Vodafone PAYG Broadband Dongle with NO time limit

[CupraR]

Hello.

Approximately two years ago I purchased a Vodafone Dongle to be able to go onto the internet via my Laptop on the few occasions I am away from my Home Router.

It was purchased from Argos and for £15 I got 3GB of Data, which didn't run out except for a time limit of 270days.

I have now gone to top it up and I see a message I'll only get 1GB for £15???

What's going on, have I read the wrong thing?? Certainly hope so, I have had no literature from Vodafone with regards this.

Please put me out of my misery!!!

[Ben_H]

Hi g-mac-70,

Rest assured we've acted to help keep your account and personal details secure.

Unfortunately, if we can't confirm your identity on the back of the info you've sent, we'll need you to visit with photo ID so we can update them for you.

For more details about the Data Protection Act, please visit here.

Please accept my apologies if this has delayed your query in the meantime.

Many thanks, Ben

[Bigjohn]

Lets face it, all of the Vodafone tech teams are just blowing smoke up our ....................... They are hiding behind all these requests for information on your account when they know all the time VF have changed the rules on the use of the Non-expiring dongle. Vodfone have dropped as low as they can get with customer service. They think they are so big in the market they can dictate the rules and dare I say they have colluded with all the other network providers in only now supplying 30day packages. Not for our benifit, this is so they can make more money from the users without giving a worth while service. The non expiring dongle was a very good product and was well used by people who were on the move and needed laptop connection with out having to pay high hotel internet connection fees. Shame on Vodafone.

[ChrisB69]

Hi

Yes and I'm another one thats got stitched up by the Vodacon T&C tweak :manmad:

Having bought the dongle some time back specifically because it DIDNT expire I went to use it the other weekend and found even though it showed credit it would only allow me to surf Vodacons website, as it happened I was able to teather my laptop to a friends phone for a while to allow me to get some e-mails but if I hadnt been able to do that I would ahve been stuffed !!!

To day I called CS and after going from one automated menu to another I got a woman who told me they now all time expire WTF !!!

So let me get this straight, this it like me buying a car that I can fill with petrol and use as and when I want until the tank runs out...........but now the manufacturer comes along and decides they are going to drill a hole in my fuel tank so all my petrol runs out after 30days weather I use it or not !

How on earth can this be legal, this is NOT what I signed up to when I made the purchase, as for sending me the information thats a total lie because I have not had anything what so ever,

The woman and CS "kindley" put some of my left over credit on my dongle and said I could use the rest next time but regardless of how many times I told her she didnt seem to understand all she has done is ripped me off as I am NOT going to use the dongle in the next 30 days.

Vodafone you've lost yet another customer as I wont be back and yet another letter of complaint will be in the post........... well done !!!!!

[Retired-Andy]

Hi jimmiley,

As Ben mentioned, we did notify all customers who were affected by the changes made.

The terms and conditions that he linked to, do state that “We may make changes to or withdraw services at any time and we can make changes to or introduce new terms to this agreement at any time. If possible we will give reasonable notice of these changes.”

If you wish to use your dongle, you may need to top up to get one of the 30 day packs.

Hi g-mac-70,

We can certainly look into this for you.

Email us here and we’ll be with you as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Andy

[jimmiley]

Thank-you for pointing this out (again). I am aware of this (as I have explained before).  I am just asking the ombudsman to investigate whether, if I am unhappy with the new terms and conditions, it is considered acceptable that you should keep any current credit as you are refusing to refund this. 

[tinribz]

no Ben, Andy, please stop insisting that you had contacted every customer. most, including myself, never recieved any information.

in fact when i applied for my refund, Vodafone tell me they had no way to find out if cusomers had recieved the txt.

see the mail below... oh, and while you read that, see how much more helpful that department of Vodafone are in helping those of us that wanted a refund.

Hi xxxxx,
Thanks for your reply.
The non-expiry data pack are no longer available and texts were sent to all the customers to inform about it. As these are automatic system generated text we are unable to guarantee the delivery of these texts.
Further as per the posts on the Forum it seems that you wish to get the amount of credit refunded, so please get back to us with the mobile number on which we can call you and connect you with the refund team and they would refund the amount.
Also let us know if you wish to opt in for the 30 days data pack and we’ll arrange this for you.
Your understanding is appreciated.
 

Kind Regards,
Jagruti (removed) Vodafone Customer Services

[drj]

Tech Team Ben said "We made all customers aware of the changes using the contact details they supplied."

That needs some interpretation - since it's wrong..

You didn't send me a letter at my address you have on file

You didn't send me an email at the address you have on file

You did sent a pop-up message to the dongle, but that wasn't the "contact details" I supplied.

[David_James]

Ben_H: I see multiple comments in this forum from Vodafone representatives that you contacted the users. Given the multiple postings on here from users who saw no such communication, I doubt that. I've seen a posting from one user who said Vodafone confirmed to him that they had sent two SMS messages "both of which failed to be delivered" - hardly a good communication to the users.

I've searched my email spool and can find no messages from Vodafone regarding this - my contact details have not changed since I bought the device in (I think) December 2008.

I see earlier comments from Vodafone representatives that Vodafone sent SMS messages (I note you do not make that assertion). My device shows no relevant SMS messages - the closest I have is an SMS dated 31/10/2013 19:02 saying "From today you'll be able to choose from a range of new UK data packs when you top up. If you use data a little or a lot there's one for you. To get you started we've given you a 1GB UK data pack which lasts for 90 days from the date of this message. Info & terms at vodafone.co.uk/mbbmoredata". If that is intended to be notification of the changes, then it's a pretty poorly worded communication.

Also, I've seen no message on the dashboard of my dongle - but since I've not used it since sometime last autumn, I probably woruld not have seen any such message.

Whatever your terms and conditions say, this has been handled in a shoddy way. The responses of Vodafone representatives on this forum don't convey any tone of interest in your customers.

I recognise that those of us who bought this dongle specifically because of the non-expiring credit are probably a very small number, but given how small a number they are likely to be, why the need to terminate the service?

[jimmiley]

Yes it is the K3565.  Does this mean if I top up with £15 it won't expire after 1 month.  I only use a couple of pounds a month?  Also if my account is £9.27 in credit why I am I being asked to top up?.  I last used my dongle about 6 weeks ago so my number shouldn't have been 'recyxled'.

Many thanks.

[jimmiley]

Yes it is the K3565.  Does this mean if I top up with £15 it won't expire after 1 month.  I only use a couple of pounds a month?  Also if my account is £9.27 in credit why I am I being asked to top up?.  I last used my dongle about 6 weeks ago so my number shouldn't have been 'recycled'.  (Apologies for double post)

Many thanks