VODACOM'S NETWORK PLEASE POST!!

H

Hummercellc

Expert Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
3,517
Reaction score
190
Location
Richmond, KZN
1) Do you have problems with Vodacoms data network on a daily bases?
2) Are you tired of there poor 3G network?
3) If the option was given to you by Vodacom would you cancel your 3G contract without fines?

Simply answer yes or no to each.

Thanks
 
Hummercellc said:
1) Do you have problems with Vodacoms data network on a daily bases?
2) Are you tired of there poor 3G network?
3) If the option was given to you by Vodacom would you cancel your 3G contract without fines?

Simply answer yes or no to each.

Thanks
Click to expand...

1. YES

2. YES

3. I dont Have a Contract - I am on MTN prepaid and Contract

DXL - mobile
 
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Would love to decrease the topup size: I am on Business TopUp but use most of my airtime for useless* data bundles.

*Useless to me as I would like to play Guild Wars. Not exactly fun at the moment.
 
1) YES
2) YES
3) I'm on PP. Am switching back to MTN as soon as the remainder of my one GIG bundle is depleted. I have constant intermittend problems with email sending that fails... it kills me...

I left MTN for greener pastures... But I was wrong... Going back with my tail between my legs...
 
Hummercellc said:
1) Do you have problems with Vodacoms data network on a daily bases?
2) Are you tired of there poor 3G network?
3) If the option was given to you by Vodacom would you cancel your 3G contract without fines?

Simply answer yes or no to each.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Considering that you have not ordered me not to post in this thread, I would like to point out that it would be wise to include the following in your questionnaire:
4) Which area(s) are you experiencing problems in?
5) Pre-paid or Contract?
6) Which APN? [internet, don't know = internet, unrestricted]
7) Have you reported the problems to 155 or [email protected], and received reference numbers?
 
ic said:
Considering that you have not ordered me not to post in this thread, I would like to point out that it would be wise to include the following in your questionnaire:
4) Which area(s) are you experiencing problems in?
5) Pre-paid or Contract?
6) Which APN? [internet, don't know = internet, unrestricted]
7) Have you reported the problems to 155 or [email protected], and received reference numbers?
Click to expand...

With respect, why should 4,5,6 & 7 matter? Problems are problems. The OP is seeking peoples perceptions & experiences, not trying to conduct a scientific experiment. As I mentioned once before in a post, for the price of the product / service, it should just work. One should expect that one of the biggest telcos in Africa part owned by one of the biggest telcos in the world should be able to bring a service to the market that doesn't require that market to act as beta testing rats. I pay my R449 per month for broadband internet - 2Gb of it, and at 1.8mbps. Such is what I'm promised. It's not what I get.

The apologist attitude towards vodacom around here has been p***ing me off for a while.
 
Last edited:
ic said:
Considering that you have not ordered me not to post in this thread, I would like to point out that it would be wise to include the following in your questionnaire:
4) Which area(s) are you experiencing problems in?
5) Pre-paid or Contract?
6) Which APN? [internet, don't know = internet, unrestricted]
7) Have you reported the problems to 155 or [email protected], and received reference numbers?
Click to expand...

4. Rondebosch, Cape Town
5. Top Up with prepaid bundles
6. Using my phone as a modem, Samsung G800
7. Tried twice. Was on hold for about 10 minutes with that horrible tune then the phone rings on the other side and the call is dropped. Gave up. What is the point? Is my reference number somehow going to fix the unstable network? :confused::confused::confused:
 
1. No, not daily, but do experience occasional problems.
2. No, I am prepared to accept the occasional problems associated with any radio based technology in exchange for the convenience of mobility.
3. Definitely not. I am busy negotiating to upgrading the bundles on my sim.

When I have experienced problems, these have generally been resolved timeously.
 
1) No. Only occasionally and when I move my LDPDA antenna around. (I am in a no coverage zone)
2) No. I use 3G all over the country with success
3) No. Don't see the need to move.
 
In response to ic's suggestions on providing more information and Pilgrim questioning it;

Basically there are two ways to look at this.

1) You can complain about bad service. (like this thread).

2) You can complain about bad service and help to resolve it. (ic's suggestion).

Anyone, remotely sane, will agree that option 2 makes much more sense for everyone, especially the poor sod getting the bad service in the first place.

Working together is much more constructive than setting up polls without any info to work on. (And poorly constructed polls are often more damaging than not for the respondents. This specific poll being a good case in point, telling me that 99.999% of Vodacom data users are happy. ;))

So ask for help and then work together to resolve an issue. Just complaining without wanting to help creates a perception that nothing is wrong in the first place.

