My R13000 Data Bill

[AK65]

Something really doesn't add up here.

What's the point of 'broadband' if you have to turn off all of the automated facilities that make life convenient?

I agree that the mobile guys have to come up with something better than this......

It seems that their systems are designed around intermittent mobile use - think datacard in a laptop for internet when you are on the move and not at home or in an office. Because of the bizarre state of broadband in SA (still) many people like myself deploy 3G as their primary, always-on, connection...and vodacom have systems like their Linksys wireless router that are designed for that....But this hugely affects the risks involved for the end user....

 

[vodacom3g]

On the contrary, if you regularly keep your AV updated, the update files on the latest update runs are significantly less(a few hundred Kilobytes at least to a few Megabytes at most). So even if the download fails and you try again, there's a less than 5% chance that you will run up a OOB charge like that.

Actually, Roman is correct. Your AV updates can also go wonky.

Had it a while ago with TrendMicro. It was installed on about 5 PC's in a small office, connected via ADSL. Then, in a day or two, they all went ballistic and killed the 3G cap downloading updates.

The problem here was exactly that we saw with Vista SP1, the download process breaks and just loops, eating up your data.

 

[Roman4604]

On the contrary, if you regularly keep your AV updated, the update files on the latest update runs are significantly less(a few hundred Kilobytes at least to a few Megabytes at most). So even if the download fails and you try again, there's a less than 5% chance that you will run up a OOB charge like that.

Sure the chances are less, but my main point you just cannot forsee every eventuality, and the risk increases the less technically capable you are.

One of the main benefits of 'broadband' is the (somewhat carefree) 'always on' nature of it, however the current contract capping mechanism is too financially risky to allow one to use contact data bundles in this way (esp. for novice users).

 

[Iam3G]

Actually, Roman is correct. Your AV updates can also go wonky.

Had it a while ago with TrendMicro. It was installed on about 5 PC's in a small office, connected via ADSL. Then, in a day or two, they all went ballistic and killed the 3G cap downloading updates.

The problem here was exactly that we saw with Vista SP1, the download process breaks and just loops, eating up your data.

Then i must be one of th lucky ones, once again Becoz i have not had it happen to me... Yet.

 

[ld13]

Just imaging if, for instance Telkom switched ADSL to a similar system where you would be liable for out of cap traffic generated before the cap was physically enforced (at up to 5x higher p/meg rate). I think there would be a mass outcry.

Have you heard what they did wrt Local Usage on their accounts and the price for usage out of the Free included local cap?

 

[AK65]

Deleted Duplicate post

Oops

 

[Roman4604]

Have you heard what they did wrt Local Usage on their accounts and the price for usage out of the Free included local cap?

True, but at the moment you still get 10GB grace (per GB intl). Most other ISP also still allow one to choose hardcapping if you prefer (no chance of additional billing).

 

[MidnightWizard]

If my experience is correct....
You cannot top up a bundle in the same month period

You can

Dear Sir,
YOU are the the master. I come humbly cap in hand to eat humble pie at your feet.....

Please can you tell me how this topping up is done It is sufficient to tell me that I am a useless lazy individual -- and then point me to the fount of knowledge where I shall find my answer.

Is there some other way to recharge your pre-paid SIM apart from having to put it into a hand set ? ( I am using a Novatel embedded device)

A few ways.

Sir -- this one is hard for me. I do not know even ONE way. PLEASE can you take pity on a poor stoopid thik fingered technophobe and spill the secrit.


Many thanks

Your humble & trusting servint

 

[Iam3G]

Maybe i can answer that in Lieu of V3G

Dear Sir,
YOU are the the master. I come humbly cap in hand to eat humble pie at your feet.....

Please can you tell me how this topping up is done It is sufficient to tell me that I am a useless lazy individual -- and then point me to the fount of knowledge where I shall find my answer.

You can only top-up your bundle when you have less than 10Megs left on your current active Data Bundle, or after it has expired.

Sir -- this one is hard for me. I do not know even ONE way. PLEASE can you take pity on a poor stoopid thik fingered technophobe and spill the secrit.


Many thanks

Your humble & trusting servint

There is only one way i know of, and that is using the Dashboard of the Slipstream Modem, where it gives you the option to recharge your Prepaid SIM while its still in the modem and plugged in.

The other way is most likely airtime transfer from one SIM to another?

You can however top-up your data bundle without having to put it into your handset.

 

[ld13]

There is only one way i know of, and that is using the Dashboard of the Slipstream Modem, where it gives you the option to recharge your Prepaid SIM while its still in the modem and plugged in.

The other way is most likely airtime transfer from one SIM to another?

You can however top-up your data bundle without having to put it into your handset.

Internet Banking & Recharging at an ATM

Quite a few ways as V3G pointed out...

 

[Iam3G]

Internet Banking & Recharging at an ATM

Quite a few ways as V3G pointed out...

But of course! How could i forget these This is my primary method of doing it.

Transfer sufficient airtime from my Bank account to the SIM. Then i use Vodafone SMS to buy the bundle.

