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Strange excessive data use on mobile broadband

jeffdawson78
4: Newbie

Hi,

I've very recently - 9 days ago - signed up to Vodafone mobile broadband 50GB plan using there mifi mobile router for use at home on my boat with our laptops.

 

As I have not used this before I have been keen to see how the speeds compare to my old Plusnet broadband and keep an eye on data usage.

I was therefore very surprised to see my account saying I had used 13GB of data over 2 nights! I checked the usage breakdown and saw a number of very strange readings of the same amount at small intervals:

 

16 Jan 2107
18:34  990.03 MB
19:33 990.03 MB
21:07 967.97 MB
21:25 990.03 MB
21:41 967.97 MB
21:57 765.02 MB
22:10 967.97 MB
22:30 199.16 MB

17 Jan 2017
07:09 11.49 MB
20.21 990.03 MB
20:35 967.97 MB
20:49 990.03 MB
21:05 967.97 MB
21:21 495.01 MB
21;28 967.97 MB
21:47 990.03 MB

22:05 234.86 MB 

 

On the 16 I did download a couple of shows from iplayer (approx 1.5GB) but nothing to use anywhere near that much data. 

I called the supprot line this morning but whilst courteous weren't able to do anything other than suggest visiting a store.

Has anyone experienced similar issues and how did you resolve it?

Thanks for any advice!

349 REPLIES 349

Elaines35
4: Newbie
@Jeffdawson did you have any luck with adding the data cap?

Hi Elaines35. No luck yet. I did the EFT thing reporting it but was unavailable when the vodafone agent called on Saturday. Responded to there email so hopefully here back in due course. How about you?

Elaines35
4: Newbie
Nothing. No call's or email so unsure about cap yet

Update on the data cap issue. Received the follwoing email from a Vodafone Social Media Support agent after speaking to her and her contacting the technical team:

 

"Thank you for your time over the call.

I have checked with the technical team and we do not have the capping facility for the mobile broadband services.

I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to you.

However; you will be able to add the UK data bar on the account.

I request you to please keep a track of your usage and then place the bar on the account when needed."

 

So despite giving you the option for a data cap and the vodafone website saying it is available it is in reality not available for mobile broadband.

 

The data bar suggestion is completely pointless as the purpose of the data cap is to stop you going over your limit in the firstplace and thereby incuring any charges.

 

I think it is very poor service that there a data capping option is not available for mobile broadband users made even worse by Vodafone saying there is one available on the website! 

Annie_N
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

And, I'm afraid, made worse again by the fact that you are shown the data cap, that it appears to work, but it doesn't function. It is my understanding that phone users who don't have that option on their account, because it started too early, don't see it (or perhaps it's greyed out) - certainly they aren't offered it as a "viable" option, only to discover it doesn't do anything.

Elaines35
4: Newbie
It gets better by the day. 😤😤. I logged into my Vodafone again and the UK data cap option is now gone. I think Vodafone 's level of service is shocking. Everyone was telling me they could apply it to my account and they were totally unaware it doesn't exist in the slightest. But it was in the terms and conditions for mobile broadband! !!!!! The link to this is now gone but someone can correct me if they can find it in the terms and conditions as noted in an earlier post. If any of the Vodafone people read this I want to be contacted at the earliest opportunity. I done the whole eft thing which turned out to be a waste of time. Nobody seems to know what's going on and it's pretty convenient for them that I'm out of my 30 day cancellation period. I'm more going to pursue my original complaint further and insist that the contract be cancelled. Failure to do so , I will forward my complaint to the ombudsman and the press. I'm fuming at this minute. Vodafone could learn a lot from EE about mobile broadband and the way it's run

Annie_N
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

@Elaines35

 

I don't think anyone has quoted from the Ts&Cs, but @Nabs and I have both quoted from the Support pages - https://support.vodafone.co.uk/Account-bill-and-top-up/My-allowance-usage-and-charges/Data-capping/9... where it still shows

Data cap1.JPG

I've included most of the page, so to view it properly you'll need to open the image in a new screen.

 

I've spent a while looking for the Ts&Cs for Data on the Go, and I'm not convinced I've found them. There's http://www.vodafone.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/consumer/price-plans/mobile-broadband/ipad-tablets-do... which despite its URL is dated July 2016 and refers to plans after July 2016, and has an onward link to PAYM Ts&Cs dated May 2016. So I tried Essential Customer Information The Legal Stuff, which led me to PAYM Ts&Cs dated April 2016. I've tried assorted other routes, but I think the lot dated May 2016 are probably the current ones.

Elaines35
4: Newbie
Annie_n in your opinion when I when I signed up for mobile.broadband in late decemeber was the UK data cap sold a's part of the contract? Since I had the data over run problem every person I have talked to online or on the phone has said they will apply the data cap but as stated it never applied. But none of them once said the UK data cap wasn't part of the data sim contract. Now I'm out of the 30 day period and they are now saying the cap can't be applied to data sims. If they had of been more clear I would have cancelled. It seems no one at Vodafone knows what's happening

Elaines35
4: Newbie
Perhaps if Vodafone could comment on here about this and the statement below on their support pages?

A data cap is one of the tools available in Vodafone Data Manager, and is included in all Pay monthly phone and SIM only bundles bought after 5 May 2016, and Mobile Broadband and tablet bundles bought after 28 September 2016. It gives you control over your data usage and spending.

Jenny
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@Elaines35 – I'm sorry for the confusion.

 

If you can reply to the last email we sent, we’ll look into this further.