Do I have a case against Vodacom

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ratinakage

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Hi guys,

I have had a pretty frustrating time with Vodacom business solutions. I called up Friday and asked about an upgrade from the Weekender to Top-Up 315 and whether or not I would be able to get the N81 8GB free on that package. I spoke to the supervisor who told me I would be able to get the N81 8GB free on the Top-Up 315.

Based on that information, I changed over to the plan. He told me I could go into any Vodacom shop and get my phone.

On Saturday I tried shop after shop (Celucity, Vodashop...). Each of them told me they were out of the N81 8GB until finally one admitted that Vodacom didn't stock that phone, but only the N81 SD. I was actually told that there might be a shop somewhere that has it if the owner went to the far east and got some. Apparently each shop is individually owned so none can check on any other shop's stock. :confused:

I asked why all Vodacom shops have the N81 8GB in the window if none of them stock it... I was not given any sort of logical answer. One person told me that it says 8GB but is actually a 2GB phone... Hmmm that does not sound very legal. Vodacom was supposed to call me back about my problem. Obviously, I never received a call.

WTF?!? I upgraded my contract and wasted my Saturday looking for a phone that doesn't exist despite being in every shop window.

Any suggestions?

Cheers,
G
 
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Take them to small claims court.

I think you can claim up to R7000 damages. They'll probably just settle out of court to avoid the bad PR, and if small claims court can rule in favour of a drug dealer I think you have a good chance.

The small claims court did in fact rule in favour of a drug dealer in this country, I'm sure it was posted on this website somewhere...
 
Do you have any evidence in writing that you could get the n81 8gb from vodacom for free if you upgraded?
 
Threepwood said:
The small claims court did in fact rule in favour of a drug dealer in this country, I'm sure it was posted on this website somewhere...
Click to expand...
bit OT, but just wanted to know what portfolio this guy now holds in parliament.:eek:
 
Whether vodacom stock the n81 8GB is actually irrelevant.... when pressed, they will be able to provide one...

What is relevant here, is whether this person has any documented evidence that he was promised an N81 8GB as being available to him free on his upgrade to Talk 315
 
ToxicBunny said:
Whether vodacom stock the n81 8GB is actually irrelevant.... when pressed, they will be able to provide one...

What is relevant here, is whether this person has any documented evidence that he was promised an N81 8GB as being available to him free on his upgrade to Talk 315
Click to expand...

I don't have any written evidence that they told me that I could get the N81 8GB free on the Top-Up 315. Only a number of phone calls (which I think Vodacom record). I guess I could try record another call and catch them in the act.

Also the fact that EVERY vodashop in this country have the N81 8GB as their display model in the window. Probably because it looks slightly cooler. Has grey sides instead of blue. The salesman (not sure how much BS he was spinning) told me yes it says 8GB on the phone but its actually only a 2GB internally... Whatever! The most likely explanation is that these guys will say anything to make a sale and once the guys signs on the dotted line and gets their phone and realizes it's not the one in the window, they will just think screw it, I'm not going to all the trouble...

Anyway, I don't want to take them to the small claims court. I just want the phone I was offered.
 
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Unless you yourself have physical evidence that you were promised that phone, you may as well give up and get over it.

There will be a lil disclaimer in the window adverts along the lines of "phone may not be identical to display model" or something of that nature.
 
Lol theres alot of stupid people in this world and the person that told you can get the N81 8gb is one of them. Voda hasnt recieved the N81 8Gb, no1 has it coz its not out yet!

So its like BMW giving you a quote for the new M3 Csl (Which isnt out yet).

So yes you can have the quote, but if theres no phone, theres no phone, only when the phones comes out can you get it free on your R315 package.... which is cheap coz the phone will be quite expensive.

Your quote also expires in 7 days if im not mistaken.
 
JK8 said:
Lol theres alot of stupid people in this world and the person that told you can get the N81 8gb is one of them. Voda hasnt recieved the N81 8Gb, no1 has it coz its not out yet!

So its like BMW giving you a quote for the new M3 Csl (Which isnt out yet).

So yes you can have the quote, but if theres no phone, theres no phone, only when the phones comes out can you get it free on your R315 package.... which is cheap coz the phone will be quite expensive.

Your quote also expires in 7 days if im not mistaken.
Click to expand...

Well the 8GB version of the phone has been out in Europe for a number of months. Perhaps they are still trying to dump the older model on South Africa. But then they shouldn't quote me on the phone or advertise it in their shop windows.

http://www.mobilechoiceuk.com/News/Deal+Of+The+Day+-+Nokia+N81+8Gb+-+under+%A322+per+month/1332
 
JK8 said:
We not Europe.
Agreed they should not have quoted you.
Lol its a dummy phone, made of plastic...
Click to expand...

Yah, we'll see. I don't think they are allowed to advertise a product they don't sell... Otherwise they just taking the public for a ride...
 
Where exactly are they specifically advertising the N81 8GB model?...

You may have been verbally told you can get one, but you need physical proof to do anything about this.

I hunted around yesterday afternoon and saw no mention anywhere of VC selling the n81 8GB....
 
Is there a difference in looks between the N81 SD and the N81 8GB?
Voda has the SD which is the standard version, not the 8GB yet.

Does the dummy phone have 8gb written on it somewhere?
 
Threepwood said:
Take them to small claims court. I think you can claim up to R7000 damages.
Click to expand...

Thank you. If ICASA does not sort out my case against Vodacom, I'll be going through that route.

I ported out from Vodacom to MTN and canceled my contract. Vodacom created a new number and have been charging me subscription for 9 months. They claim that its their procedure to do so when a person ports out from them and does not cancel a contract.

Shocking!
 
ToxicBunny said:
Whether vodacom stock the n81 8GB is actually irrelevant.... when pressed, they will be able to provide one...

What is relevant here, is whether this person has any documented evidence that he was promised an N81 8GB as being available to him free on his upgrade to Talk 315
Click to expand...

All calls are recorded remember? :D
 
Landyman : yeah, I know this, although it would prove difficult for him to get those recordings out of VC...
 
JK8 said:
Is there a difference in looks between the N81 SD and the N81 8GB?
Click to expand...

Besides for the disk space? It's sides are blue instead of grey. Otherwise not much that I know of....

JK8 said:
Voda has the SD which is the standard version, not the 8GB yet.

Does the dummy phone have 8gb written on it somewhere?
Click to expand...
It does. It has 8gb written on the front. That's what confusese the salesman in the shop and causes him to tell me "uh. it says 8gb but its actually only got two gb inside".

Btw. The guy from Vodacom called me today with some story about how for quality reasons Vodacom are still testing the N81 8GB. Apparently there are software issues and he had no idea when it would be OKed for SA use. He asked me if I want a different phone?

Not sure I should go easy on these guys. I mean after all the lies and false advertising, you'd think I'd at least be offered something for my trouble...
 
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