Data usage horror

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xlungu

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I received a sms on my tablet saying that I’ve been soft locked. I have a limit of R300.00 on my sim.

This had to be a mistake as I have the 2gb + 2gb data bundle on my tablet, so I called Nashua. I was informed that a file of 7gb was downloaded during the night and that it was probably software updates! The amount I owe on data I didn’t use is R3341.00!! (Luckily I still had most of my bundle left or it would have been much more).

I told them it is impossible as all my updates I do manually on Wi-Fi at work. Nashua logged a billing query with Vodacom and they came back saying it was a legit download and that I am responsible to pay the bill. The consultant at Nashua also told me that they are getting many queries like mine daily on Samsung and iPhone devices. Some clients get surprise bills of more than R10 000.00 for data they say they did not use.

I monitored my data usage very carefully not to go over the limit of the bundle because I know how ridiculous the out of bundle data rates are with Vodacom. And still this happened.
I bought a prepaid sim and data bundles from Cell C and use that now. These devices can be very costly on contract.
Be carefull!
 
The OOB-Shark strikes again! Still I see no traction on Nashua's part to implement some protection for their customers, nor have I heard of anything significant on Vodacom's part since Jannie's promises that it would be addressed. Unless I missed it...?
 
I wonder if one can make a case against service providers for selling you a device with auto update activated not notifying you about it and then ripping you a new one.

I really loathe the way they take advantage and especially that they can lock prepaid sims but somehow are incapable of locking contract sims.

By the way you can set a 3G data limit and see your usage on android ICS and up (settings\data usage)
 
Heard about iPhone users getting massive bills on downloads that weren't getting completed. What phone you use OP?
 
I was informed that a file of 7gb was downloaded during the night and that it was probably software updates!
Click to expand...

How would they know what it was? 7GB worth of updates? :wtf:

Ask to see usage logs.

Do you have kids? :erm: The OOB shark LOVES kids...
 
Why would they implement anything when its easy money for them. The nonsense they spew about prepaid and contract being on different platforms so they can cut you off on contract is very old. We were hearing that for more than a few years. If Vodacom had any credibility they would have implemented something by now to protect the users.
 
Budza, I asked for a detailed log but they say it is against the law to be able for a service provider to see what sites was accessed. It has something to do with the right to privacy. They said that it is not that they can't tell me, they actually can't see what was downloaded.
I also said WTF when I was told it was probably software updates..
No kids.
 
RE the logs, they should at least show you the data usage over time- IE, a total of 7GB was downloaded (uploaded?) between 2-3am. That comes standard in itemised billing.

Check all the numbers add up there, that may reveal what might have used the data.

R3k bill when your SIM limit is R300? I'd dispute that too...

Are you on an Android tablet? Check if updates are set to WiFi only, and not to auto update...
 
With my android devices (and ipad as well) I've done the following :

Android devices :

1. Every new app I download, I disable automatic updates.
2. Any automatic update(s) is disabled.
3. Prepaid SIM in use.
4. Whenever I update applications, I disable packet data, and enable wifi, and then I do the update(s).
5. Most of my internet stuff is done via wifi anyway.

iPad :

1. Prepaid SIM, which is disabled most of the times, except when the internet is down or something like that.
2. iPad apps update via wifi.
3. iPad connects via wifi to the Internet, unless (1) happens


Only once, when I connected my iPad to the internet via 3G, it drained my airtime due to iTunes updating some apps :mad: :(

And on my Samsung phone the facebook app drained my airtime :mad: So I uninstalled it :D



But so far it's all good. No more missing airtime etc.
 
xlungu said:
I monitored my data usage very carefully not to go over the limit of the bundle because I know how ridiculous the out of bundle data rates are with Vodacom. And still this happened.
I bought a prepaid sim and data bundles from Cell C and use that now. These devices can be very costly on contract.
Be carefull!
Click to expand...