For example, the author of the OP was contacted in the last 2 weeks to look into his problems and (when he eventually answered VC's calls) indicated that there was no problem and he'll get back to the support person if they happen again. Never heard from him again till this thread. :rolleyes:

As this is not an isolated case, the problem this creates is that the forum is beginning to get a reputation of people who just complain and, even worse, seems to prefer a place to complain more than actually resolving the problems in the first place. This is doing myADSL's reputation untold damage. As well as the many data users who hang out here really wanting to help.

We had three such cases recently (two in Gauteng and one in the Cape) where forumites complained bitterly and vocally on the forum but when I tried to get their details to have it resolved, they refused to give it to me. Yet they keep on posting how bad the whole world is and how evil and incompetent Vodacom is. This I truly don't understand. :rolleyes:

So, as always, if you have problems, report it with full details to 155 (and post it here if you like). Even if it does not resolve your problem immediately, every fault becomes part of a set of daily / weekly / monthly reports and from this problem areas are identified and addressed.

So to answer Pilgrim; Yes, your reference number does actually fix the problem, even if it takes time. Which is whole a lot better than not reporting a problem in the first place and then grumbling that it does not get fixed.

While I fully agree with Garden Router that "technology should just work", this will only happen in a perfect world and the last time I looked we don't live in such a place.

Wireless networks are immensely complex and the technology is always near-bleeding edge. On top of this we have very unique challenges in this country that make the uptake of these wireless services even higher and this, in itself, creates problems.

The current issues we see with pre-paid in the Cape is a case in point, being caused by a userbase outgrowing technology in a fraction of the time expected.

Every new technology will have problems, be it reliability, performance, availability or something else.

It is thus up to every user to decide what levels of these parameters are acceptable and then to make his or her buying decision based on that. Last time I checked no-one held a gun against anyone's head to buy the latest or greatest piece of technology, be it a new Vista laptop, DSTV decoder or 3G modem.

(For example, I bought the new HD PVR and just like the SD PVR, it must be rebooted nearly daily. This is highly frustrating but I live with it as the benefits (a 3rd viewing channel and HD) outweighs the problems. Also, I've reported it to Multichoice and they told me it's a big problem and they're working on it. In the mean-time I've created my own workaround.)

If you feel the current technology is not for you, don't buy it. Rather use XP over Vista, terrestrial TV over DSTV. For connectivity dial-up might be a more stable and reliable, and thus better, solution than 3G. It's your choice.

In summary new technology will have problems. If this is not acceptable, don't use it.

And if it does break (it will at some point), become part of the solution. This way everyone wins, working together to a more stable environment for everyone.
 
Last edited:
1. YES, constantly needing to re-boot the router, even though it is connected, but no throughput and DNS errors.

1.YES, actually got a call from a network techie on Tuesday to say that there is currently nothing they can do, because the tower I connect to is congested. Three new towers in the area will be upgraded in "this financial year", but then also need Telkom to install back-haul links.

3. NO, don't have any alternatives. We are in a small industrial area in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by low-cost areas and squatter-camps. No ADSL, wimax, Wi-Fi, iBurst, Neotel, etc. Only alternative is satellite, which would most likely be worse, if at all possible.
 
1) Do you have problems with Vodacoms data network on a daily bases?
No, not daily.
2) Are you tired of there poor 3G network?
No, poor spelling and grammar bugs me as much.
3) If the option was given to you by Vodacom would you cancel your 3G contract without fines?
Not if I have to give them the modem back - which is what I took the contract for.
4) Which area(s) are you experiencing problems in?
Hilton, KZN.
5) Pre-paid or Contract?
Contract.
6) Which APN? [internet, don't know = internet, unrestricted]
Default.
7) Have you reported the problems to 155 or [email protected], and received reference numbers?
Yes, 155, and lately they've been very polite and happy to log faults without giving me the run-around.
 
Hummercellc said:
1) Do you have problems with Vodacoms data network on a daily bases?
2) Are you tired of there poor 3G network?
3) If the option was given to you by Vodacom would you cancel your 3G contract without fines?
Thanks
Click to expand...

1) No. But the last week has been a bit patchy. I have moved into a new place (that has coverage), so between that and the Vodacom issues I am still deciding where the problem is.
2) No. I have been using it for about a year now and it's been good.
3) No. Went the Pre-Paid route so I can manage costs and jump ship whenever, but have up until now never had a reason to do so.

ic said:
4) Which area(s) are you experiencing problems in?
5) Pre-paid or Contract?
6) Which APN? [internet, don't know = internet, unrestricted]
7) Have you reported the problems to 155 or [email protected], and received reference numbers?
Click to expand...

