EDGE costs same as HSDPA according to Voda website

[Mams]

according to the tariff compare page it shows EDGE as HSDPA priced and GPRS and 3G as the lower tariff.
Compare EDGE bundle to GPRS or 3G bundle and youll see...
http://www.vodacom.co.za/pkgcmp.do?action=pkgscompare

V3G: somethings amiss!

 

[Deiphos]

That page is correct, when you sign up for the HSDPA package, you will be getting the HSDPA tarrifs and if there is no HSDPA coverage in your area, the card will fall back to EDGE, in other words, you will be paying the HSDPA premium for EDGE if you don't have HSDPA coverage.

The same is true for 3G and GPRS.

 

[Mams]

That page is correct, when you sign up for the HSDPA package, you will be getting the HSDPA tarrifs and if there is no HSDPA coverage in your area, the card will fall back to EDGE, in other words, you will be paying the HSDPA premium for EDGE if you don't have HSDPA coverage.

The same is true for 3G and GPRS.

Not necessarily so...what if signed for 3G and are using a EDGE/3g phone and are in an EDGE area, u will use EDGE when no 3g available ...aint it so? and u paying for 3g or EDGE?

 

[Mams]

there is definitely something wonky here as V3g said that the 3g package covers GPRS, EDGE and 3G and the website says that EDGE costs more...and that doesnt even make sense..because EDGE is inferior to 3G

 

[vodacom3g]

I believe the confusion is around the few hundred thousand EDGE phones out there, and not when EDGE is part of a HSDPA device. (which for PCMCIA data cards is true)

If you do have an HSDPA card, you'll be on the higher tariff. If you then fall back to EDGE (or GPRS or 3G), you still pay the higher tariff.

If you have a 3G or EDGE phone (or card), make sure you're on the lower tariff. If you then fall back to EDGE, you'll still be on the lower tariff.

Again, Vodacom categorises you on your highest possible speed, either by the device you have or the bundle you bought, whichever is the 'highest'.

So don't be silly and buy a HSDPA bundle and then strap that on top of your normal GPRS/EDGE/3G device. You'll pay the higher rate.

Again, there is no 'real-time' determination of pricing, i.e. you buy either a 3G or HSDPA bundle and get charged that rate, independant of the actual speed you connect at.

If you're on a '3G' bundle and switch to EDGE, you won't get charged more and the network won't try and stop you from working. We only limit your max speed to 384. Or 1.8M for HSDPA.

So, the moral of the story is: Don't use a HSDPA card to just do EDGE, rather use an EDGE capable phone.

PM me on any exceptions (you can only use a data card for EDGE, for example) and we'll resolve those.

I hope this clears it up.

 

[Mams]

yep it does...but pls get them to correct the website

 

[vodacom3g]

yep it does...but pls get them to correct the website

Will do.

 

[MrGray]

So don't be silly and buy a HSDPA bundle and then strap that on top of your normal GPRS/EDGE/3G device. You'll pay the higher rate.

Yea, well thanks for telling us about this BEFORE the "free" upgrade to HSDPA. I think this is a case for the Advertising Standards Authority.

Vodacom was so magnanimous in granting all 3G card users free upgrades to HSDPA, but it was obviously a blatant ploy as the subsequent 20% price reduction was not available to non-HSDPA users, and we were not told about the 20% decrease until it was too late. And how can Vodacom bill based on the fastest theoretical maximum speeds attainable with your device regardless of whether you ever actually get the advertised speed, especially considering that HSDPA coverage is very limited compared to EDGE???

FYI, I have been experimenting with an HSDPA PCMCIA card now for several weeks and have NEVER had download speeds in excess of 800kbps!!! So I now have a device that gives me the same speed as 3G, yet if I had kept the 3G card, I would be paying 20% less now. If nothing else, Vodacom must be prohibited from advertising 1.8mbps download speeds as neither myself or anyone of about ten other people I know with these cards has EVER got more than 1mbps throughput (and that is itself rare). Something stinks!

 

[Skeptik]

Welcome to the real world. If you think Vodacom didn't cover all bases you must be very naive. They know perfectly what they advertise, the effect, the wording, the timing, everything is debated & studied beforehand. It always amuses me to see a weak apology after the fact - with some flimsy "Oh dear, we didn't realise..." excuse. These are greedy money makers of the highest order! Get in touch with the ASA straight away and keep them from ripping off the public.

 

[vodacom3g]

Yea, well thanks for telling us about this BEFORE the "free" upgrade to HSDPA. I think this is a case for the Advertising Standards Authority.

Vodacom was so magnanimous in granting all 3G card users free upgrades to HSDPA, but it was obviously a blatant ploy as the subsequent 20% price reduction was not available to non-HSDPA users, and we were not told about the 20% decrease until it was too late.

If you upgraded between the Friday afternoon we announced the free upgrade to HSDPA and the following Sunday morning we announced the new 3G tariffs (a time difference of around 36 hours), I'll personally refund you any monies lost.

If not, I'll venture you suffer from selective memory loss.

 

[vodacom3g]

Welcome to the real world. If you think Vodacom didn't cover all bases you must be very naive. They know perfectly what they advertise, the effect, the wording, the timing, everything is debated & studied beforehand. It always amuses me to see a weak apology after the fact - with some flimsy "Oh dear, we didn't realise..." excuse. These are greedy money makers of the highest order! Get in touch with the ASA straight away and keep them from ripping off the public.

Again, please give factual support for this statement.

I happen to know the facts, I was involved in every step of this process, press releases, tariff announcements, etc.

Your conspiracy theories just does not hold, sorry.

