Haldex
Expert Member
Jannie why don't you only allow advanced data bundle subscribers on the LTE network?
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jannievanzyl
Telecoms expert
A good idea and one I've proposed. But the best answer is to make sure you never go OOB by helping you (in real time) to buy the next bundle as soon as your first bundle ends. Busy working on this.
There sees to be a perception that Vodacom wants people to go OOB. Not so, I'd much rather prefer you to buy the next bundle at a decent rate.
F
Fudzy
Guest
Jannie, why don't you guys make some mobile apps to manage bandwidth? Like the Vodafone one that comes with the new USB modems? I really like the new one, slicker than a punda on prom night.
Either that or an API? Pretty sure there would be the prepaid companies gagging at the chance to make an app that caters for contract customers.
Either that or an API? Pretty sure there would be the prepaid companies gagging at the chance to make an app that caters for contract customers.
Why even have OOB rates? It's the same data, same SIM and device and same network with the same costs.
jannievanzyl
Telecoms expert
We actually have to many apps, none which are complete. Some from VC/VF, soe from 3rd parties, etc. Busy cleaning it up.
What type of app would work best for you?
1. Portal type, where you query your balance on an ad-hoc basis?
2. Realtime display of your actual balance on the backend.
3. Realtime usage on the device.
1 and 3 are available. 2 sounds perfect but has resource constraints and could chew data itself.
Maybe some combo?
F
Fudzy
Guest
Somewhere between 1 & 3 with the ability to cut it off the data and recharge. Like the VF app. Keep us posted.
OGroteKoning
Honorary Master
A lady from customer care sent me an e-mail last night and this it is about R240 more expensive. She said it is only available on TopUp.
MyGig 2 @ R149.24/m
AdvTopUp MyGig 2 @R385.00
I use MyPhoneBill SA to check my accouns. The problem with this is that everytime VDC changes something the app stops working. David van Graan (I think he ius the developer of the app for Android) mentioned that people should not complain at him or the app whent this happens as he must first get the app to deal with the changes that was made on the VDC side. The app is super and perhaps VDC can work closely with David to make this more streamlined. He can be contacted at [email protected] if you are interested.
I would like to see a more advanced version of his app. You can check on an ad-hoc basis and have more than one account on the app. What would be a nice add-on is a widget that will give you realtime updates. It is probably not a lot of data being munched, but perhaps VDC can offer data consumed by this app as free (similar to the free calls to customer care - I would not know how this could be implemented by VDC)
When it comes to realtime updates (built-in) phones, they are not reliable. So an app is needed where the realtime data usage uis fteched from VDC data servers. I have tried various apps on my phone and they are not correct. Some, like Onovo (spelling?) comes close, but still not there.
I know this lookes like a phone-solution, but it is not. If you can link the data account to the app (which David's app can do), then you can have a realtime / ad-hoc solution for all your data / sms / free minutes requirements.
A lot of people use their modems in routetrs and then you don't get to see sms's to notify you of your data depletion. I have asked a long time ago that these messages come to my phone, but that has not happened. I requested that again last night. Hopefully it will work this time.
Getting back to the topic - Why is it so difficult for VDC to give subscribers the option to enable a function whereby the "data-supply" stops the moment you reach your 2Gig or 100MB, or whatever. Then you won't have to pay the massive OOB rates and if they want more data, then they can purchase it and continue surfing. A better suggestion was made earlier, that you pay the same rate for OOB data as your contract dictates.
krieg
Expert Member
How does one activate this service Jannie? I was under the impression your billing system was not able to do this.
Speedster
Honorary Master
+1
I'm also curios.
To check my data balance I just dial *111*502# - best function on my phone
I also have 3G watchdog pro, although that's become sort of obsolete since I upgraded to ICS.Ockie
Resident Lead Bender
Customer Care 082111 can activate a call limit for you. Data usage will count towards this and will lock your line once the amount you nominate is reached. Minimum of R50.00 will apply.
Polymathic
Honorary Master
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May you can cancel your bolt-on? and that 99 bucks can be better spent with a Cell C prepaid sim. That same money can get you 650mb on Cell CI got impatient again and got my S3 with a 250MB bundle bolted on right at the beginning of June (just before the S3 was officially released IIRC) so I'm in a 24 month contractVodacom SMS me warnings when it's running low but then go quiet once I've hit the cap.
R13...
Honorary Master
We must just add that you cannot set that limit within the first 3 months of a contract. The limit is easily exceeded because it is so delayed you could be 1000s over it by the time it activates and it looks like the limits waits for you to disconnect and only then kicks in.
Speedster
Honorary Master
Why not R0?
Ockie
Resident Lead Bender
Not sure. I assume it is kind of a saftey buffer to make sure the billing system has a bit of time to update. It remains a best effort service.
Also...if we were to set the limit @ R0.00 your line will be locked before your device even managed to handshake with the network
So what happens if I have a talk contract with a data bundle and I hit the lock limit due to OOB? Will I still be able to make calls if I have minutes left?
Ockie
Resident Lead Bender
No. When the line gets locked...no outgoing calls...data sessions etc. You may of course keep track of how much data you have left with *111#
Haldex
Expert Member
Good for data lines, not good for voice.
Which is why call limit is only a solution for pure voice or pure data contracts.
Ockie
Resident Lead Bender
Indeed. The line can be unlocked again by customer care should you request it and provided it is a voluntary limit...not the mandatory limit for new lines that is in effect.
jannievanzyl
Telecoms expert
Until we can seperate the two (work in progress), it's a damn sight better than running into OOB......