How do I get out of a contract due to no signal for months!

[Audrey84]

I got my dad a contract last August as he has Dementia and I wanted to make sure he would always be able to get in touch with us. He moved to sheltered housing in January 2017 where he has received very little or no signal at all but since September this year he has received NO signal at all. This is extremely inconvenient as we live 7 miles from him and due to work and kids commitments, I cannot always get out to him every day. He lost his phone so I asked for a replacement SIM card on the 9th December and it STILL has not arrived yet! We have actually bought my Dad an EE PAYG sim just so we are able to get in touch and vice versa. I spoke to Vodafone Chat about leaving his contract because of these issues and I was told to phone the Bereavement Department!! As if it wasn’t upsetting enough, I told the lady he wasn’t dead, was just an expense he could do without seen as he cannot use the service! Any help would be greatly appreciated. I don’t know what to do really?

[63johnw]

Hi @Audrey84 you may not like the answer but there is little chance you can get out of the contract without paying an early termination charge. Vodafone provide a mobile service that cannot be guaranteed in every location and as long as they provide a signal somewhere they are meeting their commitments. Also its not vodafones fault your father moved to a location with poor signal.

There is a very good social media team here that may be able to look into this for you if you can hang around and wait for them to get to your post.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @Audrey84

I totally understand how frustrating it can be when signal is intermittent or non existent. 

Unfortunatley this isn't grounds to have the Contract quashed. Vodafone do not control where a person resides and like all other networks covers signal in their T&C's. As long as they give connection somewhere then they are fulfilling their obligations. 

A Vodafone High street Store can replace the SIM Card. They may need to lift any Bar's placed on the Account too. 

Have you checked his postcode in the Vodafone uk-coverage-map.

Zoom out on the map too to check surrounding areas. 

[BandOfBrothers]

To add. 

Options such as the Sure Signal device that creates a 3g signal in the home that works off Home Broadband WiFi could be an option and costs a one off £69.

Or Calling Over WiFi for eligible phones and contracts. 

Both would need home broadband WiFi however. 

Another is a Transfer of Ownership to pass the Contract onto another person. 

Transfer-of-ownership/Can-I-transfer-my-number-and-contract-to-someone-else.

[AnnS]

Hi @Audrey84

As mentioned by @63johnw, moving to an area where there is no signal will not entitle you to end the contract.

However, just to make sure the reason for the lack of signal is not due to a network issue, it would be an idea to give an example of the problem.  This can be done by completing the pro forma on the link below, this will give the Team on the forum something to work on and get back to you.

Network issues – initial checks and template