sms/email when reaching Bundle threshold

Charles Meyer said:
Did anybody ever confirm for definite if sms's are sent out when data useage gets to bundle limit. v3g did say something about this. Has anybody else received or not received a sms. ??? Has anybody ever gone oob
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There is one fundamental difference between Vodacom's CDBs and PPDBs, in that data usage for PPDBs is supposed to update in realtime - this is AFAIK one of the reasons why it took so long to get PPDBs into production, unfortunately CDBs are still subject to at least a 3 hour delay in data usage filtering through Vodacom's various systems, and I would not be surprised if this is a factor delaying the upgrade from 1.8Mbits/s HSDPA to 3.6Mbits/s HSDPA - I expect that Vodacom needs to urgently get rid of that delay in data usage stats filtering through for CDBs.

Knowing that, it is easy to see that when one depletes one's CDB data usage threshold, it could take 3 hours [or even longer] before the 'you have used up your data bundle' SMS actually gets sent out, and by that time one could be waaay over one's CDB data usage threshold.

Usually what I do, is disconnect frequently in an attempt to force an update in Vodacom's various systems, however it can still take time to get an up-to-date reading of my CDB data usage.
 
ic said:
There is one fundamental difference between Vodacom's CDBs and PPDBs, in that data usage for PPDBs is supposed to update in realtime - this is AFAIK one of the reasons why it took so long to get PPDBs into production, unfortunately CDBs are still subject to at least a 3 hour delay in data usage filtering through Vodacom's various systems, and I would not be surprised if this is a factor delaying the upgrade from 1.8Mbits/s HSDPA to 3.6Mbits/s HSDPA - I expect that Vodacom needs to urgently get rid of that delay in data usage stats filtering through for CDBs.

Knowing that, it is easy to see that when one depletes one's CDB data usage threshold, it could take 3 hours [or even longer] before the 'you have used up your data bundle' SMS actually gets sent out, and by that time one could be waaay over one's CDB data usage threshold.

Usually what I do, is disconnect frequently in an attempt to force an update in Vodacom's various systems, however it can still take time to get an up-to-date reading of my CDB data usage.
Click to expand...

No timeframes yet but the same PPDB system is moving across to CDB's.
 
Charles Meyer said:
Did anybody ever confirm for definite if sms's are sent out when data useage gets to bundle limit. v3g did say something about this. Has anybody else received or not received a sms. ??? Has anybody ever gone oob
Click to expand...

I get them. Everyone should get them, both CDB and PPDB's.

If you don't get them, PM me the data sim number and I'll log it.

I remember 155 told you to sort it with your SP, but it seems to be a Vodacom initiative and not SP specific.
 
Charles Meyer said:
Did anybody ever confirm for definite if sms's are sent out when data useage gets to bundle limit. v3g did say something about this. Has anybody else received or not received a sms. ??? Has anybody ever gone oob
Click to expand...

I get them but alas im PAYG. I think this month was spot on but thats when im using the MTN dash ( somehow the correct sms is received ). The VMC dash however has times when it tells me it has started deducting money from my account when i still have plenty bundle still left and even says i have for example:
You Only have 3203436 bytes left before costs will be deducted from your call account
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when infact i still have well over 1GB... raised the issure but i think everyone is aware.
 
ic said:
There is one fundamental difference between Vodacom's CDBs and PPDBs, in that data usage for PPDBs is supposed to update in realtime - this is AFAIK one of the reasons why it took so long to get PPDBs into production, unfortunately CDBs are still subject to at least a 3 hour delay in data usage filtering through Vodacom's various systems, and I would not be surprised if this is a factor delaying the upgrade from 1.8Mbits/s HSDPA to 3.6Mbits/s HSDPA - I expect that Vodacom needs to urgently get rid of that delay in data usage stats filtering through for CDBs.

Knowing that, it is easy to see that when one depletes one's CDB data usage threshold, it could take 3 hours [or even longer] before the 'you have used up your data bundle' SMS actually gets sent out, and by that time one could be waaay over one's CDB data usage threshold.

Usually what I do, is disconnect frequently in an attempt to force an update in Vodacom's various systems, however it can still take time to get an up-to-date reading of my CDB data usage.
Click to expand...

The other option allready discussed before is to then lock/block/cut-off data comms at a predetermined value. This should be an option offered to the new customer on day of sign up. Especially for 3G bundle contracts. Rather be peeved at this point than have to break the bank.
 
