Strange excessive data use on mobile broadband

[jeffdawson78]

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!

[Wendylen]

The unknown data use on my mifi I occurred about 4am on 31 July. I have been told by Vodafone 20gb was used in 20 minutes. The guy on customer service admitted that it was not possible for me to do that bearing in mind that most software updates would be less than 1 gig. But the response was we know it wasn't you but the data has been used so you have to pay. It is unbelievable that Vodafone have no escalation system and hide behind T&Cs saying "you're in a contract"

[Wendylen]

Grrrrr I am being driven mad by Vodafone. Just phoned customer services and spoke to someone who seems to have no clue what I'm talking about. Is there nobody working there with an ounce of common sense. 

I was asleep when 20gb of data was used by my mifi. I don't download videos or stream anything so that usage is impossible. 

20GB is massive.

[ToniCa]

It seems to be a fortnight since I suggested you wait for the Forum Team to catch up with you. I guess they aren't interested in helping, which is a great shame, as they used to be good at resolving such issues. 

I can only suggest making a formal complaint - see https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/complaints

Make it very clear that you are making a formal complaint, which you want resolved rather than just kicked into the long grass. Ultimately you can ask for a deadlock letter and refer it to the ombudsman, but I'd hope that someone, somewhere in Vodafone might be interested enough to sort this out for you. 

[Mark]

I’m sorry we missed your earlier post @Wendylen this wasn’t done deliberately. As @ToniCa advised, we’ll be happy to look into these charges for you. As we’ll need access to your account to do this, please get in touch by following the instructions in this private message.

[Wendylen]

This has now been dealt with by the deadlock team. Not quite to my complete satisfaction but close enough. 

[kvz2000]

Hi Mark ,

am I correct in thinking you are from Vodafone ? Like many on here I have experience serious issues with my mobile Vodafone WiFi and are amazed at the refusal of Vodafone to accept this is their problem .

only been a Vodafone customer for 6 days and allegedly used 20 GB of data already ,

it jumped by 5.6GB yesterday in a few hours ....

i have lost count of the number of Vodafone people I have spoken to and all but one have been totally useless .

ive been advised to take my device back to store and get a replacement and see if that makes any difference .... can you tell me what Vodafone are saying about this issue if anything .

[kvz2000]

Tried to like your post but for some strange reason it doesn’t work , just like their wifi

[kvz2000]

Hi All ,

ive owned my Vodafone mobile WiFi for just 5 days and ready to hand it back , I have spoken to way too many Vodafone tech folk and to be blunt they are useless , probably reading of a screen .

in10 Years with my old provider I never went over my 28GB limit , yet since getting the Vodafone WiFi I have used ( or claimed to have used ) 20 GB , that’s about 4GB per day and would work out at 120GB per month !!!  

Today I used 5.6GB in a few hours , I was the only one at home and was away for 2 hours during that time , I never download any thing ,films or videos ....just browsing , really not happy with Vodafone , thankfully I haven’t cancelled my old account so might go back to them but as it’s a salelitte system it’s dearer and slower but doesn’t rip me off on data usage .

[ToniCa]

As a matter of urgency, I'd suggest turning on the data cap - https://support.vodafone.co.uk/Account-bill-and-top-up/My-allowance-usage-and-charges/Data-capping/9...

Vodafone seems in denial about whatever it is that's going wrong, so getting help if you go crashing through your data allowance isn't easy. Best to make sure you can't go crashing through.

If you decide not to continue, make sure you hand back within the 30 days.

[kvz2000]

Thanks ,

one of the Vodafone people I spoke to said that they have capped it but I’d like to check ,

I spent a bit of time late last night filling in the complaint form that someone gave the link to ,would you believe that after completing it I tried to send it only to be told there was an error and I was to go back and fix it , clicked the back button and my form was gone !!

going to phone this morning .

Has anyone found a solution to this issue , I see the problem has been ongoing for a couple of years , are any of you still using the mobile WiFi without this issue ?