Why Vodacom depletes your new mobile data first

[Swa]

Data isn't scarce, spectrum is.

But you are right about off peak time, but then again, people are always going on about how "nobody can use that"

Not sure how you get to this point?

Networks WANT you to use data.

On after-hours data, two relevant points;

- Free Night-Owl data was started by Vodacom, years ago. I know this because I did it.

- Off-peak is now between 1am and 6am with loads still at about 70% of peak.

Some people. For this reason it's less valuable so you should get more, like 10x. The issue here is that mobile networks have always tried to discourage usage as when you use cheaper data you don't need to pay for the more "premium" data. That is the only reason I can think of why data usage isn't pushed onto off peak times. Dsl and fibre ISPs have even introduced uncapped off peak because they face more competition.
@jannievanzyl Let's stop with the "free" bs. Cell C introduced the R999 packages many moons ago. This was both cheaper and more data than the pittance Vodacom throws in every month. When did Vodacom introduce "night owl" because I punted the idea long ago and Cell C was the first to provide it so our timelines don't quite add up here.

 

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

Extracted from the article.

To the last VC just trot out an excuse. Why? because they know, there is no foundation on which this "Policy" is standing.

And then the VC spokesman does not even know it seems that it does not apply to all of their packages.


So based on the new social media craze, we should start demanding that VC top management resigns for "lying" .

and start a #FIFO?

Change LIFO to FIFO, or FIFO.

 

[jannievanzyl]

Some people. For this reason it's less valuable so you should get more, like 10x. The issue here is that mobile networks have always tried to discourage usage as when you use cheaper data you don't need to pay for the more "premium" data. That is the only reason I can think of why data usage isn't pushed onto off peak times. Dsl and fibre ISPs have even introduced uncapped off peak because they face more competition.
@jannievanzyl Let's stop with the "free" bs. Cell C introduced the R999 packages many moons ago. This was both cheaper and more data than the pittance Vodacom throws in every month. When did Vodacom introduce "night owl" because I punted the idea long ago and Cell C was the first to provide it so our timelines don't quite add up here.

VC introduced Night-Owl long before Cell C, IIRC.

It was really just a doubling of your allocation with the second bundle running after Midnight.

 

[Swa]

VC introduced Night-Owl long before Cell C, IIRC.

It was really just a doubling of your allocation with the second bundle running after Midnight.

So no actual time then. Also was it prepaid?

 

[jannievanzyl]

So no actual time then. Also was it prepaid?

Mus have been before 2010, but close to it. Can't really recall.

Those days it was all contract, no prepaid. Remember how we battled to get prepaid billing in place? You guys roasted me for two years......

 

[BBSA]

Mus have been before 2010, but close to it. Can't really recall.

Those days it was all contract, no prepaid. Remember how we battled to get prepaid billing in place? You guys roasted me for two years......

We also roasted you because your contract system was not in real time, causing your credit limits not to work. I think that was more than 10 years ago.....

 

[Geoff.D]

I don't have the exact dates when VC introduced the Night Owl data plans. However this is what I got out of my records of post dated contracts that I have entered into.
Based on this data, VC only introduced these plans if a contract was upgraded.
2008: Initial Night Owl plan
2009: The double data plan for post dated contracts only
2017: Plan extended to all contracts
2018: Extended to 30-day plans
Initial issues were.
You had to switch off your device and disconnect if you wanted to switch. The system did not automatically implement the night owl plan at midnight. Even today, I still terminate what ever I am doing and restart at midnight, just in case.
In 2017 when the plan was extended to all contract was the first time VC stated clearly what would happen when night owl ran out and which plan would then kick in.
The intro of these plans was by no means smooth with plenty of complaints about normal data still being used up even though the night owl plan should have kicked in.

The latest tariff analysis released by ICASA is worth reading.

https://www.icasa.org.za/legislation-and-regulations/retail-tariffs-report-quarter-4-2017
https://www.icasa.org.za/uploads/files/Q2-Bi-Annual-Retail-Tariffs-Report-Jan-Jun-2018.pdf

BTW, these reports show that ICASA is not impressed with the idea that Night Owl "data" is "free" either. ICASA calculates an effective data cost rate, which is the only real true way to look at "data" costs.

