Vodafone PAYG Broadband Dongle with NO time limit

[CupraR]

Hello.

Approximately two years ago I purchased a Vodafone Dongle to be able to go onto the internet via my Laptop on the few occasions I am away from my Home Router.

It was purchased from Argos and for £15 I got 3GB of Data, which didn't run out except for a time limit of 270days.

I have now gone to top it up and I see a message I'll only get 1GB for £15???

What's going on, have I read the wrong thing?? Certainly hope so, I have had no literature from Vodafone with regards this.

Please put me out of my misery!!!

[mandklawrenson]

Hi,

I'm having the same problem, using the same dongle.

So is my Dad (he bought the same dongle too).

KAL

[Retired-Andy]

Hi everyone,

We no longer offer a Pay as you go mobile broadband tariff that doesn’t expire.

You can see the latest packs we have here.

We can look into why you’re unable to buy a pack without topping up.

I’ve sent details of how to get in touch to mandklawrenson, jimmiley and tinribz.

You’ll find the information here.

Thanks,

Andy

[Anthonytutt]

Like the others; your revised offers are of little value to me.

I have £20 I would like to recover.

However I did see one option that might possibly be of use.

It is an option to spend £8 on data within europe for 24 hours.

The original £15 package was prohibited from being used abroad, has this now been enabled?

Anthony

[degogarn]

I have also had a refund anybody needs the number here it is

 main Vodafone switchboard, (Geographic number removed)

[David James]

This is disgraceful.

I have a Vodafone Huawei K3565 that I bought a very long while ago entirely because the Vodafone credit did not expire (and all the other providers did). I use it very infrequently, so to discover when I tried to use it tonight that the only page I can get to is the invitation to top-up, when the device itself and the My Account summary page both tell me I still have £8.09 of credit remaining is, to say the least, disappointing.

If I have credit remaining, why can't I use it?

OK, so £8.09 isn't much, but it's probably worth more to me than to Vodafone.

The K3565 is so slow, that there's really no point in buying any more credit for it - I've noted the Customer Service phone number (thanks to those that posted it) and I'll be calling them - I assume to waste more money as I listen to music on hold.

Are there any good providers of mobile broadband? I've recently had bad experiences with Three and T-mobile and now Vodafone ...

[bwhitthome]

I too have an ancient K3565 which I use intermittently when i am away from my home hub.  Only to find on attempting to go on-line I was only able to get the Vodafone top up page.  I also have not received any message regarding cessation of this service.  The monthly payments offered are far too much for my usage.   I will be contacting customer services for a refund of £7.31 and at the same time cancelling my monthly mobile phone contract and changing to Giff Gaff as I consider Vodafone are no longer worth patronising.

[OldGoat]

Chris B69, Bwhitthome, You can't complain that you're dissatisfied because VF no longer meets your needs, but you CAN complain that the Ts and Cs have changed without your knowledge.

Complain to OFCOM - they won't take action on individual cases, but if enough folk take the trouble they might do something about it.

Else, got to arbitration - doesn't cost and it might rattle VF's cage slightly. It's a large organisation with a lot of inertia. Worth a try.

What is useless is to throw your toys out of your pram. It might make you feel better, but doesn't solve the problem.

CSRs are helpful but limited in what they can do - The next level up have more power but they sure as hell make quite sure you can't get hold of them.

Don't get angry get even (again)

[ccarmock]

I am also in the same boat.    I have the non expiring Dongle too - very handy as I use it in emergencies.  Went to use it today and got the same issue - restricted to Vodafones website despite over £30 credit.  Long standing VF customer.

When I called i was simply told they can change whatever terms and conditions they like on PAYG and there is nothign i can do about it as there is no contract.

I did point out there is a contract, as I purchased the thing from them and that in itself is a contract.   I purchased it due to the fact it was unlimited.  

I believe I can demand back my credit and original purchase price.  though wondering about the situation where, since VF are in breach of that contract damages should allow me to be put in the same position I would have been in had the breach not occurred - ie with an unlimted Dongle.

"Customer Services" told me the change happened 6 months ago and was done to offer customers more choice.    No thats not more choice - these options were available to me before on the time limited dongle what they have done is reduced choice not increased it.    

I liek the analogy above about drilling a hole in the petrol tank - that is very appropriate here.

VF sure is nto the company it was. Customer services is very poor and they way they treat customers now even worse.

very happy to join a complaint to OFCOM if others want to do so too.

[drj]

ccarmock - whilst people can get refunds for unused credit if they pursue their case strongly enough, I can't recall reading that ANYONE has managed to get a refund of the cost of the dongle. I haven't pursued that aspect since I used my dongle for several years so would only be entitled to a partial refund in any case - which might actually be nothing...

[Ben_H]

Hi folks,

Anthony - The new options mean you can purchase packs for use abroad. You'll need to make sure roaming is also enabled on your My Vodafone settings. 

David James - I'm sorry you feel this way. We made all customers aware of the changes using the contact details they supplied. The message would have also appeared on the dashboard for your dongle.

Changes to the services we offer can happen at Vodafone's discretion. There's more about this in the Ts&Cs. 

To use the balance you've mentioned, you'll need to convert the credit into a data pack. 

Many thanks, Ben