26 Mar 2012 - Update Highest Rated Pain Stories Highest Rated Gain Stories Vodafail Local Facebook Page
Dear visitor,

Since its inception Vodafail.com has made a significant contribution towards raising awareness of the problems and issues faced by Vodafone customers.

Vodafone Australia customers have had the opportunity to voice their concerns, their fears and their troubles from every corner of Australia and beyond our borders. You have gathered the courage to stand up for your rights as consumers and to make your voice heard.

Each and every person who shared their story should have a sense of pride in this achievement and the changes that have occurred since the start of Vodafail.com.

More recently, traffic to Vodafail.com has declined significantly. Having achieved the goal of raising awareness and promoting concrete action in early 2011, we have now reached the point of closing Vodafail to new complaints. The site will remain online for as long as possible as a reminder and an example of what is possible when we share our experiences.

It has been a privilege to run this initiative and I'm am forever grateful for the help and support I've received. In particular I would like to thank Melissa, David and Travis for their continued efforts over the past 15 months. I'm also thankful and humbled by the support of ACCAN, Choice magazine and a wide range of media outlets, blogs and websites.

You can still browse existing stories and find out how to file a complaint if you are experiencing problems.

Until next time,

Adam Brimo

Share Your Pain


Vodafail.com is no longer accepting complaints.
Over the past 6 months traffic to Vodafail has declined significantly. Therefore we have closed off Vodafail to new complaints. We think you will find more joy in posting on any one of these fine product / brand review sites.

You can also post directly on the Vodafone community forums.

Other People's Pain


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11948 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is too much at 11 Jan 2011 09:30:02 AM
Lara asks me what I would like, I say a real person, she says, would you like to make a credit card payment? I say no, operator. She repeats would I like to make a credit card payment.. etc etc etc. Until I hang up because lara is useless.

Went to the customer service centre in Milton. Their feedback system is 8 questions to which answers are electronically input on a scale of 1 to 10.. After driving all the way to Milton to get service and then be confronted with another lifeless careless machine was completely insulting and infuriating!
11 Jan 2011 01:00:55 PM: ?

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11945 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is BIG FAIL!! at 11 Jan 2011 09:28:30 AM
My husband called Vodafone yesterday after 30 mins on hold to cancel our month to month broadband... the overseas call centre verified my husbands details then asked what he could be helped with.. He told Voda that he wanted to cancel as the service is less than average, drops out and is slower than dial up.. you would not believe what the customer service assistant then said.... Im sorry our computers are down at the moment try and call back in the next 24-48hrs WTF? How can they check details of a customer then say their computers are down???

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11935 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is at 11 Jan 2011 09:12:39 AM
No reception - if by some slim chance I get reception it always drops out I have to repeatedly call the person back to say the reception dropped out!
I am on a $79 per month post paid cap but can only really use my phone to send sms/texts as calls and internet continually drop out. I have no reception at all on the train or at home.
Cannot use 3G data or if I can internet connection always drops out and will not come back
1 bar or no reception at all in Deception Bay
Quite often no reception at all at big shopping centres

Spent last 3 days on hold to customer service for over an hour every time but couldn't speak to anybody
11 Jan 2011 09:37:14 AM: My experience almost exactly - in Lithgow, NSW. I signed up six weeks ago and the only way I can be at all sure of completing a phone call or getting all my email is to drive a few kms to Hassans Walls, the highest lookout point around or take the train to Sydney and start using my phone and computer after pasing Bell. Join Vodaphone and see the world!
11 Jan 2011 01:09:25 PM: Come on. Don't let the truth stand in the way of a good story especially when Lithgow is so damn hilly and whoever signed you up would have warned you of coverage being patchy in that area and guess what? You signed up anyway.

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11931 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Abismal.... at 11 Jan 2011 09:07:13 AM
Poor customer service, confusing bills, calls dropping out and the whining voice of 'Lara' make my blood boil.....Something should be done about these crooks!
14 Jan 2011 03:04:59 PM: Yes, the bills are hard to understand! I seem to always have extra charges and I have no idea why!

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11925 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Disgracefully bad at 11 Jan 2011 08:54:25 AM
No data usage
No reception
Cannot use 3G data
1 bar or no reception at all in cranbourne north

Spent last 3 days on hold to customer service for over an hour every time but couldn't speak to anybody

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11922 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Service reception is BAD at 11 Jan 2011 08:46:40 AM
everywhere inside small building carparks , southside brisbane area etc , called customer service numrous times no resoultion

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11902 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Very at 11 Jan 2011 07:37:20 AM
I have very limited coverage 90% of the time where ever I go throughout Victoria. I am also annoyed that it is very hard to speak to a real person when you call customer service.....

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11901 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is extreme fail at 11 Jan 2011 07:32:21 AM
they were supposed to direct debit and now are threating to cut me off, if i don't pay them.. and when i try and sort out with customer service.. i get "conveniently" disconnected... grrrrr and humbug !

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11897 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is The worst service ever at 11 Jan 2011 07:16:16 AM
Have been waiting for my upgraded handset for more than 3 days now. Keep being told that they can guarantee that it isbeing delivered.
Still no sign of it. Have had to miss the days work to stay home to accept it
Worst thing yet is that I was kept on line holding to get answer about it for a period of 4.5 hours last evening (holdng/ connecting/ having network fail/calling back an being put on hold again) FOUR AND A HALF HOURS TRYING TO GET TROUGH TO VODAPHONE!!!!!!
I have been told that someone would call me back about my customer service issues - I have now been waiting since Friday for this call (today is Tuesday)

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11895 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Extremely Epic at 11 Jan 2011 07:10:46 AM
I have been trying to get my Iphone4 for almost 3 months now. My 1st Gen Iphone is all but completely broken (won't call or recieve calls). After calling their customer service centre every week for 8 weeks I got fed up and went into a store. The staff were the rudest, most unhelpful customer service people I had ever come across. Once again I was told to "come back next week". What kind of person has the time to make a pilgrimage to a Vodafone/3 store every week to see if they have stock. I was told there was no way to put my name down to reserve my phone and I would just have to wait.

The week of Christmas I went into a store and I was told I had to call a number now to order my phone and that they were now taking names. I am two weeks out from the end of my contract, and have been in upgrade period for 2.5 months. I still don't have my phone. It was supposed to arrive on the 6th of Jan. Then the 7th of Jan. I have called Vodafone twice and have been told that it is a problem with the Air mail that it has been sent by. It is now the 11th of Jan and I still don't have my phone.

Add to this the news of the privacy breaches and I think I'm out. I can firmly say, if that phone isn't here by this afternoon. Optus will get themselves a shiny new customer.

20 Jan 2011 12:47:29 AM: Just do it.Nobody could be worse.

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11886 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is massive at 11 Jan 2011 05:48:26 AM
I've been trying to resolve a faulty handset with Vodafone for over a year now with no success. After a lengthy email dispute i finally took the issue up with the Ombudsman and over night i got an email from Vodafone admitting that they did not cover my area (i live twenty minutes from the CBD of Sydney!) and that my contract was wiped. I thought this was all to good to be true so i rang customer service and asked when / how i cancelled my account and they denied any such email had been sent. I've cancelled my payments to them and told them that if my phone is not unlocked i will take it up with Ombudsman ASAP.

DONT BE NICE WITH VODAFONE PLAY HARD BALL. AFTER THREE EMAILS IF YOUR PROBLEMS NOT FIXED GO TO THE OMBUDSMAN.
11 Jan 2011 08:23:23 AM: Not surprised they moved quickly on a faulty handet issue being raised with the TIO. Because they know that a more independant body with power will deal with them.
http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/909293/fromItemId/142
This inconsistancy in the aftermath is something which should automatically escalate it to the next level with the TIO and is the basis to go to a state based government Consumer Protection Office.

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11874 Someone from ACT thinks vodafone is catastrophically at 10 Jan 2011 11:43:22 PM
1)95% of the time, everyday now, I cannot make ph calls! I'll dial the no, only to be in limbo, waiting for ANYTHING to happen, before it just drops out. Never mind if I even wanted to call Vodafone to get help - it won't connect to anyone! Or it'll drop out while on a ph call. 2)I've often been kept waiting for 30mins+ when contacting Vodafone. Even when they've started 'helping' me, I've been transferred on to another 'customer service rep' only to wait longer each time! One time I was buck-passed onto about 7 ppl! 3)My voicemail, smss & pxts have consistently been delayed. 4)Don't get me started on 'Lara', or Vodafone staff for whom I have to simplify everything. Very unhappy.
16 Jan 2011 12:13:58 PM: Start with the TIO. Keep really detailed records of everything, including the time and money you spend trying to resolve the problems.Could be useful if you end up joining the class action.

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11873 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Uber PHAIL! at 10 Jan 2011 10:56:26 PM
The network is pathetic! I get one bar on the network almost everywhere, and there are frequent call drops as well. Sometime the call goes blank and I end up talking to myself for a couple of seconds before it comes back. The 3G is painfully slow at times. My phone remains unreachable at home because I get no signal unless the phone is kept on a high table. Don't even get me started on their customer service; I've been kept on hold from an annoying 30 minutes to a frustrating 80 minutes before someone answers the call, and even then they are incompetent in their handling. They promise to call back but never do. What have I gotten myself into?
11 Jan 2011 06:07:41 AM: just contact the accc and tear off the contract!!!!

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11871 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Drop out at 10 Jan 2011 10:18:54 PM
Again, in another important business dealing over the phone, and out of the blue the line dropped out and seconds later I realised I was talking to myself. The mobile broadband is pain in the neck, in Strawberry Hills (Australian Post HQ) next to Surry Hills, the speed is a few bytes per second.

Called for disconnection, was put on hold for over 1 hour, gave up and pissed off, they literally don't give you the chance to speak to network connection team or the network connection team simply put everyone on hold to avoid resolution.

In 34 days, tried to contact customer service 14 times, and only 1 successful chat with a human, whom kindly directed to another department only to be put on hold until I gave up again.

