Vodafone funny yet frustrating mixup story. Looking for business broadband-unlimited

hobbit stomper

Hello there,

I'll try to wrap this up.

I'm working as a freelance web developer from home. (I've registered my own company and am VAT registered etc.)

First I was with BT Ireland on a residential account and had the 24Mbit Unlimited package. But within the first 20 days I made a bad discovery... unlimited is not actually unlimited, but rather limited to 100GB.

I normally need 100-300GB/month traffic, depending on the projects, backups etc.
I called BT and told them I need to have true unlimited broadband. They told me to sign up for a business account which is truly unlimited, but I would need to do that with Vodafone since they are taking over BT Broadband customers.

So I signed up with Vodafone and got a 24Mbit Broadband line. I received confirmation letters for the direct debit, received a new router, a welcome letter and the letter with the login information (6 times! for what ever reason).
Everything worked fine for the past 4 months.

Now suddenly my Internet is really slow. So I called Vodafone and asked what the deal is. They told me that I used up my limit and I'd be throttle till the end of the month.
I told them that isn't possible since I'm a business customer and that was the whole reason I switched onto a business account.
The support then told me... no Sir, you are on a residential package.

I couldn't believe what I heard! After 30 minutes talking to the support, it turns out that my order was cancelled because according to their information, a 24Mbit line was not possible at my address (well, as a BT residential customer it was/is possible).
I was never given a phone call, nor was a letter sent out to tell me the order didn't go through. Seriously? How the... what the? And that's how they threat business customers?

The support simply told me, you have been switched over to vodafone, but you are still on a residential line.
I checked my bank statement to see how much they've taken out, and it's true, they still only have taken out 50 EUR/month instead of the 60 EUR/month which I agreed upon when placing the order on the phone.

I couldn't believe that I was still on a residential line and I haven't noticed it!
The reason I never noticed is, because I was switched over to vodafone anyways since BT sold off their Broadband customers.
Unlike BT, Vodafone has a fair usage policy which is a lot higher than 100GB traffic but I still managed to exceed it after 4 months, that's why I wasn't throttle in the past 4 months.
The login details I received are all the same, for residential and business customers that's why they worked when I tried using them and on top of that I never checked my bank statement for the broadband debit.

I told them then please upgrade me straight away to a business package, 24Mbit and truly unlimited.
They put me true to the sales team, but they told me that their 24Mbit Business package is now 90 EUR and no longer 60 EUR and the cap for the traffic is 100GB/month they do no longer offer Unlimited!

Okay...what the heck. I can handle the mix up with the residential line, kinda frustrating but I can see how that has happened. I can also handle the 30 EUR more a month, no big deal. But they do NOT offer a real unlimited service?
Even my residential line can go up to 200GB, and 4 months ago they did offer a truly unlimited service, which I got confirmed several times (no hidden fair usage).

So yeah, funny and yet frustrating story. I don't really care on how much business broadband costs as long as it's 24Mbit and truly unlimited.

Does anyone know of a Broadband provider which offers true unlimited Traffic for Small Business? When I checked 4 months back, almost everybody did, now it seems they all put a limit on it, even for Business customers.

Edit: I just noticed that on the BT Ireland website, they seem to still offer Broadband products but only to Businesses? Why was I told i need to sign up with Vodafone when I tried to upgrade?

ntlbell

The only real suprise here is, You're suprised.

watty

Irish BB is now owned by Imagine. They do have limits "FUP in T&C"

yuloni

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watty

It's just resold eircom. Unless it's 100's of Euro it won't be really unlimited, or else if it is really unlimited they will lose money on it, or add restrictions later once they have poached enough customers.

hobbit stomper

Condi wrote: »

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That's exactly what I am looking for, thanks a lot! I'll give them a call see what they can do.

yuloni

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ejmaztec

hobbit stomper wrote: »

Edit: I just noticed that on the BT Ireland website, they seem to still offer Broadband products but only to Businesses? Why was I told i need to sign up with Vodafone when I tried to upgrade?

I think BT only handles businesses with 6 lines or more, which is a crying shame as Vodafone can't seem to handle one line without screwing it up.

donegalnordie

UTV internet have very competitive business packages and for a small premium they can give you unlimited internet (fair usage poicy applies 750GB per month)

Talisman

Have you considered Smart Telecom's Business package? 24Mb for €24 + line rental. I signed up for it when it became available last year and have no complaints.

yuloni

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hobbit stomper

Haha, every time I am about to order something someone posts a new provider

Anyways I'm a bit cornered because of Eircom.
The landlord of the new place I am moving into has just canceled the phone line.
When I rang o2 they told me I have to call Eircom first and have them activate the line again and then they can offer me a Broadband bundle on it.

Now Eircom told me I have to be on a 6 months contract for line rental with them because it's a new line and if I do change to o2, they will see that as a breach of contract and I will have to pay 18 Euro/month for the remaining 6 months. And that although the offer from o2 says Line rental included.

I find that kind of weird, because I remember when I moved into my current apartment (brand new, no one ever lived there before), I had to call Eircom and have them activate the line as well, and I went with BT straight away, but never got forced into Eircom line rental fees nor did BT charge me additionally for line rental.

If I would end up paying 20 Euro each month on top of the o2 offer I'd be cheaper sticking with Eircom.

Kinda silly because most Businesses would only choose their provider if they just move into a new building and if Eircom forces you into a 6 months line rental straight away, most small businesses are cheaper of with Eircom.

yuloni

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hobbit stomper

Condi wrote: »

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That's the first thing I asked. But the woman on the phone told me that once the line is inactive it can't be undone. For sure they could do it, but it's just Eircom forcing you to pay it.

thenightrider

O2 should be able to get the phone active again for you i was told the same thing by eircom when i moved in to where im liveing now im with voadafone they got on to eircom and got my line active again.

hobbit stomper

thenightrider wrote: »

O2 should be able to get the phone active again for you i was told the same thing by eircom when i moved in to where im liveing now im with voadafone they got on to eircom and got my line active again.

Mmhh... I was talking for about 10 minutes to the support and she kept saying there is NO way around. What ever I do, eventually I will need to call them up again and have them activate it and sign up for at least 6 months line rental. So I told her to go ahead with it...

I'm gonna call o2 tomorrow and have it sorted out. I'm a little bit sick by the thought the Eircom owns the last mile and forces customers to line rental with them, even though other providers say line rental included.

Talisman

Condi wrote: »

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The Terms and Conditions you list are for residential customers not business customers. There is no restriction on Business users.

yuloni

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