On Thu, 22 May 2008 18:57:13 +0100, Doug Paulley
<doug.paulley.lartsspammers@kingqueen.org.uk> wrote:
>I got a text the other day,
>
>"Good news! Your monthly data allowance is now unlimited so u can use
>mobile internet & email every day. Fair use applies; more at (url)"
<snip>
>The 120Mb has gone up... to 500Mb. Strange definition of "unlimited".
I'm not sure I believe what Vodafone say. I had occasion to go to
Brussels for a weekend recently. Having read horror stories in the
press about exorbitant data roaming charges abroad, I asked Vodafone
how much it would cost to use a contract 3G datacard in Belgium.
Their reply (in writing!) was that it would cost a fixed 8 pounds 50 a
day provided that I use their affiliate, Belgacom Mobile / Proximus.
So I did. When the bill arrived, it was for 581 pounds for perhaps
three hours use.
They've taken more than a month so far not to respond to the
subsequent complaint. I'm so glad I took the trouble to ask in
advance.
Mike wrote:
> On Thu, 22 May 2008 18:57:13 +0100, Doug Paulley
> <doug.paulley.lartsspammers@kingqueen.org.uk> wrote:
>
>> I got a text the other day,
>>
>> "Good news! Your monthly data allowance is now unlimited so u can use
>> mobile internet & email every day. Fair use applies; more at (url)"
> <snip>
>> The 120Mb has gone up... to 500Mb. Strange definition of "unlimited".
>
> I'm not sure I believe what Vodafone say. I had occasion to go to
> Brussels for a weekend recently. Having read horror stories in the
> press about exorbitant data roaming charges abroad, I asked Vodafone
> how much it would cost to use a contract 3G datacard in Belgium.
> Their reply (in writing!) was that it would cost a fixed 8 pounds 50 a
> day provided that I use their affiliate, Belgacom Mobile / Proximus.
>
> So I did. When the bill arrived, it was for 581 pounds for perhaps
> three hours use.
Did they mean to say £8.50 (+VAT?) *per megabyte*? That works out at
£9.99 incl VAT, a nice round number...
On Thu, 22 May 2008 22:53:47 +0100, Mark Coley
<mdc1003@nospam.cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>Mike wrote:
>> On Thu, 22 May 2008 18:57:13 +0100, Doug Paulley
>> <doug.paulley.lartsspammers@kingqueen.org.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> I got a text the other day,
>>>
>>> "Good news! Your monthly data allowance is now unlimited so u can use
>>> mobile internet & email every day. Fair use applies; more at (url)"
>> <snip>
>>> The 120Mb has gone up... to 500Mb. Strange definition of "unlimited".
>>
>> I'm not sure I believe what Vodafone say. I had occasion to go to
>> Brussels for a weekend recently. Having read horror stories in the
>> press about exorbitant data roaming charges abroad, I asked Vodafone
>> how much it would cost to use a contract 3G datacard in Belgium.
>> Their reply (in writing!) was that it would cost a fixed 8 pounds 50 a
>> day provided that I use their affiliate, Belgacom Mobile / Proximus.
>>
>> So I did. When the bill arrived, it was for 581 pounds for perhaps
>> three hours use.
>
>Did they mean to say £8.50 (+VAT?) *per megabyte*? That works out at
>£9.99 incl VAT, a nice round number...
That's an interesting idea. But if so, why would they have been
specific that this rate was available only when using Belgacom Mobile?
Perhaps they charge even more for using a non-affiliate!
Whatever their intention, they told me in writing that the charge was
per day so it's just a matter of waiting to see if they sack the
operative who said that. I'm not paying the bill, in any case.
I'm mystified, though, how any telecom company can justify charging a
tenner for 1024 MB in the UK and a tenner or thereabouts for *one* MB
outside the UK.
Mike wrote:
>
> [...] I asked Vodafone
> how much it would cost to use a contract 3G datacard in Belgium.