 

[MidnightWizard]

At the fount of Knowledge

Maybe i can answer that in Lieu of V3G

Thank you.

You can however top-up your data bundle without having to put it into your handset.

Sorry to be even stoopider -- how would you do this ? Go into the VC shop and give them some money , which they then credit to your pre-paid SIM Tel number ?

I might be slow , but I do try to be thorough


MDNWZD

 

[Iam3G]

Sorry to be even stoopider -- how would you do this ? Go into the VC shop and give them some money , which they then credit to your pre-paid SIM Tel number ?

I might be slow , but I do try to be thorough


MDNWZD

Once your airtime is on the SIM, all you have to do is send an SMS(using Vodafone SMS) to 100, with the message MyMeg X or MyGig X (where X is, is the data bundle you want to load).

Your Airtime will then be debited by the amount the data bundle cost.

 

[km2]

Wow, here I was sitting feeling sorry for myself over a R300 OOB charge because some pop-under advert managed to chew through 1GB of data going through a 7 hour playlist of various videos about search technology. Didn't notice it at the time, was behind my other windows and my laptop was muted to prevent stray beeps from distracting me. And yes, now I've switched Flash off.

Hearing about a data bill for R13 000 just puts it all in perspective though. Either way there's a horrible sinking feeling when you sign into Vodacom4me while the month is still early, look at the remaining bundle and see 0.00GB. The only question you can ask at that point is how big is the OOB sh-t that's heading for your fan!

Even though I know this isn't directly Vodacom's fault it does still produce many bad thoughts about Vodacom. It seems unreasonable that they can't get something that block you immediately, and incidents like these tempt one want to run back into the arms of Telkom and ADSL where you have some level of control. Come on Vodacom stop stuffing around with your contract clients, give them at least the same billing features as prepaid users!

 

[Iam3G]

Wow, here I was sitting feeling sorry for myself over a R300 OOB charge because some pop-under advert managed to chew through 1GB of data going through a 7 hour playlist of various videos about search technology. Didn't notice it at the time, was behind my other windows and my laptop was muted to prevent stray beeps from distracting me. And yes, now I've switched Flash off.

Hearing about a data bill for R13 000 just puts it all in perspective though. Either way there's a horrible sinking feeling when you sign into Vodacom4me while the month is still early, look at the remaining bundle and see 0.00GB. The only question you can ask at that point is how big is the OOB sh-t that's heading for your fan!

Even though I know this isn't directly Vodacom's fault it does still produce many bad thoughts about Vodacom. It seems unreasonable that they can't get something that block you immediately, and incidents like these tempt one want to run back into the arms of Telkom and ADSL where you have some level of control. Come on Vodacom stop stuffing around with your contract clients, give them at least the same billing features as prepaid users!

Firefox's Stop Autoplay Add-on stops those unwanted things from loading and playing.

Works like a charm

 

[AK65]

Come on Vodacom stop stuffing around with your contract clients, give them at least the same billing features as prepaid users!

+13000

 

[RichardG]

Well

to say that I am not happy is the understatement of the year...

I received a data bill of R13000 - odd. Somewhere on the 19th of March, something happened: Data streamed non-stop for about 48 hours at full speed according to the traffic report.

Either my Windows machine started downloading and redownloading a corrupt file, or somebody hacked into my wireless network and downloaded a whole lot of movies - I don't know. When this started, I was under my 2GB bundle. When this stream eventually stopped, R11000 of bandwidth had been used. I know this wasn't a zombie or trojan attack because the traffic was down, not up.

After a phone call to the data helpdesk, Vodacom graciously cut the bill in half, which is still going to force me to take savings to pay for this.

Whilst I accept that I am responsible for control of traffic, what I find very disappointing is this:

No notification to me or suspension of my account. Vodacom are happy to cash in on my misfortune and I only find out when I get the bill. No SMS, nothing. Also Vodacom4me balance enquiry only shows that the bundle is used - once you're over, you have no idea how much.

So - after many satisfied years with Vodacom, I am reluctantly going to find another service provider, because I don't think I was looked after - and I think the systems need to have some checks and balances to prevent what happened to me happening to others.

This is terrible and disgusting, that vodacom have no pay as you go bandwidth plan, once cap you buy bandwidth.. Seriously this is terrible.
I've heard lots of people complaining but never in my life, did i actually ever expect anyone to run into financial loss, could of been more..

 

[Syndyre]

This is terrible and disgusting, that vodacom have no pay as you go bandwidth plan, once cap you buy bandwidth..

They do.

 

[ic]

This is terrible and disgusting, that vodacom have no pay as you go bandwidth plan, once cap you buy bandwidth.. Seriously this is terrible.
I've heard lots of people complaining but never in my life, did i actually ever expect anyone to run into financial loss, could of been more..

>>>[searchforum]PPDBs[/searchforum]<<<

 

[Iam3G]

This is terrible and disgusting, that vodacom have no pay as you go bandwidth plan, once cap you buy bandwidth.. Seriously this is terrible.
I've heard lots of people complaining but never in my life, did i actually ever expect anyone to run into financial loss, could of been more..

I wonder what I've been using for the past year or so