Pay monthly services

[MrBluesman]

I just got off the phone from customer services and am both appalled and in in utter amazement at what I've been told.

My contract ends in May, I'm happy with Vodafone overall. However I wanted to pay off my contract early so it gives me the option of not being tied to a contract now (as I'm in the postion to do this) and so if I so wanted to could walk into a store and get an upgrade tommorrow and begin a new contract.

I've done this several times before with other providers and in fact I used to work in the business myself and we'd do this for customers regulary who may want the latest handset etc instead of waiting. I used to work for a company called Martin Dawes, who sold to BT, which became BT Lumina and then eventually O2. For a number of years we even still had  Voda customer on our billing system (from the MD days) so I know what I'm talking about as I used to do retentions, contracts and upgrades myself. I still in fact know people who work there and they have confirmed this is rubbiish

So anyway I've just phoned Voda, said I want to pay of my contract but not cancel and just continue as normal. I am told I can't, if I pay it off it will give a 30 day notice to cancel. It doesn't do that if you just let your contract run untill the end and then just roll on a monthly basis. All your doing is just bringing this period forward, paying off what technically is the last bit of subsidy on your contract that has funded your free handset etc. Why would it cancel? Basically I am being told I have to stay in a contract to keep my number on Vodafone. I am being fed a line here and am not happy. Technically I could take out a contract tommorrow and pay it off the day after if I wanted and do this over and over. My Credit card doesn't get cancelled when I pay the bill off or my bank close my account when I've spent all my money for the month or paid a loan off!! I'm out of contract with SKY tv but just continue monthly. Your advisers are either trained to try and keep us tied in or trained very poorly.

So then I'm told I can upgrade in March, but what if I don't want to wait, or don't want the phones Voda offer direct etc etc. Now I 've gotta wait for the old trick of the manger will call back in 2 hours rubbiish, that I was told to do back in the day (nothing changes)

This is appalling and if anything probably is illegal in some for by not letting me pay off and retain a service.

I would like to pay off my contract please and keep my normal service - it's not hard guys

[biffo1963]

This is confusing.  If you pay off your contract ( whatever that may mean in practical terms ) how is your bill going to be calculated from now until May ??   Your contract is monthly line rental plus calls/texts, I can't see what there is in there to "pay off early" ?     

[MrBluesman]

It's not really confusing it's quite simple really Probably harder to write down than the actual practice

* I am contracted until May where I (committed ) to pay amonthly line rental until that time. A 2year deal

* Once you reach the end of your contract you simply either continue to pay monthly, upgrade and commit to a new contract or disconnect. You don't have to upgrade and commit to a new contract, you CAN just keep going on a monthly basis.

* If I want to upgrade early, disconnect, or not be comitted to a contract and pay monthly line rental until I decide what I want to do - I can pay off my contract - This is different to disconnecting, I am just effectively bringing my renewal date forward by giving the company the money from now till the contract end date.

Again I stress this was done all the time when I worked in the businnes of retention, upgrade,  and contracts which included vodafone customers..

Maybe another term for it may be buy myself out of contract

[MrBluesman]

Oh and I  was promised a callback from a Vodafone CS manager within 2 hours, that was 3 1/2 hours ago

Vodafone are about to lose a customer based on poor service. I will disconnect and go elsewhere with my number, which is a shame.

It's not like I'm trying to leave, I just want to buy off my contract so I can upgrade early via a store if I choose

[MrBluesman]

I phoned back myself at 8.30pm and guess what CS is shut, so they had no intention of phoning me back.

Very poor Vodafone, now  I'm not a big corperate customer but you've lost a customer now.

[Nabs · Accepted solution]

MrBluesman,

I guess what your looking to do is pay off and terminate your existing contract but retain the number on a 30 day SIM only deal. 

Doing this would allow you to keep your number, in most cases your allowance can be kept the same as well. The only differences are that you will not be tied to a contract, you can upgrade whenever you want, and the monthly cost will probably be lower(how much will depend on your tariff)

As this would in reality be an upgrade(not continuing your existing deal) the best this for you to do would be to contact the Upgrade Expert on the @vodafoneukdeals twitter team. For info on how to contact them head over here and follow the instructions. They are a small and very popular team so they may not reply straight away, stick around though as one of the team will get back to you as soon as they can.

One thing to note your early termination fee(amount you will need to pay upfront) can be worked out as your remaining months * monthly line rental - VAT@20%

However you want to word it what you want can be done!

[Dave]

Hi MrBluesman,

I'm sorry to hear you did not get called back as arranged.

I'm going to send you a private message explaining how to contact us so we can look into this - it's hard for us to speak definitively without seeing the account itself.

You can find your PM inbox here. If you can't access this link, please ensure that the box next to "Turn on private messages" is ticked on this page, and let us know if you need any further assistance.

Dave

[MrBluesman]

emailed as form not working

[MrBluesman]

All sorted thanks to Sukhi on te Tech team. Contract paid off and on a rolling sim only deal now

New it could be done as I said earlier I used to do this for customers all the time in my time in the business

[Jwhitby89]

Hi I would also like to do the same thing as MrBluesman, and have also been told by a Vodafone employee in my local town, that I have to write to them and give them a 30 day notice period before I'm allowed to pay off my contract! Never known a company who willing takes time to NOT take a lump sum of money off someone! Would I be able to get some help please? I have the money to pay it off and would like to upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S3, why Vodafone can't do all this in the store, I will never know! Thanks

[Lee]

Hello Jwhitby89,

I've sent you a PM which can be accessed here. If you could follow the instructions in the PM and send us your details one of the team will be with you as soon as they can.

Cheers,

Lee

[fubukishigo]

Hi. I am in exactly same situation. Not to mention that the upgrade policy has changed with no PRIOR warning. I  would like to pay off remaiig cotract and upgrade to sgs3. Can you guys help me as well ?

May I just add that my handset is broken, - I'm usig borrowed hadset this week, and need to give it back afterwards. I would gladly pay up-to 150-200 pounds to get galaxy s 3 and either continue with existing contract or add remaining months to the new one. PLEASE HELP !!

[Ian_C]

Hi fubukishigo,

Thanks for the post.

Follow the instructions on the PM I’ve sent you and we’ll be in touch.

We’re a small team dealing with upgrades and we’re very popular at the moment, so don’t be surprised if it takes a couple of days for us to get in touch.

Thanks

Ian

[leigh0923]

hello, could somebody please help me with the same problem these guys have been having, i dont want to leave vodafone, just buy myself out of this contract so i can upgrade myself to a new deal

seems so strange that you have to wait when you are trying to give more business and sing up for a more expensive deal?

[Ben_H]

Hi leigh0923,

A Private Message is on its way to you here. Be sure to supply all of the details requested and to use the subject field defined.

Cheers, Ben

[sepulchasm]

Hi there,

In the same boat as the above guys basically - have an HTC Sensation with 6 months left on contract (3 before I can upgrade), but the phone is now very slow, and am having numerous problems, even when gone back to factory defaults.

If someone could give me some details on how I could pay off the contract so I can change my phone I would be very grateful!

Many thanks,

Dan

[Bobbygould]

Hi TechTeam,

I'm in a very similar position to the other posters here.  I'd be very grateful for your advice and guidance.  Is it possible to email me and help?

many thanks,

Bobby

[Lee]

Hey guys,

I've sent you both a PM which can be accessed here. If you could follow the instructions in the PM and send us your details one of the team will be with you as soon as they can.

Cheers,

LeeH