> Their reply (in writing!) was that it would cost a fixed 8 pounds 50 a
> day provided that I use their affiliate, Belgacom Mobile / Proximus.
>
> So I did. When the bill arrived, it was for 581 pounds for perhaps
> three hours use.
"Doug Paulley" <doug.paulley.lartsspammers@kingqueen.org.uk> wrote in
message news:vccb341m7b2vovjibgcu551r907idc58ui@4ax.com...
>I got a text the other day,
>
> "Good news! Your monthly data allowance is now unlimited so u can use
> mobile internet & email every day. Fair use applies; more at (url)"
>
> Bonus, I thought. Vodafone's stingy 120Mb per month for £7.50 was one
> of the worst bits of my "deal". Glad to hear it's now unlimited.
>
> So I went on the website.
>
> http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatc...ageID=PTC_0050
>
> The 120Mb has gone up... to 500Mb. Strange definition of "unlimited".
>
> T-Mobile Web and Walk £7.50 a month - 1Gb.
On Fri, 23 May 2008 11:25:03 +0100, "Jack Torrence"
<room217[at]overlook.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>"Doug Paulley" <doug.paulley.lartsspammers@kingqueen.org.uk> wrote in
>message news:vccb341m7b2vovjibgcu551r907idc58ui@4ax.com...
>>I got a text the other day,
>>
>> "Good news! Your monthly data allowance is now unlimited so u can use
>> mobile internet & email every day. Fair use applies; more at (url)"
>>
>> Bonus, I thought. Vodafone's stingy 120Mb per month for £7.50 was one
>> of the worst bits of my "deal". Glad to hear it's now unlimited.
>>
>> So I went on the website.
>>
>> http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatc...ageID=PTC_0050
>>
>> The 120Mb has gone up... to 500Mb. Strange definition of "unlimited".
>>
>> T-Mobile Web and Walk £7.50 a month - 1Gb.
>
>3 is only £5pm for a fair use of 2gb
>
It has long been my opinion of Vodafone that they will try to fleece
customers via the small print. Dealing with them appears to be a mine
field. when I look at tariffs I don't even bother with Vodafone, I
just don't trust them!
It is about time that consumers were protected against claims of
'unlimited' and that the full deal should be presented clearly, on
paper, up front. I believe that the govenrment is letting consumers
down badly in this area. It needs regulation but the govenment, it
appears to me, seem reluctant to do anything to upset the mobile
networks lest they do not bid as much for spectrum allocations.
At one time someone in the govenment suggested a tax on mobile phones
- they introduced it by the back door with the 3G licence auction.
In article <3lsc34hgmcqoeiqjq18mfh2af2ifm6hia0@news.kempston. net>, mike@kempston.net says...
> Whatever their intention, they told me in writing that the charge was
> per day so it's just a matter of waiting to see if they sack the
> operative who said that.
On Fri, 23 May 2008 10:17:03 +0100, "Grant" <news@mason.sh> wrote:
>Mike wrote:
>>
>> [...] I asked Vodafone
>> how much it would cost to use a contract 3G datacard in Belgium.
>> Their reply (in writing!) was that it would cost a fixed 8 pounds 50 a
>> day provided that I use their affiliate, Belgacom Mobile / Proximus.
>>
>> So I did. When the bill arrived, it was for 581 pounds for perhaps
>> three hours use.
>
>http://www.abroad.vodafone.co.uk/ind...=1&le=1&sn=s10
Thanks for the reference.
>They appear to have not told you about the FUP of 50MB for your £8.50+VAT.
>
>Did you shift around 116MB in that 3 hours?
I don't know. It's possible but sounds rather a lot. No, they didn't
mention the 50 MB "fair use" limit, which seems to be yet another way
to fleece the unwary. They're prepared to offer the first 50 MB for
8.50 but charge around 500 quid for the next 50 MB? That's an absurd
pricing strategy.
