Network

[cjt105]

I managed to get a free Sure Signal from customer service, and half price line rental for a month.  Would be worth calling them up to do the same...

[Barkingmadwuff]

Thiught this may be useful for us.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_pnohdxywo

[Willorfrank]

Good advice. Got the same, thanks.

[davidjmiller]

I have also had no signal since 30/3. I am self employed and work from home so this is costing me money. 

If we do not have an acceptable resolution date by the end of this week I will be terminating my contract with Vodafone early and returning to Orange which has a very good signal in Berkhamsted - I can recommend strongly.

HP4 3--

[sa170]

This is discusting that Voderfone have not yet resolved this! I am so angry!

[bells]

I've called up, e-mailed, spoken on chat, Ive been told it will be fixed within 10 days, within 24 hours, and now within 48 hours. Ive been told I will have to pay £370 to end my contract early. I have had no formal apology. I got sent a text questionnaire regarding the service I have received.

"On a scale of one to ten how would you rate the service you received today....On a scale of one to day how satisfied are you that your issue has been resolved...On a scale of one to ten, how much would you recommend vodafone on the basis of the way we dealt with your issue"

mmmm

Not sure I conveyed strongly enough how angry I am.

Vodafone sucks. I told the poor guy on the phone who 'dealt' with me, that vodafone have probably lost all of their Berkhamsted customers come their renewal dates. Didn't seem that bothered.

I have been sent an e-mail with a man who has spoken to the engineers. If it is fitting to call them so, and although they cannot give us an exact time line (quel suprise) he assures me it should be no longer than 48 hours. Assures....

[Sirlarry1000]

When I suggested to Vodafone they were in breach of contract they said they weren't as it states in their small print that they don't GUARANTEE a signal. (I wonder what they can guarantee.) Therefore terminating the contract early would result in a penalty for the user. Does anyone know if it is possible to get out of contract with them early without having to pay?

[Sirlarry1000]

Hi Andy, what are you doing to fix the problem in Berkhamsted and when will it be done? If you only have the same inane platitudes as your call centre colleagues go and speak to your boss and ask them when it's going to be fixed. And make sure that when you respond to this message that you've got something useful to tell us. Cos we're really, really sick of the way Vodafone have treated us.

[Sirlarry1000]

Hi Lee, fixed the Berkhamsted mast yet? No? Thought not.

[AlShack]

I too have been told various fix times, and all have passed by.

I can't believe it takes this long to fix this.  When I contacted Customer Services they asked me to tell them when it was back up, so tey could make appropriate compensation for the time the service was down.

I mean, come on, they want me to tell them?  Really?

As a business customer, I very much doubt I'll be renewing my contract; O2 here I come methinks, unless Vodafone can offer something special.

[PeterCThomas]

Thought it might be useful to share some of the information I have obtained. We had our IT guy working on our Blackberrys on 27/28 March and had problems with the signal then. After chasing up Vodafone they indicated that the problem began on 29th March. It appears they were putting in a new piece of equipment to imrove the signal strength in Berkhamsted. Despite this being a planned piece of engineering work they did not bother to inform us that this work was about to take place. By contrast some colleagues who use O2, were sent several texts in advance of engineering works that affected them - interesting difference in terms of customer service.

Several of us who work and live in Berkhamsted have been through the usual channels to Customer Services (telephone, web chat) and have been frustrated by the standard responses received (e.g. try enablling just 2G, re-boot phone etc etc) when clearly if they checked first they would no that none of this will work when the problem is the transmitter.

Yesterday I managed to get the e-mail address of the Customer Operations Director (Stefan@vodafone.com) and sent him an e-mail to find out when we can expect to have the network back. I was a little disappointed to get an automatic response to say that I would receive a reply within 48h. I am also awaiting a call back to my landline from a Customer services manager (now overdue on the 24h response time).

