Vodafone's Fair Usage Policy [Very Low Cap]

DubDJ

I've recently signed up to Vodafone after being with Three for over two years using mobile broadband. I changed as the speed I was getting was just over 1.5Mps which I wasnt happy with.
Got a MiFi unit and the reason I signed up to Vodafone was because they are the only network to offer an unlimited plan. Plus they are supposedly one of the fastest mobile broadband networks.
3 weeks having it and my speed dropped from almost 6Mps to 1Mps. I rang up and was told about the download cap. Hidden in the T&C's is their Fair Usage Policy. The Vodafone limit is just 10GB. Which I really think is crappy. Just streaming video's from YouTube and visiting websites daily would eat that much up in a month let alone downloading actual files.
I have to say I was very ticked off. With Three I had 15GB limit of downloading. Which was ok. I think i'd prefer 15GB at full speed rather than 10GB at full and the rest at a ****ty speed of just 1Mps.

Just want to warn anybody out there thinking of going for the Vodafone Unlimited Plan (http://www.vodafone.ie/df/mobilebroadband/plandetails.jsp?packageplanselected=HSDNPRE)

They operate a fair usage policy with a very low download cap. Plus i'm now stuck with an 18 month contract.

dub45

DubDJ wrote: »

I've recently signed up to Vodafone after being with Three for over two years using mobile broadband. I changed as the speed I was getting was just over 1.5Mps which I wasnt happy with.
Got a MiFi unit and the reason I signed up to Vodafone was because they are the only network to offer an unlimited plan. Plus they are supposedly one of the fastest mobile broadband networks.
3 weeks having it and my speed dropped from almost 6Mps to 1Mps. I rang up and was told about the download cap. Hidden in the T&C's is their Fair Usage Policy. The Vodafone limit is just 10GB. Which I really think is crappy. Just streaming video's from YouTube and visiting websites daily would eat that much up in a month let alone downloading actual files.
I have to say I was very ticked off. With Three I had 15GB limit of downloading. Which was ok. I think i'd prefer 15GB at full speed rather than 10GB at full and the rest at a ****ty speed of just 1Mps.

Just want to warn anybody out there thinking of going for the Vodafone Unlimited Plan (http://www.vodafone.ie/df/mobilebroadband/plandetails.jsp?packageplanselected=HSDNPRE)

They operate a fair usage policy with a very low download cap. Plus i'm now stuck with an 18 month contract.

It really is about time that this "unlimited" crap was stopped by the appropriate authorities. There is no asterisk attached to the unlimited at all on that page to direct the customer to any qualification of it. It is clearly meant to deceive potential customers.

The terms and conditions are so vague as to be useless and are in direct contravention of Comreg's policy on unlimited products:

http://www.askcomreg.ie/internet/my_provider_has_advertised_an_unlimited_package_–_what_does_that_mean_for_me.5.154.LE.asp

ComReg would like to advise consumers that any provision of a contract which sets usage thresholds, or describes what constitutes ‘fair’ or ‘acceptable’ use, should be clear and unambiguous, particularly where the service is described as being ‘unlimited’.

Usage thresholds or limits should be clearly set out, as should the manner in which they may be updated or amended.

ComReg expects each service provider to implement a clear, transparent and policy for dealing with customer usage above any set thresholds. The policy should set out the rules for contract termination, including penalties, the charges that shall apply for any use above the threshold/limit, and the policy regarding migration of the customer to other packages, if applicable.

ComReg advises consumers to carefully read the terms and conditions of their contracts and to be aware of the particular limits or thresholds that apply before purchasing.

If I was you I would make a formal complaint to Vodafone saying that you have been deliberately mislead by them and that they are in direct contravention of Comreg's policy on such products. You can get a formal complaint reference no from Comreg before contacting Vodafone.

