Need extricating from woeful unlimited 4g data plan.

[Mark_72a]

Hi.

Could an admin get in touch please, to discuss (hopefully on the phone) the cancellation of my Vodafone unlimited data contract due to the not-fit-for service data speeds which have not been resolved via other Vodafone representatives. This is essentially, a last resort option.

I am signed up to what was (when I started my contract) the mid-tier, “up to 10Mbps” unlimited data plan but am getting nowhere near those speeds. Over the course of one day I did speed tests in roughly hourly intervals from 6:30am to 3:30pm and the average speed was just over 4Mbps download speeds (Max 8.7, min 0.5). The highest speed was the first test, at 6:30am, likely when most people were still asleep which to me suggests the fault being a congested 4g service. If we were to disregard the first speed test, the average speed would have been just under 3Mbps.

Now I can replicate these daily speed tests ad-infinitum and the results are roughly the same (just did a speed test now, and pitifully the speed was 340Kbps - I kid you not).

Speaking to a Vodafone representative a few weeks back via text-chat, was told there was some engineering work locally that was supposed to have happened between the 2nd - 7th June that might fix the issue. This did not resolve the problem, if the engineering work occurred at all.

Things I have done my end to test various scenarios in case it was an issue with my phone etc: I have changed settings several times under instruction from Vodafone tech, reset my network settings, tried my SIM card in another phone, tried a new SIM card in case my now unused one was at fault and so on. The fault clearly is the local network, in terms of not being up to snuff to provide the speeds one would expect, as I do in line with the unlimited data plan I have. 

Also, I did a side-by-side speed test where my wife (with EE and a weaker signal) managed 14Mbps on 4g and I got 1Mbps on 4g (at 8:30am)… literally EE is 14 times faster in our town.

As I am self-employed, I rely on a good data network connection and this service I have just doesn’t do that, so please, could someone from Vodafone help me in the switch to a service that works.

M.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @Mark_72a 

Due to access to accounts not being available via this forum you would need to contact the Vodafone Social Media Team's via Twitter or Facebook for them to help.

Social Media Team Link … Contact-us-for-account-specific-queries. 

I wish you all the best with this. 

[AnnS]

Hi @Mark_72a 

To achieve the fastest speed possible you need to be on an unlimited max plan, if you were promised speeds of up to 10 mbps, you will be on a standard unlimited plan, also the speeds achieved are up to and the speed you achieve will be dependent on network traffic, network conditions and where you are using the device. There is further information on unlimited speed here: unlimited data speeds 

It sounds like you are on the wrong tariff and need to ask Vodafone to move the contract to the unlimited max where you will achieve the fastest speed possible.

It would also be recommended to check the coverage checker at the top of the page, this will give an indication of the speed achievable to your location, if you use the zoom out feature, you will be able to see the surrounding network.

However, as this is a network issue, before speaking to the Social Team follow this link .Network Issues   To give the Team something to work on complete the pro forma giving an example of the issue and something for them to work on and they will be back to you with help and advise.

[chistery]

What you don't say is if you've tried it elsewhere. It should be fairly easy to test when connected to a different mast and showing that speeds are either similar or around 10mbit/s

Also, see if there's someone else on Vodafone nearby and get them to test too.

[Mark_72a]

I can get much better speeds elsewhere (near me, Lincoln and Boston). I would bet my left kidney that the mast is oversubscribed for the town I live in.

[AnnS]

Not necessarily @Mark_72a , it may just be network availability for your Town where you live.  When you use the coverage checker at the top of the page, the zoom out feature is important, it gives a better indication of the network at your postcode.

Complete the pro forma on the network queries link, copy and paste the results back on the thread and the Team will be able to look into this more closely for you when they have received an example.

However, it does look like you are on a tariff not offering the fastest speeds possible.

[Mark_72a]

Ann.

One way to find out for sure would be for Vodafone to grace me with a few weeks free upgrade to test the network.

My wife who is paying less with EE smokes my Vodafone network speeds. It should be a point of shame for Vodafone to be outpaced 14/1 from a competitor and be charging more for the insult, on top of the "Up to 10Mbps" but actually 4Mbps slippery wording.

[Mark_72a]

Hi Ann.

I'm quite happy to try the unlimited max tariff to test your theory without obligation, which is to say I'm not willing to upgrade (pay) without testing it first because suggesting that Vodafone's "up to 10Mbps" is really 3/4Mbps during waking hours makes me think it's the local network and not my tariff that's at fault.  That would be some sales pitch to sell average 4Mbps data speeds as "up to 10Mbps" in any normal world.

[Mark_72a]

1) Does the issue happen in just one location? If so, how far do you have to travel to regain service?

The slow data speeds (where I use my phone 99% of time) are not replicated in nearby Lincoln & Boston.

2) What is the full postcode (e.g. ST1 1AA) of where the issue occurs? If you don't want this showing on the Community, add it to your profile here.

LN96EP

3) Does the issue occur if you try your SIM card in a different phone?

YES

4) What errors are seen or heard when the issue occurs?

Average 3 to 4Mbps, far below the "up to 10Mbps" data speeds. 

5) Does this happen on 2G, 3G, 4G or all?

Flipping between 4g and 3g gives different results, sometimes 3g is faster, sometimes not so ultimately not helpful.

6) When did you first notice this issue?

A few months ago.

7) Is the issue permanent or intermittent? If intermittent, are there certain times of the day when it occurs?

Data speeds permanently below par.

[Beth]

Hi @Mark_72a! Thank you for the information. I'm sorry you've been having issues with your speeds. I've taken a look at the postcode you've provided (LN9 6EP) and the coverage is good indoors and outdoors for 2G - 4G. There is no 5G coverage in your area at the moment. I've also taken a look at the specific mast you connect to (No. 37990) and there has been no downtime or maintenance. 

The speeds you should be expecting in the above postcode are as follows:

Tech	Download	Upload
2G	0 - 0.2 Mbps	0 - 0.2 Mbps
3G	0.9 - 22.5 Mbps	0.2 - 4.6 Mbps
4G	3.8 - 60.0 Mbps	0.9 - 23.2 Mbps
5G	0 - 0 Mbps	0 - 0 Mbps

You're able to see this by entering your postcode into our Network Status Checker and then selecting Data Speed Info at the bottom. If you're experiencing speeds of lower than 3.8mbps on 4G, please contact our Social Media team here and we'd be happy to continue investigating. To run a speed test on your device, please ensure you're connected to mobile data only and go to https://www.speedtest.net/.