Suresignal deactivated

[shauny123]

Hi

My suresignal has been deactivated due to inactivity.  I called to reactivate but because it has been more than a year the support desk don't have a button to do that, and suggest I buy a new one!

Surely there's a way to avoid buying a new unit when I already have a working one here!?

Any ideas?

TIA

Shaun

[Retired-Laura]

Hi Shauny123,

Welcome to the eforum.

If the Vodafone Sure Signal has been de registered due to inactivity for over 12 months, we’re unable to reactivate this.

You’ll need to look at buying a new Vodafone Sure Signal, see here.

Cheers,

Laura

[shauny123]

Hi

Really? 

I have to buy another, identical piece of kit to something I already own, spend another £100, not because it's broken or obsolete, but purely because you guys simply refuse to reactivate it because of some internal rule you have?

To not compromise for loyal customers seems like pretty poor customer service.

Shaun

[Phil]

Hi shauny123, 

This isn't an internal process we have in place - It's physically not possible for us to reactivate them once they haven't been used for 12 months.  

Thanks, 

Phil

[shauny123]

Hi

Physically.  Really?  So there's something in the Alcatel chipset which stops working after a year if it is not used.  I find that pretty unlikely - I don't know of any hardware manufacturers who would design such hardware, in fact, I'm not sure why they would.

It would mean the hardware would need to be aware of the period it has been inactive, which, without an internal battery to run a chronometer, wouldn't really be possible.  So, the next option would be a date based firmware "inactivity switch".  I can find no details of such a concept anywhere in the Alcatel documentation or website, and I believe if such a software switch existed, they would be legally bound to tell the buyer.

Still, if you're saying that this is an Alcatel issue, not a vodafone one, I shall take this up with Alcatel, and trading standards  - when I bought the unit, I don't recall a sticker with "warning, stops working after a year if not used".

Shaun

[Retired-Sarah]

Hi shauny123,

As advised previously, once a Sure Signal’s not connected to the network for 12 months or more, we’re unable to reactivate them.

Thanks,

Sarah 

[shauny123]

Hi

I realise your internal systems don't allow you to re-enable, but this is not something physical on the hardware, this is a choice someone, somewhere in vodafone management has made to force users to buy new equipment, (which has no new features or capabilities).

It is a shame, I would have expected some compomise for customers who, like me have 4 Vodafone contracts in the house, and both O2 and EE have offered me a free signal booster when I move to them as the Vodafone contracts expire.

Shaun

[Legless180]

Just found this thread as I too have not been able to reactivate my Sure Signal.

The only reason that I hadnt used it for twelve months was that I'd moved to an area with a good signal (hard to believe I know!) so had no need of it, now having moved again I found I dont just have a poor signal I have none at all, and now find my Sure Signal is useless!

Perhaps Vodafone should show a little customer car and offer a new one at a reduced price to their loyal customers who bought these devices in good faith. Is must be in the small print that they become defunct after 12 months of not being used?

[Legless180]

*care!

[Sukhi]

Hi @Legless180

Live help will be able to look into your options.

Thanks,

Sukhi