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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

Alex
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@Snakeybad The 1000MB amounts are likely just to be the way the data is displayed. For example, 2.5GB of usage in a day would show as 1000MB, 1000MB & 500MB.

What device are you using when browsing? It is possible that this could have done a background update that you're unaware of?


@Alex wrote:

@Snakeybad The 1000MB amounts are likely just to be the way the data is displayed. For example, 2.5GB of usage in a day would show as 1000MB, 1000MB & 500MB.

What device are you using when browsing? It is possible that this could have done a background update that you're unaware of?


 

 

No its running in a virtual machine and isnt set up to do any updates. Im sorry but this is just a nonsense. I have 5 other mifis as mentioned with 3 and EE and never go anywhere near 10GB in a month, Never mind 8GB in a day!!! Your customer service is attrocious and you cant show me what times or websites the data was used on. Couple that with this thread which shows how many other people have had the same issues and its clear vodafone cant be trusted...

 

I agree that Vodafone customer service is atrocious. It seems to me that they have been trained only to placate and not to solve problems. They need to realise that some of their customers (me) are intelligent and have been using computers and the internet for decades.

Data rollover might be a help if only Vodafone would embrace this. As in my case I had more than enough unused data in the previous 2 months to cover the leak.

I also find it frustrating that the staff are unable to interrogate the usage to see exactly where it has been used.

Adam
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

@Snakeybad We're more than happy to check your account to see if we can shed some light on the usage. Please send us your details by following the steps in the private message I've sent you. 

This seems to be a very ongoing issue. And your customer service is appalling when shown evidence. I had a problem back in August where a complaint was not raised. The outcome was poor. And what I was advised was incorrect advice! 

 

I seem to have used 15GB in three days, on one device. Not really sure how!? It's not data intensive (and despite the contact of this chat, I've not been streaming on the laptop, the smart TV is connected to the parents home broadband) I use the dongle for work. Last month I definitely didn't meet it. How can it be possible to meet it in 3 days? This makes me think my previous bill was also erroneous in August.

 