With R3341.00 on CellC you could get about 22GB at the standard rate without their specials. With Vodacom, you will be blamed. You will be told that there are protection, limits, notifications and a whole lot of BS... but at the end of they day they have actually designed their packages to screw you with the R2/MB OOB. They could sell you the balance (after the fact) of the data usage at a bundle value (MyGig 20 Standard on prepaid is R3199 for 20GB @ 16c/MB), but the idea for them is to make money out of unsuspecting customers.

All I can say is sorry, please tell everyone you know about how you got screwed over with Vodacom.
 
geez 7 gigs of updates for a phone!!!! Demand proof that YOU did those kind of downloads! Demand it, but guess they just debit your account regardless :-)
 
If they tell you a 7gb file was downloaded then ask them to prove it. No updates, not even Windows updates, can amount to 7gb, even if you skipped 10 years worth of updates....
 
Budza said:
RE the logs, they should at least show you the data usage over time- IE, a total of 7GB was downloaded (uploaded?) between 2-3am. That comes standard in itemised billing.

Check all the numbers add up there, that may reveal what might have used the data.

R3k bill when your SIM limit is R300? I'd dispute that too...

Are you on an Android tablet? Check if updates are set to WiFi only, and not to auto update...
Click to expand...

They told me it was just one file of 7gb downloaded. It was between 5 pm and 8 am the next morning. They sent me the itemised billing and it only shows the data coming off my bundle and then when the bundle ended it started charging.
Imagine if we had world class download speeds..
It’s a Samsung tablet and everything is set to not update by itself. Had it for about 8 months now.

The terms and conditions of the limit states that it cannot be guaranteed that the sim will be locked when the limit is reached. Loophole for Nashua.
 
Vis1/0N said:
With R3341.00 on CellC you could get about 22GB at the standard rate without their specials. With Vodacom, you will be blamed. You will be told that there are protection, limits, notifications and a whole lot of BS... but at the end of they day they have actually designed their packages to screw you with the R2/MB OOB. They could sell you the balance (after the fact) of the data usage at a bundle value (MyGig 20 Standard on prepaid is R3199 for 20GB @ 16c/MB), but the idea for them is to make money out of unsuspecting customers.

All I can say is sorry, please tell everyone you know about how you got screwed over with Vodacom.
Click to expand...

The culprit here is Nashua, not Vodacom. Nashua have to put systems in place to protect their customers, just like Vodacom have to do for theirs...
 
Well, if it was an OS update, the most it could be would be around 500mb.

Next, see what apps you have installed and get some gauge (playstore / iTunes) and see if they come anywhere near the 7GB - if its Android, the figure will be less because it does Delta updates.

Then, check the data usage logs on your tablet - Android has a good built in one.

Unless you were specifically downloading / streaming something, i don't see how 7 GB would get used so quickly.
 
How would they know it was 1 file :confused:

I've also not heard of a single file 7GB update, even from games.

I think if you start an update over wifi, and switch to 3G for whatever reason, the update might complete. Still, I've got no idea what would require 7GB worth though...

8 months with no problems, sounds even more suspicious. A new user getting bent over the barrel is more likely. Once you know the OS, this kind of surprise shouldn't happen.

A mate of mine (ADSL, long ago when price per MB was high) sent an email with some pics attached, and left PC on overnight. The mail server rejected the mail as it was too big, and his Outlook or whatever just kept retrying to send the mail- he clocked up a R2k OOB bill :mad:

Sometimes the software does spaz out, and you get nailed. :(

Will they absolutely not charge you anything less than full OOB rates? Could you argue a 5GB bundle goes for R400, and just pay R400?

OOB shark should be illegal. Reckless lending or something.

Volkyrie said:
Then, check the data usage logs on your tablet - Android has a good built in one.
Click to expand...

YES- let us know what it was.
 
xlungu said:
The terms and conditions of the limit states that it cannot be guaranteed that the sim will be locked when the limit is reached. Loophole for Nashua.
Click to expand...

This is why I've only had the one dealing with Nashua Mobile, got burnt and never again had a contract with any provider.
You could always ask Vodacom for data logs and IP's in use during that time.

Nashua Mobile is a *** experience, one way or another and I have and will continue to urge people to stay away from them.
 
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