Charles Meyer said:
The other option allready discussed before is to then lock/block/cut-off data comms at a predetermined value. This should be an option offered to the new customer on day of sign up. Especially for 3G bundle contracts. Rather be peeved at this point than have to break the bank.
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I suspect that part of the reason why Vodacom does not cut contract data customers off when their CDB has reached its limit, is that the data usage stats are 3 or more hours old, so there hasn't been much point in spending time on a CDB cutoff change to the system(s), hopefully all this will change when the data usage monitoring for PPDBs is migrated over to the CDBs system(s), and for those that are allergic to OOBR, hopefully an option will be available to never stray OOB - which I suspect could be every single customer that has ever had to pay OOBR on a CDB.
 
ic said:
I suspect that part of the reason why Vodacom does not cut contract data customers off when their CDB has reached its limit, is that the data usage stats are 3 or more hours old, so there hasn't been much point in spending time on a CDB cutoff change to the system(s), hopefully all this will change when the data usage monitoring for PPDBs is migrated over to the CDBs system(s), and for those that are allergic to OOBR, hopefully an option will be available to never stray OOB - which I suspect could be every single customer that has ever had to pay OOBR on a CDB.
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True. But then how does the softlock work ?
 
Charles Meyer said:
True. But then how does the softlock work ?
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The source data (usage records) are not real-time (the 3 hour thing), so anything that uses this data (4me, SMS notifications, softlock, etc.) all will see the same delays.

The main reason not to softlock automatically is merely a convenience thing. We could do it, but all the polls we did show people would rather not be cut off, but just want a warning, so they're aware. Thus the SMS notification system.

We could run a poll here. Two options:

a) Do you want to be softlocked and then have to unlock yourself?
b) Do you want a notification at 80 and 100%, so you can decide what to do?

Any which way, the final check is to know your usage on your own system. The netlimiter / dumeter type of solution.
 
vodacom3g said:
...
We could run a poll here. Two options:

a) Do you want to be softlocked and then have to unlock yourself?
b) Do you want a notification at 80 and 100%, so you can decide what to do?

Any which way, the final check is to know your usage on your own system. The netlimiter / dumeter type of solution.
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The problem is that Vodacom cannot change the default OOB behaviour of its systems at this stage for existing CDBs bcos contract data customers that do want to stray into OOB territory after their data bundle's threshold has been reached|breached will be the first to complain.

IMO a more flexible option, would be to release new data bundle types which are """hard-capped""" by default, and then contract data customers can choose between the two variations of contract data bundle types:
  1. Fuzzy-Wuzzy-Capped OOB CDBs [either uncapped, or semi-capped with a CallLimit in place].
  2. Hard-Capped CDBs [once the CDB's data threshold has been reached, then IP data stops flowing]
The thing is that type 2 above requires realtime data usage updating like PPDBs.
 
Syndyre said:
Maybe they could somehow be implemented on the prepaid systems like Topup accounts are?
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Maybe, but I don't think that is likely to happen - my perception is that Topup 'contracts' have their own set of issues - the sooner Vodacom finds a way of consolidating these systems into a single predictable beast, the better IMO.
 
ic said:
Maybe, but I don't think that is likely to happen - my perception is that Topup 'contracts' have their own set of issues - the sooner Vodacom finds a way of consolidating these systems into a single predictable beast, the better IMO.
Click to expand...

True.
 
Not sure if relevant, but how the hell do I get an sms on my USB modem ?!? I used to get(and be able to send) sms's on the control panel of the software that came with the PCMIA datacard, but now with the USB modem - nutting, or am I missing something ?
 
Download from Hauwei.com

Thndr_strck said:
Not sure if relevant, but how the hell do I get an sms on my USB modem ?!? I used to get(and be able to send) sms's on the control panel of the software that came with the PCMIA datacard, but now with the USB modem - nutting, or am I missing something ?
Click to expand...
My advice is to get hold of and use the generic Huawei E220 Mobile Connect dashboard s/w - it includes SMS support, your E220 probably came with the VMC-Lite dashboard s/w that does not include SMS support.
 
I do get the SMS's when approaching the end of my bundle on contract. I also check Vodacom4me from time to time.

But because it's up to 3 hours old and not wanting to overspend, I've stopped short and forfeited a good couple of MB.
 
If the systems are going to be merged or what ever that will be good. As v3g has said it is going to take time & it is in progress. That is also good to hear. With contracts I like the idea of having option whereby you can choose to softlock from day one and then have it unlocked by phoning somebody & buying a data bundle etc.

We are not the only customer that has been wacked from this particular ISP, not by hundreds of Rands but by Thousands of Rands.

Yes lets put a poll together and see what people would like. At R 1,20 per MB.
Eish boss you know I dont know what is a Mega byte or Gigabyte. What is 500 MegaByte how much is that etc. You know all I want to do is do e-mails and study on the Internet.

I agree with v3g's suggestions. I dont believe that 3 hours delay is a big issue. It is not the normal everyday users that are on the Forum's. Let us that understand the issues get the system to work for the majority users out there & warn them of the pit falls.

If only the early warning system had worked for us oob bad boys. v3g is investigating on our behalf (Thanks). It only happens in the first 2-3 Month. Thereafter MM to 31050,Netmeter,Magitme 6. That is what we are using at the moment.
 
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