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Vodafone 3G: My Story.

By Gaurang Divecha on 16 Comments / 1550 views

I have a Vodafone connection for the last 11 years roughly. I haven’t changed my number over the years, but lots of things have changed at Vodafone. For example, the services are at their worse.
3G is barely usable, 2G is abject and the customer support officers are more illiterate than ever, and more network drops than I can count.

For the last 5 months, I have been writing to their rather mechanical staff that I am not getting their 3G network on my way to work. EVERY SINGLE DAY. Yes, EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERY SINGLE TIME.

I don’t know what part of my mail/conversation do they not understand, but they just keep saying, “our engineers are working towards it.” Yeah right, and even after 5 months, the situation hasn’t moved one bit. 

Here are a couple of examples of how bad their network is: 

In spite of paying a premium, this is what I get. And today, the cherry on the cake pops in my mail.

 

The second line is pretty insightful. It gives us a sneak peek into the blazing fast future Vodafone has planned for all the Mumbaikars. Regretfully, I am not convinced. Far from it.

In fact, it spills some beans on how useless, nonsensical and abject their 3G services are. It clearly shows Vodafone HAS NO INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT 3G, and are still struggling to set it up, mind you, WHILE THE SERVICE is available to the public. It’s like selling a car that only has the body ready. The engine and wheels are still being manufactured, but the car is sold. To the people. For use. 

This mail has clearly showed how incapable and helpless Vodafone India is when it comes to providing a service they are already charging people for.

Even after countless mails to their top executives, the problem persists and the issue remains unresolved. Tired and out of options, I have decided to move on.

Vodafone India, if you are reading this, I want to tell you what I think of your 3G stands for.
For me, your 3G stands for Third Grade. Because that’s what it truly is. 

PS: Those screenshots show how inconsistent Vodafone 3G is, as it constantly keeps falling to 2G or just drops completely to NO DATA Network. It takes me 45 minutes to load the Google page, a page that has practically NO image on it. 

If any Rodinhooder can help, it would be great. 

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16 Comments

  1. Well, this goes for all mobile providers in India. I live in Chandigarh and Airtel here offers the same experience as you get with Vodafone. In an 8KM journey within the city, the call drops atleast 3 – 4 times and I can mark those places on a map. No matter how much you bang your head against their customer care, the service remains the same. All these companies care about is sales and their monthly targets. Once the customer is in the house, forget him completely.

    I also have an Airtel DSL at home. I recently upgraded to an 8mbps account with no speed difference whatsoever from my 2mbps pack earlier. Upon enquiring I’m told that the speed will remain the same because my house is far from their nearest OFC point. I’m then advised to downgrade if i want.

  2. You said it. All they focus on is “selling” and “meeting targets”. Once the customer has bought the product/service, he is the one who owns them and not the other way round.

  3. Hello Gaurang,

    We appreciate your time on the call. As conveyed, please walk into your nearest Vodafone Store to get your handset and SIM card checked/replaced. Kindly share your feedback with us once the same is done.

    Regards,
    Vodafone Customer Care. 

  4. Hi,

    Perhaps I wasn’t audible or was incomprehensible over the phone, but I clearly told your executive, I HAVE JUST CHANGED MY SIM CARD LAST SATURDAY! And I have also changed 3 phones/handsets. What more do you want me to do? All that is left now is to do is perhaps move around with a mini tower of my own.

    Thank you very much for your reply Vodafone, but I am absolutely dissatisfied, very upset and extremely angry with your lack of understanding of the customer’s issue, and your rather casual attitude towards solving the same.

    I have already decided to move to another network as I see it pointless explaining your abject staff about my problem, day and again, and yet the issue remains, as is.

    Regards,
    GD. 

     

  5. Gaurang, it seems that Vodafone has employees that are provided with ‘rote’ answers. If the customer has Problem A, answer with A-1. If he persists, move onto A-2, then A-3 and so on. It’s super frustrating. 