Again it is disgraceful that Comreg do not enforce their own policy in relation to this sort of behaviour by the likes of Vodafone and UPC. It is also disgraceful that Comreg actively encourages this type of behaviour by continuing to list "unlimited' products on its call costs site:mad:

watty

DubDJ wrote: »

3 weeks having it and my speed dropped from almost 6Mps to 1Mps. I rang up and was told about the download cap. Hidden in the T&C's is their Fair Usage Policy. The Vodafone limit is just 10GB. They operate a fair usage policy with a very low download cap. Plus i'm now stuck with an 18 month contract.

This is what some of us have been saying.

Comreg and ASAI claimed they would sort this nearly two years ago.

Imagine's "Unlimited" is about 30Gbyte (grand for 90% of people but absolutely not remotely unlimited).
UPC's "Unlimited" is about 250Gbyte (which is very nice and quite acceptable for 99% of people but not remotely unlimited).

1Mbps is really good speed for Mobile. It can be as slow as 0.05Mbps and randomly disconnect or not connect. It's not Broadband but a Mobile phone system.

William Powell

Sorry OP whats your problem?

If you get a 1Mb connection all the time then thats a whole lot faster than a lot of vodaphone users I know.

1Mb x60secs x60mins x24hours x30days /8bits ~ 300GB download cap?

Try getting more than 15GB from 3 in a month and see how much it costs you (not that I'd really expect you to get anything like as much as 300GB from vodafone)

But yes I do agree the advertising is all wrong buts its what you get with a limited user market and each company trying to top what the competition is doing.

watty

His issue is that he is now locked into a new contact on a possibly inferior package to the one he had before due to questionable marketing condemned years ago by official bodies.

In the long run there is unlikely to be much value in changing between Mobile providers if you have 1Mbps regularly. The move from 3 to vodafone was possibly pointless.

New masts, or newly upgraded masts are always faster till a handful of regular users are added. As subscriber numbers grow all Mobile speeds can only get significantly worse unless operators double or triple the number of masts. That is not going to happen. They actually want 900MHz changed from GSM to 3G so as to have less masts for 3G in rural areas.

drunkmonkey

How long ago did you switch? Any hope you can still return it..
If its only 10gb cap cancel the dd and take the matter up with the nca and comreg if they dont back off.
Its blatant false advertising and who ever told you it was the quickets mobile network was spinning you a load of bull crap as well.

William Powell

drunkmonkey wrote: »

How long ago did you switch? Any hope you can still return it..
If its only 10gb cap cancel the dd and take the matter up with the nca and comreg if they dont back off.
Its blatant false advertising and who ever told you it was the quickets mobile network was spinning you a load of bull crap as well.

Why would the OP do that?

Compare the facts the OP has given so far

3 at 1.5Mbps for a total 15GB then nothing (or a very fat bill)

with

vodafone nearly 6Mbps for 10GB then 1Mbps for a week downloading as much as you can and no extra cost

Just for the sake of not getting stiffed by 3's out of bundle charges I'd go with the ""unlimited"" vodafone package.

drunkmonkey

26 euro for 30gb with 3, vodafone is 40 euro for unlimited with a 10gb cap. They lower cost one op is paying for is retarded, read the t's & c's its anything but unlimited, its actually the most retarded and limited mobile broadband available on the market. Its pure fraud.

William Powell

drunkmonkey wrote: »

26 euro for 30gb with 3, vodafone is 40 euro for unlimited with a 10gb cap. They lower cost one op is paying for is retarded, read the t's & c's its anything but unlimited, its actually the most retarded and limited mobile broadband available on the market. Its pure fraud.

vodafone €24.99 a month. Where do you get your 40 euro from?

drunkmonkey

If you dont want the retarded version its 40. The 24.99 dont allow p2p or voip services hence its retarded.

downwithpeace

Three got in to trouble for this before so how Comreg has let Vodoafone get away with it just mind boggling.

Do the formal complaint mentioned in an earlier post and if that doesn't work then raise a little hell, don't back down either.

William Powell

drunkmonkey wrote: »

If you dont want the retarded version its 40. The 24.99 dont allow p2p or voip services hence its retarded.