Of course, "we' only get the benefit of this so-called effective data rate cost IF you access the nigh owl capacity on a regular basis, and use it all up, in a month. The question arises then that actually, "we' get very little true benefit from this so-called "free" data if for whatever reason, (such as many of us actually sleep at night).
The only rate you should consider when comparing packages for your own use are the ones that match your specific usage patterns.

I always have a look at the latest version of this report before I enter into a new contract. Even though some of the analyses are in my view not mathematically correct, it at least helps in clearing out quite a bit of the marketing gobbledygook designed to make it difficult to compare packages.

 

[Geoff.D]

Data isn't scarce, spectrum is.

But you are right about off peak time, but then again, people are always going on about how "nobody can use that"

Spectrum isn't scarce either. Useable spectrum is scarce, however.
These days, "data" capacity within the network is no longer an issue. The age-old problem on the fringes of the network is still a challenge, and it is a moving goal post. Each time a new technology is introduced in the last mile, the 'scarcity of capacity" resurfaces but in a different form.

 

[Geoff.D]

Change LIFO to FIFO, or FIFO.

Sorry took me a while to pick on your post

 

[jannievanzyl]

We also roasted you because your contract system was not in real time, causing your credit limits not to work. I think that was more than 10 years ago.....

Indeed, but I kept at it until it was in place.

But at least we tell you what we're busy with, unlike many who will never give any info out about what's being put in place or how difficult it can be.

 

[bwana]

But at least we tell you what we're busy with, unlike many who will never give any info out about what's being put in place or how difficult it can be.

True Telkom never told us someday we'd be getting rollover (FIFO), data transfer, and no OOB shark attacks. They just did it.

How long have you guys been working on killing the shark?

 

[Creag]

“Vodacom data and airtime bundles follow what we call a “Last In, First Out” (LIFO) order of consumption,” a Vodacom spokesperson said.

"We send the cart off first and then let the horse rush out afterwards!"

 

[Creag]

What does MTN do? LIFO or FIFO?

 

[bwana]

"We send the cart off first and then let the horse rush out afterwards!"

They're contractually obligated to operate that way... because that's how they wrote the contract.

 

[Creag]

They're contractually obligated to operate that way... because that's how they wrote the contract.

I am about to port the family out of Cell C. This policy pushes VC down the order of go-to.

 

[bwana]

I am about to port the family out of Cell C. This policy pushes VC down the order of go-to.

TM makes the most sense. With seamless roaming rolling in you've got what is arguably the largest coverage footprint and the best prices.

 

[BBSA]

Indeed, but I kept at it until it was in place.

But at least we tell you what we're busy with, unlike many who will never give any info out about what's being put in place or how difficult it can be.

To be honest, I would not know if the issue has been resolved, I left Vodacom a few years ago after being attacked by the OOB shark. Has the beast finally been killed?

 

[Foxhound5366]

To be honest, I would not know if the issue has been resolved, I left Vodacom a few years ago after being attacked by the OOB shark. Has the beast finally been killed?

Its still painfully expensive. Vodacom prepaid charges R100 for 250MB (they chuck in 250MB nightsurfer as well but that is useless for me on a cellphone) ... I'd love to see a mobile operator disclosing their true cost of mobile data delivery, and what kind of profit margins they're making on data. Make it cheap and give people enough that FIFO/LIFO is purely academic, and we will finally have progress.

 

[Swa]

Indeed, but I kept at it until it was in place.

But at least we tell you what we're busy with, unlike many who will never give any info out about what's being put in place or how difficult it can be.

True, we are kept up to date the whole 10 years it takes Vodacom to do something vs others simply doing it. Amazingly though Vodacom are super quick to fix something in their favour. I don't know if this is still the case but when NightOwl was introduced people had to log off at midnight or else their normal data would be used, but you can bet if it was the other way around Vodacom would have fixed it chop chop like they fixed VLive.

 

[Geoff.D]

True, we are kept up to date the whole 10 years it takes Vodacom to do something vs others simply doing it. Amazingly though Vodacom are super quick to fix something in their favour. I don't know if this is still the case but when NightOwl was introduced people had to log off at midnight or else their normal data would be used, but you can bet if it was the other way around Vodacom would have fixed it chop chop like they fixed VLive.

Apparently it has been fixed but as I said in my post, I still terminate the current session at midnight, just in case.