[VC]Why do we still pay for CLI? [contract]

[PhireSide]

Hi,

As the title states. I recently converted my prepaid Vodacom number to a uChoose Flexi 200 contract and some but not all incoming calls show up as Unknown on my phone as well as when I dial out. Why is it that in this day and age we still need to pay the R9.50 or whatever it is per month to see who is calling us and vice versa even though prepaid customers get the service for free? I also don't see a way to enable it on my online profile on www.vodacom.co.za.

Also, one would think that it would be enabled by default or that the salesperson would ask you whether you wanted it as opposed to assuming you don't

 

[Ecco]

Thats how some of the networks make bucks. Bloody sharks. At least some networks and packages offer this in the quoted contract price.

Even worse then CLI, why the hell do i have to pay for the itemized bill - even when they don't post it to me?

Do supermarkets or for that matter any store charge us extra to print a receipt with each item on it?

 

[Dairyfarmer]

You buy a new car and ........ the windshield to see through is extra. Oh and you also need to pay every month or else you can't see where you are going.

 

[Ancalagon]

I think you should be asking yourself that question.

 

[PhireSide]

Unfortunately being pretty reliant on my phone it's a 'value-add' that I do require in my day to day activities.

A 7min phone call to 111 and the gentleman on the other end activated my CLI for me, much to my disgust...I just find it really odd that three nights ago everyone was appearing as Unknown yet yesterday the numbers were showing again. And of course today they went back to Unknown

 

[aybbleek]

Yeah could never understand the charge for CLIP or itemized billing. It should be activated by anyone doing your contract. It is actually even in your contract documentation that you sign. The sales consultant failed to inform you correctly unfortunately, Wabbit

 

[Dairyfarmer]

If it is free for the 31 million prepaid customers then why charge the 5 million contract customers extra?

We all know the answer: "Because we can."

 

[mr_norris]

If it is free for the 31 million prepaid customers then why charge the 5 million contract customers extra?

We all know the answer: "Because we can."

Perhaps the networks reasoning is that they subsidise the new phone, so they add on anything else to get a bit back?

Whatever the reasoning is, all I get from your statement is that 31 million people know what they're doing - and I'm happy to be one of them.

 

[Ancalagon]

Unfortunately being pretty reliant on my phone it's a 'value-add' that I do require in my day to day activities.

A 7min phone call to 111 and the gentleman on the other end activated my CLI for me, much to my disgust...I just find it really odd that three nights ago everyone was appearing as Unknown yet yesterday the numbers were showing again. And of course today they went back to Unknown

If Vodacom Prepaid customers get it for free but Vodacom contract customers get shafted, then you should be asking yourself, why am I on a Vodacom contract?

Too late now of course but maybe in 2 years time you can move somewhere else.

 

[Wernerjvv]

Cause for R79+R9.50 I get R110 airtime and 1gig data? Good enough reason for me...

 

[SauRoNZA]

Technically uChoose Flexi is Prepaid.

So I would have expected it to be free like any other direct prepaid option.

I’m on uChoose Flexi and it’s free for me...or it’s been bundled with the package.

But I get R200 for R200 so don’t see how it would be bundled in.

What do you mean when dialling out?

 

[Thor]

Just vodacon doing what they do best.

The real question you should ask is why are YOU still paying.

 

[PhireSide]

Perhaps the networks reasoning is that they subsidise the new phone, so they add on anything else to get a bit back?

Whatever the reasoning is, all I get from your statement is that 31 million people know what they're doing - and I'm happy to be one of them.

As below, the only reason I went for contract is because the R199 I pay per month is more or less my monthly spend with them anyhow, with the benefit of a 'free' phone that I could gift to a family member

If Vodacom Prepaid customers get it for free but Vodacom contract customers get shafted, then you should be asking yourself, why am I on a Vodacom contract?

Too late now of course but maybe in 2 years time you can move somewhere else.

It's probably as was said previously, the contract subscribers are subsidising the prepaid subscribers' costs.

Technically uChoose Flexi is Prepaid.

So I would have expected it to be free like any other direct prepaid option.

I’m on uChoose Flexi and it’s free for me...or it’s been bundled with the package.

But I get R200 for R200 so don’t see how it would be bundled in.

What do you mean when dialling out?

Apologies, I was in a rush when I typed that. I am on the same package (essentially TopUp) so I am paying R199 per month for R200 airtime. The only reason I went for it was because I got a shiny new Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 with it that I gave to my mum as her Moto G was getting a bit long in the tooth and as I anyways spend R200 with them a month (R149 which I convert to a 1GB data bundle and ~R50 airtime a month).

What I meant with dialling out was that my number shows up as private/unknown on people's phones who I tried calling.

Just vodacon doing what they do best.

The real question you should ask is why are YOU still paying.

See above. Also, they are the only MNO that has coverage on my folks' farm so any other network is a no-go

 

[SauRoNZA]

What I meant with dialling out was that my number shows up as private/unknown on people's phones who I tried calling.

That’s a setting on your phone/SIM though and not CLI as a service.

You can choose to show your caller ID or not when calling out.

Also, should have taken the free iPhone deal instead.

 

[PhireSide]

That was the first setting I checked but alas, it was already set to 'show my number' on my phone. 5 minutes after the Vodacom helpdesk agent put the phone down my CLI was operational again. It turns out that CLI on contracts work both ways - if you can't see them, they can't see you.

iPhone deal? Must've missed that

 

[Dairyfarmer]

Perhaps the networks reasoning is that they subsidise the new phone, so they add on anything else to get a bit back?

Oh believe me that phone is not subsidised. They get their money back.

Smart S+ package (200/200/500) is R149 on SIM only, with a Huawei P9 phone it's R269 + R180 for the phone. Over 24 months the SIM only option would cost R4000 for the phone (to buy cash) and R3600 = R7600. For the contract it's R6500 for the plan and R4300 for the phone = R10800. So a R3200 difference. You could argue that there is a cost to leasing the phone to you over that period (remember you never own the phone, or any part of it, during the initial 24 months), but 40% pa?

 

[sajunky]

That was the first setting I checked but alas, it was already set to 'show my number' on my phone. 5 minutes after the Vodacom helpdesk agent put the phone down my CLI was operational again. It turns out that CLI on contracts work both ways - if you can't see them, they can't see you.

Nope. CLIP and CLIR (calling line presentation) are separate services. If your number is not shown to the other parties, someone made an error during provisioning your SIM. If you still have problem with CLIR, phone them and ask to reset your SIM settings or contact Ockie a forum member.