It seems that TELSTRA is now the best amongst the 3, all phone calls are attended promptly, and yes HUMAN not put on hold with machine!!!!!
11 Jan 2011 10:07:04 AM: I had the same result when trying to make arrangements to pay out my contract - I was bounced to several different departments, each of which placing me on hold for an hour minimum - after the fourth attempt I felt that they were deliberatley trying to avoid having to action my request and gave up. I feel defeated by Vodafone

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11863 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Abysmal Customer Service at 10 Jan 2011 09:37:27 PM
Current 3 customer, moving to VF with DHD + infinite plan. Seemed like a good idea at the time! I don't even have a service yet.
Delivery date I was given came and went. Called Customer Service. Told I was given wrong info and expect to wait up to another 2 weeks.
Handset arrived. Called their 1300 number to activate. Told 24 hours for porting to complete.24 hours came and went.
I called CS. 20 minutes on hold. They couldn't find out what the
problem was. Advised they'd call back within 30 minutes.
30 minutes came and went. They didn't call.
A couple of hours later I called again. On hold for 37 minutes before being
cut off. Called again. Cut off after 13 minutes. Looked at complaints
area on website. It reads "Apologies, but our email form is temporarily out of order." They suggest calling instead. Called again. Call dropped out again after over 30 minutes on hold. For what it's worth I emailed a complaint.

I'm not sure how they can call this Customer Service.

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11856 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is mainly reception at 10 Jan 2011 09:02:27 PM
Poor customer service, even worse phone receptionand Text messages are very delayed on a few occasions

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11854 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is long hold, no reception, drop calls, poor customer service at 10 Jan 2011 08:51:56 PM
I am a new vodafone customer not even a month has passed but am not at all happy with vodafone. i thought vodafone is better than 3G so i transfered my nbr to vodafone on 12th dec 2010 n was told my fone will activate in 48hrs but it did not. so i kept calling vodafone customer care 14th dec2010 but was on hold for minimum of 2hrs n got disconnected so i went on calling but always was on hold for so long. so i called 3 and asked, so they said to call vodafone n request to import my nbr from 3 to vodafone i did that too n was told by vodafone IVR that my fone will get activated in an hour but it did not happen so i again kept callin vodafone customer care but on hold n nothing else till 17th dec2010. so i went to the 3dealer on 18thdec2010 from whom i had taken my fone n after one hour my fone was activated. but i started facing problem with my handset so again i called vodafone customer care {VCSR}but again on hold for hrs together again n again n no answer at all. by luck i got some live person n i was asked to go to the dealer n change the handset . but no use. again i called many times but always was given different answer by VCSR.at the end i went to the dealer they said they cant change the handset but will repair so i gave it to repair. so i am using my sim on my old handset. am facing coverage problem, calls drop out, also wanted to chk my balance so logged on to vodafone.com.au but failed in all the above problems the website isnt working i cant login plus no answer on thw fone it gets disconnected wenever i call csr saying that they have some technical issues how many times should i call csr? am fed up not even a month n so many problems with vodafone. its jopeless also i have complaint to the customer care ppl i got to speak to abt the long hold they gave an answer its due christmas n new year they have such a long hold. i dont believe this. i want to end my contract with vodafone n go back to 3 am happy n also want compensation for wasting my time n energy
10 Jan 2011 09:27:51 PM: why didn't you just go to the store?
10 Jan 2011 11:52:16 PM: For goodness sake some people should do some basic research to see who they are doing business with - 3 Mobile and Vodafone are merged now and operate under a single umbrella called VHA. They share networks and have minimal coverage.
13 Jan 2011 08:03:21 PM: They don't share networks and the coverage is quite incredible (the Newell Hwy is my favourite stretch oh and using your phone in broken hill is cool). Congestion is the enemy. For goodness sake some people should do some basic research. ;)
13 Jan 2011 08:05:41 PM: Actually Voda's Coverage sucks :)

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11848 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is CUSTOMER SERVICE DISCONNECT at 10 Jan 2011 08:04:23 PM
I had a new contract begin Jan 6- this was for an iphone4 that I ordered on 16th Dec (3 weeks ago). I received a phone call to confirm delivery on Fri Jan 7 and had to confirm someone over the age of 18 would be at the delivery destination. I waited home all day-NO IPHONE. I then called customer service and after waiting online for 115minutes was promised it would come on Monday 10th. Guess what-NO IPHONE. I then called customer service, was on hold 45mins before the line dropped out. I then called again straight after, waited another 45mins before the line dropped out. I called back 4 more times and after getting to the menu and pushing the options i needed, it said "I'm sorry there has been a technical error. Please try again later". This is utter rubbish. I haven't mentioned when I called 3 weeks ago to order my iphone, I called 17 times and was disconnected immediately every time. I am aiming to terminate my new contract and also my partners contract if possible. FAIL.
10 Jan 2011 08:09:33 PM: This also happened to me! Although I ordered mine the beginning of December. Anyways waited at home all Friday and today. Called up and asked for the consignment number. Looked up my deliver on the AaE website and it said that they only received the item at 8:20PM today! I won't receive it until Wednesday. So much for the multiple phone calls telling me my phone will be here Friday.

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11838 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Epic Fail at 10 Jan 2011 07:42:30 PM
I can never make calls or recieve text messages, my phone switches on and off when it likes, people try to ring me and it goes directly to message bank even though my phone is visably usable to me. I've tried ringing, I've gone into stores, its useless. I dont have the patients to deal with their lack of customer service, though I cant get out of my plan because whenever I go into the store the always say to come back when your phone starts playing up or to update your software. There are no more god dam updates! I've given up.

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11835 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Superbad customer service at 10 Jan 2011 07:31:42 PM
I made 3 attempts at calling 1555 to upgrade my handset (I dont know why) arghhhh! Due to 'technical difficulties' my call was disconnected.

The 4th time i finally connected to 'lara'. With my enquiry issued, i was placed on hold for 57minutes before I reached a 'real' person.

Only to find that the department I wanted was closed for the day!!!!! I was then placed on hold AGAIN while the operator found me the right place to complain (at my request)

TOTAL time with a phone stuck to my ear listening to bad elevator music - 1 hour 3 mins. PRICELESS!

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11826 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Customer Service dont speak english at 10 Jan 2011 07:04:40 PM
Whats with calling another country to get customer service in Australia. I cant stand your operators, they are worse than your voice recognition software. Im moving to telstra and guess what, im cancelling my contract, keeping my phone and not paying my bills. My bank account was cancelled today. Ill just assume its compensation for all the crap ive been through to make a phone call. Good bye Vodafail.
13 Jan 2011 08:05:17 PM: Bad move charlie brown.
13 Jan 2011 08:06:45 PM: Tesltra has the best coverage and performance in Aus, You will not be disappointed :)
13 Jan 2011 08:06:56 PM: Telstra*

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11816 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is I've been abandoned at 10 Jan 2011 06:20:02 PM
A few days ago I contacted Vodafone customer/technical support about the constant drop outs and an investigation resulted in no action. Today I find I no longer have a mobile connection and have just spent over an hour trying to talk to someone and once again no success, still on hold. Something must be done about it. So much for customer service.

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11799 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is No Customer care at 10 Jan 2011 05:24:52 PM
New phone was supposed to be delivered last Friday, no one called to say it would be not delivered, my partner waited at home for 8 hours, called customer care was on hold for 2 hours, couldn't stand it any longer, hung up, went to email them via there customer complaints link, it wasn't working...found the complaints dept email address elsewhere, emailed them got a response back today that is computer generated and does not address any of my complaints in the email, now on hold for just over an hour and no one in India has answered the phone....I want to cancel the new contract and move to Telstra after receiving such poor service and reviewing others comments here, being on hold this long is outrageous!

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11797 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is very at 10 Jan 2011 05:21:37 PM
poor reception, shocking customer service, poor 3g. PATHETIC

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11795 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Very Fail at 10 Jan 2011 04:59:49 PM
after the news story about stolen info and such i go to check my account only to find it LOCKED try to call customer service enter pin ...after that i get OOPS we have encountered a technical difficulty Hang up and call again then it auto hung up 15 times IM tired of vodafone doing this they need to get it together fast

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11792 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Customer service/ no coverage at 10 Jan 2011 04:49:30 PM
This is my second complain on here and vodafone are more useless then ever. It start all on friday 7th jan i rang cause i was having no coverage it took 45 min to talk someone and when i did speak to someone i got told theres no problems i explain to them that where ever i stood inside or outside my house i could not coverage they hang up on me. Saturday i was upset by being hang up on i rang again and got it would take 10-15 before they could talk one and a half hours later i complain about the Privacy RUDE USELESS service they gave all the person could say is sorry sir sorry sir this is NOT how you should of been treated. Today is the 10 jan and i still no Bad coverage and STILL waiting for snr supervision to get to me. If vodafone do wake up soon i hope the 7 millions aussie wake and leave this sorry useless dumbass company. Please understand i dont blame the works i blame there boss who sit a nice pretty office who make the rules.
10 Jan 2011 05:16:45 PM: Contact the TIO, they will be able to assist you out of your contract. Check out the 'How To Complain' link at the top of the page. Best of luck and let us know how you get on.

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11791 Someone from SA thinks vodafone is Deader than Dodo... at 10 Jan 2011 04:36:37 PM
Hi,
I was a Microwave satellite communications technician and an Austel licenced telecommunications technician.
When I assisted Vodafone to put their mobile networks together around 15 years ago, they were the place to be.

Telstra had reliable coverage, but at great expense. They never seemed to be there when you really needed the coverage or the customer service.

Optus had lousy coverage with excellent customer service. But in direct competition with LIFELINE, they could counsel the customer to the point of curing mental illness...(if the line didn't drop out first...)

The end result of all this was that about half of all mobile calls were connected, completed and subsequently charged exorbitantly by Telstra.
At least when the other half of calls dropped out, you had someone who you could whinge to at Optus who would say "Yes" quite a lot.

Out of this came the shining beacon that was Vodafone. With their reasonable call rates, customer service and coverage!!! Once the news was out, all the technicians switched to vodafone in a flash.

Yes coverage! Vodafone had their own equipment! Without even resorting to network rental arrangements like all the other carriers had to do - 3, boost, dodo etc.
Because of this I used Vodafone for mobile telephone service for over 10 years, still do unfortunately.
Not for much longer!

Then I bought a prepaid broadband USB modem through Vodafone. After going to numerous Vodafone stores to wait AN HOUR to be served, only to find that the USB unit had "sold out" or was "out of stock". I then arrived at 2 separate Vodafone shop locations actively listed on the Vodafone website that were out of business.

