Vodafone 99 Cent Data charges - Not what they seems

Steve X2

I've had some issues over the last few days with this new 99 cent for 50mb daily data on vodafone.

After calling them a couple of time and using the forum they have I found out that its just a marketing gimmick and its not really what it seems.
I got different info from each person i spoke to on the phone and the replys from vodafone on the forum also had different info.

It only works if you connect through the live.vodafone.ie APN and all data goes through the vodafone servers and pages are compressed etc. I cannot connect too the live APN as I have a HTC Touch HD phone and for some reason it wont work with it. I prefer to connect to the isp.vodafone.ie APN as this is unfiltered and does not compress anything.

Check out the link below to the forum and be careful with what APN you use.

I will be switching over to O2 as they offer the same 99 cent a day for 50mb data but the dont limit anything.






https://forum.vodafone.ie/index.php?/topic/71-prepay-data-allowance-check-and-prepay-apn-info/page__gopid__334&#entry334

Random

It's hardly a big secret. We have data pricing in the FAQ sticky here which explains Live / ISP pricing differences.

The T&C explain clearly what it's for
http://www.vodafone.ie/terms/mobileinternet/tariff/

This tariff is only available to customers accessing Mobile Internet content via the Vodafone live! access point name (APN) live.vodafone.com, or the old WAP APN wap.vodafone.ie.

If you access the internet via an internet or WAP browser or via an application using a different APN (such as the ISP access point, the office access point or the high speed access point) then the standard data charges associated with those access points will apply.

Granted .. to the basic user it may seem a bit misleading BUT the basic user wouldn't be just using ISP anyway ...

My thoughts on it anyway.

strecker

A) the pricing is not a secret, neither are the limitations.
I've used winmo devices for years. There's no reason the Touch HD shouldn't work with live! AP other than that you haven't added the settings correctly and then set them as default! Not vodafone's fault for once!!!

Steve X2

strecker wrote: »

A) the pricing is not a secret, neither are the limitations.
I've used winmo devices for years. There's no reason the Touch HD shouldn't work with live! AP other than that you haven't added the settings correctly and then set them as default! Not vodafone's fault for once!!!

Well they told me that my phone cannot use the live apn. I have tried anyway with the correct settings from the website but it still wont work.

It will connect to the live apn but wont download any data at all.

And I have also used windows mobile and symbian for years. I have used the live apn before and never had any problems with other HTC and HP devices on it. It doesn't make sense that it wont work, i know this.

Kenny Powers

Make sure you have the correct proxy settings in or it won't work it will connect but you won't be able to browse any pages.

parsi

It's not necessarily surprising that his WinMo device won't work with Live. My Xperia won't use Live either despite all attempts. It has no probs with Meteor, o2 or Three.

jesus_thats_gre

Any device can use the Live APN. They can't all access the Live portal however. Very different things.

blaz

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Any device can use the Live APN. They can't all access the Live portal however. Very different things.

The iPhone can not use the Live APN, because the Live APN requires using the Live proxy, which the iPhone can not do.

Also some newer Nokia S40 phones (for example my 3120 classic) do not support the configuration of the proxy for the default APN from the user interface. The only way you can use the Live APN on those devices is to either buy the device from Vodafone, as it comes preconfigured with the correct settings, or create a special XML provisioning document and send it to the device via Bluetooth. A pain in the backside, to say the least...

For more info on the Nokia issue read this thread:

http://www.dotsis.com/mobile_phone/archive/index.php/t-122051.html

It may be that the Touch HD has similar limitations.

jesus_thats_gre

Interesting. I didn't realise that. I assumed the configuration was similar to that of the WAP APN.

Actually, the tariff also works on the WAP APN so you could technically use that if you cannot get the Live APN working.

blaz

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Interesting. I didn't realise that. I assumed the configuration was similar to that of the WAP APN.

Actually, the tariff also works on the WAP APN so you could technically use that if you cannot get the Live APN working.

The WAP APN is the Live APN. Vodafone has two main APNs:

• live.vodafone.com, charged at 99c for up to 50 Mb. You have to use their proxy to actually transfer any data over that APN, because all ports and IPs are blocked on it.
• isp.vodafone.ie (and their variantions hs.vodafone.ie and office.vodafon.ie) give you the expected "full" internet access, but at a different price: 19c per Mb.

So if your device for some reason does not support the usage of a proxy, they you can't use the Live APN at all and you are forced to pay 19c per Mb for the ISP APN.

jesus_thats_gre

I know that they are effectively the same APN. IIRC, you didn't have to enter a proxy when configuring the WAP APN back in the day.

Am well out of touch when it comes to that stuff so forgive me if I am wrong.

spank_inferno

If you are stuck using the isp apn with Vodafone, there is a 1GB addon for €10 available.

this add on only covers the "isp.vodafone.ie" apn, it wont cover any other access points, but is decent value if your using a windows mobile device.

I dont know if there is information available for it on their website, but the addon is definetly available.

Sam Vimes

blaz wrote: »

The iPhone can not use the Live APN, because the Live APN requires using the Live proxy, which the iPhone can not do.

There is a way to do it apparently. Haven't tried it myself but:
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055239822

blaz wrote: »

For more info on the Nokia issue read this thread:

http://www.dotsis.com/mobile_phone/archive/index.php/t-122051.html

It may be that the Touch HD has similar limitations.

Must give that a shot. Thanks

whiterebel

blaz wrote: »

The WAP APN is the Live APN. Vodafone has two main APNs:

• live.vodafone.com, charged at 99c for up to 50 Mb. You have to use their proxy to actually transfer any data over that APN, because all ports and IPs are blocked on it.
• isp.vodafone.ie (and their variantions hs.vodafone.ie and office.vodafon.ie) give you the expected "full" internet access, but at a different price: 19c per Mb.

So if your device for some reason does not support the usage of a proxy, they you can't use the Live APN at all and you are forced to pay 19c per Mb for the ISP APN.

Or on billpay you can get the ISP add-on which is 1GB per month for €10. Unused data is added on the next month too, BTW

mk6705

spank_inferno wrote: »

If you are stuck using the isp apn with Vodafone, there is a 1GB addon for Š10 available.

Is that a bill pay only thing?

Davy

Adro947 wrote: »

Is that a bill pay only thing?

Tis

CivilEx

Adro947 wrote: »

Is that a bill pay only thing?

I don't there are any options for data add ons with prepay

rordeb

I am on prepay and find the vodafone apn @19c per mb much better value. Normally costs me 30 to 50 cent per day vs live@99c per day.

culabula

blaz wrote: »

The iPhone can not use the Live APN, because the Live APN requires using the Live proxy, which the iPhone can not do.

The iPhone can send and receive email though, even without the proxy. I have been doing this in France for the past few days -very handy.