4) Century City, Cape Town
5) Pre-Paid
6) internet & unrestricted (both experience the same issues IMO)
7) Yes, I have logged my share of faults. My biggest irritation with the helpdesk is that they never seem to be aware of any outages and are reluctant to entertain the notion that the problem might actually be on the Vodacom network. I currently endure their troubleshooting steps up to a point and then insist that they log my fault and get a ref.
 
Last edited:
Hummercellc said:
1) Do you have problems with Vodacoms data network on a daily bases?
2) Are you tired of there poor 3G network?
3) If the option was given to you by Vodacom would you cancel your 3G contract without fines?

Simply answer yes or no to each.

Thanks
Click to expand...

1) No.
2) No
3) On PPDB
 
vodacom3g said:
In response to ic's suggestions on providing more information and Pilgrim questioning it;

Basically there are two ways to look at this.

1) You can complain about bad service. (like this thread).

2) You can complain about bad service and help to resolve it. (ic's suggestion).

Anyone, remotely sane, will agree that option 2 makes much more sense for everyone, especially the poor sod getting the bad service in the first place.

Working together is much more constructive than setting up polls without any info to work on. (And poorly constructed polls are often more damaging than not for the respondents. This specific poll being a good case in point, telling me that 99.999% of Vodacom data users are happy. ;))

So ask for help and then work together to resolve an issue. Just complaining without wanting to help creates a perception that nothing is wrong in the first place.

For example, the author of the OP was contacted in the last 2 weeks to look into his problems and (when he eventually answered VC's calls) indicated that there was no problem and he'll get back to the support person if they happen again. Never heard from him again till this thread. :rolleyes:

As this is not an isolated case, the problem this creates is that the forum is beginning to get a reputation of people who just complain and, even worse, seems to prefer a place to complain more than actually resolving the problems in the first place. This is doing myADSL's reputation untold damage. As well as the many data users who hang out here really wanting to help.

We had three such cases recently (two in Gauteng and one in the Cape) where forumites complained bitterly and vocally on the forum but when I tried to get their details to have it resolved, they refused to give it to me. Yet they keep on posting how bad the whole world is and how evil and incompetent Vodacom is. This I truly don't understand. :rolleyes:

So, as always, if you have problems, report it with full details to 155 (and post it here if you like). Even if it does not resolve your problem immediately, every fault becomes part of a set of daily / weekly / monthly reports and from this problem areas are identified and addressed.

So to answer Pilgrim; Yes, your reference number does actually fix the problem, even if it takes time. Which is whole a lot better than not reporting a problem in the first place and then grumbling that it does not get fixed.

While I fully agree with Garden Router that "technology should just work", this will only happen in a perfect world and the last time I looked we don't live in such a place.

Wireless networks are immensely complex and the technology is always near-bleeding edge. On top of this we have very unique challenges in this country that make the uptake of these wireless services even higher and this, in itself, creates problems.

The current issues we see with pre-paid in the Cape is a case in point, being caused by a userbase outgrowing technology in a fraction of the time expected.

Every new technology will have problems, be it reliability, performance, availability or something else.

It is thus up to every user to decide what levels of these parameters are acceptable and then to make his or her buying decision based on that. Last time I checked no-one held a gun against anyone's head to buy the latest or greatest piece of technology, be it a new Vista laptop, DSTV decoder or 3G modem.

(For example, I bought the new HD PVR and just like the SD PVR, it must be rebooted nearly daily. This is highly frustrating but I live with it as the benefits (a 3rd viewing channel and HD) outweighs the problems. Also, I've reported it to Multichoice and they told me it's a big problem and they're working on it. In the mean-time I've created my own workaround.)

If you feel the current technology is not for you, don't buy it. Rather use XP over Vista, terrestrial TV over DSTV. For connectivity dial-up might be a more stable and reliable, and thus better, solution than 3G. It's your choice.

In summary new technology will have problems. If this is not acceptable, don't use it.

And if it does break (it will at some point), become part of the solution. This way everyone wins, working together to a more stable environment for everyone.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply V3G - a good summation of the situation.

I feel compelled, however, to reiterate what I've said in the past - that I for one will not be renewing my data contract with vodacom (or any other cellular data provider for that matter). I accept that that's no skin off anyone's noses, in particular vodacom's, but for the record there it is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X