    I am personally facing an issue with them, where I have a 45K bill, inspite of having a credit limit of 10K. (The 10K limit is only in place due to an earlier mistake on their part!) 

    Original Mistake: https://www.therodinhoods.com/forum/topics/vodafone-and-the-death-of-common-sense
    45K Bill: https://www.therodinhoods.com/forum/topics/indian-telecom-companies-the-last-indian-raja-s

    Just last night, I was called by them. I asked for some information, and was put on hold for TEN minutes! I then called back. During the conversation, the person asked me if he could put me on hold. I declined, told him that I did not want to be on hold, could he arrange a call back? He then asked me again…can I put you on hold. I said no, explained myself again. He asked a THIRD time. I said no…I asked if he was even listening to me! He asked a fourth time…and put me on HOLD!

    Sadly, all the telecom companies are equally worthless. I fully intend to dispute my bill, will move to Airtel, if I need to. I hope that you also find a better provider. 

  6. Hi Angelo,

    You won’t be surprised if I tell you, the EXACT same thing happened with me.

    Executive: “Sir could you provide me with an exact location where you are facing the problem.”

    Me: “It’s on the western railway line.”  

    Executive: “Sir could you provide me with an exact location where you are facing the problem.”

    Me: “There is NO EXACT LOCATION. I am facing the problem on the western line…”

    Executive: “Sir could you provide me with an exact location where you are facing the problem.”

    Me: “What part of “NO EXACT LOCATION” do you not understand?

    Executive: “Sir but could you provide me with an exact location where you are facing the problem.”

    I just hang up as it is pointless talking to these imbeciles.

    There is just one way out, to quit. Or I suggest you move to consumer court. I had once read they had coughed up a good 10K after the person filed a case against them. I suggest it’s time to bring in the law.

    I have details on how to go about it, if you wish to take it ahead.

    Thanks for your reply. 

  7. Hello Gaurang,

    Thank you for talking to us. As conveyed, please get your SIM card replaced from the nearest Vodafone Store and check. Do share your feedback with us.

    Regards,
    Vodafone Customer Care.

  8. Hello Gaurang,

    Thank you for contacting Vodafone, please spare a minute and give us your valuable feedback on the social media experience at https://bit.ly/1d1nDAw

  9. Hi,

    Thank you for talking to me. As conveyed, please get your head replaced at the nearest psychologist and check. Do share your feedback with us.

    Regards,
    GD.

  10. Hi Angelo,

    We trust that your concern related to data charges has been addressed. We have sent you an email at your registered email ID. Please check the same.

    Regards,
    Vodafone Customer Care.

  11. There…screwed your happiness a little more…

  12. No. I have a single question about my data charges. I want to know why I was not warned when my usage crossed the credit limit. I have an earlier email from Vodafone where I WAS warned, when my usage crossed the limit by 8 rupees. Clearly, this is something that Vodafone both can and does do. 

    Why was it not done in this case? That is the only question I had. In reply, I have received assurances that the data usage is genuine, as well as detailed explanations of the way dynamic credit limits works. Neither one of which pertain to my actual question.

  13. In exasperation, this was the latest email I have sent.

    Sahil,
    This does not answer my query at all! Let me be clear

    1) I am not asking about the specifics of Vodafone’s ‘dynamic credit limit’. I personally find it an unethical, distasteful, illegal practice. However, for the purpose of this complaint, I am not asking about it. I am accepting the current credit limit of 24,000.

    2) I am not disputing the accuracy of the charges. Again, I find it reprehensible that Airtel is able to offer 10 paise for 10 KB data in Sri Lanka, while Vodafone charges 5.5 rupees, a whopping Fifty Five times more. However, I am NOT disputing the accuracy of the charges.

    HERE is my issue, given below.

