New Vodafone customers

[jefft]

Ok, so I bought a PAYG on Voda.  Topped it up, added a web/text freebee.  All fine.  Set up an online account - not the smoothest of processes but all done.

Then, my number ported over from my previous network.  And it's all gone horribly wrong!

First I noticed that I couldn't log in to "My Account" online.  My account has been deleted - the user name wasn't recognised and I've been able to create a new account with that user name, so the original is very much gone.

Then, I checked my balance.  My £10 topup is gone, my freebee is gone, and I'm on "Simply" with a £5 balance.  So, for the last day or more, I've been paying for texts and data.  Fabulous, that'll be great.  Clearly Voda still knows who I am, because it pulled up my name and address when I re-registered online.  So why then did it delete the online account and lose my balance?

Customer services went home an hour ago, so can't ask them what the heck is going on.  Emailed them, hopefully will get a sensible answer, a reinstatement of my account and a refund of any charges they've made in the meantime.  An explanation of why this ridiculous thing has happened just because of a number port would also be good, along with very humble apologies.

Come on, Vodafone, this is plain silly.  Incompetent.  I'm the same customer, same account, same balance (please!)... just because the phone number has changed, you shouldn't completely lose the data and the customer's balance!

[AnnS]

You set up your online account and topped up the number which came with your PAYG phone.

When you ported over your number, you would have had a different number and a different online account with the new number.  Your top up would have been with the number you had before porting.

You needed to port your number over first and then top up and set up your online account.

[FoneGuru]

Not completely true - The text and web would disappear, but the credit balance of £10 should have still remained... this is always the case assuming its ported properly. It would more than likely screw up an already tempremental online account system though.

Every free allowance (including freedom packs) is allocated as a service to a particular telephone numbers tariff, whereas a credit balance relates to the PAYG account, not just specific to the number only (i.e. not an added service to a tariff) therefore shouldn't be wiped.

VF should rectify this though, I would imagine - In my experience, they're really good with this kind of thing as it happens alot.

Good luck with the online account though.... nightmare process!

[jefft]

Hmm.  Ann's suggestion would seem like a really dumb way to run customer accounts at any time since number portability started. 

However, it's not far from what customer services just told me (oh, dear!)... after a few minutes deliberation (you'd think they were used to this situtation if their account management system is that silly) they've come up with a similar story and reinstated my credit and the freedom pack.

The wonders of PAYG.  Pity there isn't a VF contract tarrif that's as good value for me as simply putting a tenner a month on this PAYG arrangement - I've always been contract before and it's clearly less hassle, especially if it avoids arguing with that dodgy website to set up regular topups!