 
DATE/TIME: 2018-10-24 22:03:04
Your Chat Transcript
The following is a record of your online chat with Vodafone today
system : Thanks for choosing to chat with us. An agent will be with you shortly
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Good Evening, Elizabeth
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Hi, how can I help you today?
Elizabeth : where has my entertainment pass gone and HOW have I used 15GB in three days!?
Elizabeth : when i didn't use that much last month and my behaviour is not different
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : No need to worry about it. I will check your account and will do my best to help you out.
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Is <> your concern number?
Elizabeth : yep
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Can I ask you a few question to verify your account?
Elizabeth : sure
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Please help me with 2nd and 3rd digit of your Vodafone security pin.
Elizabeth : xxxxxxx
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : That's perfect. Thank you for verification.
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Please allow me few minutes to check your account for the details.
Elizabeth : thanks
Elizabeth : i used it all last week and didnt reach the same amount of data 🙈
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Thank you for waiting. I appreciate your patience.
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : I can see that you have used all of your 15 GB data and there is no more data left in your account. This data consumption detail will be show up in your next will. I would request you to pelase wait for your next bill that will generate on 22-Nov-2018. Then we will let you know where you have been used this data.
Elizabeth : I can see it already, its preposterous. I demand an explanation now.
Elizabeth : my video entertainment pass is also missing from my accoiunt
Elizabeth : this is not possible: 22 Oct 18 - 19:32 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.0022 Oct 18 - 18:34 Internet 500.00 MB £0.0022 Oct 18 - 18:21 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.0022 Oct 18 - 18:06 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.0022 Oct 18 - 17:50 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.0022 Oct 18 - 17:36 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.0022 Oct 18 - 17:20 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.0022 Oct 18 - 17:04 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.0022 Oct 18 - 15:16 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.00
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Video pass you have removed in from your account in August 2018. We have already sent you a next of it on 12/Aug/2018.
Elizabeth : No,. I did not remove itt!!!
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Elizabeth, the details of every data come in the bill and the bill will be generated on 22-Nov-2018, then we will explain that to you every data details.
Elizabeth : tno, I'm not waiting again
Elizabeth : this happened last time
Elizabeth : please escalate me to a manger and raise a complaint
Elizabeth : PROPERLY
Elizabeth : and reinstate my video pass that you had no right to remove
Elizabeth : in fact, how do i cancel this contract due to ineffective application of the contract and terrible goods and services
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : We have a dedicated disconnection team over the chat, if you wish I can transfer your chat to the dedicated team for the cancellation.
Elizabeth : yes please
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : I can see that your contract end date is 22/Mar/2019. So you will be charged for early termination fee.
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : If you end this contract today then you will be needing to pay £79.46
Elizabeth : well, id like to put in a complaint either way
Elizabeth : so basically the rest of the airtime, that i wont receive? and im not getting because youre over charging for data
Elizabeth : AND, removed my video pass?
Elizabeth : ineffectual, at best
Elizabeth : also, i was advised a payment plan would not affect my credit score. GUESS WHAT, IT HAS
Elizabeth : Complaint please
Elizabeth : thank you
Elizabeth : please log a complain
Elizabeth : 1: over charging for data. 2. removal of video pass without consent. 3. affecting credit file when advised it would not. 4. advising me to wait for a bill when i can see the charges clearly in my account already, you should be communicating about this with me NOW
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : The exact explanation of the data come up in the bill, and you will be generated on 22-Nov-2018. So the manager will let you know the exact details.
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : We have not removed the data without your consent, in fact we have sent you update also that you have removed your video pass from your account back in August.
Elizabeth : I don't get updates because i dont have a phone, this was a bone of contention last time. I HAVE A DONGLE ROUTER
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : You can login into your online account and can see the details of your data in it.
Elizabeth : raise the ##~## complaint
Elizabeth : now
Elizabeth : stop stalling
Elizabeth : you clearly cant resolve this with your script
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Clearly there was no video pass in your account. So you have used your data that's why it has been consumed.
Elizabeth : complaint
Elizabeth : raise it
Elizabeth : stop answerng with your non answers
Elizabeth : you are wrong
Elizabeth : or put me through to a manager or something
Elizabeth : you are condescending
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Okay. I will connect you with my manager and he will raise a complaint for you.
Elizabeth : thank you
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Please allow me few minutes to connect your chat with my manager.
Elizabeth : thank you
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : Please allow me few more minutes, I am transferring your chat.
Elizabeth : ok
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : I am transferrin your chat now.
VOD-JJyaurrahaman : transferring**
Elizabeth : o
Elizabeth : ok
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Hi Elizabeth.
Elizabeth : Hello.
VOD-SThakurSup10 : I'm Jyaurrahaman's manager in shift.
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Please allow me a moment to go through the chat you were having to help you further.
Elizabeth : ok, thank you
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Elizabeth, we only capture the usage, we don't track where the data has been used due to the privacy of our customer. Yes per your usage the data has been used up, I can understand it may not be you who used the allowance but could also be the device that the Dongle was connected, the data could have been used in the Background for the updates of the applications which were left open or any website that may have been accessed which usage high amount of data.
Elizabeth : it has been connected to only one device, and these charges are completely erroneous. even other customers are reporting this FAULT
VOD-SThakurSup10 : If it was possible to give the breakdown of the data usage then we would have given that, but to safeguard the privacy of our customers we do not track the usage.
Elizabeth : i cant use a GB in 15 minutes on my connection
Elizabeth : thats impossible
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Elizabeth, What I can suggest is that to install an App on your device which can give you the usage of the data, this will tell you the time where the data has been used also the sites or app the data were consumed, there are many such applications available in Playstore/Googleplay which you can download after reading the reviews. We as services providers can't, we only get the details from your SIM and these are updated on the account.
Elizabeth : nonono
Elizabeth : you are not listening
Elizabeth : this is clearly erroneous charges and id like an investigation
Elizabeth : i dont use any apps on the device
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Elizabeth, I wish I could arrange an investigation on the usage but we don't have this option available for Data usage.
Elizabeth : I work in finance & technology
Elizabeth : raise a complaint
Elizabeth : this is all
Elizabeth : as soon as I mention the word complaint this should have been raised..............
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Sure, I would raise the complaint for you to our Complaints team, please share your preferred contact number and an email address on which you can be contacted by the Complaints team.
Elizabeth : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Thanks.
VOD-SThakurSup10 : I've raised the complaint for the issue. You'd be contacted by our Complaints team within 48-72 working hours.
Elizabeth : thank you. this service is appalling, and its an issue you've known about for a year at least
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Elizabeth, trust me we don't store the details of the data usage, the details we get is from the SIM.
Elizabeth : uh-huh
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Don't worry, the complaints team would be in touch with you soon with the best resolution.
Elizabeth : ok. bye
VOD-SThakurSup10 : It was nice chatting to you.
VOD-SThakurSup10 : Bye and take care.

 

 

22 Oct 18 - 19:32 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.00
22 Oct 18 - 18:34 Internet 500.00 MB £0.00
22 Oct 18 - 18:21 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.00
22 Oct 18 - 18:06 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.00
22 Oct 18 - 17:50 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.00
22 Oct 18 - 17:36 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.00
22 Oct 18 - 17:20 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.00
22 Oct 18 - 17:04 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.00
22 Oct 18 - 15:16 Internet 1000.00 MB £0.00

 

 

 

It is strange that the downloads they record are exactly 1000MB. In the real world you will never get this!

They steal a bit here and there, but the data mounts up over a month.

So why is some Government body not looking into this 'grand theft'?

I have given up on VF and cancelled my contract, they will not even acknowledge that there might be a problem, at least not publicly.

ToniCa
13: Advanced Member

I think the 1000MB is probably a red herring - as suggested somewhere in this saga, it's just a flag for the customer "That's another GB you've used."

What is worrying is the rate at which they come - often apparently in the range from highly improbable to downright impossible.

After all this time, Vodafone must have worked out what is happening. If they can't fix it, they should at least tell the customers what situations to avoid, rather than go on pretending there isn't an issue. 

I could tether on my phone and I definitely wouldn't reach these rates! 

ToniCa
13: Advanced Member

Way back on page 1 of this thread (nearly 2 years ago!) there's a discussion of speed tests - see https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Mobile-Broadband/Strange-excessive-data-use-on-mobile-broadband/m-p/... and the next few posts. It might be worth checking what speeds you actually get locally.

What are you connecting to your dongle? If it's a W10 laptop, there's a fair bit of data usage info available via Settings > Network & Internet > Data Usage, including data by route (wifi etc), and broken down into data by app. Only apparently across 30 days, but it would at least give you some idea whether your laptop is getting to "see" the claimed quantity of data.