Suresignal not working for talkmobile / other providers who use Vfone networks in the background

[harrybo12]

This whole business of  'Suresignal not working for talkmobile / other providers who use Vfone networks in the background' stinks!!

After all the cheek of vodafone asking me to pay for a suresignal box as they cant even provide basic signal strength to someone who lives in the middle of london (and not some remote countryside)... i still can't use the damn thing to register my other nos

Talkmobile says nothing to do with them as vodafone runs the n/w and if they are lousy with their signal, it's not their problem.

It's clearly wrong and misleading by talkmobile and vodafone to advertise excellent coverage when it's rubbish....Can i just complain to office of fair trading or is there a specific consumer forum for such issues...any ideas?

[Nabs]

The Sure Signal is a service provided by Vodafone directly to Vodafone customers.

It specifically states on the SureSignal page that you need a Vodafone 3G phone. Nowhere on the Vodafone website does it state that it will work with other operators using the Vodafone network

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What do I need for Vodafone Sure Signal?

For Vodafone Sure Signal to work in your home, you’ll need:

• Fixed-line home broadband with a minimum speed of 1MB
• A Vodafone 3G mobile phone, smartphone, tablet or internet dongle
• A Vodafone Sure Signal box

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I can find no reference ot the Sure Signal on the TalkMobile. Infac the only reference to Vodafone i can find is

"Talkmobile is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator hosted on the Vodafone network and offers 99.7% network coverage."

Being hosted on the Vodafone network means you have access to the Vodafone masts, not SureSignal devices.

Also as part of the security checks carried out by the Sure Signal it checks you SIM card's serial number. If this does not match the one stored by Vodafone then it will not provide a connection to that handset. As Talkmobile provide their own SIM's there will be no way for Vodafone's server to check if it is a valid SIM.

This situation is similar to your home broadband. Say you were getiing you home broadband from talktalk, they will be using BT's phone lines and infrastructure but will host their own servers and manage your connection. You could phone up BT but they wouldn't be able to do anything as the line is being managed by talktalk.

[harrybo12]

None of u Vodafone stooges get it, do you????

Why start up a MVNO and not provide complete access to all the workarounds...it's s clear practice by the hacks in mgmt at vodafone to make believe that going for something cheaper is not worth the hassle, so next time come join us...and make done money off it for it too....which is unethical, wrong and downright greedy?!?!!!!!!

There must be a legal forum to deal with such issues of industry practices?

[harrybo12]

None of u Vodafone stooges get it, do you????

Why start up a MVNO and not provide complete access to all the workarounds...it's s clear practice by the hacks in mgmt at vodafone to make believe that going for something cheaper is not worth the hassle, so next time come join us directly...and make money off it for doing it too....which is unethical, wrong and downright greedy?!?!!!!!!

There must be a legal forum to deal with such issues of industry practices?

[Nabs]

You pay talkmobile for your service hence you are a talkmobile customer, you have access to all the services/offers that talkmobile provide. just because talkmobile lease network time from vodafone does not automatically entitle their customers access to Vodafone services e.g. You don't get access to Vodafone VIP unless you are a Vodafone customer. Sure Signal is exactly the same. It's a service offered by Vodafone to it's own customers, i.e. those paying Vodafone directly.

There is nothing unethical, wrong or greedy about providing your own customers with a service.

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@harrybo12 wrote:
Why start up a MVNO and not provide complete access to all the workarounds... 

There would be nothing at all stopping Talkmobile from offering a Sure Signal competitor, the only reason they don't is because they chosse not to. 

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@harrybo12 wrote:
There must be a legal forum to deal with such issues of industry practices?

There is no legal forum to deal with a company that has done nothing wrong, and neither Vodafone nor Talkmobile have in this case done anything wrong.

[harrybo12]

Then why am i not being allowed to cancel my contract???...I signed up for a service that isn't being provided(even with the so called sure signal, I still don't get a proper signal)...you checker is misleading,without any recourse to accommodate that fault...bottom line I'm paying lot of hard earned cash for a sub standard service and vodafone doesn't care and throws the contract at me..,which part of that is ethical?