I could have had the USB modem delivered by carrier pigeon by then, or made one myself with a broken digimon and a stick. As a tech I have installed (or failed) 4 of these units now, no two are alike. PC compatibility issues are rife.
The $49 USB modem does not even work in most netbooks, effectively making them underpowered miniature desktops.

Reception is appalling. I can see the tower from my house, it is 30 metres away. Line of sight!
As for the install - It would have taken less time to write the prepaid broadband USB software myself than to install it.
Registering, connecting and doing the initial install was the single most slow, painful and emotionally harrowing process I have had to endure in 20 years of software installation. It must be illegal under some convention somewhere...

Vodafone must have their website powered by underfed anorexic dyslexic hamsters.
These Hamsters are multitasking as the overworked software engineers...
The dead Hamsters in the bottom of the cage used to work customer service...

Mobile Broadband reception still drops out in the slightest breeze like UHF used to. I have tried USB extension cords (with some minor increase in signal strength) and modified broadband antennas. I am now blasting myself with enough RF to create my own personal cancer cluster or reheat a meat pie in three minutes...
At least it keeps my coffee warm while I sit through the install program - AGAIN!!!

Short of putting my PC in a Faraday cage and raising my own antenna mast or installing a parabolic dish on my head I cannot see Vodafone providing anyone with a usable mobile broadband connection.

Let's face it Vodafone, these towers were never designed to carry this amount of data traffic at this bandwidth.
The equipment is 15 years old, outdated, superseded and needs to be able to provide a continuous, consistent, reliable and strong signal. Roaming from tower to tower, 3G to GPRS and back again is painful, costly and disruptive.

Retailers should install "Vodafone" recycling bins at the front of retail premises. The junior work experience kid's arse has been turned into a thrashed USB port by the sheer number of returns this Christmas.

It's only 30 metres from my place to the tower. Hmmm... Maybe if I get a long piece of coax and climb up there and hard wire the bastard myself....
Oh sorry! That's called ADSL - YOU MORONS!!!!
10 Jan 2011 04:42:03 PM: I raise my glass to you sir/ma'am. That is beautiful! If that doesnt get a firecracker up their clacker then nothing will
10 Jan 2011 05:02:05 PM: I had the problem and where i live it above my unit and still had shit reciption good luck 30 mtrs away.
10 Jan 2011 05:06:27 PM: Golden post!
10 Jan 2011 05:47:29 PM: Eloquent and precise. Once my USB finally connected it didnt drop out, however, that could of been due to the sudden sluggishness of my laptop after an arduous installation that seems to have swapped all the memory space for programs wanting daily Vodafone updates. Surprisingly my phone connection is the reason I am on this site. Good luck with your plight, something tells me you'll be needing it.
10 Jan 2011 07:14:24 PM: A very articulate, informative and humorous post!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
11 Jan 2011 08:57:31 AM: Did you try taking the sim card out and then putting it back in?
11 Jan 2011 08:06:48 PM: I love the history walk. I too have been long standing customer and sang the praises of Vodafone in its early days. All too sad now that the last few years have been so disappointing. At least this year my Christmas and New Years messages to friends arrived on time. Not like the previous 3 years where my messages took up to 3 days to go through. Looks like many people have left Vodafone to allow my messages to get through!
13 Jan 2011 08:14:13 PM: Yeah mostly comedy gold until you call them Morons. Seriously though the only trouble shooting that really needs doing with all the ones I've been helping people set up is to start a new user on the computer. The sticks don't like sharing assets that are already being used. Alternatively the powered up pocket wifi soap on a ropes are brilliant for increased pick up. Like how you plug in a antenna into the ac adapter and sturf for to increase teh receptron on your TEEvee. Sorry my inner moron came out...

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11789 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Regret of switching at 10 Jan 2011 04:33:42 PM
I switched to Voda for a cheaper Iphone plan. I did not know that Voda have bad network and bad 3G data connection. 1st month I'm with Voda, GPRS keeps being disconnected. Downloading video shows format is not recognized once every two times trying. 40mins waiting time to speak with customer service and then the call dropped out. And the data quota shows less than what I signed up for. Customer service even had a long response from their own system and promised to call me back but no call yet. The signal is ok at home or at work but really bad once I go to lower ground while my wife's phone still have some signal. I found all of those in less than 1 month. Can I still cancel the contract?

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11785 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is extremely at 10 Jan 2011 04:22:45 PM
- Extremely Poor Reception in inner metro suburbs

- Most pathetic customer service, waiting times and YES - the phone drops out after waiting for half an hour on 1555 for operator to attend my call.
It has sent me madddddd, brain cells have officially fried !!!!

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11780 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is 100% at 10 Jan 2011 04:03:47 PM
In January last year I signed a contract with vodafone for the iphone 3 on a $49.00 per month contract with insurance for theft, loss etc, as per the sales clerk in the vf store - or so I was lead to believe. In July last year my phone was stolen from my parents house and when I went to arrange a new phone was told my contract did not have insurance included, the sales clerk should not have told me it was and there is nothing they can do except shut the phone down and give me a new sim card, oh but I can get another contract for the same phone if I wanted to - pay 2 contracts for 1 phone???? I chose nt to get cuaght in another contract and now I'm lucky to be able to make a call off the new sim card due to reception issues, line cuts out, no service etc. All I want is out of this contract with no penalties against my credit history and to NEVER have to give vodafone another cent EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!! Customer service provides me with no response to this request other than "you can end your contract in January 2012", um, that's when the contract ends, very cleaver voda-ripp, not happy at all.
10 Jan 2011 04:08:55 PM: Insurance is $9.95 a month, did you ever pay for it?. They will not cancel your contract unless you return your handset. Or you will have to pay a cancellation fee.

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11774 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is bad fail at 10 Jan 2011 03:42:48 PM
Can't access my current bill details. They want me to pay my account but I can't get a copy of my current bill for the last 3 days. Tried to call the customer service number and call drops out "due to a technical problem" This company needs a good wake up call!!
10 Jan 2011 03:54:31 PM: I had the same issue, uninstalled adobe reader and reinstalled it, then it workd fine

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11760 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is 110% FAILED at 10 Jan 2011 03:09:03 PM
At this very moment I have attempted to contact customer service 1555 from both my mobile and the 1300 number on my home phone so I can finalise my final bill to switch to another carrier as my contract has ended. Attempt 1, 2 & 3 saw the call drop out after about a minute and each call back resulted in me having to sit through a 30 second spiel about how Vodafone takes customer infomation security seriously etc. The 4th time had me on hold for 25 mins, finally got through to someone and spoke half a paragraph only to have the call drop out. The rest of the frustrating calls resulted in a message from Lara saying ' We are experiencing technical difficulties, please hang up and call again'. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????!!!!!!! THE ONLY DIFFICULTY VODAFAIL IS HAVING IS THE LARGE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH.
I have been with Vodafone for many years, both pre-paid and contract on numerous occasions - I WILL NEVER GO BACK. VODAFONE GO TO HELL.
10 Jan 2011 03:20:13 PM: im up to the 9th attempt i know what your going through ...
10 Jan 2011 03:46:07 PM: 5 attempts both on mobile and via landline, CAN'T get through, keeps dropping out
13 Jan 2011 08:16:34 PM: Don't bother trying at the moment or for the next few days. I need to get through tomorrow to help out a customer.

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11755 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is failed at 10 Jan 2011 02:56:18 PM
I was with three before never had prob now Im with vodafone for last 6 months having a lot of prob i have made the wrong decision poor service whenever you try to call them its an hour waiting time I dont know what to do I still have more than 1 year left in my contract very frustrated I Ddont wanna stay with vodafone anymore
10 Jan 2011 03:08:25 PM: Yeah, Go to telstra or optus they pick up the phone straight away when you call.
No computer and no waiting, and they click there fingers and your problem is fixed
10 Jan 2011 03:55:55 PM: Good luck with that, telstra stuffed me that many times
10 Jan 2011 07:16:01 PM: If you speak to Vodafone in a CALM manner, they will more than likely move you back to 3 quite happily....

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11752 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Ridiculious! at 10 Jan 2011 02:47:01 PM
I don't understand why I'm paying for a service that I'm not getting! Internet keeps dropping out, phonecalls keep dropping out! What a joke! I understand there's technical glitches but for months on end???
The thing is you can't even get a hold of customer service? WHAT SERVICE! Spent over 2hrs on hold with absolutely no results/acknowledgement/return call... VODAFAIL!
Can't wait til the end of the month when my contract is up! GONESKIESSSSS! Hello Telstra!

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11747 Someone from ACT thinks vodafone is Fail! at 10 Jan 2011 02:24:02 PM
I currently Live in Casey my partner and i get very little to no reception in our own home, we do not have a home phone. I have just got off the phone to Vodafone (after a 2 hour phone call, including being "disconnected" twice! Finally speaking to a helpful Customer service officer, aftyer running through all my settings on my Iphone 3GS and realising all my settings are correct and it is just their crap network they have now launched an investigation into the coverage at our house. If it comes back that it can't be fixed straight away they will be cancelling our contracts we send our phones back etc. So for all you people out there that don't get reception or get little reception at your own house call VOdafone and go through the steps, it may take a couple of hours, but be patient and you maybe able to get out of your contract! Next stop Telstra...

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11742 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is CRAP at 10 Jan 2011 01:50:00 PM
Service drop outs. Data drop outs. Poor customer service.
Looking after 60+ Vodafail services Australia wide and they have all had drop outs, changing to edge or gsm networks, rebooting at random - I am sick of being told that "it must just be your handset/battery/user"

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11707 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Vodafone's top employee is Lara at 10 Jan 2011 12:09:57 PM
Well she is the only person you get to speak with and sadly Lara's propensity to make errors is at least better than network reception.

I use vodafone on a 3G dondgle for one remote destktop. The connection drops 2-3 times a day on average, some days 10 times sometimes just 1 time.

Vodafail's helpful technical support deny any problems, suggested using 2g, and well generally leave you hold.

