How to get out of contract and move service provider

starlight2010

To cut a long story short, I'm stuck in an 18 month contract (12 months remaining) with Vodafone. I'm on a data contract but don't use the smartphone (it's in it's box at home) as there is no data coverage where we live and the quality of phone calls on it wasn't as good as on my old Nokia handset.
I have been on to Vodafone on numerous occasions and am getting nowhere with them and I'm paying for a data tariff every month even though I only use talk and text. I have offered to give them back the smartphone to get out of the contract and they won't accept it.

The thoughts of paying this tariff for another year is very upsetting.

What would happen if I just moved to another service provider?
Can I keep my number?

cookie1977

Can you not drop to a plan with no data now since it's 6 months since you joined?

If you just move they will charge you a termination fee (the total cost of the 12months left).

What plan specifically are you on at present? Also if they cant provide you with a working service then you may be able to get out of contract depending on if they cannot rectify the issue. It's a slow process but it may result in early termination without a cancellation fee.

If you just switched provider, you would end up with two bills as you would still be under contract with Vodafone.
Some of the contracts allow you to downgrade your package to a cheaper one(eg one without data) after 6 months. If you post in the talk to vadafone forum:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1270, they might be able to help you. No harm in asking anyway. I've always found them very helpful.
Edit: Was slow posting, cookie1977 got in there before me.

Dempo1

depending on your price plan, you should be able to reduce it after six months, its a pity you have poor data coverage as using data by way of clever apps such as Cabbage (android), jellysms on horrid iphones and viber, whats up etc, you could save substantially. Of course this is if you have unlimited data on your contact.

As for the contract, all service providers will enforce the contract, as of recently customers can no longer automatically port their numbers to another network if there is a remaining balance on their accounts, whilst free to change networks, on porting to another network your current provider will issue you a final bill with the monthly tariff, multiplied by the amount of months remaining on your contract.

Owryan

If your paying for a service that vodafone cant/wont/unable to provide then make a formal complaint to them and cc it to COMREG.

All costs is time and if vodafone cant solve your issue then comreg can help you get out of your contract. They got me out of my one with three due to a similar issue.

However you need to engage with vodafone to try fix the issue first, but take details of every call,text, email you have as it will help your case