Vodacom - How things changed.

[Lord Farquart]

I've been with Vodacom since the early days, back when you could pick the digits of your phone number. Every 2 years, like clockwork, they would phone with all kinds of silly offers for me to upgrade and stay with them. 2 Years ago that did not happen, but I still upgraded. This year not a peep.

Contract was up for upgrade back in June already. 2 Weeks ago I went to Vodaworld to request to go onto PAYG, to eventually port. Beginning of next moth I will be joining MTN. I have now ported the whole family to MTN just because Vodacom is not affordable anymore. I don't give a #$@% about a new phone etc. If the phone conks out, I go buy a new one. The rest of the contract must be value for money.

At none of the other providers can I get a month-to-month contract. No, not PAYG. I can also not get a big data with roll-over contract that included free minutes. It seems only MTN offers that.

Back on topic, I am quite sad that Vodacom do not value me as a customer anymore. Even today, when I phoned to confirm my PAYG request, did they even try to retain me. More than 20 years without issues, bar the high cost. Wonder if they still have a retention department?

PS:Have no idea what I am on about myself???

 

[Budza]

Did you look at Telkom Family?

https://secure.telkom.co.za/today/shop/personal/plan/freeme-family-30-gb/

 

[hj2k_x]

Did you look at Telkom Family?

https://secure.telkom.co.za/today/shop/personal/plan/freeme-family-30-gb/

This. I just moved the whole family over to it. Amazing value. Easy to set up. Month-to-month. VC cannot compete.

 

[supersunbird]

With MTN billing issues (and many users here reporting issues regarding said late data usage bills and stuff) I would not go with them myself.

The Telkom Free Me deals seem to be great value for money (but no data roll over but you get a lot of data).

 

[AstroTurf]

This. I just moved the whole family over to it. Amazing value. Easy to set up. Month-to-month. VC do not need to compete.

ftfy

 

[hj2k_x]

ftfy

Do not need to compete if they don't mind haemorrhaging clients to Telkom.

 

[Ecco]

I like this family deal, but the telkom network worries me. I been burnt with Cell C in the past

 

[AstroTurf]

Do not need to compete if they don't mind haemorrhaging clients to Telkom.

Not really a haemorrhage, more of a slow drip.

I can't go to any other provider. many others that can won't bother because they like the security of the huge network or because they don't care.

 

[supersunbird]

I like this family deal, but the telkom network worries me. I been burnt with Cell C in the past

What about it worries you?

 

[Lord Farquart]

Did you look at Telkom Family?

https://secure.telkom.co.za/today/shop/personal/plan/freeme-family-30-gb/

I tried navigating their site, but missed that one. That seems even better for a family of 4, thanks. Does the data roll over at all?

 

[Dairyfarmer]

Did you look at Telkom Family?

We only get the "big 2" in the country and I have tried roaming Telkom on MTN. 3G is on and off all the time (MTN clients get priority?). I also noticed that network availability is like a high school couple, on and off at the slightest whim. My MTN sim (contract) is steady as a rock 99% of the time.

On month-to-month, with MTN and a sim only 24 month contract, you can give 30 days notice and cancel at no penalty. You just have to let them know that the next billing period is your last.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

And one bug bear, Telkom free WA data? A lot of us use Telegram. But no concession there.

 

[Ecco]

What about it worries you?

Constant dropped calls, slow data throughput, calls not connecting no signal

 

[supersunbird]

Constant dropped calls, slow data throughput, calls not connecting no signal

People don't really report such issues on this forum (like everyone did with Cell C), slow Telkom LTE does seem to be an issue currently though (getting about 3mbps myself in speed tests vs 7mbps on Telkom 3G).

 

[Ockie]

At none of the other providers can I get a month-to-month contract. No, not PAYG. I can also not get a big data with roll-over contract that included free minutes. It seems only MTN offers that.

Vodacom does offer month to month contracts. We also have the 4U contract. No monthly subscription and also month to month, no minutes or data (you can bolt on a data bundle should you want to). You only pay for the what you use and it gets billed to the account and goes off via debit order. If you only use R10.00 of calls, only R10.00 gets charged to the account.

 

[hj2k_x]

Constant dropped calls, slow data throughput, calls not connecting no signal

I haven't experienced any of that yet... Certainly no worse than with VC anyway.

 

[AstroTurf]

I haven't experienced any of that yet... Certainly no worse than with VC anyway.

I live on a plot and like to camp out.

Only thing that never gives issues is Vodacom.

 

[voldoverse]

Lord Farquart - "im leaving vodacom and moving my whole family over to MTN"

Me -

just dont do it man, your signing your soul off to the devil and a world of hurt

 

[Lord Farquart]

Vodacom does offer month to month contracts.

Please post a link to this?

MTN 100 min, 100SMS(waste IMHO), 2GB with 3 month roll-over for R219 month-to-month. Please tell me you can beat that?

 

[Lord Farquart]

Lord Farquart - "im leaving vodacom and moving my whole family over to MTN"

Me -

just dont do it man, your signing your soul off to the devil and a world of hurt

Half the family is already on MTN and they are happy. I have a MTN data sim in a Mifi router. Travelled to Ellisras, Kosi Bay and around Gauteng streaming radio. Set to 3G, streaming is up above 99% on any of those routes, so signal is not bad. 4G for some reason hangs up, even here in Sunninghill. Dunno if it is the router or network, but I can live with 3G.

As for signing my soul off to the devil and a world of hurt, it is month-to-month, which means I can change and lose a month of my soul.

Never had issues with Vodacom, so lets see if Ockie can come back with a winner.