 

[Skeptik]

Again, please give factual support for this statement.

I happen to know the facts, I was involved in every step of this process, press releases, tariff announcements, etc.

Your conspiracy theories just does not hold, sorry.

<deleted by="ic" reason="personal attack"/>
&
Why not give us your proof that this was a mistake/oversight. We just have your word after all. We don't even know who you are.

 

[vodacom3g]

Why not give us your proof that this was a mistake/oversight.

What I can't get is where you see any mistake or oversight?

I'll say it again S L O W L Y.......go and check the facts, if you wish. It was all announced on this forum and will be in rpm's posts.

We announced the free HSDPA swap-out on a Friday afternoon (to the forum), everyone else from the press got it that Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Our intention was to announce the price drops at the same time, but the powers that be (ICASA) wanted a day to review it.

Any which way you look at it, it was a low key announcement, and in the press release it was clearly stated price reductions are on the way.

We then did the full song and dance on the reduced prices in the Sunday press, nationwide, less than 2 days later.

All of this was discussed in length on this forum, btw.

So what "mistake" or "oversight" are you referring to?

I find it quite amusing (in a sense) that the same forum that was instrumental in campaigning for lower prices are now up in arms about it.

If you don't want to pay the original pricing (you never had a problem paying in the first place) and get the higher speed, swap back, it's a no-cost effort.

PM me your 3G number and contact details and I'll organise it for you.

 

[Skeptik]

I think Vodacom should spend more time speaking to their customers and resolving problems. Instead they appear to be doing tricks with smoke and mirrors which creates confusion. They give with one hand and the other hand is grabbing stealthily.

Customer services is a joke. The majority of Vodacom customers are given the impression that the person on the other end either doesn't care or is haplessly out of his/her depth.

You don't make record profits by offering fair prices and decent service. You do this by milking your customers. RSA cellphone tariffs are still amongst the highest in the modern world. Try and defend that for even a second!

 

[Skeptik]

"We"? you will find that many forumites that v3g has contacted off-forum to resolve issues, do know who v3g is.

Of course, you are right. But I'm sure v3g doesn't need to be shielded again. The other points I made were more important - wouldn't you think?

 

[MrG]

I think Vodacom should spend more time speaking to their customers and resolving problems. Instead they appear to be doing tricks with smoke and mirrors which creates confusion. They give with one hand and the other hand is grabbing stealthily.

Customer services is a joke. The majority of Vodacom customers are given the impression that the person on the other end either doesn't care or is haplessly out of his/her depth.

You don't make record profits by offering fair prices and decent service. You do this by milking your customers. RSA cellphone tariffs are still amongst the highest in the modern world. Try and defend that for even a second!

TELKOM, who charges Vodacom for their connection, TELKOM... goverment tax, service provider cut, etc etc there are alot of costs that are worked into that price, the only things that are overpriced would be interconnection and TELKOMS call charges.

You are starting to annoy people on this forum. I would recommend you not do that.

 

[Skeptik]

You are starting to annoy people on this forum. I would recommend you not do that.

Is that not a personal attack??

//Who do you speak for anyway??\\

 

[vodacom3g]

About the issue of not being automatically migrated to the lower 3G tariffs after having taken advantage of the free HSDPA data card swapout, I too did not understand that this would result in paying the higher HSDPA tariff - I thought that people swapping out their 3G data card for an HSDPA data card, would remain on a 3G bundle, and that their speed would simply be shaped to a maximum of 384kbits/s. IMO the retail outlets have created confusion as Vodashop @ Vodaworld told me over the phone [several weeks ago in May 2006] that they only stock HSDPA data cards, and it is not possible to actually get a 3G&GPRS data card on a contract anymore.

One of the primary reasons for having the 'dual card' strategy is the lack of HSDPA cards. By utilising both the current (50K+) 3G cards and rolling out as many HSDPA cards (I think we're at around 30K), we can ensure enough cards for everyone.

It does not makes sense to give out HSDPA cards (which are as scarce as hen's teeth) to users who will be restricted to 384Kb/s. Rather give those cards to users who want the higher speed.

I'd be interested to know how many forumites either did swap back to 3G or intend to do so? Maybe a poll?

 

[MrG]

Is that not a personal attack??

//Who do you speak for anyway??\\

True I forgot there is a ignore button... I need to use that before I attack people
I cant speak for anyone, but I just have that feeling.

Edited: um, wait there is no ignore button =/ Why does this place not have an ignore button.
Maybe I am just blind.

 

[vodacom3g]

I totally agree that in retrospect it does not make sense to give 3G&GPRS data card customers a free upgrade to a rare HSDPA data card - especially if some of these customers would prefer to be [automatically] migrated to the lower 3G tariff, however humans are like magpies at times - offer them something for free, and they tend to ignore the terms & conditions, I was certainly very eager to get a taste of HSDPA - until I figured out that it meant paying the [original] higher tariff . I still have doubts about Vodacom's strategy in making a speed/price disctinction - actually I think it will bite Vodacom in the arse, also [IMO] the lower tariff applied to HSDPA would have increased Vodacom's customer-base [HSDPA penetration] but rapid uptake would have caused contention on the backhual links - which Telkodemonopolies takes 3 trillion years to upgrade...

No denying this whole thing was sprung on us (the snap swap-out decision) and we're still untangling some of the messages.

Also, no amount of planning could have put a 5-fold increase in back-haul in place overnight. We projected a smooth pickup on HSDPA as new subscribers signed up. Then the free swap-out came along and *slightly* changed the take-up profile...

But we're getting there.