 vouchers and allow roll over, they should be seen as scams. How does a multi billion company like them fail to introduce a recharge voucher for a service that they advertise daily, the reason is simple
to steal our money...

MD Mokgohloa
Click to expand...

The best thing i do is use internet banking, usually load a few rand more incase i do surf OOB while loading new bundle. But what i find now is that when vodacom reserves a certain amount of data, the V4ME site will apear as if you have 0.00MB data remaining when infact what u dont use from the reserved amount will be put back. So theoretically you can load a new bundle since ur available amount stands @ zilch without surfing OOB. I know it happened to me this month cos after loading 2gb and doing a fair amount of downloading i still had about 2180MB remaining and also the little extra airtime i put on it.
 
acidrain said:
They dont know much ne ways. I did a collegue a favour and got him a good price for a data card through my sis who works at cellucity. Got it, put in sim card and loaded airtime. Sister ( who is one of these sales people ) told me i would have to wait at least 24hrs before i can load ne bundles. O told her she was talking BS cos i had already loaded it.
Click to expand...

Please ask your sis when they are getting the iPhone (apparently in September, but when in September) and also what the price will be.

Kay thx
 
acidrain said:
Well with SBSA IB i was charged R5.05 service fee. Could be wrong tho cos i doesnt state what fee was for.
Click to expand...

I think it's free with Standard Bank - used to be, anyway. Now days I do it via internet banking, which is definitely free.

Of course, you don't get a discount like you do if you buy a voucher from Pick'n'Pay.
 
vodacom3g said:
Can anyone confirm or deny this first using the credit and then the bundle claim?

For sure it's not the business rule.

Mokgohd, please PM me the number you used and I'll look into it.
Click to expand...

My brother had a similar problem a few months ago - he bought a bundle but when he connected, his remaining balance was depleted at R2/MB until it reached zero. Then he couldn't surf anymore and reconnecting failed. He called 155 and it got sorted a few days later.
 
ajax said:
My brother had a similar problem a few months ago - he bought a bundle but when he connected, his remaining balance was depleted at R2/MB until it reached zero. Then he couldn't surf anymore and reconnecting failed. He called 155 and it got sorted a few days later.
Click to expand...
I suspect that what happened there, was that the data bundle had not yet been activated - it does take a while - even for contract customers it can take up to 4 hours for a purchased data bundle to be activated, so if one does transfer data before the data bundle gets activated then one can expect to be charge at the OOBR.

What I do when buying a data bundle on contract, and I did the same thing with my PPDB that I purchased the other day, is to first get a data bundle balance using the *111# USSD menu, and when the data bundle shows, I then know that the data bundle has been activated and is ready to use.

I think there are 2 solutions to this data bundle activation latency issue:
  1. Vodacom needs to make some serious changes to make the activation of a data bundle happen immediately after a data bundle is purchased;
  2. Until point [1] has been accomplished, Vodacom needs to inform the customer by any means possible, e.g. SMS, that it will take a while before the purchased data bundle is activated and the OOBR implications, as well as communicate when the data bundle has been activated - again e.g. via SMS.
 
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