Vodacom's Contract Data Bundles are ILLEGAL

[Clayman]

Even worse, then.

The logic is not strong in this one.

 

[VodacomData]

Yeah, that's real convenient every time you want to load a once off bundle.

This protects the user as well as Vodacom from possible fraudulent VAS activations

 

[MrGray]

This protects the user as well as Vodacom from possible fraudulent VAS activations

Well, our company contract users don't have to get permission every time they make voice calls, so why should they have to do this if they want to use some data? Sorry, doesn't make any sense.

 

[VodacomData]

Well, our company contract users don't have to get permission every time they make voice calls, so why should they have to do this if they want to use some data? Sorry, doesn't make any sense.

I'm referring to the activation of Value Added Services , not making and receiving of calls , sms , mms and data.
If you have contracts in your name and someone else is using one of your lines , we would not allow the user to activate services without you (contract holder) knowing about it.

 

[Clayman]

Well, our company contract users don't have to get permission every time they make voice calls, so why should they have to do this if they want to use some data? Sorry, doesn't make any sense.

Dude, just stop talking now. Just, stop... You're making a fool of yourself.

 

[MrGray]

Dude, just stop talking now. Just, stop... You're making a fool of yourself.

Really? So it's foolish to insist on service? All I'm asking is that Vodacom provide some way for us to top up the data bundle on our contracts without having to fax someone EVERY SINGLE time. Is this unreasonable? Is it reasonable that they charge R2/mb out of bundle, don't tell you when you're out of bundle anyway, and then make you jump through hoops to add an ad hoc bundle? Having to fax someone every time you need an ad hoc bundle is a huge waste of time, especially when you have dozens of staff members on contract and loading data would actually cost less than the alternative. And no, we don't want to switch to the "top-up" contracts as the call rates are actually much higher. Is at also foolish to point out the unfairness of the way they expire the data on the bundles?

 

[AstroTurf]

Been complained about for ages, I have done the same (the OOB and new data before old thing).

But apparently, according to Jannie, we are inconsistent.

 

[morkhans]

@garp. Best way for you to avoid the admin overhead is to convert from standard to advanced bundles where OOB = IB. While I still object to the concept of having to pay more for the privilege of OOB = IB perhaps the additional cost will undercut that of the admin time.

Vodacom should have a portal for corporates where authorised people can add things like bundles without the hoop jumping.

 

[Surv0]

Vodacom should have a portal for corporates where authorised people can add things like bundles without the hoop jumping.

exactly, this is pretty much all the OP is requesting, in a very round about way. Frustration can do that...

 

[CataclysmZA]

I worked for a business that gave me a phone on a Vodacom corporate contract with a small bundle bolt on. I hated every single time I ran out of data - I don't own a fax machine, so that's out of the question. I would use the data halfway through the month thanks to e-mails (25MB isn't a lot, really) and would have to sit and wait for the next business day to fax my stuff off. My boss eventually got so annoyed with it that we eventually tossed out the idea and just got prepaid SIMs. AFAIK, the contract SIM and phone I was using is still sitting in my boss' desk gathering dust and free minutes because letting the contract run is cheaper than the cancellation fee we were quoted.

Vodacomdata, it does make sense to have an online portal for this kind of thing. The IT people who administer the phones and who gets what can register the corporate accounts for the phone/account user. Once the employee logs in using:

1) A HTTPS-secured web portal
2) Signs in with the username and a unique RVN sent to the phone that must be entered
3) Passing through a captcha

...it follows that it must be the registered employee signing in, at which point they can load bundles and do whatever they want within the limits imposed by the company's network admins - its essentially the same idea as the Blackberry servers, only all the infrastructure is hosted by Vodacom. If you could give businesses and business owners that kind of power and control over their monthly spends, you'd be raking in more cash than you could possibly spend in a day.

Also: personally, I think if a company gives a guy R250 in airtime every month and he doesn't get to use it and instead forwards that on to his girlfriend or whatever, that should totally be allowed. After all, its the company's problem to sort out, not Vodacom.

 

[KleinBoontjie]

If we have to vote for a company that's the least innovative, wonder to who the most votes will go.

What are the service providers waiting for?
With todays advance technology, I believe it is possible to give the customer a choice. "Do you want a contract, Option 1, where you can add vallue added stuff or do you want a contract, Option 2, where we over charge you if you go out of bundle or do you want a contract, Option 3, etc, etc..." you see where I'm going with this?

Even a Company should get choices in contracts. Like, should my workers be able to transfer money from it or should I be able to slap on data bundles.

It's not impossible, add a few tick boxes. If the software doesn't support it, get programmers to fix that. I don't say it's easy, I'm just saying that it's the 21st century and that todays technology is more than able to make it a reality. Sowhat are the service providers waiting for?

 

[profeet]

If we have to vote for a company that's the least innovative, wonder to who the most votes will go.

What are the service providers waiting for?
With todays advance technology, I believe it is possible to give the customer a choice. "Do you want a contract, Option 1, where you can add vallue added stuff or do you want a contract, Option 2, where we over charge you if you go out of bundle or do you want a contract, Option 3, etc, etc..." you see where I'm going with this?

Even a Company should get choices in contracts. Like, should my workers be able to transfer money from it or should I be able to slap on data bundles.

It's not impossible, add a few tick boxes. If the software doesn't support it, get programmers to fix that. I don't say it's easy, I'm just saying that it's the 21st century and that todays technology is more than able to make it a reality. Sowhat are the service providers waiting for?

// informs past Beans101 that we are still waiting on this

 

[KleinBoontjie]

// informs past Beans101 that we are still waiting on this

Waiting, it's been available via Telkom mobile for years.