Pay as you go 1 default subscription

[tosia7]

Hi, I bought a pay as you go sim card and tried to activate it. I topped up my account from the mobile app, and realized that 1 £ was already charged by Pay as you go 1 plan without choosing any bundle or plan. My plan was to top up the account for 10 £ to get Big Value Bundle. Since I got only 9 £ left in my account I had to top up 5 £ more to be able to activate the bundle that I want to have. Without any consent of mine I was charged with Pay as you go 1 and it made 5 £ in my account unusable. It is not stated anywhere that the sim card is going to start with a default pay as you go 1 plan. So I spent 5 £ for nothing...

[BandOfBrothers · Accepted solution]

Hi @tosia7 

As regular posters on the forum we have seen this situation before from similar posts to yours.

I order Vodafone Payg sim cards from the online Vodafone Pages which are free and then choose the type of Payg tariff I want to use.

But Before inserting the sim card I turn off mobile data in the phones settings as I know from experience that once topped up if the tariff isn't set as a Big Value Bundle but instead Payg1 and the phone accesses mobile data to connect to the internet Vodafone would see this usage and deduct £1 for the daily access charge.

I appreciate not everyone wouod know to turn off mobile data and as such some are caught out with the sudden £1 charge and then left with insufficient funds to then buy a Big Value Bundle when they change tariffs, which isn't a good positive start to being a new customer.

If you perform a forum search you will see the general advice is to call 191 or use Live Chat to explain what's happened and to ask if they can help via a Goodwill Gesture in regards to the funds taken.

I appreciate you've topped up again to be able to then purchase a Big Value Bundle which Vodafone wouldn't be able to return.

I personally think that Vodafone should put extra instructions on the sim card packaging suggesting to turn Off Mobile Data in the phones settings prior to inserting the sim which activates the sim card which would help to stop this situation you and others have then faced. I know some wouldn't always read such instructions,  but at least then Vodafone have done all they can.

Vodafone Customer Services are generally helpful and I'm sure will want to get this resolved amicably.

I wish you all the best with this situation. 

[tosia7]

I contacted Vodafone about this and they refunded 1 £ since the instructions are not clear enough to prevent activating mobile data by mistake. They should definitely put some more instructions.