Vodacom data cap issues and really big bills

[Ockie]

I will test it from my side tonight and see how long it takes to update. Will report back.

 

[Antonf]

I am not sure what more to say or do regarding these issues.

The simplest solution for these issues is going pre-paid. Sadly, most "non-technical" people will go the contract route. However, there is absolutely NO excuse for Vodacom not to provide customers (those funny people forking money out for a service) with a reliable data counter.

 

[warwickw]

SMS usage warning not working!

12 hours after I did a download that exceeded my data bundle, I received an SMS telling me "the data bundle on xxxxxxxxx has ALREADY been depleted and out of bundle rates are applicable"

Very nice Vodacom, so for 11 hours 50 minutes I could have created one huge bill. I thought the SMS warning's were supposed to be that a warning, that you are approaching or are about to exceed your bundle, not like I just received 12 hours after the fact.

I wonder how many people think they are safe, expecting to receive the SMS but instead receive a huge bill ?

 

[Sneeky]

I have an issue with notifications.

I have a data card that is linked to my main sim card.

My issue is that I receive notifications from Vodacom informing me that I have used say 70% of my bandwidth, but when I check on the vodacom site it is nowhere near that.
Leads to confusion as you never know which one to trust that is right.

 

[howardb]

12 hours after I did a download that exceeded my data bundle, I received an SMS telling me "the data bundle on xxxxxxxxx has ALREADY been depleted and out of bundle rates are applicable"
Very nice Vodacom, so for 11 hours 50 minutes I could have created one huge bill. I thought the SMS warning's were supposed to be that a warning, that you are approaching or are about to exceed your bundle, not like I just received 12 hours after the fact.
I wonder how many people think they are safe, expecting to receive the SMS but instead receive a huge bill ?

I had exactly the same on my account in Jan - logged into V4M and checked my available data balance (was approx. 198MB available, and had not used it in about 4 days). I wanted to download a file size of 125MB, so I knew I had more than enough available for what I wanted to use - nothing else was downloaded, just the 125MB file. 16 hours later I receive a notification advising my data was depleted and now charged out of bundle rate. Immediately logged back into V4M and find that I'm now 150MB+ in the red! So much for a live system... just awaiting the bill now... I think I'm going to switch everything back to prepaid, as this contract delay is rubbish.

Another issue was when I received my HTC handset upgrade. My previous phone could pull e-mail, but at GPRS speeds only - I setup the e-mail accounts on the HTC, loaded a 20MB basic data bundle for the month and everything seemed fine, until I got my monthly bill - jumped from R195 to over R670! Found out that this was because the HTC's default setting is "3G always on", so any data used by any of the default applications is automatically pulled at 3G speeds, depleting the 20MB data and billing at out of bundle 3G rates, which is ridiculous. I am now loading a data bundle each month and have changed the default 3G setting to 2G and GPRS for everyday e-mail use (I really don't need to send/receive e-mails at 7.2mbps...). For web browsing, I now use 3G, but only when needed (which is rare)... it also saves the battery life!

Finding out about the hard cap only happened after I went through every option on V4M... this should be enabled by default to 100%, and the user notified/advised if they wish to update it. This seems like a very hidden feature, and not many people know about it - the Vodacom shop certainly didn't tell me about this feature, and certainly didn't know (or claimed not to know) about the HTC's default settings - this I also find strange as they are supposed to know how their products work. They are selling them, aren't they?

 

[butterfly]

I hope the new credit act will sort this mess out. Imagine what would happen if a credit card company allowed you to spend more than tens times your credit limit. I don't think they would get any sympathy. Why does Vodacom get away with it?

+1

 

[JoeHof]

Thank you for all your contributions. We now await tangible response from Vodacom by means of implementing mitigation.

I hope the new credit act will sort this mess out. Imagine what would happen if a credit card company allowed you to spend more than tens times your credit limit. I don't think they would get any sympathy. Why does Vodacom get away with it?

I have to ask why we have to rely on the credit act to change this, and why Vodacom can not act pro-actively on this. This gives the impression of not caring for the customers, and possibly greed.

[think outside the box of daily & current company constraints]
1. Vodacom has to stop abdicating the problem of 10times x bills [for whatever reason!]
2. Vodacom has to realise that they have to help the constant stream of people experiencing this [painful] problem [regardless of the reason they end up in it]

The problem appears to be:

1) There is no real-time monitoring
2) Because there is no proper system to cap you on your data usage. You need real-time billing to implement this. The current Rand value cap is flawed.