I'm just going by the OP's link and the information he has given none of which complains about lack of p2p or voip services.

The advertising is terrible but what you actually get for your money isn't that bad.

I'd also like to read a few more posts where vodafone support were quoting this fair usage policy as the actual terms and conditions here don't mention one. So if there is a fup buts its not mentioned in the terms and conditions then the terms and conditions have changed and afaik good old Regulation 17 of the European Communities (electronic communications networks and services)(Universal Service and Users’ rights) Regulations 2003 would apply allowing the OP to cancel his contract. Regulation 17 is the one that says if the contract changes you can cancel you contract it applies to all telecoms providers (again afaik).

But there is a clause

Vodafone reserves the right to control excessive data users on the Vodafone Unlimited Mobile Broadband Tariff without further notice to such Customers.

So technically a fup by another name, even so all we have here is one post saying that there is a limit of 10GB then throttling to 1Mbps and I'd like a bit more conformation before I take that as gosple. I quite believe what the OP says but I wouldn't necessarily believe a vodafone rep if it was the only evidence I had.

I'm not convinced as throttling to 1Mbps sounds far to high a speed given that many users will be connecting at a slower speed than this anyway.

dub45

But there is a clause
Quote:
Vodafone reserves the right to control excessive data users on the Vodafone Unlimited Mobile Broadband Tariff without further notice to such Customers.

And how exactly is a customer or potential customer supposed to make head or tail of this nonsense?

In the first place they are lying to you by telling you that you are purchasing an unlimited product - they then expect you to know what they mean or might mean at some time in the future by "excessive data'".

Then presumably when you complain about being "controlled" they will tell you "ah but you should have known" even though based on the nonsense above it would take a platoon of Mystic Megs to know what might be going on:mad:

watty

William Powell wrote: »

I'm not convinced as throttling to 1Mbps sounds far to high a speed given that many users will be connecting at a slower speed than this anyway.

I'm not convinced it's throttling. I've never heard of Mobile 3G doing it. It easily gets slow on it's own and 1Mbps is good speed and 6Mbps can be expected less than 5% of users ...

drunkmonkey

William Powell wrote: »

The advertising is terrible but what you actually get for your money isn't that bad.

Your right it's not bad it's terrible. How can you say 24.99 for retarded fraudband isn't bad. What in god's name are you comparing it to that makes it any way ok?
Controlling what people use their internet connection for is just not on, Vodafone are trying to cut up the internet and charge you for different parts, if they can get away with it, it won't be long before they start charging for website access.
You can have unlimited internet for 20 euro, but if you want to visit boards.ie that'll be an extra 2 euro per month etc.
Say No to Fraudband!!!

DubDJ

Sorry havent kept up with the thread since the original post. Very rude of me.

I was with Three and happy until my modem started randomly disconnecting and sometimes cutting out for hours with failed connection attempts. Thats what really gave me the push to change networks. And after searching I found the Vodafone "Unlimited Plan" to be the most attractive offer.
My problem isn't with the speed or with the price. As watty said i've a problem with Vodafones hidden usage policy in their terms and conditions.
Fact is I live right in the middle of the city centre on the top flat in the appartments and i'd expect to have a high speed internet either way. It's in a prime location and an excellent reception area. I expect to be able to get atleast 3mps broadband. So no i'm not happy with a speed of 1mps WP.
But yeah back to the point my problem is with Vodafone hiding the fair usage policy in their terms and conditions and not in any way stating clearly that one excists. And let's face it the majority of people (me included) don't want to read through the nitty gritty T&C's of a contract. And even if I did come across is as dub45 said I probably wouldnt get what they meant by
"Vodafone reserves the right to control excessive data users on the Vodafone Unlimited Mobile Broadband Tariff without further notice to such Customers."

Also WP I got caught with the same confusion and couldnt find the FUP in their T&C's but if you scroll up to the section above it you'll see it's clearly stated their. Unluckily for me.