For my company mobiles I particularly lved their admin stuff ups. We had 2 personal and 1 corporate account. I tried to transfer 1 phone from a personal to the business account. Far too complex for Vodafail's dynamic team. Instead they opened another corporate account...in an identical company name. But the geniuses staffing vodafail decided that perhaps I needed a different type of company a small home based one. So called 'soho' for this whobdnt know small businesses get to enjoy Lara bigger ones get a different customer service phone number and (marginally) better customer service...to keep riff raff out (that would be all the other people stupid enough to use vodafail) they block normal customers phone numbers. So if you inadvertently call the (very marginally) better team it says number not available. So as the business owner the only way I could call the dynamic duffers staffing vodafail was to dial 1831 To hide my number then call customer "service" (lol.) of course the two dynamic teams don't talk to each other and after nearly an hour more of time attempting to add the soho account to my corporate one u gave up. I moved to Optus. ..... And Wow! I can get reception!!!! My calls drop about 90% less often!!!

Buy vodafail weren't finished with me. Oh no, even after moving to Optus vodafail still kept skewing up. How? Well they keep a special list of vodafone customers (ie gullible folks) so anyone calling from a vodafone sees this list, well they kept my number of the vodafone customer list but moved the account. Result anyone calling from a vodafone got 'number not available' ah can thus company get ANYTHING right. What a bunch of f-wits.

F-wits who are sooooo quick to screw customers over. Anyone travel on vodafail? Beware!!!!!! they have 2 tariffs "f^% you over" and "just really expensive". I think they call them world traveller and traveller plus. Anyway the screw you over tariff is the default and it's incredably expensive for just about everywhere you want To go, new Zealand, us, europe, Asia etc . Screw you over tariff is cheaper on popular detonations like Zimbabwe and somalia etc....get the picture. You know how thus ends a call to vodafail customer service sets you up to travel and after 2 days in new Zealand I get back with an 800 dollar bill !!! Oh and I was using vodafail nz there too. And the network is just as bad. Anyway watch out for it, their customer service folks are trained to pit you onto screw you over tariff.

Can you believe these cheaky a$$$ holes actually call me up as each of my contracts comea up to expirey. After years of f%^#*ing me over they seriously expect us to re-sign.

It's NOT just reception. The entire organization is rotten to the core with a culture of pulling the wool over customers eyes.

THANK YOU VODAFAIL

At last a place where we can tell the world the reality of being a vodafone customer.
13 Jan 2011 08:17:39 PM: Whirlpool?

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11706 Someone from ACT thinks vodafone is colossal at 10 Jan 2011 11:59:42 AM
Like so many, I have experienced the same things, lost calls, lost texts, calls going straight to voicemail even though I had full reception at the time...

I've had periods (lasting for up 2 days) when my email and internet will not work... full stop.

I have had issues since approx August, but didn't complain as they were pretty rare and they weren't interfering too much.

It was only in late November that the issues turned annoying and more frequent.

I visited 3 stores in 2 cities, I did sim checks but they seemed more interested in fixing the handset (in spite of my putting my sim into a different phone for 24 hours and having the same result) or getting me to pay for a new iPhone...

So I called VF for the first time on Dec 2, reported the issues... then again when I wasn't called back on Dec 6, then Dec 12, 16, and 31. I called on Jan 4 to speak to tech people to launch an investigation... I was told that I would be called the next day... then when they didn't call back by 9am on the 6th, I made a complaint with the TIO.

I then called VF again and told them that I wanted this settled quickly and painlessly for everyone, and after being on the phone for 2 hours with tech support I refused to talk to them again. They then said, and I quote "someone will call you within 24 hours to sort out how this can be settled"... no phone call on 7 Jan...

Then today, 10 Jan, after pestering the customer service person, I was put through to the cancellations area... probably not who I should have been put through to... I got a bit of a shock when told that the only record they had of my complaining about coverage was on Dec 2... so they considered this to be 'out of the blue, and just complaining about it now', then suggested that I shouldn't be listening to 'media hype'... I was then told to give three specific events of problems - as if I keep all my records?

I didn't appreciate the tone or attitude, I was told I could leave my contract but the exit fees of $495 would not be waived.

I spoke to the TIO to add this information...

I'm tired of this, wasting my time... I just want to leave...
10 Jan 2011 01:18:45 PM: That is terrible, I can't believe that was their response!
11 Jan 2011 02:25:13 PM: Vodaphone told me to replace my handset too. But I had to pay for it outright or break my contract for $827. So I bought a new handset outright, GUESS WHAT, didnt fix the problem. I think they should reimburse me for the handset I DIDN'T need.
16 Jan 2011 12:31:16 PM: This extremely convenient faulty record keeping of Vodafone's needs a lot more scrutiny- it could be why their pals at the TIO treat them so kindly.

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11691 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is VERY BAD! at 10 Jan 2011 11:23:40 AM
My phone reception has been ridiculous the last few months. Everytime someone tries to called me it says my phone is off or out of range.
Everytime i try to call Vodafone i get a person overseas and then get cut off when they supposedly transfer me back to Australia.
I didn't sign up to deal with people overseas.. i may need to find a carrier who provides customer service in Australia.

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11690 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is exponential at 10 Jan 2011 11:22:10 AM
I expressed my concern about lack of coverage in Tasmania when Vodafone approached me about renewing my contract 16 months ago. I was assured by the customer service representative that a new tower would be installed by April last year. The coverage in the state is still appalling. We also have a holiday home in Kiama, NSW south coast. I can only get coverage if standing on a stool in the kitchen. In this 21st century its just NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Speaking to a consultant in Egypt with time delay and language barrier is hopeless. I've vowed to change to Testra as soon as my contract has expried - and I hate Testra - but it has to be better than this!! I wish Apple would start up a mobile phone service provider - their after sales support is fantastic!!

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11661 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Disgraceful!!!! at 10 Jan 2011 09:41:28 AM
No customer service. When I rang the wait was 40 minutes and growing. Sent email, still no reply from before Christmas. Call dropouts frequent with "connection error" showing and some messages not received till next day. What a joke of a provider. Am going to Vodafone shop to try and get out of contract today.

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11660 Someone from SA thinks vodafone is Very at 10 Jan 2011 09:41:14 AM
I have Just resigned with vodafone for the 3rd time for another 24mth contract as i have always been a happy customer. UNfortunately since having the new n97mini I have had nothing but trouble with the phone, reception and trying to get any customer service in regards to either of these issue in particular from the tea tree plaza vodafone went in there 3 times waiting over 20min and couldn't even get a staff member to acknowledge me. I live at modbury heights in adelaide and i can't even get reception at my home> i don't have a home phone so this is very inconvient. regardless i am looking at changing companies.

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11656 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Epic at 10 Jan 2011 09:25:47 AM
I've had to deal with terrible customer service via phone and in store from Vodafone. Plus I have not been receiving phone calls and when I do my phone doesn't ring it just comes up with a missed call message. Text messages are not being sent out...one friend got a text from me a day after I sent it.

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11645 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Worst Customer Service Since One Tel. at 10 Jan 2011 08:46:16 AM
The first bill they sent me was 120 overcharged in three days as somehow I didn't receive any included cap. It took 5 hours with various cut outs from customer service to finally get to speak too someone. I am now in a battle to find out what happened to my purchase of the new Iphone 4 which was signed up over the phone some 5 weeks ago. I attempted to speak to vodafone last night and was disconnected 3 times whilst on hold to customer service at 29 mins, 36 minutes and the best was at 42.32 minutes. I actually got to speak to someone briefly. The conservation went welcome to Vodafone can I have your name please. I stated Paul then the call went dead. Not hung up just silence I waited a couple of minutes but got nothing. I have been on hold today for 47 minutes so far but at least haven't dropped out yet. I am a new customer only attempting to find out where the purchase of my phone is. I am lucky I live in Geelong and so far the network has been fairly good. At least better then 3. I am shocked that Vodafone is allowed to operate and is given a telecommunications licence in this country when their service is appalling. Our toothless tiger the TIO should be jumping up and down at the shoddy wait times and pathetic network problems. The only other company I have had this service with was the defunct One Tel which was around in the late 90's. Well done on the creator of this site.

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11644 Someone from ACT thinks vodafone is 99% at 10 Jan 2011 08:44:41 AM
I am a medical doctor & am on call 2 to 3 times a week, very unreliabe service Calls dropping out, reception issues, poor data performance are the issues I deal with since i have moved to vodafone. Not very good as people can not contact me from the hospital becos of poor service.

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11637 Someone from SA thinks vodafone is Reception is crap at 10 Jan 2011 08:13:44 AM
I have too signed up for vodafone thinking it would be a better dealer and coverage and reception wise was good as they tell me. Using my 3G to connect at times is shocking and takes long to load or even not load at all. Fase advertisement and if i knew any better i wouldnt have gone with vodafone. Customer service is shocking too, long waits and you get handball around to get a problem solve and you have to repeat yourself 20 times what the issue is and still it doesnt get solved.

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11633 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Poor Reception Mobile & Wireless Internet at 10 Jan 2011 08:10:27 AM
I changed to Vodafone prepaid mobile & wireless internet in Jume 2010 being told by one of the sdalespeople that the coverage for both will be strong. I live in Melbourne my suburb is a very established area and can never get a clear reception on either. Both services are always dropping out and I use both for personal & business reasons. They treat customers with disrespect as well when trying to talk with a customer service rep. They would have to be without any doubt the worst company I have ever dealt with. James

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11629 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is MEGA FKN FAIL! at 10 Jan 2011 08:06:42 AM
f*&K me where do I start??? well I will point out the obvious first, their data is seriously so fucked up that dail up internet is faster then this bullshit!!! 2nd, their customer service all based in india and most of the time they dont know what they are talking about and dont give a shit about your problem because I am sure 100's and even 1000's per day call their fuckin call centre in Mumbai, India...
3rd, this recent issue with Vodafone in the news about some security breach, seriously WTF?
I am sure there is a shit load more issues, if I list all of them I am sure I will be typing all fuckin day! fuck I hate vodafone right now....
I am currently on hold at the moment YAY! I swear those fuckers owes me approx 40hrs of my time which I have spent on hold with those sons of bitches!!!
10 Jan 2011 08:48:13 AM: "2nd, their customer service all based in india and most of the time they dont know what they are talking about and dont give a shit about your problem because I am sure 100's and even 1000's per day call their fuckin call centre in Mumbai, India..."

