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[Rach1982]

Can someone at Vodafone please tell me why your website is showing that the white iPhone 4s are in stock?  I have received an email and been advised on the phone that there aren't any and furthermore that the delivery you were expecting hadn't arrived.  While i appreciate that they are very popular at the moment, you should really update your website to reflect this.  Or am i being a bit naive in thinking that they are out of stock for everyone and that the real case is that you are providing new customers with the phone and making those that have upgraded wait??

My tariff has been increased and i can't benefit from all of what i'm paying for as i haven't received the phone.  I was advised by customer services that I only pay for minutes and texts and therefore wouldn't get a credit to my account as the wifi and data was an additional extra which wasn't billed (i find this hard to believe).  This was different to what i was told by the vstore who said i should be credited for while i don't have the phone.

[Trev]

Hi Rach1982

Let me see if I can help clarify this for you.

The iPhone 4, even more so with the white version, is a restricted stock device. The supply of the device does not meet with the demand all networks have for this. If we only allowed the devices to be sold/upgraded to when they were physically in stock, it would be a random lottery, based on when you try to obtain the handset, and we would deem this to be unfair.

Although not ideal, we operate a back order system, for devices that are in a restricted stock scenario. This operates more to a first come, first served basis. Where the orders are replenished, in the date order they were received, as the stock comes into our warehouse. It's not ideal, but a much fairer way than asking people to check in, day in, day out to see if they can place an order.

An iPhone tariff only has two real fundamental differences to a standard tariff. That is, a separate APN (Access Point Name) ACCINT to allow iPhone tethering, and a BT Openzone WiFi allowance. These are not charged for as such and incorporated into the tariff. The costs are for your call time, inclusive texts and data allowance, which can be used on any handset.

I trust this answers your questions, but please let me know if you've anything further to add.

Regards

Trev

eForum Team

[Rach1982]

Thanks for the reply but it doesn't answer why the website is still saying that they are in stock.  Like many other people in the iphone 4 forum i would have waited to upgrade until they were instock.  I was told when i phoned that this information would be fed back and the website updated.

[Trev · Accepted solution]

Hi Rach1982

If a device is flagged as out of stock, it's not available to order or to place a back order. Due to it's popularity a delivery could be totally exhausted with a few minutes of entering the warehouse, and only the lucky customers who called within this small time period would get the devices. This means potentially someone who's been waiting weeks for an upgrade/new connection may lose out.

As I stated the system is far from ideal, but it's the fairest way we can allocate the devices as we receive them. The item has to be flagged as "in stock" for a back order to be placed for it, thus reserving a device once available. Once the device popularity has waned, it would be reverted back to a standard available or out of stock system.

I apologise if I didn't make this clear in my last post, but trust this now answers your query.

Regards

Trev

eForum Team

[em86]

I've had exactly the same I understand where you are coming from Trev, but it is quite frustrating when you begin to pay a higher tariff before you have received the handset, and for all I know I could be waiting another few weeks for it. My phone is pretty much broken and when it does work I'm now being told I'm being charged for the internet at £1 each day when this should be included in my contract.

It is quite frustrating!

Regards

[c-ohdear]

I am exactly in the same position!

If I would have known I would be waiting nearly a month I would of gone to phones4u and got them to buy me out of my contract and then got a phone through them

It is quite concerning as 2 - 4 weeks seems a long time to wait for an upgrade in a company as big as Vodafone especially as the money has already come out of my account and my new contract price started as soon as the order was proccessed last week.

Although I have had response from my emails straight away they do not tell me any more information than they will keep me informed. Surley they should have an idea of when they are having a delivery!

[Tom_Offord]

Agreed. I think the main issue with the system is that not only do you pay the new tariff after upgrade for up to 4 weeks your current phone get affected. My Blackberry lost pretty much all of its applications after upgrade! 

Ring the 191 service and kick up a fuss. I got £30 as a sorry gesture and my old tariff until my Iphone arrives. However, this doesnt help the fact that my Blackberry is screwed and useless for 3 weeks!

[overheat]

hey, did any of you guys recieve your iphone? i orderd my yesturday, i expected a despatch e-mail today but nothing...

i agree with what you guys say, they should advertise something if they dont have it in stock, if they had something like, "in stock" delays maybe possible with new models then that would be abit more acceptable rather than offend loyal customers.

that is what i was called today but it doesn't really add upto much when your misled into thinking you can go collect your phone the next day!!

[overheat]

shouldn't*****