HSDPA crad swop to 3G Card. what gives?

[ant101]

Ok! Seems to be a lot of confusion around this topic, after reading the entire HSDPA sticky.
In short I would like to swap my HSDPA card for the old 3G card for the lower 1 GIG rate. Can it be done?
The thread suggests it can be done? Has anyone succeeded in doing this?
A 3G walkin center (new store) person says it will cost me about R1350 to do this. I think she was thinking in the terms of "downgrading" my package, not swopping the card.

082 155 started off suggesting that I swop with a man on the street, who has a 3G card, and the system will automaticly see that I connect at 3G speeds and charge me accordingly. That sounds fantastic, BUT if there is a problem, then I sit with a 3g card and still billed at HSDPA rates, and there is no way of reversing that "swop". Later the helpful chap suggested I return and do the swop through the store where I did the original HSDPA swop out -a safer bet.

There seems to be a shortage of 3G cards. I'm guessing this will be my next hurdle?
Maybe someone can advise on their previous experience? Thanks!

 

[Skeptik]

There is a similar thread discussing this problem. I believe there is a handling fee of around R300 so that the Vodacom dealers are kept (fat dumb and) happy

 

[Cube]

Skeptik, you're a very angry person. What gives?

 

[vodacom3g]

Ok! Seems to be a lot of confusion around this topic, after reading the entire HSDPA sticky.
In short I would like to swap my HSDPA card for the old 3G card for the lower 1 GIG rate. Can it be done?
The thread suggests it can be done? Has anyone succeeded in doing this?
A 3G walkin center (new store) person says it will cost me about R1350 to do this. I think she was thinking in the terms of "downgrading" my package, not swopping the card.

082 155 started off suggesting that I swop with a man on the street, who has a 3G card, and the system will automaticly see that I connect at 3G speeds and charge me accordingly. That sounds fantastic, BUT if there is a problem, then I sit with a 3g card and still billed at HSDPA rates, and there is no way of reversing that "swop". Later the helpful chap suggested I return and do the swop through the store where I did the original HSDPA swop out -a safer bet.

There seems to be a shortage of 3G cards. I'm guessing this will be my next hurdle?
Maybe someone can advise on their previous experience? Thanks!

I'd appreciate if you can PM me the details (if you have any) of who told you this, it's utter nonsense.

You can go to any Vodashop and swap your HSDPA card for a 3G one, free of charge with a full waranty.

Please PM me the number you dialed 155 from as well as the aproximate time. Also the name of the shop you spoke with. Some (re)education seems to be required.

 

[ic]

...
A 3G walkin center (new store) person says it will cost me about R1350 to do this. I think she was thinking in the terms of "downgrading" my package, not swopping the card.
...

ant101, I know v3g has asked you to p.m. the walk-in-centre's details, but would you mind posting the name of the walk-in-centre & where it was & if you remember the person's name then who it was that disinformed you? - IMO that branch of that walk-in-centre deserves some bad karma for not getting its facts straight & not properly training its employees etc...

 

[ant101]

My apologies for the extra thread post! - I did try a forum search, as I thought this must be under discussion -but yielded zip or irrelavant? (must be my bad searching skillls!)

IC, it was the new store in canal walk, CT, It's not a vodashop/care/ or walkin center, but a new "3G" store, I was advised to go here first by 082111.
Stoopid me did not get a name of the person that helped me on this occassion, she did check her facts by a) checking with her collegue and B) I assume she was phoning 082155 at the time to also check. (Must have been my expression of disbelief prompting her to check!)

Ouch -R300, but still going for a swop.

Vodacom3G- PM on the way..with details, times, and names I do have.

 

[ic]

ant101, all the ammo you will need to swap from your HSDPA to a vanilla-3G, can be [post=546129]found here[/post], I also recommend that you print this letter and take it with you to a retail outlet .

 

[NevilleTheDevil!]

Exchanged card no problem although....

Hi all,

Exchanged my 3G for a HSPDA a month ago and exchanged back last week after receiving that all to well known letter about the 20% reduction in rates on 3G!

The only let down is that the new exchanged 3G card actually looks 2nd hand, looks like it was opened and the external antenna in the box does not fit!
Most probably somebody scammed the VodaShop out of an antenna and now I'm sitting with the problem!

I am not going to frustrate myself to contact the VodaShop again - I have no beef with them but I also understand they won't be able to help me without a lot of frustration!

The question after all the above steam letting:
How do I go about getting a replacement antenna for my new 2nd hand Merlin U630?
I am not in the habit of PM'ing anybody with my problems before asked to do so?

Anybody, please .....

Thank you!

 

[ic]

Hi all,

Exchanged my 3G for a HSPDA a month ago and exchanged back last week after receiving that all to well known letter about the 20% reduction in rates on 3G!

The only let down is that the new exchanged 3G card actually looks 2nd hand, looks like it was opened and the external antenna in the box does not fit!
Most probably somebody scammed the VodaShop out of an antenna and now I'm sitting with the problem!