Seriously? That doesn't even make much sense.
They're actually the ones that will help you out of this mess. When will people learn. If you speak to them with this tone, I hope they don't help you. They're working overtime, as are retail staff, to try and resolve as many problems as they can. Get a grip, and lose the racist attitude.
10 Jan 2011 09:04:38 AM: Please keep the comments about accents, English capabilities and offshore locations to a minimum. The point has been made. It's Monday and I want to have a good day. Vodafail.com mod
10 Jan 2011 01:19:47 PM: The accents, English capabilities and offshore locations points are actually valid - I have no problem with outsourcing but it's incredibly frustrating speaking with staff who have no flexibility in their responses and don't have the ability to deal with your unique issue. They have the right attitude, but not the skills to be of any use a lot of the time
11 Jan 2011 07:01:22 AM: Let the racism and criticism aside, the fact of the matter is that we are paying a high sum for services that a company can not provide, that is a fact, this is 2011, and we are we going to?, no where... is it that we do not have enough qualified people to run a network in Australia? surely we have, rather than sending business out of australia, in order to evade Taxes, and cut cost, but despite we are still paying for it and big,, 3x $99.99 caps a month,,, only for an individual.(Myself),, think about it!!!

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11626 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is Total Fail at 10 Jan 2011 07:43:54 AM
I switched to Vodafone about 3 months ago... huge mistake... I rarely get reception at home (live in suburbia), calls constantly drop out... I work in real estate so phone reception is critical to my liveliehood... Sent emails to Vodafone customer service, no one replies... obviously they dont care and just want to continue to take my money!

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11620 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is at 10 Jan 2011 07:01:01 AM

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11619 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is i have proof my credit card and personal details were leaked during this security breach. at 10 Jan 2011 07:00:12 AM
I spent most of yesterday on the phone to customer service only to be told my details were stored in a secure area and the passwords are now changed every 24 hours meaning it was impossible for anyone to now gain access to my personal details on file. (which include my credit card number, address, phone number car rego and so on)

My big issue is:

Everyone at Vodafone is telling me that the problem is "fixed" and my information is "now" secure.

Well it obviously was NOT secure beforehand, which is a damn big breach of the Privacy Policy which states my rights on the contract I signed. Meaning they have broken their end of the contract. However after numerous attempts to explain this to the foreign customer call operators I have been told that I am not entitled to be let out of the contract. (A contract which has been broken by its own operators)

This isn't my only problem though.

Not long ago my credit card details were stolen and used on online gambling websites across the globe. Now I use my credit card to pay for everyday expenses such as petrol, food and the occasional movie or product from Kmart. The thing is though, none of these places actually store my credit card number or details. They simply accept and process the payment.

I also used my credit card to make payments to Vodafone most months for my bill. For some time I was set up on automatic payment for the bill also. Meaning my credit card details were stored with Vodafone. Since I am still a customer, that means somewhere my credit card details are still stored on their system. I cannot think of any other place my details would be stored other than their system.

Process of elimination points the leaked credit card details straight at Vodafone.

I explained to the Customer Care operator this morning that I have bank statements showing unauthorised transactions, I also had my bank investigate the case who confirmed the credit card had been breached. I also explained that Vodafone is the only company who stores my credit card number.

All I want it my contract terminated and my details erased from their system; weather or not it is now secured.
10 Jan 2011 07:09:44 AM: You're right they did break their own contract and i'd suggest that you take this to the telecommunications ombudsman or whatever it is because vodafone staff are trained (like many others) to try and tell you that you can't leave even if they've broken the law.
10 Jan 2011 07:11:11 AM: We would be interested in finding out more information about your situation. Feel free to contact someone@vodafail.com
10 Jan 2011 07:31:19 AM: I just filed a complaint with the ombudsman! The thing is though Vodafone does not know how many of its customers details were leaked. They don't even know who's details were leaked. If thats the case not only my details, but potentially every single Vodafone customers details have been available at some point of time. Meaning Vodafone has broken its Privacy Policy for every Vodafone Customer, am i correct?
10 Jan 2011 07:36:13 AM: Yea I think that is correct and that is why we need the ACMA to investigate this. We just don't know whose details have been leaked and to whom.
10 Jan 2011 08:36:04 AM: Another class action i think! A suit for compensation for every customer who's details were exposed....Hang on, you don't know who's details were exposed! That means everyone is eligible for compensation!
10 Jan 2011 03:35:54 PM: As a voda employee let me tell you that I CANNOT see and/or access your credit card details once they have added to the system in question. The root of this alleged leak is that staff like myself could hypothetically give out or sell their username/password access to the system. Furthermore, all customer details are not just open all the time, you have to search for a specific customer via name or phone number. So hypothetically, if there were customer details leaked you would have search one by one for every one of vodafone's 6/7 million customers

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11617 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Very at 10 Jan 2011 06:51:03 AM
I got myself an iPhone mid 2010 - Vodafone shop in World Square forgot to transfer me to new contract so got slugged big time for data - over $300 for first bill which was only for 10 days - tried to fix over and over and over again - customer service were not only useless but extremely rude - kept refusing to help because I would not send my password through email - was concerned about security when now know there is no security anyway lol - each month they would tell me it would be fixed for the next month and was not - long story short after literally hours waiting on hold and being transferred to Mumbai etc ended up paying approx $100 more than should have due to running out of energy trying to fight. Am considering joining the class action but who has the time? This is what big companies rely on - most people cannot spare the hours needed to rectify the situation. Time is money and my time is worth something I believe - maybe I can claim by the hour for the amount of time I have spent trying to get somebody from Vodafone to take some responsibility. I had to explain to Vodafone that as where I purchased my phone were agents of the company they were acting on behalf of the company and the company was responsible for the error - how can customer service not know the basics of consumer law? Also what's the point of having phone with internet when connection drops out constantly!

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11606 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is impossible to contact at 10 Jan 2011 06:10:21 AM
I have for four days tried to reach Customer Service with regard to a Billing enquiry. The auomatic system is the only one that can provide details of amounts due in a previous bill - how to clarify anything such as regular payments or to set up automatic payment, the wai was quoted by the on hold message as being up to 50 minutes on each of the four days I tried and on each occasion i the four days I tried to contact the company. I an PISSED OFF !
10 Jan 2011 06:19:09 AM: A bit more on this - I finally managed to contact them, and landed with the Phillipines call centre. When I asked for information on when my contract was due to expire, i was asked WHY I wanted that information ! They tried to sell me a new contract before telling me my contract expiry date - it all seems a bit dodgy to me. I also asked about how many people had accessed my account details (in relation to recent media reports of leaked account info0, and the consultant had trouble fluently reading the (obviously 100% complance verbatim) scripting provided by Vodafone. Not good even for the public perception of looking after the customers.

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11602 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is FAILED governance at 10 Jan 2011 05:18:40 AM

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11553 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Everything! at 9 Jan 2011 08:21:13 PM
Im over their poor service, there lies, there shit reasons on why they cant "DO" anything to help me, them leaking our details over the internet. There crap. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THEM TO ANYONE!

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11550 Someone from NT thinks vodafone is Extreme! at 9 Jan 2011 08:19:02 PM
I had a Vodafone broadband bundle with usb on a 24 month contract, was only able to use it about 8 times. Rarely got signal both here and down south where the networks are supposedly 'better'. When i eventually did get some form of connection it was at Dial-Up speed!! and then after 5 minutes the signal was just dropped anyway. Contacted Vodafone on many occasions to try and get a solution but they just told me it was a problem with the area i was in (even tho i have a notebook and am in all sorts of areas all the time!!!) When my plan was finally over and i could finally stop wasting money on something that was useless, i had to ring them and deal with almost an hour of a customer service rep trying to sell me the 'new wifi' thing that will make reception 'so much better' NO THANKS!!!! Would love my money back for the 24 months of unused internet at $49.95 a month!!! Ha a 5gb Limit that i was never going to reach because i would never be able to connect to the internet!!!
SO BUYER BEWARE DON'T GET ANY VODAFONE INTERNET PLANS!!!
10 Jan 2011 06:40:53 PM: What internet plans,they can't organize customer service plans, so us vodafone used and abused don't have a hope in hell!

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11536 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is Annoyingly failing at 9 Jan 2011 07:51:00 PM
Not receiving info texts when I request them, phone dropouts, bad coverage, unable to contact customer service via phone or email...why am I paying for this???

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11530 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is 3g what 3g at 9 Jan 2011 07:42:48 PM
Should of stuck with Telstra prepaid, or even Optus prepaid.
Thought I'd get my value for money on the infinte plans. Still waiting for customer service to fix the fact that my brandnew phone can't get 3G signal with Vodafone, but it's fine if i put in a Telstra or Optus sim. Oh did i mention the number of times calls drop out, sms not sent or received... *sigh*

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11527 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is 100 percent at 9 Jan 2011 07:39:05 PM
Vodafail has given me probs with data connection, customer service waiting times excessive, and sms taking to long to recieve.

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11525 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is 100 percent at 9 Jan 2011 07:36:24 PM
I heard Vodafail has released priv info about its customers, i have experienced data connection probs, customer service (failure 2 serve) waiting times excessive, and reception probs. I will be buying a new fone 1st thing 2morrow morn, never 2 return 2 vodafail.

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11523 Someone from ACT thinks vodafone is Worst carrier I have ever had the misfortune of being associated with at 9 Jan 2011 07:25:40 PM
16 Jan 2011 12:53:21 PM: Contact the TIO.Surely even they can get a contract wiped on a phone you have never received, even if it "was listed as sent". I hope you have a record of that call-where the mistake was admitted. If it's still in your logs, take a photo of your logs.

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11514 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is How fail are customers. at 9 Jan 2011 07:15:33 PM
The mess that I am in is how disgusting customers are to us when majority of the employees that work for VHA truly have the best interests of the customer at heart. I don't understand why people think that we live to make our own lives harder by purposely trying to sabotage a customer's experience, when 9 times out of 10, we'd rather not see you again - this demonstrates great customer service, we served all your needs at the initial point of sale.

Yesterday I had a frightening confrontation with a customer that refused to follow company policy with a pre-paid mobile. Instead of complying with company rules, he continued to argue with me and wanted me to prove the policy of which states that I was right in saying that I had to sell him a pre-paid sim with a pre-paid phone REGARDLESS if he was already a Vodafone user. The reason why we do this is so an account is created for the phone in which covers warranty for two years for the handset and when the account is created, it generates an Australian Gov't form in which states that the ID you have given us is correct and current, and to make sure criminal activity with the use of pre-paid sim cards is controlled as much as possible. I had the customer's best interests at heart, yet the customer thought he was right.