Thanks everybody for the input and suggestions to contact ComReg.
But to be honest, despite being stung with the so called "Fraudband" haha I think I will just stick to using Vodafone. I just wanted to warn off potential customers who could be frauded into the same situation as me. I don't fancy going through all the hassle of making a formal complaint. More than likely it'll go unanswered or i'll be fobbed off saying it'll be investigated.

watty

DubDJ wrote: »

Fact is I live right in the middle of the city centre on the top flat in the appartments and i'd expect to have a high speed internet either way. It's in a prime location and an excellent reception area. I expect to be able to get atleast 3mps broadband. So no i'm not happy with a speed of 1mps

But it's more likely in such an area to have lots of Mobile calls and more users. At 4 users in the same sector trying to watch Youtube at the same time you might get 0.05Mbps, 0.2Mbps or random disconnections or refusal to connect. If you regularly get 1Mbps that's excellent for Mobile.

The clue is in name. It's a Mobile Phone system with VERY limited capacity compared to Broadband. It's assumed that users have short term "on the go"/Mobile connections with Bursty traffic, (reading web page, checking map, booking ticket, IMAP email headers), not regular Fixed patterns of usage at a fixed location as a replacement for broadband.

LTE compared to "lightly loaded" 3G/HSPA has x4 the speed and compared to heavily loaded 3G/HSPA has x8 the capacity approximately, if it's in 20MHz channels instead of 5MHz. Even it is a COMPLEMENT to fixed Broadband for people needing Mobility, not a replacement for Fixed Broadband.

Some background
*new* http://www.wattystuff.net/2010/09/nbs-is-a-kick-in-the-teeth-for-two-kinds-of-users/
*old* http://www.radioway.info/comparewireless/
*updated* Four Internet Articles: http://www.techtir.ie/comms

William Powell

DubDJ wrote: »

Also WP I got caught with the same confusion and couldnt find the FUP in their T&C's but if you scroll up to the section above it you'll see it's clearly stated their. Unluckily for me.

I havn't checked back and read the T&C's again but I seem to remember that the above section you refer did not apply to the "Unlimited" mobile broadband package.

I also remember in the Talk to...> Vodafone forum the vodafone guys said the same, no fup. I'll go and find the link

William Powell

This post in this thread covers the fup question with an official vodafone reply.

Maybe ask the question of the 10GB limit over at Talk to...> Vodafone ?

DubDJ

watty wrote: »

But it's more likely in such an area to have lots of Mobile calls and more users. At 4 users in the same sector trying to watch Youtube at the same time you might get 0.05Mbps, 0.2Mbps or random disconnections or refusal to connect. If you regularly get 1Mbps that's excellent for Mobile.

The clue is in name. It's a Mobile Phone system with VERY limited capacity compared to Broadband. It's assumed that users have short term "on the go"/Mobile connections with Bursty traffic, (reading web page, checking map, booking ticket, IMAP email headers), not regular Fixed patterns of usage at a fixed location as a replacement for broadband.

LTE compared to "lightly loaded" 3G/HSPA has x4 the speed and compared to heavily loaded 3G/HSPA has x8 the capacity approximately, if it's in 20MHz channels instead of 5MHz. Even it is a COMPLEMENT to fixed Broadband for people needing Mobility, not a replacement for Fixed Broadband.

Some background
*new* http://www.wattystuff.net/2010/09/nbs-is-a-kick-in-the-teeth-for-two-kinds-of-users/
*old* http://www.radioway.info/comparewireless/
*updated* Four Internet Articles: http://www.techtir.ie/comms

Yeah I get what your saying and all, and don't get me wrong I don't let on that I have a great understanding when it come's to this kind of thing, but if i'm in an area with a lot of signal towers around doesn't that mean i'm gonna have a good signal. Compared to maybe somebody living down the country.

William Powell wrote: »

I havn't checked back and read the T&C's again but I seem to remember that the above section you refer did not apply to the "Unlimited" mobile broadband package.

