Problem: Delayed Billing for Contract Data usage for December 2007

ic said:
@agerbon, IMO there technically isn't a problem with v4me, where data usage monitoring is concerned - v4me is merely a front-end system that displays data its gets from various back-end systems, and usually data at the back-end systems takes a long time to update or those back-end systems are unreachable for some reason, i.e. changes need to be made to ensure that the data retrieved & displayed via v4me from the back-end systems, is up-to-date, which is why I have been complaining about the lack of [searchforum]realtime data usage monitoring for CDBs[/searchforum] for ages.
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True, but then again, I have this contract for almost 2 years now, and let me tell you this I always get SMS telling me when i pass certain percentages of usage, keep a eye on the v4m too through this period.

December came and guess what i got ripped of in a sense that they took advantage of me by not keep my balance up to date, for what ever reason. I actually remember having around 400mb left and felt bad i didn't use it. (I checked on 31 December). Lol the irony. (Actually that month I had taken a extra 2 gig, 1 gig and finished it with a 500 Mb Adhoc. I usually use a lot of data)

I don't mind paying for it, but Vodacom telling me it's my fault because I some how messed up with my systems setup, now that i have problem with because who's to say they won't pull this crappy excuse again.
 
The fact that, according to some of the threads ive read on these forums, Vodacom expects you to use a 3rd party data monitoring system is complete BS. The first ive read or heard of it was on these forums. It was not communicated to me and it should not be neccessary if vodacom4me was working properly. The fact that they had a delayed billing error is frankly not my problem. I have used the only tool made available for me to monitor data usage, and if that does not work, why must I be held responsible??
 
hey agerbon the exact same thing happened to me and i got the same letter as above and had to sign it and fax it back to them!

btw the letter is an "admission of guilt" lo it just says that you agree to what is proposed

thats the story of our life we always get cheated
 
dhez said:
hey agerbon the exact same thing happened to me and i got the same letter as above and had to sign it and fax it back to them!

btw the letter is an "admission of guilt"
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An admission of guilt on whose part? Yours or theirs? :D
 
agerbon said:
“When your PC / Laptop is connected to the internet via your data card, your PC / Laptop can send or receive large amounts of information ‘by itself’ within a very short period of time – without you even knowing about it! This is normally caused by viruses, automated software downloads, etc.

You can manage your data usage as follows:

........
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Hey cool, seems like we all got the same email. Anyway, I signed my letter of guilt too, and they told me I can expect the money back in 7 -10 days. It is day 10 and I don't see the money in my bank account, not even a communication. Just another bunch of bull***** oozing out of Vodacom.
 
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How is it possible that the data usage on Vodacom4me for a pre-paid is updated almost immediately and yet it is not possible to do this for a contract. I used a pre-paid for 2 months and come the end of the month, I would download say a file for 20MB and then look at my data usage and it was updated within at most 5 minutes. By doing this, I used up my data bundle within 1-3MB of the 1GB bundle.

If it can work for the one, why not the other? The systems for monitoring data usage for contract and pre-paid are surely the same?
 
Dear G Kuhn
Thank you for your email communication to Vodacom.
Kindly be advised our records indicate that the query is still under investigation with our Accounts Department. The resolution date is 21 March 2008. You would be contacted once the query has been completed.
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And today is the 25 ?


And this weekend I learn that bulkbuy ILLEGAL wifi networks only pay R50 per GB to telkom?

Aaaargh :mad:
 
ic said:
@agerbon, IMO there technically isn't a problem with v4me, where data usage monitoring is concerned - v4me is merely a front-end system that displays data its gets from various back-end systems, and usually data at the back-end systems takes a long time to update or those back-end systems are unreachable for some reason, i.e. changes need to be made to ensure that the data retrieved & displayed via v4me from the back-end systems, is up-to-date, which is why I have been complaining about the lack of [searchforum]realtime data usage monitoring for CDBs[/searchforum] for ages.
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Why would they want to change it, You would be putting your customers in charge of the amount of money you can make. I would sure as hell try to keep data usage monitoring as vague and inaccurate as possible, that way you can charge whatever you like.

IC, would you change it if you were Vodacom????
 
Bob2000 said:
Why would they want to change it, You would be putting your customers in charge of the amount of money you can make. I would sure as hell try to keep data usage monitoring as vague and inaccurate as possible, that way you can charge whatever you like.
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Maybe you'd not want to change it ;), but from Vodacom's perspective we don't quite see it that way.