Thanks
Johannes

 

[[email protected]]

The solution is simple. Stay away from 3G contracts. I have heard many many horror stories related to excessive 3G use without the users being aware. The best option to avoid this risk is to use a managed pre-paid data service such as 3Gmanager from Flickswitch (www.flickswitch.co.za). Using a pre-funded purse, it loads a data bundle of your choice every month. It's like a data contract, without the contract commitment.

 

[Zol247]

OUtrageous Data Bill

I received a February bill from vodacom. I nearly fainted.....R6998.71 for data only, plus my monthly subscriptions (2 lines) of about R800. All in all Vodacom wants me to pay R7999 for February. I called the customer service and requested they do an investigation. I was told it will take 7-14 days for me to get a response. On the 15th of March, Vodacom decides to debit my bank account with the full amount before even responding to my request. after a day, I receive an sms stating that everything was checked and I am reliable for the payment. This amount is crazy...I usually pay between R800-R1500 for both my lines. I dont have a Data contract, no modem:mad, just a talk 120 contract. Vodacom just showed me the middle finger. Vodacom just dont give a damn about their customers. I cant wait for my contract to lapse because I cant even cancel it. I have to pay them to get out of my contract.

 

[morkhans]

I received a February bill from vodacom. I nearly fainted.....R6998.71 for data only, plus my monthly subscriptions (2 lines) of about R800. All in all Vodacom wants me to pay R7999 for February. I called the customer service and requested they do an investigation. I was told it will take 7-14 days for me to get a response. On the 15th of March, Vodacom decides to debit my bank account with the full amount before even responding to my request. after a day, I receive an sms stating that everything was checked and I am reliable for the payment. This amount is crazy...I usually pay between R800-R1500 for both my lines. I dont have a Data contract, no modem:mad, just a talk 120 contract. Vodacom just showed me the middle finger. Vodacom just dont give a damn about their customers. I cant wait for my contract to lapse because I cant even cancel it. I have to pay them to get out of my contract.

PM VodacomData your numbers and the ref you received before and he can take a look for you.

 

[twittie]

HUGE data account from Vodacom

Hi Johannes

Any advice?

Lady uses Vodacom 3G data card with care. Buys ad hoc when neccessary to avoid having to pay out of cap fees.

About a month ago, over a period of 12 hours, she was charged with R15 000 (!!) for out of bundle use over a 12 hour period on a Saturday night. 12 GB's (!!) was used during this period. She was home during the time, but had friends over, so was not using the internet, exept for a very short period when they looked at a website. She went to sleep when the friends went home.

The following morning, not knowing about the data that was stolen overnight, she bought another ad hoc bundle. On the Monday morning she was phoned by Vodacom, telling them she owes them R15 000.

They won't listen to reason and claims she is responsible for the data used! The fact that she purchased an ad hoc bundle on the Sunday morning proofs to them that she was using the computer, so she does not qualify for a 'goodwill gesture' from them.

Twittie



The customer is by default at fault until he has tracked, hunted and cornered a suitable vodacom employee (or some distant techie relative), which has enough knowledge to uncover the truth.

Else the customer would be told by some customer care person (with medium intelligence or knowledge) that "the company says that [you're screwed]"

But when the pain is in excess of 10 times your monthly contract value, it is not easy to accept "the company's" response.

Why does Vodacom not contact the client and say: “Sir/Madam, there seems to be a sudden excessive usage on your account, we have investigated it, and have found that we have a problem on our/your side, or that we have failed to adequately protect you from harming yourself to the tune of R8500.”

Is there any honest report on the number of clients who have experienced data usage invoices exceeding their package [MB] size by 10 times or more? (for whatever reason)

See, the reason why it has happened, and whose mistake it was, is irrelevant.

Cellular companies should provide practical assistance to practical problems, especially for non-technical people.

I.e. making a 200% HARD cap the DEFAULT setting for ALL data contracts. It would then be at the discretion of the client to request removal or adjustment of this limit.

It is THIS CHOICE that vodacom makes [to make the default condition un-capped] that is the bitter pill and gives the impression of greed.

[apologies for the sarcasm]

What will be done about this?
It would certainly go a long way to remedy client relations!

Johannes[/QUOTE]

 

[VodacomData]

Hi Twittie

The reason a bill shock wasn't offered was obviously built around a business case. What is the 3G number of this lady? Let me have a look at the comments made on the Service Request.

 

[morkhans]

When will Vodacom be implementing a real-time billing and hard cap system for contract customers? The technology has existed on the pre-paid system for a number of years now. It really is unacceptable.