I also remember in the Talk to...> Vodafone forum the vodafone guys said the same, no fup. I'll go and find the link

Yeah i'm a little confused by it all. So what is the Unlimited Data that they refer to here ?? Well a customer care representative told me over the phone that it was a fair usage policy that caused my speed to slow down. And it was almost immediately after I explained the problem.
So they haven't officially got a FUP but they will still cut my speed if I use the internet too much???

It kinda makes a little sense because I downloaded over 10GB in 2 days when I first recieved the internet. And I was wondering why it took so long to slow my speed. He said it should be back to normal on the 8th so i'll find out tomorrow.

watty

A mast out in the country might only have 2 users. It could be there to serve Car phone calls as they pass...

They vary the density of cells to have the same load on them all. So really Rural vs City often makes no difference if there is actual real coverage.

DubDJ

watty wrote: »

A mast out in the country might only have 2 users. It could be there to serve Car phone calls as they pass...

They vary the density of cells to have the same load on them all. So really Rural vs City often makes no difference if there is actual real coverage.

Oh really. Just curious then how does it work. Bacause most posts I see about bad signal strength usually come from rural Ireland. Why is it that people living in the City generally have a better signal and much faster speeds.

watty

I'm not sure on what basis you can claim this?

Posts about virtually non-existant signal are Rural rather than Cities. I was comparing Rural and Urban that both actually have coverage.

DubDJ

watty wrote: »

I'm not sure on what basis you can claim this?

Posts about virtually non-existant signal are Rural rather than Cities. I was comparing Rural and Urban that both actually have coverage.

Well if you compare this to a map you'll notice that most of the area's that have full signal strength are big cities or highly populated areas.

William Powell

Just had a proper read of the vodafone T&C's the "Unlimilted" package T&C's have to be read in conjunction with the "General Terms and Conditions of the Vodafone Mobile Telecommunications Service" which run to 13 pages and over 6k words (when copied and pasted in word) which does have a fup.

Replay that, "there is a fair usage policy on the unlimited package" as follows

Customers who are on an unlimited tariff with respect to the Service are advised that Vodafone operates the following Fair Usage Policy for use of this tariff: It is important to Vodafone that all eligible Vodafone customers are able to access our services. Accordingly, we have devised a fair use policy which applies to the Service. Vodafone may rely on this fair use policy where your usage of the Service is excessive or unreasonable as detailed in this paragraph. Vodafone has developed the Service and the related tariffs by reference to average customer profiles and estimated customer usage of the Service (particularly the estimated volume and length of free calls likely to be made by users). If, at the absolute discretion of Vodafone, Vodafone is of the opinion, that your usage of the Service materially exceeds these estimated use pattern over any month, Vodafone may contact you to advise you that your usage exceeds its fair use policy. If the excessive usage continues after receipt of a request to desist from or alter the nature of such usage, Vodafone reserves the right to charge you for the excessive element of your usage at your price plan's standard rate or to suspend, at its absolute discretion, modify or restrict your use of the Service or to withdraw your access to the Service.

So if they are using that as a reason for restricting your useage then they should have contacted you, did you get an SMS from them or any other comunication that they initiated?

DubDJ

William Powell wrote: »

Just had a proper read of the vodafone T&C's the "Unlimilted" package T&C's have to be read in conjunction with the "General Terms and Conditions of the Vodafone Mobile Telecommunications Service" which run to 13 pages and over 6k words (when copied and pasted in word) which does have a fup.

Replay that, "there is a fair usage policy on the unlimited package" as follows



So if they are using that as a reason for restricting your useage then they should have contacted you, did you get an SMS from them or any other comunication that they initiated?

Thanks for the help WP. No I wasn't contacted in any way at all to tell me I was using excessive data. I just thought it was something wrong with the device itself. But after going through customer service they told me it was due to their fair usage policy and would be restored by the start of the next bill month. So if this does happen to me again i'm supposed to be contacted by them?

I'm waiting to get my speed back to normal tomorrow but if I don't I will be highly annoyed and will be filing a formal complaint with them.

slowlydownwards

DubDJ wrote: »

Well if you compare this to a map you'll notice that most of the area's that have full signal strength are big cities or highly populated areas.