I am not going to frustrate myself to contact the VodaShop again - I have no beef with them but I also understand they won't be able to help me without a lot of frustration!

The question after all the above steam letting:
How do I go about getting a replacement antenna for my new 2nd hand Merlin U630?
I am not in the habit of PM'ing anybody with my problems before asked to do so?

Anybody, please .....

Thank you!

NevilleTheDevil!, I would just go back to that same Vodashop and insist that they give you an external antenna that fits, should be as simple as that.

 

[Deiphos]

I went into the same Incredible Connection store that I went to when I swopped for an HSDPA card. When I got there I nearly pulled all my hair out, the oke said that they send the 3G cards back to Vodacom, who then proceed to destroy them
Luckily the guy who actually handles the vodacom issues at IC walked in (why is it that someone always tries to look important and just cause you grief?) and was in the process of swopping his 3G card out for an HSDPA one. So we then proceeded to swop my HSDPA one for his 3G one, which was only a month old and I can see that he has taken good care of the card.

So I am very happy, I just didn't want to go to our local Vodashop, because they are totally useless when it comes to this kind of thing

 

[vodacom3g]

My apologies for the extra thread post! - I did try a forum search, as I thought this must be under discussion -but yielded zip or irrelavant? (must be my bad searching skillls!)

IC, it was the new store in canal walk, CT, It's not a vodashop/care/ or walkin center, but a new "3G" store, I was advised to go here first by 082111.
Stoopid me did not get a name of the person that helped me on this occassion, she did check her facts by a) checking with her collegue and B) I assume she was phoning 082155 at the time to also check. (Must have been my expression of disbelief prompting her to check!)

Ouch -R300, but still going for a swop.

Vodacom3G- PM on the way..with details, times, and names I do have.

Thanks, got your PM, need the number your used to call 155.

I know the owner of the store quite well, so will take it up with him. The guys in this specific store is very well trained (did some of it myself), so this must be someone new.

 

[ic]

...The guys in this specific store is very well trained (did some of it myself), so this must be someone new.

Retailers need to learn that new & untested employees should not be let loose on the general public - I'm not saying this was what ant101 experienced considering (a) & (b) from ant101's post, but generally speaking, employees that give out incorrect info to potential customers, can result in really negative monetary consequences for such retailers...

 

[ant101]

Cool thanks all.
I'll try again monday, -can't face rejection twice on a weekend

 

[Diplos]

Why do I have to lose the R299 I paid for the HSDPA card when swapping down to a 3G card?

I am downgrading to a 2nd-hand card after only 1 month....

PS. I walked in to the Vodacom stores in Canal Walk too - the quickest way to get a blank expression from a Vodacom employee is to start asking about downgrading to 3G only... hilarious.

Training? What training?

 

[74466]

It makes me sad, as these ppl, most of them got an attitude problem, and the rest dont know what they are talking about

 

[NevilleTheDevil!]

Good Customer Service:

NevilleTheDevil!, I would just go back to that same Vodashop and insist that they give you an external antenna that fits, should be as simple as that.

Thanks IC - thought it would be a slep like always, but got quite a surprise!
VodaShop Riverside Mall, Nelspruit, Nico to be exact - super service!
Nico changed the card in question for a brand new looking merlin U630 - made me a happy customer again.

Enjoy!

 

[noxibox]

In short I would like to swap my HSDPA card for the old 3G card for the lower 1 GIG rate.

If you have a HSDPA/3G/EDGE/GPRS card are you forced to make use of HSDPA if it is available?

 

[NevilleTheDevil!]

HSDPA/3G/EDGE/GPRS Rates

If you have a HSDPA/3G/EDGE/GPRS card are you forced to make use of HSDPA if it is available?

Unfortunatly it seems like it!
They apparently can see how you connect?

Maybe that also means that if you stay in a area with only GPRS coverage and ONLY use GPRS you may have a leg to stand on without down grading your card?

I made the choice to down grade because I were willing to offer up the few bursts of 800-900Kb I got for the steady use of 3G and GPRS at 20% less.
If Vodacom had EDGE available I don't think I would have made the move!

Tough!

 

[vodacom3g]

Currently the speed limitation is done by the end-users terminal (your phone or card) but will move to the network at some point. This will stop the swapping to and fro of the data cards.

I'll see if I can get a timeframe.

 

[Spencer Davis]

I'd appreciate if you can PM me the details (if you have any) of who told you this, it's utter nonsense.

You can go to any Vodashop and swap your HSDPA card for a 3G one, free of charge with a full waranty.

Please PM me the number you dialed 155 from as well as the aproximate time. Also the name of the shop you spoke with. Some (re)education seems to be required.

I have a 3G Gprs and a 3G Hsdpa both vodacom unlocked works on all networks willing to swop or sell - please contact spencer <edited by="ic" reason="buyer & seller can establish contact via p.m."/>