I would love to see someone with bill shock hit Vodacom or MTN in court with the new consumer protection act for reckless lending (which IMO is essentially what OOB is).

 

[VodacomData]

It's almost impossible to have a hard cap for post paid / contract simply because calculations get done after the fact. The call limit facility was developed for phone calls and SMS , and not for data. This is part of the reason why the line does not get locked immediately when the limit is reached.

Contract clients have the option of migrating to Top up to prevent them from incurring out of bundle charges, alternatively be proactive and manage the bundle effectively.

 

[morkhans]

It's almost impossible to have a hard cap for post paid / contract simply because calculations get done after the fact. The call limit facility was developed for phone calls and SMS , and not for data. This is part of the reason why the line does not get locked immediately when the limit is reached.

Real time billing exists on the pre-paid system. Vodacom has had more than enough time to port this over to to the post-paid system. I realise there are challenges when it comes to the billing system, but really Vodacom has had more than enough time to solve those.

Contract clients have the option of migrating to Top up to prevent them from incurring out of bundle charges, alternatively be proactive and manage the bundle effectively.

More of a work-around than a solution really. I have a voice contract with talk minutes with a month to month data bundle; top-up is not going to work for me (and many others in a similar situation).

Given the scenario above crops up ever so often, perhaps as an interim Vodashops should be selling top-up over contract for data only packages, but somehow I suspect that will not happen either.

 

[VodacomData]

Agreed , perhaps OC can answer this. My feeling is that there is more commision to be made on a regular contract than on Top up . It would be brilliant for all Data clients if their bundles could reside on the IN platform (as with prepaid). This will then rule out call limits and OOB charges.

 

[Ockie]

Agreed , perhaps OC can answer this.

Oh my god...the last thing I expected when I loggedd into mybb this morning was to be thrown to the angry mob with lamb tjops tied to my neck with a delicious BBQ sauce on it.

I have wondered about this for a long time now also. I was anaware actually of the fact that the system takes about 12 - 24 hours to update with data usage on contract. I only tested it a few months ago when I read posts here about how long it takes. I ran a speed test on my normal sim and kept a eye on my systems proposed invoice funtion. It only reflected the following evening.

It is a bit of a difficult one. I have had a few people to whom I have given the option of the top up options. I explained how it works and (after bundle is finished, go into internet banking or ATM, recharge with correct ammount, purchase bundle on vodacom.co.za etc) I get this reaction...

If someone is not computer savvy and does not know what risks Windoze updates, viruses etc can pose, then the Top Up data lines is the safest option for them I would say. But at the end of the day, if the client still opts for the normal post paid mymeg lines, we cant very well force them.

 

[VodacomData]

If someone is not computer savvy and does not know what risks Windoze updates, viruses etc can pose, then the Top Up data lines is the safest option for them I would say. But at the end of the day, if the client still opts for the normal post paid mymeg lines, we cant very well force them.
There are also lots of information that can be given to a client at point of sale , and the consultant dealing with the client or selling the contract cannot be expected to give all info that is available. That will be an info session on its on.

 

[morkhans]

Oh my god...the last thing I expected when I loggedd into mybb this morning was to be thrown to the angry mob with lamb tjops tied to my neck with a delicious BBQ sauce on it.

"Nut up or shut-up!" as they say in Zombieland

I have wondered about this for a long time now also. I was anaware actually of the fact that the system takes about 12 - 24 hours to update with data usage on contract. I only tested it a few months ago when I read posts here about how long it takes. I ran a speed test on my normal sim and kept a eye on my systems proposed invoice funtion. It only reflected the following evening.

This has also been discovered the hard way by many contract customers and I don't believe the Vodashops (hopefully not yours oc) do enough to explain this to clients.

It is a bit of a difficult one. I have had a few people to whom I have given the option of the top up options. I explained how it works and (after bundle is finished, go in
to internet banking or ATM, recharge with correct ammount, purchase bundle on vodacom.co.za etc) I get this reaction...

While in reality I don't believe the top-up/pre-paid system is that hard to manage it is still to much of a challenge for some.

If someone is not computer savvy and does not know what risks Windoze updates, viruses etc can pose, then the Top Up data lines is the safest option for them I would say. But at the end of the day, if the client still opts for the normal post paid mymeg lines, we cant very well force them.

Which is why Vodacom should be doing their bit to port real-time billing to post-paid or discourage the selling of data contracts and instead opt for top-up.

 

[VodacomData]

Hopefully in the future