He continued to swear at me, raise his fists and threaten me personally all because I wanted to secure an account for the phone incase it was faulty - it was a Nokia after all. He persisted to yell and started to come around the counter to scare me into complying to what he wished. I made the customer by the sim card anyway and strongly advised him to come back into the store when he had calmed down to set up the account or to call pre-paid care. He continued to yell at me and call me offensive names so I left it up to him. I was shaking at that stage because his wife then proceeded to come around the counter also.

If you refuse to read the disclaimer or refuse us the patience for us to explain the disclaimer and you sign it anyway- that's your fault. If you chose to refuse such service which I offered this customer and you lose your receipt - don't come ranting and raving about how you weren't able to gain a proof of purchase of our database because you didn't want to comply. If you still chose to go with a handset even though I have explained its faults that are world known - go right ahead. I am so tired of customers thinking that they know better us when they don't even give the time to consider what they're getting themselves into half the time.

When there is a piece on Vodafone headlining the news reports, the next day is just hell. I'm really getting tired of customers who are trying to use the network problems as a way of getting out of their contracts with a full waiver. Please leave customer care to deal with the customers that have REAL and unfortunate network problems. I'm tired of morons wasting our time and just jumping on the band wagon where there are certain postcodes that are dealing with no network - not just one or two calls that disconnect every few days. No wonder these customers with horrible service can't get through to customer care - some people are just trying to get compensation with no particular newtwork problem.

Sim cards become faulty and corrupt, phones become faulty or are faulty at point of sale without our knowledge and sometimes the traffic is too high to have full signal or recommended speeds. These are out of Vodafone's 'control' and most certainly retail staff.

Honestly, customers have to start taking responsibility for their actions and show a bit more compassion to retail staff. Don't take us saying "I'm sorry but you'll have to call customer care to resolve this issue" as us not caring - this is what we've been told to do. Also, if we tell you that our database is down - it's down okay! It's not that we can't be bothered, it's because we actually can't login to our systems which is just as frustrating for us because we're bored out of our minds. Two weeks ago our database was on fallback for 24 hours and a customer came in that needed a sim swap for a lost sim card. I began to apologise for our database being down and he told me to f off and that I was hopeless before I had time to finish my sentence. I was going to give him a sim card, take his details and perform the sim swap for him when the database was up and running the next morning. Customers don't even give us a chance anymore which is really upsetting.

I have ordered that many customers to leave our stores because of the aggression and disgusting manner in which customers are treating retail staff. Honestly, don't bother telling us at the end of a long rant that it's not "our fault" when you point in our faces and call us hopeless. Remember that we all have phones too and that we're contacted to all different telcos in which we have received poor customer service as well.

This is just as shattering to us as it is to you. I adore working for this company and it's such a shame that this has happened. We don't want customers to be unsatisfied because we're the ones that have to deal with the repercussions. I hope this goes away sooner than later so I can enjoy my job again and give customers great customer service. The same day I was threatened by a customer, I was told by five other customers that they've never received customer service like I gave them. We're not all bad you know. Please remember the more respectful you are to staff, the greater lengths we will go to resolve your issues the best we can.

Also, customers need to realise that 3 and Telstra share networks, as well as Vodafone and Optus share networks. At one point or another, I am certain that you will have poor service at one point or another regardless of what telco you go with.
9 Jan 2011 07:18:55 PM: Havnt you heard? the customer is always right?
9 Jan 2011 07:26:32 PM: The VHA staff member that posted this is a complete idiot. Your company has the WORST customer support line EVER! If VHA wants to offer real support, how about allowing us (your "customers") to be able to solve issues in store, rather then saying "you have to contact customer support" and wait 2 hours on the phone. I pay $80 per month to Vodafone and it is by far the WORST Telco I have ever dealt with. And no the sales people in the store are not sorry, if you were, you would stop signing people up with disclosing your network is having issues, exactly what happened to me.
I joined up 2 weeks before Christmas.

VHA continues to sell these unlimited plans and jam more people on their already broken mobile network. Non-disclosure and misrepresentation is what Vodafone should be sued for. I have joined the class action and will be doing everything in my power to get out of my contract and ensure Vodafone Australia are held accountable.
9 Jan 2011 07:29:06 PM: Lets hope the 12,000 Vodafone customers that are complaining aren't all just wasting hours on the phone to Vodafone's woeful customer support, as in store staff cannot do anything! I urge the entire Australian population who is on Vodafone join the class action law suit!
9 Jan 2011 07:34:34 PM: I am the person that posted the 2nd post, and oh by the way I went in to Brisbane Queen st mall store, spoke to the same customer service representative that signed me up, and I asked what was going on with Vodafone's useless network and he said, and I quote " I know its really shit at the moment, the only thing you can do is contact Customer support via phone, they will tell you to try some tests that obviously won't work, you can then open a case with the TIO, hand your phone and sim back and get out of your contract that way" HAHA FAIL!
9 Jan 2011 07:38:46 PM: Regardless of how angry a customer is, they have no right to threaten physical violence or personally attack a sales associate.
9 Jan 2011 07:39:05 PM: You people that have replied to this poster absolutely disgust me......

I cannot believe how rude and disrespectful the people in this country are getting.
9 Jan 2011 07:39:47 PM: Hi Staff Member,

It's unfortunate that you have to deal with angry and upset customers on a daily basis. As someone who has previously worked in retail and support I can understand just how scary it can be sometimes. However I think your anger should be directed at Vodafone for creating a situation where customers are that angry and support is that hard to come by that they resort to anger out of frustration.

Customers are having network or billing problems and try to contact 1555 repeatedly. They wait on hold for hours, are transfered to different departments and receive little help they have no choice but to go to the only place where they can talk to vodafone staff. Your job might be to sell phones but to the public you are Vodafone. The store says you're Vodafone, the uniform says you are Vodafone and at the moment you are the only person from Vodafone that customers can reach.

Some people are unreasonable and angry but nobody enjoys being that way. I'm sure all customers would rather be happy with their service and thank you for your help. Sadly many people are not and that is a reflection of what Vodafone has done the past few months, the way they have handled their litany of problems and the contempt with which they've treated their customers. Maybe it's time to think about what you actually adore in Vodafone.

We at Vodafail do not condone any violence against Vodafone staff and we have repeatedly reminded people to be respectful in all situations.

Thanks

Adam
9 Jan 2011 07:43:28 PM: Clearly not everything can be solved in store. I applaud the staff member who wrote this! What store are you from, I would love to be served by you!!

Think about this, retail staff are not technicians and cannot fix your network. So clearly there are things you must call customer care for. I also agree with people just wanting to complain and get out of paying money. You are holding up the phone line for a legitimate customer concern, I have no reception at all on my business phone and I HAVE TO WAIT 3 hours on the phone because of you stupid people!!
9 Jan 2011 07:47:29 PM: I too work for VHA, i am agreeing with some things you say - customers do have to remember that we are people too - we may wear a red and white shirt each day, but we know EVERYTHING that is going on too, these problems wont be fixed over night, its a shame there are some slack as all hell staff working with us, but please give some of us the time of day. Also with the whole Vodafone's security breach - funny how they forgot to mention telstra also use the exact same system as us.
Anyone notice alot of this has started from when Vodafone released our $45 cap, Optus immediately took vodafone to court so we couldn't sell them because the offer would destroy them.
I will agree - network isn't great but it wont be fixed over night, we are after all merging an entire network onto another network - and with 11,000 people calling to disconnect you cant expect to get through straight away. The guys in Mumbai are working 6 day rosters at the moment.
We know the problems, and us guys in retail are trying to help, it doesn't help when we get over 100 customers coming in a day immediately saying " im about to join the class action law suit against vodafone if you dont fix my problem" 9 times out of 10 we do.
Come see us in store, we will go to the upmost lengths to help you, just be civil.
9 Jan 2011 07:49:40 PM: Well said Adam!

I do feel for the Staff Member that made the original post, but as a customer facing staff member representing Vodafone, you have to expect customers will take out their frustrations on you when they can't get through to the main people responsible for this whole mess. I do not and will not condone customers getting angry at any forward facing staff member, but unfortunately as Adam pointed out above, you are Vodafone to that customer and everything Vodafone seem to be doing at the moment doesn't seem to be resolving these problems in the short term. So customers are getting angry and the unfortunate bi-product of that is they are taking it out on you.

I hope things do get better for you, and Thanks for dropping by to make your post. I do feel for what you must be going through, but again I think Adam makes a great point that you need to direct your Anger towards Vodafone (ie the people responsible for this mess), and try to maybe sympathise with your customers a little more.

Best of luck.
9 Jan 2011 07:51:57 PM: I'm sorry but maybe if your company actually lived up to the customers expectations and provided the services we pay for people wouldn't benso agitated. I understand it isn't your fault directly but if you're sick of copping abuse why don't you all complain to your employer and maybe they'll get their arse into gear and do something.

Maybe you can also tell your CEO also to take the customer care centre out of India so we can actually speak to someone who we can understand and can understand us.

You also say people are just jumping on the bandwagon to get out of their contracts free of charge and don't really have any real problems like some other customers. It doesn't matter how many times a customers calls drop out per day or week all that matter is that the calls are in fact dropping out and your company cannot support the customers and are in breach of every part of their contracts. We pay for a service which your company does not provide!!!
9 Jan 2011 07:52:02 PM: And Adam, i ask you a question

If you have worked in retail

Then i would love for you too work through this - because of your website i have team members not coming to work because they get threatened by customers, work morale is at an all time low. And people are quiting left right and center.

I wish you had never made this website, you have made me hate my job.
Vodafone was an amazing company too work for, now we get abused, yelled at, every day.
I had a customer THROW his phone at me the other day.

I hope you got what you wanted.
9 Jan 2011 07:53:05 PM: To the above poster, maybe there are SOME (I think small number) of people taking advantage of the situation, but logically, wouldn't you say most people complaining WOULD have legitimate concerns, just like yourself? If people are happy, why would they spent all that time trying to get out of their contract - they would only end up with no contract and have to go with another provider who is likely more expensive than Vodafone. Isn't it more likely that there are just so many people with legitimate concerns that Vodafone's telephone services cannot keep up?

