Who is lying? *111# or notification SMS.

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Pilgrim

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Hi there.

I just want to know which one of the two vodacom systems are lying to me?

Over the weekend I used up my prepaid data bundle. I know this because I got an SMS telling my I have ~3.5MB left and later an SMS telling me that I am now being billed for data usage.

At that point I unplugged my phone from the computer and did a *111# to see my data bundle usage. I had ~2MB left.

Now who must I believe? One system tells me I will get charged for using the internet, the other tells me I still have an active data bundle. So I left it there for the day.

Next day *111# still tells me I have data left and I cannot load a new data bundle. I ended up downloading another ~2MB just to kill the data bundle.

My question is this: Why does vodacom lie to you? And how do you know how much data is really left on your data bundle?
 
This happened to me too. The most likely theory - well, the only one at the moment - is to do with "reservation".

Something in the system reserves about 2MB of data for prepaid users, presumably to cater for possible overruns if their data accounting is delayed (for contract users the delay is something like 3 hours, but if you have a contract you can easily be charged!). The approx-2MB is taken off your balance and added back in when your session ends. If you check *111# before ending your session it should agree with those SMSes.

What seems to be happening now is that you get the warnings based on the current balance only, then you disconnect and get the 2MB back, and you then can't load a new bundle.

Several things are wrong here ...
- warnings that ignore the reserved 2MB
- preventing you buying a new bundle when your bundle has been apparently depleted (or expired!) except for this reserved amount
- the policy that you can't buy a bundle when another is active ... but that's a different story

SecretCode's workaround (not tested yet - check back in 30 days) - keep your airtime balance at zero so you can't be charged OOB rates. Keep downloading as long as bytes get through, regardless of SMSes and *111# results. If necessary reconnect to keep downloading. Do this until *111# and/or vodacom4me show 0 bytes when you are disconnected.
 
Think secretcode has pretty much explained how the reserve system gives these results.

- warnings that ignore the reserved 2MB
Click to expand...
Just the way the system works. 2M is a small % of the bundle and at most reflect R1. We could always warn a few % points later, but it's not going to make a big difference.
- preventing you buying a new bundle when your bundle has been apparently depleted (or expired!) except for this reserved amount
Click to expand...
I think this is only a problem if your balance is under R1 and 500KB at the last disconnect. Your workaround to not connect during this period makes sense.
- the policy that you can't buy a bundle when another is active ... but that's a different story
Click to expand...
Have picked it up as a product request.
 
This is all very well, but I use my phone to connect to the internet.

I cannot zero out my balance so now I have this 2MB area that I have to get rid of but I do not want to end up using OOB rates.

Why on earth can you not just top up a damn data bundle. It is really not hard. If you have 2MB and you buy 1024MB then guess what. You have 1026MB. Basic math. Very basic math.

Vodacom would rather have you sit in a unknown are where you are not sure how much data you have left and try to use it up so you can load a new damn bundle.

Guess what, you WILL go into OOB. For 1 byte or 1 meg, you HAVE TO GO INTO OOB RATES before you can load a new bundle.

Sounds like vodacom cares more about their profits than the customer.
 
Pilgrim said:
This is all very well, but I use my phone to connect to the internet.

I cannot zero out my balance so now I have this 2MB area that I have to get rid of but I do not want to end up using OOB rates.

Why on earth can you not just top up a damn data bundle. It is really not hard. If you have 2MB and you buy 1024MB then guess what. You have 1026MB. Basic math. Very basic math.

Vodacom would rather have you sit in a unknown are where you are not sure how much data you have left and try to use it up so you can load a new damn bundle.

Guess what, you WILL go into OOB. For 1 byte or 1 meg, you HAVE TO GO INTO OOB RATES before you can load a new bundle.

Sounds like vodacom cares more about their profits than the customer.
Click to expand...

We're working on a pre-paid 'top-up' product to address this situation.
 
Last month I checked the balance, while online, and it indicated 0 MB and R10 taken off the airtime. I immediately loaded another 500mb, without disconnecting. After checking it was loaded then I disconnected. After checking I had 510mb and the R10 returned.

You can load a bundle in mid session and it takes the data from the new bundle. So long as you do not interrupt the session.
 
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