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Strange excessive data use on mobile broadband

jeffdawson78
4: Newbie

Hi,

I've very recently - 9 days ago - signed up to Vodafone mobile broadband 50GB plan using there mifi mobile router for use at home on my boat with our laptops.

 

As I have not used this before I have been keen to see how the speeds compare to my old Plusnet broadband and keep an eye on data usage.

I was therefore very surprised to see my account saying I had used 13GB of data over 2 nights! I checked the usage breakdown and saw a number of very strange readings of the same amount at small intervals:

 

16 Jan 2107
18:34  990.03 MB
19:33 990.03 MB
21:07 967.97 MB
21:25 990.03 MB
21:41 967.97 MB
21:57 765.02 MB
22:10 967.97 MB
22:30 199.16 MB

17 Jan 2017
07:09 11.49 MB
20.21 990.03 MB
20:35 967.97 MB
20:49 990.03 MB
21:05 967.97 MB
21:21 495.01 MB
21;28 967.97 MB
21:47 990.03 MB

22:05 234.86 MB 

 

On the 16 I did download a couple of shows from iplayer (approx 1.5GB) but nothing to use anywhere near that much data. 

I called the supprot line this morning but whilst courteous weren't able to do anything other than suggest visiting a store.

Has anyone experienced similar issues and how did you resolve it?

Thanks for any advice!

349 REPLIES 349

ChazzD
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@Elaines35

 

Apologies, you were incorrectly provided the link to our Broadband team rather than our Pay Monthly team. 

 

Please speak with our Pay Monthly Live Chat team who'll be able to have a look into this for you. 

Update from the dispute. I had logged a dispute with Vodafone earlier in the week and I contacted the complaints help line tonight for an update. After getting through the man was adamant that the excessive usage was correct and that 7gb outside my plan was my own doing. I explained that there was also 5-6gb remaining on my plan which also disappeared. He was unwilling to accept the reoccurring data usage amounts were strange and he said he was unable to see these on his end. I also said that another person had the exact same problem with a similar plan and similar usage amounts but again they were unwilling to accept there was a problem.  After a few heated words they eventually said they would credit 50% of the outstanding total but I said no as I still believe there was a problem in their end.  After consulting his manger a few times he offered £100 credit and eventually £150 credit towards the bill as a gesture of good will. They totally refused to accept the usage log was a bit odd and were adamant they were going to add the credit regardless whether I accepted it or not and settle the dispute. Another point to my argument was the failure to add the uk data cap. If it had of applied as I wished the over run would not have occurred and no bill. Again after a good rant I think he eventually accepted there is a problem with the data cap on my Vodafone. I applied the cap while on the phone but he couldn't see anything his end. He even said I would need to wait 24hrs but I tried over 2 weeks ago and it didn't work. I even think he tried and it didn't work. I was adamant he pass my concerns about this uk data cap problem on to the technical team as it totally unacceptable. I'm still reluctant to accept this part credit to my account and the using of the data but I haven't the time and energy to argue about £30. However if this data cap still doesn't appear within the next day or two I may have no option but proceed further with the complaint. 

@Elaines35 that is very disspointing that Vodafone are refusing to accept the data usage is not at all odd or looking into it further - it most definately is! Even putting that to one side - althoguh it shouldn't be - if your data cap worked you should never have gone over your limit. I haven't applied it yet to my account but will this weekend to see if it works on mine or if I have similar issues. 

I hope it works and Vodafone resolve the issue soon

Nabs
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

@Elaines35 I must echo what @jeffdawson78 has just said; The way Vodafone are behaving in this instance is very disappointing. 

As has been mentioned, had their data cap system worked as intended you would not have incurred any additional charges. On that basis I would be demanding a full refund of all data charges on the account, I personally wouldn't be settling for the 'goodwill gesture' they have proposed. Please don't allow them to settle the dispute, request that it is escalated to the highest level. If they refuse to do that

Please don't allow them to settle the dispute, request that it is escalated to the highest level. If they refuse to do that then ask for a deadlock letter so you can contact the Ombudsman, more details at https://www.vodafone.co.uk/vodafone-uk/forms/complaints-b/

 

Additionally, I believe you mentioned you are still within your 30day cancellation period? May be worth exercising your right to cancellation, though I appreciate Vodafone are considerably cheaper than the competition at the moment so you may not want to do that.

I’m having the exact same issue , I’ll add my experience to this thread 

Elaines35
4: Newbie
Tomw500 you seem to have a lot of reoccurring data amount as I had. 976.4mb seems to crop up a lot. The only reason I havent cancelled is the half price offer on at the moment. Perhaps if someone from Vodafone on this forum could comment and give their opinion on the matter. I was on for 1h30min last night to the call centre and the man couldnt have got me off the phone qhick enough but I persisted with my argument. Further to this if the cap had of worked there would have been no problem. If Vodafone do a proper investigation and realise the cap doesn't work I hope they will give me a full refund. Even the UK cap on mesage to 40506 didn't work.

The monthly price is good but if I could get out I would. Unless the cap works it is no use running up supposed £500 bills. Between that and the very poor customer service I've had enough and only been back with then for just over 1 month. We were about to switch 8 connections from O2 to them but no way that will be happening now.

Elaines35
4: Newbie
It seems the Vodafone people have gone missing. No comment or feedback!! As of last night the cap still wasn't active on my plan after the man telling me from the complaints team that it would be looked at and sorted out. This was on Thursday evening. Quite worrying that I have plan which can charge for excessive amounts of data ( which I didn't use) and I can't add the cap.

@Elaines35 that isn't good. On the data cap note I did try to add it to mine over the weekend but couldn't find where to do it. The help pages said to login to my account to do it which I did but if there is an option to do it it isn't very easy to find or I am misisng something completely obvious.

Either way I cannot confirm if I have the same issue with my account yet

Rahim
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@jeffdawson78 @Elaines35 @TomW500 As data usage is recorded directly from your SIM, our systems therefore can't fabricate your usage/charges.

If you'd like our team to investigate your bills, please get in touch via Live Chat