I also do feel sorry for Vodafone staff and some people with violent tendencies are a real disgrace. I hope you stay strong and safe through this, but I agree with Adam in that your company has not supported you properly. I hope it changes, but calling customers 'fail' doesn't help the situation much either.
9 Jan 2011 07:56:50 PM: I dont agree with saying out customers are fail in the slightest. Its just such a shame, us the staff are the face of vodafone and majority of us arent bad people, it really is a huge drainer going into work every day though, we know what to expect but for the first time today i had a customer say he felt sorry for us. I know i personally try to go to the absolute end to help every customer i can, it really is just a shame this has all happened.
9 Jan 2011 07:57:11 PM: What a whining little sook you are (the original poster of this message). You're just a stupid little pawn in this incompetent company who says they love vodafone so much because you want everybody to come in and sign up for your ridiculous plans that aren't even worth half of what they claim. You are dirty on the masses of people who are trying to leave in droves because for every customer you sign up onto a contract that leaves the network....you lose your money from Vodafone. I hope your business goes bankrupt as well as all of Vodafone. For screwing people around you deserve nothing less. Oh and for the record, I have a Telstra mobile for work and I can honestly say I have NEVER seen it drop not even ONE BAR of reception in nearly 18 months of using it. With Vodafone....while I don't need to say anymore.
9 Jan 2011 07:57:25 PM: To the person that posted "because of your website i have team members not coming to work because they get threatened by customers, work morale is at an all time low. And people are quiting left right and center"

Have you ever thought that it may actually be the company that you worked for that has caused this problem? All Adam did in my opinion is show your customers they are not alone. He should be applauded for what he has done, not shot down by some misguided blame game.

My two cents worth.
9 Jan 2011 08:00:54 PM: I feel so sorry for this staff member! People are really rude these days and wont take no for an answer. People think that they are always right and demand whatever they want. All companies have procedures, if this was optus or telstra, the same would happen.


NEWS FLAAAAAAAAAAASH!! ALL TELCO CALL CENTRES ARE OVERSEAS AND VODAFONE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A CALL CENTRE IN AUSTRALIA TOO!!
9 Jan 2011 08:03:10 PM: to "9 Jan 2011 09:57:11 PM". You are the people the original poster is clearly referring to!
9 Jan 2011 08:03:56 PM: How about Vodafone communicates professionally to their customers, instead of waiting for some frustrated person such as Adam create a website to get some recognition from Vodafone that they do actually have MASSIVE problems in both network and customer (phone) service.

I will never threaten a VHA staff member, I realise it is not your fault, it is the directors, project managers, capacity planners that are at fault here.

Also VHA for continuing to sign people up with non-disclosure and misrepresentation that the service Vodafone is "selling" to the customer is not fit for purpose and does not perform to the standard that is stated via Vodafone.

If Vodafone said, we have network issues, our customer phone support is second rate, but we do have cheap plans then I would understand. You provide an excellent product, alongside with excellent customer service and support and yep all for paying $80 each month.

Sell a customer a product or service that doesn't work or continually has issues, ask them to call the customer support line, (not informing them of the wait times and poor phone support) and you will get very angry and frustrated customers, no it may not be an individual staff members fault, but you represent a company that in my eyes should be ordered by the ACCC to cease all new contracts until these ongoing issues are resolved, simple as that.
Get real, this is business, not a "give us a break" because our network is of 3rd world quality.
9 Jan 2011 08:04:25 PM: To 9:52:02pm, I'm sure plenty of people (at Voda) wish Adam didn't make this website, but many many people are glad for it as well. When Adam made this site, he was frustrated at the lack of service he was receiving and was pretty shocked at how Vodafone conducts itself (Not retail staff, not anyone personally, but the management of the company as a whole, and yes, the offshore call centres).

The fact this website caught on is due to so many others experiencing the same problems (and of course, the media exposure).

I hope everyone at Vodafone can at least have the sense and HUMILITY to see that it is the company's decisions and actions that is ultimately making your jobs difficult right now, not Adam making this website.

Also, let's not forget which is the big corporation with lots of money, resources and lawyers, and which is the consumer who up until this website and media attention, had no voice.

- Not Adam, but someone who supports him -
9 Jan 2011 08:04:27 PM: You're just a franchise, you are a nobody. You may have thought you had a great business 5-10 years like many of your shoddy neighbouring associates, but that is all you are. You cannot help a customer if they have a network issue. You cannot do anything. Like the poster at 9:57:11pm wrote, you just hope you keep getting paid your commissions from vodafail.
9 Jan 2011 08:08:24 PM: The CEO made clear the issues and updates the website as networks are updated, checkout www.vodafone.com.au
9 Jan 2011 08:10:53 PM: I work in the member services department of a very large insurance company and I get yelled at and abused for the silliest things like calling an existing member about their current policy and I just happened to call them when they are busy. Sure I don't like it but you take what comes with the job. If my company was providing a shit service then I would accept the fact that I may have to cop some flack for that. Please do not blame the customers for being irritated, blame your employer who is putting you in this situation and not giving you a way to help the customers resolve their issues.

Adam has done nothing wrong by creating this site and quite frankly even if he didn't you'd still have customers coming in upset because they are paying for a service they are not getting. Please see it from our point of view too.
9 Jan 2011 08:11:20 PM: what the hell 10:04:27 PM. All vodafone stores are owned by the company and are not franchised. I suggest that you know your stuff before you comment. Also, VHA employees get barely any commission anyway
9 Jan 2011 08:12:53 PM: I dont think the staff blame the customers for being angry, just maybe take a chill pill before you visit the store and rage at the poor retail assistant for vodafones network
9 Jan 2011 08:13:22 PM: @ 9 Jan 2011 09:52:02 PM: I think there are many other reasons why your colleagues feel the way they do and Adam and vodafail.com are not one of them. Look upon vodafail.com as a conduit for the consumer to have their say, had they not had the chance to vent on vodafail.com things may be considerably worse on the shop floor. Good luck to you and thanks for posting on vodafail.com
9 Jan 2011 08:14:21 PM: 9 Jan 2011 10:11:20 PM ... You might need to get your facts right. To quote a store owner "Most of VHA's store are franchised so im not sure what the implications or possibility of having a system like that are..."

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1614444&p=5#r97
9 Jan 2011 08:14:43 PM: If you must know, we actually dont make the same commission we used too, the people who stayed with vodafone and continue working for them actually enjoyed there job.Our pay structure is ALOT worse. And too say we are no bodys , what ever makes you think people will want to help you with that attitude?
And no we cant go out and climb up a tower and see why its not working but we can help, and speak to people directly in cust care and keep logs on the problems you are facing.
But frankly , people who come in with that exact same attitude you have, its a little hard keeping a smile on our dial and doing those things for you when you think we are doing it all for commission.
9 Jan 2011 08:15:33 PM: The CEO can go stick it. Since when does saying "We apologies for any inconvinience caused" make it alright to offer dismal service and a product that does not work, yet Vodafone continue to advertise and sign up people to a service that is incapable of even loading a simple webpage in a CBD postcode standing outside. FAIL.
9 Jan 2011 08:16:52 PM: 10:11:20 yes you are an idiot too. Mcdonalds stores are owned by the Mcdonalds company. A vodafone store signs up a customer to a 24 month contract. Who gets paid - Vodafone....who else gets a percentage of the profits - the store owner. The customer walks out of his contract, what happens to your monthly percentage payment from Vodafail when they are no longer a customer? You don't get it. Seems like anyone can get a phone business - look at all the dodgy Dago's you see in the shopping centres. I love it when they lose money - wankers!
9 Jan 2011 08:18:20 PM: Yes, even you store owners have been f@*ked over by your masters....cutting your payments down. Wake up, you're being screwed to. They don't care about you or the rest of us.
9 Jan 2011 08:19:17 PM: NO ONE OWNS THE COMPANY OWNED STORES, there is only a manager, they do not own the store! Dealers sell all company's!
9 Jan 2011 08:21:57 PM: 10:16:52 PM, seems like you dont have your facts straight. Do you work for vodafone?
9 Jan 2011 08:22:25 PM: You wanna open a VF store, you do it like every other franchise, you pay the money to set it up and you follow THEIR RULES. You put your stupid posters up they give you and you try and sell plans to customers and hey "you want a shitty leather case with that phone?"
9 Jan 2011 08:23:22 PM: Why the F@*k would I want to work for a stupid company like VF? I am pining to see them go under and all the Dago franchises with them.
9 Jan 2011 08:23:25 PM: actually no
9 Jan 2011 08:24:23 PM: I think, correct me if I'm wrong unemployment is at 5.5% (somewhere like that) and if I was a Vodafone staff member, I'd tell the company to go and stick it and go and work for another company that actually provides a product that I could confidently sell to my customers and back it up with great service. Stop whinging about furious customers, they have a reason to be furious, and quite frankly if I was a sales person for Vodafone, I would encourage all my staff to leave and go and work for an honest company. My two cents worth.
9 Jan 2011 08:24:49 PM: 10:23:22 PM, im not sure why you are even here :/ Stop being so rude. Its people like you that clog up the phone lines for upset customers
9 Jan 2011 08:25:37 PM: 10:24:23 PM- i think a job is a job. money is money.
9 Jan 2011 08:25:57 PM: Don't forget to upsell them a stupid car charger that doesn't work with every sale. If you give it away free, it comes out of your pocket.
9 Jan 2011 08:29:57 PM: Is there an echo in here??? Can everyone just take a deep breath..........hold it..........breath away. Calm down please, it is late we are all feeling tired, let the debate continue but without the name calling please, nice constructive debate please. vodafail mod.
9 Jan 2011 08:34:10 PM: "People like me that clog up the phone lines for upset customers" haha this quote just sums up the intelligence of the person that posted this comment. If I didn't have a problem with my VodaGay service in the CBD! I sure wouldn't waste 3 hours on hold (last call to Vodafone Support)just to "clog" up other complaining customers. Idiot.
9 Jan 2011 08:36:10 PM: I am relly against racism and many people here would be subject to discrimmination here, post 10:29:11 PM should definitely be deleted. He is clearly upset, but critising a racial group does not fix your problem mate.
9 Jan 2011 08:37:02 PM: @ 9 Jan 2011 10:14:21 PM - No whoever that person was is wrong. Vodafone used to contract third party dealer channels to operate the stores on their behalf. Once Hutchins Australia and Vodafone AUS merged to form VHA all these stores were brought from the third party dealers so VHA would have more control over them and customers experience.......yes I work for VHA in their AUS call centre.
9 Jan 2011 08:37:41 PM: 10:34:10, clearly you are not a person who clogs up the line but people who just ring up and want to get out of their contract with a full waiver because they think they get to keep their iphone 4. Idiot.
9 Jan 2011 08:37:47 PM: All some of us is asking - please treat the staff with the respect we deserve.
Thank you.
9 Jan 2011 08:39:02 PM: Thank you all for your input, I have moderated the comment at 10:29:11 PM for racial slurs. Please refrain from racial insults and be sensible in your comments. - Adam
9 Jan 2011 08:39:10 PM: I find it very amusing that there are people who come onto this website who defend Vodafone when 99.9% of the people on this site are against VF, especially this section.
9 Jan 2011 08:40:29 PM: well said.
9 Jan 2011 08:40:39 PM: Sorry Adam.....it's hard not to get angry online just like we all have over the phone. It's obvious how much this network burns people up inside.
9 Jan 2011 08:41:15 PM: thanks ADAM!!
9 Jan 2011 08:44:34 PM: I'll treat Vodafone with the same respect they treat me! Take my money and provide nothing but service trouble, no 3G, non-disclosure of network problems upon signing me up, misrepresentation of your product that doesn't work. Why should I just bare with you? I couldn't care less if Vodafone was merging with God, your product / service that you continue to sell to customers, DOES NOT WORK, and then all you can do is redirect customers to a call centre with dreadful wait times. Vodafone deserves everything it gets!
9 Jan 2011 08:46:44 PM: Vodafone does work in a majority of areas, this is a misrepresentation
9 Jan 2011 08:50:17 PM: HAHA nice comment 10:46:4PM. Thats why you have 12,000 people complaining. Definitely works in "majority of areas" haha FAIL.
9 Jan 2011 08:53:24 PM: I'm not fail, im not locked into vodafone at all. Fail ahahha
9 Jan 2011 08:53:39 PM:
9 Jan 2011 08:59:32 PM: HAHAHA My friend just replied to my SMS I sent yesterday at 9pm.....He just received it now 11:00pm tonight......
9 Jan 2011 09:00:58 PM: How about you TIO staff member get the ACCC involved. This country has 12 THOUSAND people complaining about how a major company is treating them and providing products and services that are not "fit for purpose" If Vodafone was doing such a good job and informing people, providing additional customer support, via the stores that can solve peoples problems, as well as the horrible "customer support" call wait times, then the 12,000 people would not be on this website. You need to understand we (the Australian taxpayer) pay your Govt body to stop companies doing this and we need the ACCC and TIO to step in with force. Until such action, you will get furious and outrageous complaining customers venting their frustration on this site and will continue to argue with VHA staff. Vodafone should instruct all VHA staff not to post on Vodafail.com, it only fuels the fire and pisses more customers off.
9 Jan 2011 09:02:00 PM: @ 9 Jan 2011 10:53:39 PM,

