Are Vodafone ripping me off - you decide?

Lord Nikon

Last month (Jan 26th) I purchased a Nokia 6630 on the Migrator 300 option. The option includes ( i think ) 300 anytime minutes, and 200 Phone a Friend for free minutes. The option cost 69quid, which i thought was a good offer, and the phone costing 100quid. Also, I asked for my bill date to be the 14th of every month.

The problem is this...

1. because my signup date (Jan 26th) is 2 weeks after my bill date (14th), they are only offering me half my Free minutes.

2. They want me to pay line rental for the “so-called” month that I’ve had the phone, and another months line rental, as a back month or something like that.


Can they charge me for 2 months line rental on my first bill, and if so, why?

Also, if they are charging me for 2 months rental, why do they only offer me half of the minutes for the month?

Doublezero8

neuromancer wrote:

2. They want me to pay line rental for the “so-called” month that I’ve had the phone, and another months line rental, as a back month or something like that.


Can they charge me for 2 months line rental on my first bill, and if so, why?

Also, if they are charging me for 2 months rental, why do they only offer me half of the minutes for the month?

All new connections to the Vodafone network work like this.

You pay rental a month in advance. So you pay rental in this case for 2 weeks plus next month. Your minutes for the first month are given on a pro rata basis in this case 2 weeks minutes on the tarrif you opted for.

Next month you will have the full allocation of minutes and only 1 months rental i know its a pain but if you think about it because you are paying in advance when and if you cancel the line you will not have to pay the last months rental as you have paid it in advance.

Fair sure this is the way it works .

008

ranDom_tAsk

that's the main reason i got rid my bill phone, i use RTG now. bill phones are to confusing..

i have RTG now and i know how much i spend etc.

jesus_thats_gre

You are billed monthly.. Your billing period (in this case) runs from the 14th of every month.. You pay your line rental a month in advance..

You connected on the 26th of Jan and purchased a phone. Your first bill is issued on the 14th (circa) of Feb and on that bill you will see charges dated something like below:

26/01/05 - 13/02/05: Rental
14/02/05 - 14/03/05: Rental


I can sort of understand that it is slightly confusing until it has been explained to you.. But how are they ripping you off? You got exaclty what you paid for.

The Corinthian

jesus_thats_gre wrote:

I can sort of understand that it is slightly confusing until it has been explained to you.. But how are they ripping you off? You got exaclty what you paid for.

I can see where he's comming from to an extent however. Apparantly (correct me if I'm wrong) he is being charged full line rental for the first 'half month', yet only recieves half of that months free minutes. This is inconsistant.

I would demand the Free minutes for that month if you're going to pay the full line rental for that month, otherwise I would report them to ComReg at the very least.

Lord Nikon

The Corinthian wrote:

I would demand the Free minutes for that month if you're going to pay the full line rental for that month, otherwise I would report them to ComReg at the very least.

I was half thinking of reporting it, or at least saying it to a friend who runs an independent phone shop. It sucks that I'm paying full whack for a month and recieving half of the entitlements.

Neuro

jesus_thats_gre

Just to clarify, you should not be getting charged the full rental for the period of 26/01/05 - 13/02/05. You should only get charged for the 18/19 days that you were connected.

If you were charged the full month, call Vodafone as this shouldnt have happened..

To clarify:


26/01/05 - 13/02/05: Rental

This is for 18 day period you had your phone before you received your first bill. You should have been charged for 18 days rental (somewhere around 40 euro) and should have got about 180 free minutes (rough calculation) to use during that period



14/02/05 - 14/03/05: Rental

This is the month in advance and should be €69..




So in total, for your first bill, you should have been charged €109 (€40 + €69) for rental alone..



All calls on your bill will be dated between 26/01/05 and 13/02/05. This is the 18 day period before your first bill and the 180 free minutes (rough calculation, would have been 300 if it was for a full month) will apply to these calls..



For any calls that you make between the 14/02/05 and the 14/03/05, you will have 300 minutes available..


And there was me thinking I would never have to explain that again

Lord Nikon

jesus_thats_gre wrote:

Just to clarify, you should not be getting charged the full rental for the period of 26/01/05 - 13/02/05. You should only get charged for the 18/19 days that you were connected.

You would think that, wouldn't you? It makes sence to you and it makes sence to me, but it's not the way Vodafone will have it.

i should be getting my bill in the post any day now, i'll scan a copy, and post it up here(without my private details, of course).

wolfman

The tariff you signed up to only has 100 Call a Friend for Free minutes. I signed up on the same tariff yesterday evening.