Am just paraphrasing watty here, with my own example. Signal strength has very little to do with the DL speed. Am living out in the country and regularly get cca 5mb/s DL speed on O2 dial-up mobile. And that's with hardly ever having more than one bar of signal. However, the mast load must be minimal.

DubDJ

Just to come back to this thread,
After 3 phonecalls to customer care, 4 calls to data support, 2 visits to the store and on my last call approx. 30 mins on hold the problem still hasn't been solved. (Yeah some bloke actually said can I put you on hold for two mins and never came back for over 30 minutes, which then for some reason the call hung up itself) I'm furious at their service at the moment.
So for two weeks i've had the maximum speed and the other 6 weeks the maximum I can get is 1mb/s. I know some people think I should be happy with that speed but i'm not! The fact that I changed to Vodafone and am now paying a larger bill and receiving an inferior service is pissing me off.
I really hope now Vodafone will sort something since i've been putting up with this problem for over 6 weeks. If anybody out there could suggest a way that I could actually get a competent member of staff to help me with my problem would be great.
BTW I recommended my internet to my uncle, before having the problem, and i've tried his internet in my gaff which works perfect at a great speed. So It is a problem on their behalf. RANT OVER haha

DubDJ

Today I was surprised by a change in my speed. And finally a little happier with them. Although I got no reply or any help my internet speed has moved up to this


Although it's still not the max speed I was getting and i'm still low in upload speed (I know it's never high anyways compared to download speed) it is a big improvement and i'm happy with it. Just hope it was a once-off and wont have to deal with that again. But I am strongly considering leaving Vodafone after my contract is up due to to all the crap i've had to deal with.

Anyways just thought i'd post this also to show those who said I was getting a fast speed at 1mb/s what my modem was capable of the whole time.

ingen

drunkmonkey wrote: »

If you dont want the retarded version its 40. The 24.99 dont allow p2p or voip services hence its retarded.

you are wrong there!! the €24.99 mob broadband tariff with voda is the high speed one with a 15gb limit, i had it , tested p2p and p2p worked fine!!


the unlimited :rolleyes::rolleyes: one is €29.99 per month. ( i wish vodafone would buy a dictionary!)

ingen

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Your right it's not bad it's terrible. How can you say 24.99 for retarded fraudband isn't bad. What in god's name are you comparing it to that makes it any way ok?
Controlling what people use their internet connection for is just not on, Vodafone are trying to cut up the internet and charge you for different parts, if they can get away with it, it won't be long before they start charging for website access.
You can have unlimited internet for 20 euro, but if you want to visit boards.ie that'll be an extra 2 euro per month etc.
Say No to Fraudband!!!

they are now charging €24.99 for a 15gb midband product!!
advertising speeds up to 21.6mb. i have tested this, and got between 2-4.5mb speeds. got 10mb 30M from mast.

with midband, speed is also dependent on distance from the mast!

DubDJ

ingen wrote: »

you are wrong there!! the €24.99 mob broadband tariff with voda is the high speed one with a 15gb limit, i had it , tested p2p and p2p worked fine!!


the unlimited :rolleyes::rolleyes: one is €29.99 per month. ( i wish vodafone would buy a dictionary!)

I have a €24.99 one and it is Unlimited. The recently just changed the plans on their site thats why. But taking in mind "Unlimited" doesn't actually mean no limits. Not to Vodafone anyways. :P

ingen

DubDJ wrote: »

I have a €24.99 one and it is Unlimited. The recently just changed the plans on their site thats why. But taking in mind "Unlimited" doesn't actually mean no limits. Not to Vodafone anyways. :P

i am looking on their site now and the unlimited one is showing as €29.99

DubDJ

ingen wrote: »

i am looking on their site now and the unlimited one is showing as €29.99

Yeah because they recently just changed their plans. When I got mine 3 months ago I signed up for unlimited at €24.99 per month and thats what I pay now.