    My earlier Credit Limit was 11,300. I have an email from Vodafone warning me that my usage had exceeded my credit limit, that my usage was 11,308. Vodafone was able to warn me when I had crossed my credit limit by EIGHT rupees. I did not receive ANY warning when I crossed the current credit limit of 24,000. IF I had received such a warning, I would immediately have removed my SIM card from my phone, thus ensuring that my bill would never cross even 25,000.

    So here is my single question – Why did Vodafone fail to inform me that I had crossed my credit limit of 24,000 in a timely manner? (Please note that an email was sent by Vodafone on the 8th of September, warning me about my old credit limit of 11,300. My credit limit was only increased on the 23rd of September. No warning email was ever sent about usage crossing this limit.)

    My current contract with Vodafone specifies a limit of 24,000. As per an email from Vodafone “whenever your usage including any outstanding amount, exceeds the limit of your requested amount the outgoing call services will be temporarily deactivated.”

     

    Vodafone failed to either deactivate my number OR inform me when the outstanding amount reached the limit. Therefore, I am willing to make a payment not exceeding 24,000 Rupees. Any billing past that point is due to Vodafone’s failure to follow it’s own processes.

  14. Hi Angelo,

    It’s just pointless talking to these imbeciles. I suggest you go here: https://twitter.com/BUTVFightBack and tell them about your issue. They will embarrass, defame and fight back this nuisance called “Vodafone”, all in public.

    This is the only way to talk to these bots. Hope that helps. 

    And Vodafone, you are lucky this is a private domain run by someone I know very well. Come on Twitter and I will make sure you spend sleepless nights for a long long time.

     

     

  15. To tell you at the onset Im not paid by vodafone to say this! But as far as my experience with vodafone 3G is concerned, I’m quite Happy with their network and some of the people I know who use it are also really satisfied with the speed, coverage of 3G etc.  Even my 2G data network works smooth and better than some networks 3G data, And every single time I get a msg warning when my data usage crosses 80% of the limit. Yes, whenever i cross Kurla  stn on Central line the network does drop every single time but thats the only place I can recollect. Overall of all the operators i have used (Loop then Airtel and now Vodafone) I find Vodafone the best of the lot. Maybe the problem lies with network of Vodafone on the Western Line! Thankfully I have never felt the need to speak to Vodafone call execs much

     PS. I recently went to Pipavav port near Gujrat. My data network worked so awesome I had to keep my Hotspot on the whole day for my colleagues

  16. Hello Angelo Lobo,

    We have checked your bill dated 07/10/13 and confirm that the roaming charges levied are correct. Please note that the Dynamic Credit limit is a predetermined value, up to which you can use your Vodafone mobile phone without making any interim payment before your bill generation. Your usage is monitored on a daily basis against the pre-determined Dynamic Credit limit of Rs.24000 for your Vodafone account. The limit amount includes your unbilled usage and outstanding amount, if any.
    We assure you that we have checked with Srilanka-Dia, the roaming partner in Sri Lanka. We confirm that the calls/data charges applied to you are indeed accurate.
    We have mentioned an explanation as to how your call is routed and charged while you are roaming nationallyinternationally:
    1) Outgoing local call(while roaming) Local Airtime*
    2) Outgoing ISD call(while roaming) Airtime*
    3) Incoming calls, local airtime* plus roaming call forward charges(from Mumbai to the city you are roaming)
    While receiving an incoming call, the charges are broken into 2 components i.e. Incoming Airtime and Roaming Call Forward charge (RCF).
    On your bill dated 07/10/13, you will find that the same call with the same duration will appear under Incoming Airtime and Roaming Call Forward as these are separately charged.
    The total of both these charges will be equal to the charges which are mentioned as a total roaming charge towards incoming calls. These rates are in sync with rates with the enclosed call charges applicable in Sri lanka. We take this opportunity to assure you that our Billing System accurately monitors and records usage of each SIM Card. This ensures that you are billed only for that service which you have actually utilized.
    We would be unable to reverse these charges, since they are correctly billed. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused.

    Regards,
    Vodafone Customer Care.

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