BEWARE International Data Roaming charges!!!

Syndyre said:
You already had to get roaming activated though, it wasn't automatic.
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Yes, the subscriber intentionally activated roaming.

It's always a fine line between playing nanny and giving freedom of choice. I can guarantee that if we did it the other way round some other subs would blast us again.

As an analogy, most users will say we do OK, or not enough, filtering incoming and outgoing spam. Some users get upset because their outgoing mails are deemed spam, typically if they do something suspicious like large CC lists on a mail with no subject.

But the other day we got blasted by a user who insist we have no right to scan his incoming mail for spam and should let it all through as is. :rolleyes:

I guess with a few million users you'll always have users with opposing views. Vodacom obviously try to satisfy the requirements of as many of them as possible.
 
But the other day we got blasted by a user who insist we have no right to scan his incoming mail for spam and should let it all through as is.
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Please post that email adress.. you have to !

I do agree that everyone should be aware of these costs, even some of the call roaming tarrifs are insane. Apparently Brazil is like R40/R50 a min.
 
Nerfherder said:
Please post that email adress.. you have to !

I do agree that everyone should be aware of these costs, even some of the call roaming tarrifs are insane. Apparently Brazil is like R40/R50 a min.
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:) Should actually....

I was once the recipient of a R40K roaming bill, so I know too well how it can hurt.

Best to see if you can use something like Vodafone Passport where available. Still expensive compared to our local tariffs but at least you know what you're in for.
 
So if this person was roaming in China, was the Chinese government filtering her Internet? or does Vodacom bypass the Great Firewall of China completely?
 
ic said:
Why is it that some consumers refuse to accept responsibility for their own decisions and actions, and ignorance? - chancers IMO...
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Yeah people just seem to think its not their problem, until the bill comes. At least the charges are listed on Vodacom's website so they're not hard to find.

vodacom3g said:
Yes, the subscriber intentionally activated roaming.

It's always a fine line between playing nanny and giving freedom of choice. I can guarantee that if we did it the other way round some other subs would blast us again.

As an analogy, most users will say we do OK, or not enough, filtering incoming and outgoing spam. Some users get upset because their outgoing mails are deemed spam, typically if they do something suspicious like large CC lists on a mail with no subject.

But the other day we got blasted by a user who insist we have no right to scan his incoming mail for spam and should let it all through as is. :rolleyes:

I guess with a few million users you'll always have users with opposing views. Vodacom obviously try to satisfy the requirements of as many of them as possible.
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True you can't please everybody. Like everything though you pay for convenience, especially with roaming. I found that out the hard way after getting a bill for R50/min. :eek:

One thing I've found is its invariably cheaper for people to call you while you're roaming than for you to call them so for calls to family etc. its better to get them to call you, then you only pay standard Telkom rates IIRC. The new Vodafone options are quite good though.
 
ic said:
Why is it that some consumers refuse to accept responsibility for their own decisions and actions, and ignorance? - chancers IMO...
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Erm, maybe thats a large portion of it; and no she isn't a chancer, she takes responsibility for her bills. You seem to be missing the point. ie: in this day and age, how can any company in the world charge that amount for data...its like going out and buying an intel celeron with 512mb RAM for R250,000 because you need it where you are, when you can get a Quad Core in your home country for R5000...or something like that
 
Once again this is not Vodacom's fault. They actually have a comprehensive list of all their roaming partners and how much they charge for calls, SMS and data.
The fact that China Mobile and many other global operators rip off tourists is a disgrace, but I guess they make lots of money out of it.
 
It might not be Vodacom's fault at the end of the day, but they should be lynched for these prices - despite the fact that they are not their own direct prices, these are partners they have chosen - I would rather be told 'Sorry - get prepaid, their prices are exorbitant'... I would also feel ripped off.
 
Tallboy said:
Won't the foreign network check your credentials when you use that network for the first time? Then Vodacom could pick up this request and send you a reminder SMS about roaming charges? You might even be required to reply with an acknowledgement.
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Ah...but then you'd bitch because you had to pay for them sending you an SMS to an international destination, and you had to reply at a cost.

I don't generally take a networks side... but its up to YOU to check the costs of where you going. I bet she didn't just book a flight to China, and was then shocked on arrival at the price of accomodation? It was planned before going.
 
Bradbowlllama said:
It might not be Vodacom's fault at the end of the day, but they should be lynched for these prices - despite the fact that they are not their own direct prices, these are partners they have chosen - I would rather be told 'Sorry - get prepaid, their prices are exorbitant'... I would also feel ripped off.
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So you also believe petrol station owners should refuse to sell fuel (or be lynched) because the prices are too high? And rather advise anyone who pull in for petrol to walk? ;)

Roaming charges are determined by the roaming partner. Vodacom collects and pass it on. It's a service that's available, you can use it or not use it. Like any other service offered by any other company in the world. It's your choice. If you go through the actions to phone or fax your requirement, surely it's an indication that you understand that you've asked for a new service that's going to cost something.

