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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

Thanks, that's a possible alternative. Coverage in my area looks a little poor (it's why I went with Vodafone in the first place) but depending on the job market I may not be staying in my area (Thankfully just submitted my PhD Thesis, which made this fiasco a lovely added stress!)

 

I still am not sure how the rep I spoke to defended the fact that despite the livechat rep telling me the data cap was on it was my fault it wasn't.

If anybody else is still in this I strongly suggest contacting Ofcom and The Observer Consumer Complaints section (apparently their email is not allowed to be posted here but you can find it here https://www.theguardian.com/help/contact-us) 

I've done that and already had an email back from the Observer one.

ToniCa
13: Advanced Member

wrote:

the idea that I should have to turn on the data cap every single billing period is laughable even before the issue of the video pass. 

 


Sorry, "quote" doesn't seem to be working right! My understanding is that the data cap won't work at all alongside a pass, you simply can't turn it on. I hadn't seen anything to suggest that (apart from having one of the passes) the cap turned off again each month - surely not??

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42995210 sounds slightly more cautious about the EE box than the other article.

You are right, the data cap won't work with the video pass at all but that was never explained to me and the first livechat rep even confirmed the data cap was in place (This was after I'd purchased the Mobile Broadband with the Video pass in store) so I'd just assumed it would work alongside the video pass that was still active (I mean, I think that's logical?). It was only in the last week that I'd exceeded the data and gone over the 'data cap' which I was told was in place but actually wasn't and it's only checking now that I've found out that the video pass invalidates the data cap. Even then all this data usage was while I wasn't even in the building!

But, like I said, the latest rep told me I should have checked if the data cap was on every month along with my video pass so it's apparently my fault :Angry_Face: .

Hi all,

 

The same thing happened to me yesterday. I just called Vodafone and was told I have to wait until my bill comes out to complain.  According to the data usage, in 2 minutes I accumulated charges of £45.50. Which execceds the average 4G speeed wich Vodafone actually provides is 11.76Mbps. Which means to download 2 GB would have taken 26 minutes instead of 2 minutes.

 

19 Feb 18 - 19:54Internet 963.61 MB£26.00
19 Feb 18 - 19:52Internet 981.40 MB£19.50

 

I have been on the same contract for over a year and have never gone over my cap. I find it really odd that this happned to more than one person. 

 

This is a massively inconvenience as I know do not have any data for 3 weeks for my bill to come before I can lodge a complain. 

Don't let them bully you saying you cannot lodge a complaint until the bill arrives - that's rubbish!  They're  buying time.  Ask to speak to the Complaints Manager and be sure to ask them to send you a copy of the recorded call!

 

Gemma
Community Manager
Community Manager

@JodePaula - I can understand your frustration, with being advised that you need to wait.

So that we can look into the charges you've incured, please send us your details by following the steps in this private message.

I am trying to speak with your Customer Services to resolve this long outstanding issue which has now been escalated by Vodafone to credit collection agency with no warning.  They seem incapable of helping.  I want to speak with a Manager.  Someone competent who can actually resolve this long outstanding issue

Gemma
Community Manager
Community Manager

@tesshoc - I’m sorry that it’s got to that stage. So that one of the Credit Specialists in my team can take a look, please send us your details by following the instructions in this private message.

Can anyone help me with exactly the same issue as the others are seeing i.e. repeated bursts of multi 1GB usage over a short period of time.  i am seeing this repeatedly, and even after turning my dongle off, i see usage, but the customer service department refuses to acknowledge any issue or that these patterns are wrong.  Who should i be speaking too within vodafone to sort this please?