The Super Time 500 has 200 Call a Friend for Free minutes. Hope this clears up "some" of the confusion

Lord Nikon

Thanks for that correction Wolfy, I couldn't remember the exact Tariff details.

flywheel

anyone moving to SuperTime or subscribing to the new Data 'Add-Ons' check (then re-check) your Vodafone bill when it arrives... last months bill was a complete mess - the wrong tariff applied, data allocation paid for but wasn't applied (i.e. billed as 'pay as you use' data) and the 'friend for free' number was charged for every call (yes during off-peak...)

.

wolfman

haha
so much for me tryin to sort matters
when vodafone have a mind of their own, theres not much point!!

jesus_thats_gre

neuromancer wrote:

You would think that, wouldn't you? It makes sence to you and it makes sence to me, but it's not the way Vodafone will have it.

You don't seem to be getting me.. What I have said is fact and if something else has happened, call Vodafone and they will correct it for you..

If you connect on the 26th and your billing period ends on the 14th, they you should only be charged for 18/19 days rental. You will then be charged a full month on top of that for the upcoming month..

Do you understand?

Lord Nikon

jesus_thats_gre wrote:

Do you understand?

I've been on to them all week, about one thing or another.

I've told them that I it didn't feel right that I was been charged for 2 months rental. My bill will tell me everything I need to know, which I'm still waiting for.

But I do know for a fact that my bill is gonna be 158quid.

jesus_thats_gre

Have you been charged 2 months, i.e. 2 full months. Or have you been charged for 1 momths + 18 days..

Lord Nikon

Looks like it's gonna be 2 months.

jesus_thats_gre

neuromancer wrote:

Looks like it's gonna be 2 months.

I am fairly confident that this won't be the case and am 100% that it shouldn't be the case...

Call them and ask what charges you have incurred for rental and post back here with what they say.

flywheel

neuromancer wrote:

My bill will tell me everything I need to know, which I'm still waiting for.

if you didn't know you may be able to view your bill online sooner than waiting for the paper version - i know mine usually takes an additional 2 to 4 days to arrive by post after it is available online

when you call take a note of everything, time/date/name of CSR or Team leader/questions asked/replies given - having as much detail as possible will be of benefit if you need to go to Comreg etc...

jesus_thats_gre

DubWireless wrote:

having as much detail as possible will be of benefit if you need to go to Comreg etc...

I don't think will need to happen at all.. He does not even seem confident that he has been charged for the full 60 odd days yet..

flywheel

indeed... i did say "if" not "when"

jesus_thats_gre

DubWireless wrote:

indeed... i did say "if" not "when"

Granted..

flywheel

neuromancer wrote:

I've been on to them all week, about one thing or another.

also if you do run into trouble, under the data protection act you can request a copy off all the call centre interactions and specifically any notes under your contact history. there may be a fee charged (but it currently can't be more than Eur. 6.35) ref: Accessing Your Personal Information

from vodafone.ie:

Requests should be in writing and should be addressed to Director of Customer and Channel Management Office, Vodafone Ireland Limited, MountainView, Leopardstown, Dublin 18. Please quote your name, address and your mobile and/or account number.

pentesh

just to clarify.

it is fact that you would be charged a pro-rata rental amount for period 26.01.05 - 13.02.05 and accordingly receive the same pro-rata amount of minutes. then a full month of rental in advance coz thats the way it works with all operators. if anything different happens it is a mistake and it will be refunded.

Vodafone trying to be as transparent as possible have this on their web site:

http://www.vodafone.ie/priceplans/understand/firstbill/index.jsp

It is a run through on understanding ur first bill as it can be confusing.

I don't think they are trying to rip you off... apart of course from the call charges and line rentals that you have contractually agreed to pay!!!

ranDom_tAsk

i've been reading this thread every night at about this time and i've just said to my-self "Is it really worth the hassle in the end ?" ie having a bill phone ?

i've had bill phones with eircell/vodafone and at the end of the month i'd get me bill, 7/8 pages long and it was always more than i expected and when i seen all these pages it puts you off going through every call/text to make sure it's 100% right.

i use meteor most of the time now and i love them.

i will never, never get a bill phone again because of the way you have all this sh1te...

there is only one reason ppl have a personal bill phone (ie not company phone) and that's for the extra features, which is fair enough...

"Is it really worth the hassle in the end ?"

well that's my 2 you know what.