Do you think you want Vodafone Broadband ?

[rogerha]

Then think again. My last two weeks experience bullet pointed down so you don't have to endure what I have; the hours on the phone, the countless messages and as I write this is all still not fixed. Before I write this it might be pertinent to note that I have been a mobile customer for 22 conescutive years paying a monthly direct debit all that time.

• Ordered VF BB
• A day later logged into My Vodafone, no services associated with my account, can't see my mobile bill.
• Rang VF, tell me that My Vodafone has never  been activiated. Short exchange of views where I mention I have had the service for years, setup My Vodafone again, all my services including my new Broadband are in there.
• BB delivered and activated.
• WAN drops every few hours for 5 minutes at a time, put it down to training period.
• Wireless doesn't work with Sky Q, no TV in the bedroom. Rebuild Sky Q, some service but frequently dropping out.
• WiFi dropping frequently, and WAN, service not good enough compared to previous service.
• Get a message on my home phone that my bill is overdue
• Get texts to my mobile that my bill is overdue
• Call VF, there is no PIN activated on my account. There had been for at least 10 years. Reacivated PIN.
• Finally get through that and they confirm my bill is overdue. I check my bank account they haven't taken the direct debit. I remind them there has been a direct debit setup for 22 years, but apparently it has now gone. They locate it on my 'old account', transfer the details and all is well (?)
• Hive now drops off the WiFi after being stable for 18 months, no heating, no hot water
• Call VF ask for my PPPOA details to put my own stable router on. Not allowed.
• Escalated - Still not allowed 
• Escalated Again - Not allowed and the answer will not change no matter how much I escalate. Ask what the solution will be, told that since I am in my cooling off period the best thing I can do is leave.
• Questioned this, told it is the best option. Asked what would be done about my £50 connection fee, told it would be kept. Some exchange of views, situation reversed and I agree to find another provider
• Log a ticket with the offical complaints team worried about my billing issues and anticipated credit, no confidence they will be resolved. To date, no response received
• Few days later, missed call from a Rotherham number
• Text from Rotherham number, my bill is overdue
• Call Rotherham number, asked for digits for PIN, get cut off by agent
• Call Rotherham number again, asked for digits for PIN, told I haven't got one. Challenged this, and told there isn't one and authenticate via text
• Agent confirms bill overdue, ask wky the DD hasn't been taken
• Can't get into payment system, promises call back
• No call back, repeated calls to Rotherham number doesn't work
• Call 191, can't do anything to help me as all of the 'systems are down' (I suspect they use VF Broadband). Offers a call back, I just laugh.

So here I am now, with an 'overdue account', no response to my complaint, nobody can deal with my situation because the systems are down, patchy broadband, and a rather poor customer experience.

So if you are thinking about moving to Vodafone, I hope this helps you make your mind up.

[markdotjames]

i would just add - Choose another provider.

[rogerha]

@markdotjames, read about your issues on another thread. Much like myself, the router is ##~## and even the management escalation I spoke to admitted that it is not very good with the internet of things, despite this becoming a real part of life, which was why he suggested I left. Sorry to hear of your tribulations, they offered me a bridging solution which would achieve the 'modem' solution you have discussed, but that wouldn't fix my (still 10 days on) frequent WAN dropouts. If your WAN is OK, it might be something that will work for you.

[markdotjames]

I would love to have that info please, did you want to exhange the info here or in a private message ?

thanks in advance.

Mark

[rogerha]

Basically I didn't opt for it because of the WAN dropouts. The process to get the offer was to ring 191, get through the myriad of ridiculous options, ask for PPOE credentials. No luck, ask for an escalation and you shoukd get the offer of a 'bridging' solution which I have no details for. That said it was a partial acknowledgement that their router is ##~##. But I was offered that solution twice, I hope that helps.

Wish me the best, I am with Sky on Monday !

[Nabs]

That's a pretty horrendous experience @rogerha

Is your broadband all cancelled now?

If so one of the eForum team will be able to get in touch and have a look at your account and sort out the payment issues. Sit tight they'll reply as soon as they can.

[rogerha]

Thanks Nabs. No I am still on Vodafone Broadband until Monday, I didn't cancel it as such, just advised to move away and I would be credited for the installation cost.

The saga continues, although this is quite funny. I woke up this morning, all my sockets in the house were without power. Turns out my circuit breaker for the mains sockets had tripped. After trying to find the cause of this, I located my now dead (with a nice amount of black scorching around the earth pin) Vodafone Sure Signal. The curse continues and now I don't even have any mobile signal in my house. I mean - you just couldn't make this up.

The other thing I forgot to mention, I was due an upgrade to my mobile. Everytime I have spoken to VF they keep saying 'You have recently upgraded', which I haven't. I'd log into my Vodafone to check to see if I am still eligble for an upgrade anticipating another error here. However trying to do that this morning and it looks like their systems are still down.

Good old Vodafone, at least they are consistent.

[Nabs]

Oh dear, that's not much good! If you contact Live Chat they should be able to arrange a replacement of the Sure Signal, alternatively, if you create a new thread in the SureSignal section one of the team will be able to arrange it for you.

Hopefully once your broadband has moved away your account will revert to normal, post back here if it doesn't though and I'm sure it can be looked into 🙂

[Tash]

Hi @rogerha, thanks for bringing this to our attention and I'm sorry to hear of the experience that you've been through.

If you'd like us to look into this further for you, please follow the steps provided in the private message that will be sent to you shortly.

[rogerha]

Thank you Natasha, I have responded to the message that says this can't be helped on the forum and I have duly filled in the information requested. You can understand hopefully that I feel that having tried the following options to get this resolved:

Calling 191 Several Times

Calling 01709 918619 Several Times

Requesting 2 tiers of management escalation

Formally registering a complaint via the website

that I remain rather sceptical that this is going to improve the situation. Still we must persevere.