If any one at Vodafone is reading this you should be ashamed of the standard of service your company provides. Yours Peter Thomas

[a1marr]

Hi. Might be able to add some further info here.

I too emailed the Customer Services Director and got a call from one of his oppo's this afternoon. After venting my spleen and calming down a bit, the chap gave me this update:

Apparently the main cable at the transmitter site (just off Castle Hill by the station) was cut through by a member of a formation Irish Erosion Crew working at the next-door plot. This took out the transmitter.

Vodafone engineers have visited and concluded they need to replace a significant length of cable, some of which crosses adjacent land whose ownership was apparently unclear and also a road. The Council has now been identified as the key player here for the permission to dig up the road, but haven't authorised any work to go ahead until a site visit is carried out on the 16th (Monday).

Once agreement is obtained from both the council and the adjacent landowner then the repair can take place. Until then - No signal!

All this seems to correlate with earlier posts here and the video's on Youtube, so seems credible. I did have a rant about why Vodafone couldn't get in touch with the affected customers given they know where we live (Pay-as-you-go not withstanding I guess), they know where the transmitter is, and they know it's been out of service for such a long time and will be for some days yet. Vodafone chappie agreed and assured me this would be passed on.

So that's all right then. Ho-Hum!

Al.

[Barkingmadwuff]

Great update. Why couldn't VF tell us this two weeks ago?

Remember - it's good to talk!!!

[tudorr]

This whole sorry issue is an extremely bad reflection on Vodafone.  I would strongly argue against their statements on early contract termination and like to see them win anything in small claims against you after two weeks with no updates at all and of course, no service!

I do understand the problems with wayleave e.t.c. and therefore thanks to the update above I finally understand what is going on which is at least a step forward.

Several business users have already swapped companies though and my impression of Vodafone customer service is forever tarnished.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that no further permission issues are encountered or this could go on for months, let alone weeks.

[DaveCD]

Hi everyone

Thank you for your posts and your patience in this matter as we do understand how this has caused you frustration.

We are aware that there are still signal issues in the area and this has been escalated as a top priority and as soon as we have any further information we will post back here.

Many Thanks

DaveCD

eForum Team

[Barkingmadwuff]

You make me chuckle

Most, if not all the useful info on this board has been provided by us, your customers

Stay tuned for the next update. I am looking forward to my vf pay cheque

[Danny72]

18 days without a signal and counting....

I run a small business from Berkhamsted and this problem is crippling me.

Fed up of speaking to Vodafone.  I requested and was sent a Sure Signal box, to try and improve things, but that won't connect. Loads of other people having / had the same problem.

Extremely frustrated and disappointed by Vodafone lack of communication.

A big thanks to the forum users that have provided answers.  You've been more insightful, pro-active and informative than the whole of VF put together.

Truly, truly Shocking.

Have forwarded a link for this forum to BBC's Watchdog.  I suggest you all do the same.

[anqe_tb]

I just tried calling VF to complain (for the nth time), and their systems are being updated at the moment, and I was told to call back in two hours. Why they choose to update their systems in the middle of a buisness day is just another example of the vast incompetance experienced by many who have posted here!

[AlShack]

A friend of mine has just been told the problem is due to them having old SIM cards and thath Vodafone are upgrading the 3G signal in Berkhamsted. She runs her own business and relies on her phone as well.

What are you VF people on? 

I am sooooo out of VF at the earliest opportunity unless there's some serious compensation for all this nonsense.

3 weeks is completely unacceptable.

Oh, and funnily enough, no reply from Stefan.

[bells]

I've cancelled my contract a year early. mwahhah. After speaking to a plethora of unhelpful morons, I spoke to a VERY helpful man who not only agreed with me but cheered me up a bit after all this stress! If all of their staff were as well informed and lovely as my guy, vodafone wouldn't really have a issue. He put a note on my account allowing early cancellation of my contract, waiving the termination fee and apologised profusely for the inconvenience this has caused me.

BABE!