[chorotega]

Harrybo-

1)  Please post which part of the contract (which you agreed to and signed) allows you to cancel at any time if you find somewhere where Vodafone does not have coverage.

2) You had 14 days to return the phone and cancel your contract when you bought the phone, why did you not do this?

3) You are a Talkmobile customer, not a Vodafone customer regardless of which network Talkmobile use. Talkmobile don't have the necessary systems in place to use Sure Signal (i.e a service similar to MyVodafone to register the device) and also Vodafone have no access to your account information to bill you. There is nothing immoral or illegal about it.

 4) All the networks actually share transmitters in some parts of the country, do you also think you should have access to all O2's, Orange and T-Mobile services because of this? 

[bornjoyful]

I am currently with 3 on a 24 month contract

I was told when i checked online that signal wold be ok and that also new masts were going in- which may well have happened but made no difference ot my signal. In the beginning they gave me the option of cancelling without problems - they even let me stay until the date a new mast was meant to go in and would have allowed me to cancel no penalties.

However, i decided instead to take a £5 reduction in line rental from £17.50 to £12.50 for 300min 5000 texts and 250mb.

After 15 months they brought out their signal booster and I bought it for £30 and it works just great- finally I have a phone that works at home.

My contract ends in 2 weeks.

3 have no good deals for the handset i want  but Vodafone and Talk mobile do .

As I already know I need a signal booster I asked talk mobile about suresignal and they categorically said it would work. I called vodafone and they categorically said it would not  work!

So I will probably go with vodafones deal and buy the suresignal.

Someone at Vodafone needs to address this isse with Talk Mobile sales as it reflects very badly on vodafone.(never mind talk mobile!)

I would like to know if suresignal always works?

My 3 signalboost takes up very little of my 60mb allowance from sky broadband. Does the suresignal work the same way and does it use much alllowance?

lastly, my mate got a samsung galaxy ace 2 and loves it- any opinions? 3 are offering me a good deal but with the ace (not 2) and they are telling me it is better than the newer ace2 which i do not believe for uno momento.- any opinions on that?

[Phil]

Hi bornjoyful,

Thanks for your post.  I can assure you that the Sure Signal won't work with any contract that hasn't been obtained directly from Vodafone.  With any piece of technology there can be issues however we'll always help as much as possible to get it up and running.  There are too many possiblities, such as ISP, broadband setup, routers, to say whether it would work straight away at this stage. 

All Sure Signals have minimal usage against your broadband connection and so you shouldn't notice much impact.

We offer a lot of good phones and the one your mate has there in my opinion is a great reliable phone but it does depend more on what you want to use your phone for. 

If you'd like to discuss new contracts and what we can offer feel free to get in touch with our Sales Team here. 

Many thanks,

Phil

[bornjoyful]

Thank you for the response.

My main point was that Talk Mobile are telling p[eople the Suresignal does work if yo take ot a contract with them so it is reasonable to expect that if vodafone does not address this, then many disgruntled people will be blaming Vodafone as well as Talk Mobile.

I am almost certainly going with Vodafone but have found better deals on websites with cashback offers so I will be looking at whetherIi think this will work for me or not.

[Smudger444]

Dear All,

I have read this thread with consideration and care, mainly because I wanted to put my Sisters TalkTalk Mobile (on Voda Network), on to my Voda SureSignal device.

My sister is staying with us for a while, and the Voda NetWork has smartphone coverage problems in our area TN26 1HL.

So on reflection, I am afraid I would have been slightly miffed if I could have connected my sisters mobile, mainly because she does not pay as much for being on the same Voda NetWork as I do, and I am bound by the SureSignal Terms & Conditions by its purchase. So what do I pay extra for being with Vodafone, if not to use all of the amenities that would be denied to third parties.

So in one respect I am totally understand of our members plight, but TalkTalk Mobile should have made this quite clear that there use of the Voda Network dosn't allow rights to The SureSignal, and surlly there lies the GetOut.

Thank you for answering my question.

Smudger444