Having said that, it's not a simple matter of replacing a system overnight. These are hugely complex and very big and expensive systems. Just the planning for a real-time system contract system has been going on for many months. Remember the 'billing' process starts deep in the network where the records are created, right to the final user interface you access. So to turn the contract structure into real-time is a complex and time consuming effort.

Because pre-paid came later, it was designed to be real-time from day 1.
 
ic said:
IMO it is very much in Vodacom's interests to ensure that Vodacom provides products that its customers want to use, otherwise Vodacom risks pushing customers away, which in turn would result in a real loss of revenue. Also, a realtime CDB system would alleviate many CDB billing problems - like the one that is the subject of this thread, and less billing nightmares translates into less angst which translates into customers that are happier to hand over their money for CDB services...
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Quite, Vodacom understands you're all a bunch of cold-hearted b@stards who have no loyalty but to your own back pocket and will move between providers at the drop of a hat :D

So, we really do try to give the best service and supporting systems. Even though it does not always seems so on the surface. But we try....
 
OK - after a few weeks wait and the kind intervention of V3G, (Thanks again V3G, I don't know how long I might have waited otherwise) I have got some kind of resolution. Was called by a data centre guy who insisted my OOB usage recorded from 20 to 31 Dec 2007 was correct, and at the same time I insisted to him it was erroneous. Stalemate. Vodacoms offer was they'd convert the charges from OOB (some R500 worth) to in-bundle rates - translating the overcharging to about R88. I told him I'd accept the offer - not because I accepted that their billing is correct, but rather that I wanted an end to the matter. BTW, I wasn't asked to sign anything;).
The guy was very pleasant and helpful, and understood my grievance. By the end I actually couldn't stop laughing as all I could hear in the background were his colleagues talking to other data clients on other lines. All the conversations were full of words like "december" , "billed correctly" , "carried over" , etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.
The bottom line as far as I'm concerned? A PR disaster for VC that they could have turned into a PR coup. The only coup they've achieved is financial, and all in their favour.
Look out for an e220 for sale in the classifieds come april 2009 - it'll be mine.
 
Just the per per click adverts on the portal shows how desperate Vodacom has become, and the respect they have for their cold hearted disloyal bastard clients

Can't expect them to have accurate billing data on the website,if they cannot even mange to keep it up and running...

"We are currently experiencing problems servicing your request. Please try again later or log your error with our Web team" hahahahahhaha
 
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Aaaaaargh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Vodacom !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not Only Did You Not Stick To The Arrangement Made With You Last Month Of A Bundle Charge,but You Have Gone And Done The Exact Same Damn Thing Again For February !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again I Have Been Charged R420 For Data Usage !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!my Bill Is R1000.00 Again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Stuff This For A Joke!!!!!!!!!!

Here is proof of my non use of the extra data!! AND MY REFUND FROM LAST MONTH IS NOT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM LIVID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Unfortunately this is not a joke. I've been going back through my itemised billing reports from last year and it seems to have been happening for some time. Back in June and July, mid-month, data charges appeared on my account - OOB - where the times and usage just didn't add up. Then usage reverted to in-bundle for the remainder of the month, and an amount (R30 or R40 odds) was added to the months account - and that when the data bundle was shown to be not fully used up! (in my case a 2Gig package.)

I'm going to try an experiment - unplug the 3G modem for a 24hr period and see if any data appears on my account for that time. I'll use my ADSL instead.

Vodacom is losing the plot IN A BIG WAY here. I made a request to 155 to have the terms and conditions of my contract sent to me - a plain old text file - some 3 weeks ago. Got an SMS confirming my request, but haven't seen the goods yet. I am wanting to know where I stand with regard to terminating the contract on the grounds that my service provider ain't providing the service they promised at the agreed price.

V3g - what gives? It looks like with all the bragging of Vodacom about expansion, new fibre, ADSL in the pipeline, share prices rising, blah, blah, they are losing sight of something. Umm, and that something would be...? Their customers.

And if I hear one more excuse from a VC employee about december having been a busy month I'll Klap him.
 
Big Kriss said:
Aaaaaargh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Vodacom !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not Only Did You Not Stick To The Arrangement Made With You Last Month Of A Bundle Charge,but You Have Gone And Done The Exact Same Damn Thing Again For February !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again I Have Been Charged R420 For Data Usage !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!my Bill Is R1000.00 Again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Stuff This For A Joke!!!!!!!!!!

Here is proof of my non use of the extra data!! AND MY REFUND FROM LAST MONTH IS NOT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM LIVID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sshot-78.png

sshot-79.png
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Cleaned up my inbox so I don't have your contact details anymore. Won't you PM the above together with your contact details? Colourful language will be passed on for deserving eyes....;)
 
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