Massive Vodacom data bills

[gizmoza]

Hi Gizmoza

I have checked the connection you referring to and it reflects that you were connected from the 1st to 3rd without disconnecting.

Access to internet sites would be questionable in this instance as you would not have been infront of your pc for 3 days browsing. It is possible for your pc to be connected and have applications running in the back ground using data with out your knowledge

I agree, it is possible, but if we are certain that the device was disconnected, laptop was in the bag, so not sure how it would connect with no power and no card connected. The thing that frustrates me, is that vodacom themselves agree that their system is not 100% full proof, but when you request the details of the connections they turn around and say sorry we cannot provide that information for you. I mean we talking about R17000 here, thats a lot of money nevermind just for data!!!!

Why is it that Vodacom are so unhelpful, when it comes to queries, but should we not pay the bill, then they will use all their resources very quickly to recover the money. So I am going to start gathering my resources now and create a case for this. I mean surely I have a right to access my own account information....

If it turns out that the data is a true reflection, then I will gladly accept the data charges, but give me a chance to audit it, why should I as a customer just take Vodacom's word!!!

 

[Lurking]

Its sad that this happens, if i got a bill like that... This is why i always try avoid contracts as much as i can. You put the power in a corporations hands and when they abuse it, you must somehow fight this massive giant all by yourself.

 

[frailty]

That is just weak from Vodacom, If your system is at fault don't shift the blame to the customer, It's sad that a big company like Vodacom do this, Get your system up to spec and these threads will go away!(like stated earlier)

 

[davemc]

R2 per megabyte is downright criminal anyway.

 

[Budza]

Are they insisting on R2/meg?

For such a large amount, you should be able to pay it at the cheapest contract rate available. Even at the 2GB bundle prices, it'll be expensive. R2/meg for something like this is criminal.

Good luck.

 

[gizmoza]

They happy because the bill has been paid, and they wont give me the additional information for me to query it. Daylight robbery I tell you... I am going to see what I can do and see if Noseweek can help out, I see they have done a case like this before...

 

[Griz]

The vodacom rep guy was correct, its not that they dont have the info but they cant give it to you due to legalities involved.. i'm not a lawyer (yet) but the law prevents what information data providers may monitor etc..

 

[gizmoza]

The vodacom rep guy was correct, its not that they dont have the info but they cant give it to you due to legalities involved.. i'm not a lawyer (yet) but the law prevents what information data providers may monitor etc..

So how would one query the account??? I mean, if I get a bill for R30 000, and vodacom sends me a spreadsheet that has random downloads in it, I just have to accept it and pay for it?? Where is the consumer protection in that?

 

[Cicero]

I cancelled 2 Vodacom data contracts for this exact reason. Go onto CellC's options, much better, faster, and a hard cap at least.

 

[xrapidx]

The vodacom rep guy was correct, its not that they dont have the info but they cant give it to you due to legalities involved.. i'm not a lawyer (yet) but the law prevents what information data providers may monitor etc..

Surely keeping such information is the same as monitoring it?

 

[davemc]

The argument is immaterial:
Vodacom is supposed to be able to tell you that the data consumed was definitely consumed on that device, with proof.
An IEMI number or something that you can relate to should be visible in the data.

Think about it:
If Vodacom came back and said that all the data came from a site called www.mymotherwouldneverbrowsehere.com, then you will say that it was not your mom, and Vodacom would say: It's her device that used the data. So, how would the domain names actually help to resolve the issue?

But:
Vodacom have been doing this for too long now, Vodacom must provide a means for their post-paid customers to not be abused like this, it's really criminal.

 

[Cicero]

The argument is immaterial:
Vodacom is supposed to be able to tell you that the data consumed was definitely consumed on that device, with proof.
An IEMI number or something that you can relate to should be visible in the data.

Think about it:
If Vodacom came back and said that all the data came from a site called www.mymotherwouldneverbrowsehere.com, then you will say that it was not your mom, and Vodacom would say: It's her device that used the data. So, how would the domain names actually help to resolve the issue?

But:
Vodacom have been doing this for too long now, Vodacom must provide a means for their post-paid customers to not be abused like this, it's really criminal.

/wonders how many people clicked that link...

 

[gizmoza]

Surely keeping such information is the same as monitoring it?

i agree... If you have the records on file, but cant provide the customer the information, then why are you keeping it on file??

 

[VodacomData]

@VodacomData. Again this thread and the many other before it clearly shows the need for Vodacom to do something about the lack of real-time billing and hard caps on contract. If you had the systems in place (as you should have) then there wouldn't be a need for this thread and your customer would not be in the pain they are now.

It really is shameful state of affairs.

There will be real time billing if everyone goes on to topup or prepaid.

 

[VodacomData]

i agree... If you have the records on file, but cant provide the customer the information, then why are you keeping it on file??

To be honest , even if you did have the URL records , it still wouldn't set your mind at ease. The amount of data you used in your connection could never be incurred by normal browsing. You would probably need to sit infront of your pc for a whole year just browsing , i might be exagerating a bit , its just to make you understand.

Also your connection ran for 2 days straight , i doubt you were sitting there all that time. So if you were not physicaly browsing then getting URL info is not going to help. If you were not at your pc while data was running then it means that the pc was running apps on its own.

Vodacom cannot take responsibility for what is happening on any end user pc or phone for that matter.We do guarantee that you would be billed correctly for the amount of data recorded over your SIM / IMSI.

 

[renierp]

I'm with nashua mobile, also queried a large data bill on my iPhone which seemed impossible. They informed me that I need a court order to obtain URL's or IP addresses of all data. All in all it will be a huge process. Sad part is, without that it is almost impossible to track usage. I suggest you remove the contract sim and use a prepaid sim for a month. If there are still charges... Nail them!

 

[VodacomData]

I'm with nashua mobile, also queried a large data bill on my iPhone which seemed impossible. They informed me that I need a court order to obtain URL's or IP addresses of all data. All in all it will be a huge process. Sad part is, without that it is almost impossible to track usage. I suggest you remove the contract sim and use a prepaid sim for a month. If there are still charges... Nail them!

Or just try to be more responsible with data usage , i work for Vodacom and i am paraniod about data usage.

 

[Grouter]

There will be real time billing if everyone goes on to topup or prepaid.

I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at that one. I sincerely hope it's meant tongue-in-cheek, because if not, it's the most damning assessment of the whole vodacom post-paid billing system I've yet seen. And from a vodacom employee nog al.

 

[morkhans]

There will be real time billing if everyone goes on to topup or prepaid.

Then Vodacom should stop selling post paid contracts.

Or just try to be more responsible with data usage , i work for Vodacom and i am paraniod about data usage.

How about Vodacom becoming more responsible for their lack of control over data usage on contract? Rather than fixing it the responsibility gets pushed down to the customer? Clearly something is wrong with this picture.

In my opinion as the "inside man" on the forum as much as you are Vodacom's eyes and ears you also need to be the forums voice back to management. This cannot go on any longer. Vodacom's lacklustre attitude towards this problem over the years shows that it does not care for its customers nor the pain they go through when these things happen.

 

[xrapidx]

Surely, as someone mentioned earlier, this would fall foul of the credit act? Allowing a customer to run up a massive bill not knowing whether they can afford it, or without notifying them?