Surely you don't order a new car and after it's been delivered argues you never knew the price?

This is not even a Vodacom conversation but a general one of Caveat Emptor. I've also made the mistake in the past to subscribe or buy something I did not bother to fully understand. But then I only blame myself.
 
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This is the reason I travel with 2 cell phones.

1 stays on VC, the other gets a local prepaid SIM as soon as possible.

If Vodacom would have negotiated better roaming rates with their partners, I would not have had to do this.

Currently I have SIM cards for Botswana, DRC, UK, Kazakhstan - all with at least GPRS working.
 
There is a process to active international roaming. Part of that includes reading a document outlining the costs etc and returning a fax and thereby acknowledging that you are aware of the costs associated with roaming. nobody should be able to claim they didnt know.

That fact that data roaming costs a lot does not mean vodacom should not offer the service. They also do offer other services whereby you can roam, which is much more affordable eg sms roaming etc.

Sometimes the consumer must also be responsible and make sure they know what they are signing up for.
 
kaspaas said:
This is the reason I travel with 2 cell phones.

1 stays on VC, the other gets a local prepaid SIM as soon as possible.

If Vodacom would have negotiated better roaming rates with their partners, I would not have had to do this.

Currently I have SIM cards for Botswana, DRC, UK, Kazakhstan - all with at least GPRS working.
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That's exactly what Vodacom / Vodafone did with the Passport product. But there was some clout available. The other networks there is little one can do.

But your 2-phone solution makes sense if you are often in the same country. Not just financially but also technically.
 
vodacom3g said:
So you also believe petrol station owners should refuse to sell fuel (or be lynched) because the prices are too high? And rather advise anyone who pull in for petrol to walk? ;)

Roaming charges are determined by the roaming partner. Vodacom collects and pass it on. It's a service that's available, you can use it or not use it. Like any other service offered by any other company in the world. It's your choice. If you go through the actions to phone or fax your requirement, surely it's an indication that you understand that you've asked for a new service that's going to cost something.

Surely you don't order a new car and after it's been delivered argues you never knew the price?

This is not even a Vodacom conversation but a general one of Caveat Emptor. I've also made the mistake in the past to subscribe or buy something I did not bother to fully understand. But then I only blame myself.
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Lol, get a real analogy if you have to, but petrol stations not selling fuel is not the same... the only thing I can get from that is that VC charges too much for their service, but petrol stations don't have a choice. Petrol stations selling you fuel at hundreds of times more cost than you pay at home while you are abroad simply because your local fuel company says you can have the 'convenience' of using your petrol card there is lame... you just pay cash while abroad. VC should be recommending clients get another sim or pay direct while abroad in these EXPENSIVE companies IMO.
 
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catweasel said:
There is a process to active international roaming. Part of that includes reading a document outlining the costs etc and returning a fax and thereby acknowledging that you are aware of the costs associated with roaming. nobody should be able to claim they didnt know.

That fact that data roaming costs a lot does not mean vodacom should not offer the service. They also do offer other services whereby you can roam, which is much more affordable eg sms roaming etc.

Sometimes the consumer must also be responsible and make sure they know what they are signing up for.
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Really? So this person was aware of the cost per megabyte in China before they left SA?
 
kaspaas said:
This is the reason I travel with 2 cell phones.

1 stays on VC, the other gets a local prepaid SIM as soon as possible.

If Vodacom would have negotiated better roaming rates with their partners, I would not have had to do this.

Currently I have SIM cards for Botswana, DRC, UK, Kazakhstan - all with at least GPRS working.
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I do the same, the advantage is also if people from there want to call you. It makes no sense if you're in the UK to have your incoming calls go UK > SA > UK, just makes it expensive for everyone.
 
Bradbowlllama said:
Really? So this person was aware of the cost per megabyte in China before they left SA?
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Maybe not, should have been though. But think about it:

She phoned or faxed someone to turn it on, so surely the idea that this is a paid-for service and that the reason that you need to ask for it implies there's something special about it. The SP would have checked her account and if she's a good client (she obviously is), would have approved the service.

As posted above, she was (or should have been) aware of every other charge of the trip, flights, accommodation, food, etc. Why is communication different? I'm actually quite sure she was aware that phone calls are much more expensive. Why not data?

BTW, the petrol station analogy holds for the roaming charges. Just like the petrol station does not dictate the petrol price but just on-sell it, the roaming charges are not dictated by Vodacom but by the foreign network. Vodacom just passes the bill on.
 
Syndyre said:
I do the same, the advantage is also if people from there want to call you. It makes no sense if you're in the UK to have your incoming calls go UK > SA > UK, just makes it expensive for everyone.
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Yup, especially if you travel in groups. I've run up TWO separate, huge bills because my wife keeps on calling me if we separate somewhere while traveling, she goes off in one direction and I in another.

Two local sims works perfect and you have constant comms at very low rates. Now that the kids are old enough to travel as well it adds another sim or 3 to the setup. Just think if a group of 5 SA users phone each other constantly while in the UK! :eek:
 
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