Vodacom nailed over its 4G/LTE coverage claim

Hahahaha.... First it was their use of 4G, now it is advertising LTE in remote areas :D

Sucks to be Vodacom
 
I have the full ruling pdf in my email as the complainant. Vodacom tried to prove their coverage claim but stats like 13% lte and 3g coverage in rural areas. They consider rural areas areas that has 500 or less people and no urban development.

This means that their actual remote coverage in terms of lte and 3g is even less.... Shame on you Vodacom for misleading consumers like this. They took ages with their responses to the ASA delaying this matter from early November 2015.
 
I enjoyed that advertisement, most are always horrible. I have to agree with the judgment.
 
Insint said:
I enjoyed that advertisement, most are always horrible. I have to agree with the judgment.
Click to expand...

Eish, that pastor AB made sure he was there for the party afterwards :)

However, they should not be allowed to get away with these type of claims.
 
Pffft, coverage in rural areas??? I'm on "no service" at work all day, and when I do get signal, I can enjoy the vast benefits of EDGE. Tried for months now to get someone at Vodacom to install one of those Vodafone indoor amplifier things, no luck.
 
Has anybody kept count since their "cheapest mobile internet in the world" claim?
 
The ASA found that Vodacom’s advertisement was misleading, and ordered Vodacom to withdraw it with immediate effect
Click to expand...

Well... seems there isn't much that's going to stop them from pulling another one. A heavy fine would have had more impact and been a better deterrent on these suckers
 
The ASA ruled that the 4G/LTE rural coverage is not extensive enough. Vodacom accepts that and will comply with the ruling. Though we showed many, many locations wth exactly the setting in the ad covered by LTE. I spent many an hour compiling Google Earh screenshots showing this. :)

Must say, the ASA Iis one of the governing bodies I have a lot of respect for. Wish we could see similar levels of capability and work ethics in other areas.

This s ruling does not detract from the fact that Vodacom has, by far, the biggest LTE network as well as the biggest mobile network in SA. You still have a better chance to get LTE, in rural and urban, on Vodacom than any other network. And the rollout is not slowing down.

We've already started rolling out mobile LTE-A as well.
 
Last edited:
Is Vodacom ever going to have data pricing in line with MTN?

Their around R50 a gig isn't bad at all (via Axxess or Afrihost per month or the MTN onetime bundles)
 
Arguing who has the most extensive coverage is like arguing who has the biggest balls. Means nothing if you're not the one that's been "having it."
 
Swa said:
Arguing who has the most extensive coverage is like arguing who has the biggest balls. Means nothing if you're not the one that's been "having it."
Click to expand...

Indeed, but with Vodacom you've got the biggest chance, right. ;)

How's the spectrum efficiency model coming along? Remember to include these rural sites as well.
 
Last edited:
jannievanzyl said:
The ASA ruled that the 4G/LTE rural coverage is not extensive enough. Vodacom accepts that and will comply with the ruling. Though we showed many, many locations wth exactly the setting in the ad covered by LTE. I spent many an hour compiling Google Earh screenshots showing this. :)
Click to expand...

Isn't it nice to know that a 5 minute complaint to a proper regulator can result in a large, faceless corporation pissing away tens of thousands in wasted time and lawyers fees.

I'll just call it revenge, for all the **** Vodacon gets away with because they're too big to take to court.
 
I don't agree entirely on the ASA. They may function well most of the time but are pretty toothless in this sort of thing and the operators get away with it. Vodacom should rightly be forced to run an advert stating they don't have extensive rural coverage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X