It's about time that Ofcom or the EU start regulating these cowboys.
I just wanted to pop on and give some concrete information to you and
offer to help in your situation.
The rates people seem to have quoted above relate to Mobile Broadband
and not mobile phone internet usage.
These are two seperate things. The mobile rates for Belgium can be
found here :
Just pop in the country your going to and it will tell you your exact
rates. Data, as you can see for Belgium, is £5 for 15MB per day based
on a tariff upto 800 minutes.
Out of that bundle MB's are charged at £2 each.
I can understand why you'd be annoyed at the high bill, had some of
those in my past. If you click here however (https://
online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatch/Portal/appmanager/vodafone/wrp?
_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=Page_Help_ContactUs&pageID=P CU_0002) and fill in
all the info, our Forum Team will contact you and resolve your issues.
>
> I'm mystified, though, how any telecom company can justify charging a
> tenner for 1024 MB in the UK and a tenner or thereabouts for *one* MB
> outside the UK.
>
> Mike.
>
This is what's happened then, it's £9.99 a day, for UP TO
50mb, after that it's then charged about a £5 a MB.
"Jon Parker" <spam@jonparker.plus.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.22a12b5888176b4298969a@news.cnntp.org...
In article <48369770_1@glkas0286.greenlnk.net>, "Jack Torrence" <room217
[at]overlook.freeserve.co.uk> says...
> 3 is only £5pm for a fair use of 2gb
Abroad?
I have no idea what 3 data rates abroad are. Well done though for snipping
and removing the context of the post - which was a comparision of Voda,
T-mobile and 3 'unlimited' data rates.
A much more useful post from you would have been to provide Orange's for
ridicule, sorry comparison! I'll do it for you.
"Jack Torrence" <room217[at]overlook.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:483bbfff$1_1@glkas0286.greenlnk.net...
> "Jon Parker" <spam@jonparker.plus.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.22a12b5888176b4298969a@news.cnntp.org...
> In article <48369770_1@glkas0286.greenlnk.net>, "Jack Torrence" <room217
> [at]overlook.freeserve.co.uk> says...
<snip>
> A much more useful post from you would have been to provide Orange's for
> ridicule, sorry comparison! I'll do it for you.
>
> Voda - £7.50 = 120mb
> T-Mobile - £7.50 = 1gb
> 3 £5.00 = 2gb
> Orange £8 = 30mb
>
> No wonder you didn't want to mention Orange prices. btw Orange data abroad
> bundle is a whopping £50 for 10mb.
Be fair, with a dropping subscriber base and the never ending cost of
running
expensive inane "Animal" commercials, and cinema ridiculing celebs
commercials.
FT Orange have to fleece someone to pay for it all.
On Tue, 27 May 2008 08:19:30 UTC, "Jack Torrence"
<room217[at]overlook.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> "Jon Parker" <spam@jonparker.plus.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.22a12b5888176b4298969a@news.cnntp.org...
> In article <48369770_1@glkas0286.greenlnk.net>, "Jack Torrence" <room217
> [at]overlook.freeserve.co.uk> says...
>
> > 3 is only £5pm for a fair use of 2gb
>
> Abroad?
>
> I have no idea what 3 data rates abroad are. Well done though for snipping
> and removing the context of the post - which was a comparision of Voda,
> T-mobile and 3 'unlimited' data rates.
>
> A much more useful post from you would have been to provide Orange's for
> ridicule, sorry comparison! I'll do it for you.
>
> Voda - £7.50 = 120mb
> T-Mobile - £7.50 = 1gb
> 3 £5.00 = 2gb
> Orange £8 = 30mb
>
> No wonder you didn't want to mention Orange prices. btw Orange data abroad
> bundle is a whopping £50 for 10mb.
I do hope you mean megabytes, and not millibits! :-) Mind, with Orange,
who knows?
Vodafone "unlimited" data usage 
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