SIM only contract - can't use overseas (without paying a lot of money)

[goldust]

Hi,

My partner and I both renewed our contracts in August using the VEA scheme to get 30% off a SIM only deal.

The deal was for 500 minutes, unlimited texts and 10GB (doubled from 5GB which it would normally be) which we were happy with.

My partner went on a trip to Europe last month and I called up as I noticed I got a text saying that Vodafone EuroTraveller had been cancelled on my phone so wondered if hers was the same and what the deal was.

Having spoken to several people it seemed that there was no option to have this anymore nor were there any realistically priced alternatives.  I think £10 a day for 500MB data was suggested at some point but regardless it was priced prohibitively and there seemed no realistic option for her to use data on her phone without us spending a lot of money.

Eventually after lots of debate between advisors and transferred calls a sales guy changed her contract to the £20 a month deal (less the 30% discount) for unlimited minutes and texts plus 20GB data which also included roaming usage and data.

Whilst this has more minutes and data she didn't really need this but it was sold as the only way realistically we could do it.

So now I'm paying more money a month just to retain the facility to use the phone overseas when occasionally we go.  Also, the sales guy said he would ring back and help move my phone across to the same deal or work something out so I don't end up in the same position.

My question is... is there anything that can be done as I feel we were mis-sold the original SIM only deals as it was stated we would have EuroTraveller and now we can't any more.  And I don't know what to do with my contract and I'm going abroad in 2 weeks and need to use my phone!

Please advise... happy to talk through over the phone if required..

[Retired-LouiseE]

Hi @goldust

Our Live Chat service can look into your accounts and discuss this further with you. 

Louise

[goldust]

Hi @Louise_E

They can't help me!  Neither can the store (I went in yesterday as I'm running out of time to resolve this now)

I am not able to have Euro Traveller on my contract despite on my renewal of this deal it being part of it.

So I need this escalating please.  Either it is sorted out or I would like to cancel my contract as it is no longer fit for the purpose I took it out.

If you can't help me any further please let me know so I can take alternative action.  This needs to be resolved before my trip in a weeks time.

[jeffkinn]

 I don't believe that customer services will be able to do anything to help you. Euro Traveller was withdrawn from new contracts back in May and they won't make an exception for you or anyone else.

Also the 30 day window you had to cancel you contracts has long since passed.

So you only have the option to change to a tariff that includes roaming or pay for data as and when you use it overseas. 

[goldust]

But that's just not fair!

I renewed my contract INCLUDING EuroTraveller and continued to use it up until the point I received an email saying it had been removed from my account.

You can't just take a key feature away part way through a contract and not even offer any type of alternative.  It's just not on and I would consider it a breach of the agreement I had.  If they'd told me that EuroTraveller was being removed in the future I'd have not do it simple as that.  Now I don't have any reasonable alternative option.

I can't have a 30 day cooling off period for something that was changed more than 30 days after I signed up!!!!

[jeffkinn]

When you say renewed do you mean you upgraded your old contract to a new contract in August and you had Euro Traveller after August?

This is what is says on the Vodafone website

Please note Vodafone EuroTraveller isn’t available on Pay monthly bundles dated after 5 May 2016

If you had it in a contract that just carried on after May, the service would continue to be there. It cannot have been avaialble to you after a renewal in August.

[goldust]

I renewed in July.  To be clear Euro Traveller was stipulated as part of the deal when I renewed.  See for yourself here is the deal to renew from an email from Vodafone dated 20th July 2016.  Can you see why I'm a little disappointed as I'm tied to this for still the best part of 12 months and it no longer serves the purpose I took it out for...

[Retired-LouiseE]

Hi @goldust

I have sent you a Private Message with further help. 

Please follow the instructions in the Private Message. 

Louise

[goldust]

Thank you Louise.  I will try them now.  I'll be impressed if it is sorted as two people from the complaints department have completely fobbed me off today too.  But your efforts are much appreciated.

[goldust]

Hi Louise,

A bit confused... I sent my query as instructed and had a call from Vodafone earlier but when I tried to answer it the phone said call failed.

Then I got a voicemail message but couldn't hear what the guy was saying just some key words... Vodafone...email...not a lot else!

At the same time I got texted a one time password.

So I don't know what to do?  I can't call the number back (0808 000 0133) and I don't know what to do with this one time password.

Will someone try again?  Sorry to pester but I need this sorted before the weekend...