Whilst I am 100% against everything Vodafone as a company does atm, due to the amount of network errors and everything associated with it. I do feel for your position (and the other customer facing staff), and have alot of respect for what you must be having to deal with atm. I know it must be tuff, and one way or the other this will eventually play out. I hope for yours and all of the staffs sake as well as the customers it is sooner rather than later. I still have the utmost respect for this sites creator, whilst I understand this site must be hurting the company you represent, once this site was created your customers realised they are not alone. It annoys me when one of the staff above blame this sites creator for his staff not coming to work, because at the end of the day this site brought everyone together, it is the company you guys represent that caused this fiasco and hopefully they can sort it out really quick. Unfortunately I just can't see that happening and as such feel for what you guys and girls must be having to deal with.

Regards,
Vodafail Moderation Team.
9 Jan 2011 09:05:09 PM: Thank you mr moderator
9 Jan 2011 09:05:27 PM: Everyone should lodge a complaint with the TIO no matter how small it is. This way it costs money for Vodafone.
9 Jan 2011 09:06:47 PM: If I was a VHA staff member, I'd be on seek.com and handing my resume in at Telstra and Optus tomorrow. No way could I sell such an awful service. I'm too honest person for that.
9 Jan 2011 09:10:46 PM: Telstra and optus are just as bad

9 Jan 2011 09:14:11 PM: Do you see a TelstraFail or OptusFail website with 12,000 posts on it? Nope. Class action law suit against them? Nope. 4 million privacy issues breached? Nope. Yeah, seem like they are just as bad. haha FAIL.
9 Jan 2011 09:14:53 PM: 9 Jan 2011 11:10:46 PM ...If you are talking about coverage and network performance I disagree 100% . I have used all 3 all around Australia for a long time, and when it comes to overall coverage and performance Telstra's NextG Network is miles ahead of the competition. However I do agree with most you pay a little more for that service. Second would be the Optus Network, they have almost as good a coverage, but the performance of web browsing can be a little sluggish at times. However the benefit is they are usually a little cheaper than Telstra. Finally you have Vodafone, and whilst they are the cheapest option, I am sure I don't need to repeat the 11,000 posts here that basically tell you the coverage and performance is below par (especially of the last few months).
9 Jan 2011 09:17:52 PM: I wouldn't care if Telstra had monkeys working in customer service as I would never have to ring them about a fault with the service I have a telstra mobile also. I agree on optus being just as bad.
9 Jan 2011 09:18:52 PM: If Vodafone Public Relations had any brains they would have got the CEO to issue a notice to all staff advising them NOT to post on www.vodafail.com! Another Vodafone managment FAIL haha. Keep fuelling the fire VHA staff. Tops! Good work!
9 Jan 2011 09:18:56 PM: Telstra wants to be a monopoly and this site is making the telstra CEO very happy
9 Jan 2011 09:26:01 PM: The sooner Vodafone goes under the better. At least it will teach the staff that maybe signing up customers to a product/service that isn't fit for purpose probably isn't such an honest thing to do and the company that you work for (Vodafone) is the one that is making your life at work hell. Do yourself a favour and jump ship, probably get a pay rise as well :)
9 Jan 2011 09:30:29 PM: Vodafone have 4 million users. Only 12000 have an issue
9 Jan 2011 09:31:56 PM: If vodafone go under, say hello to increased mobile costs!! Optus and telstra can then charge whatever theywant
9 Jan 2011 09:32:17 PM: @ 9 Jan 2011 11:30:29 PM , It is called a sample size. The majority of people do not even know about this site, nor do they post on blogs. A sample size of 11000 people is HUGE to a company with 4-6 million customers.
9 Jan 2011 09:32:37 PM: 9 Jan 2011 11:26:01 PM

There is a big difference between a person that is angry and a person that is rude. An angry person makes you want to help them because they are disappointed in whatever endeavour you are doing. A rude person only makes you realise they are not someone you have respect for.

Just a thought.
9 Jan 2011 09:35:12 PM: Depends on where the anger is directed
9 Jan 2011 09:36:16 PM: Also a majority of people on here complain 5 or so times
9 Jan 2011 09:37:09 PM: I'd much rather pay more for my mobile service that worked! Obviously my $80 per month on my crappy infinite plan is like throwing money down the drain anyway!
9 Jan 2011 09:38:02 PM:
9 Jan 2011 09:39:24 PM: How can a major telco not have 3G service in one of Australia's CBDs haha FAIL. Vodafone suck.
9 Jan 2011 09:39:46 PM: @ 9 Jan 2011 11:36:16 PM, Sorry due to the unique number of IP's that have posted. I will have to disagree with that statement. Regards, Vodafail Moderation Team.
9 Jan 2011 09:40:43 PM: So if someone directs anger at you, do you help them? Ummm NO
9 Jan 2011 09:44:06 PM: Maybe Vodafone customers are angry because staff in the store tell you to ring customer service which has terrible wait times.... That is Vodafone's customer service...
9 Jan 2011 09:49:05 PM: @ 9 Jan 2011 11:40:43 PM
If a drukardn in a pub is angry with my for looking at them funny, do I want to help him? No.

If a customer with my company which I have spent years of my life working for is angry with us, bloody oath I want to help them.
9 Jan 2011 09:52:18 PM: Ah Vodafone staff, keep trying to defend a useless company that cares about wasting millions on a V8 supercar team and sponsoring the Ashes, rather then investing more infrastructure into their network when doing their capacity planning before rolling out unlimited infinite plans. = FAIL
9 Jan 2011 10:50:25 PM: LMAO at post above. That seem to shut the Vodafone whinging staff up. Good one!
9 Jan 2011 10:54:21 PM: Or it's just that they have lives and went to bed ...
9 Jan 2011 10:57:23 PM: Yeah they need an early night in prep for tomorrow, another day where the staff think.. FML all thanks to VODAFONE!
10 Jan 2011 01:44:04 AM: Hello Vodafone... can you spell I N T E G R I T Y...? Do you know what it means? It means DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO DO. That means... provide the service that you contracted to provide to the customer. Your lack of INTEGRITY is the sole reason for all of the flak you are getting on this and other forums.
10 Jan 2011 03:02:36 AM: Out of every hundred customers we sign up, maybe two or three have issues.

That's the bottom line.
10 Jan 2011 07:19:03 AM: Intimidating and abusing staff is really not OK. Not at all.
Anything else that will help you FORCE VODAFONE TO HONOR IT'S MOST BASIC COMMITMENTS is fair game.
Vodafone (the company) uses all sorts of strategies, tricks and straight out lies to abscond from their responsibility. Do not let anybody convince you that it is mean, cruel or immoral to respond in kind.
Although Australian telcos have a poor track record of recognizing that low staff moral (as a result of management failings) is a real problem, there is always a first time.

If you want to abuse somebody you don't know because you are angry - take a long hard look at yourself and chill out.
If you want to insist that Vodafone (the company) must meet it's most basic obligations and the only way to do that is by dealing with tired looking Vodafone staff who wish it would end - go right ahead.
If you work for Vodafone - good luck.
10 Jan 2011 11:49:35 AM: I agree with the original poster, they are people after all and their management is letting them down very badly. Good managers take the heat OFF their employees. Vodafone are not doing that clearly. As for the earlierr comment about only a small number having issues, thats bollocks because I hear more and more everyday. I work for a large organisation and they are coming out of the woodwork. I made this video earlier at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZKZPBr7lYo it demonstrates amongst other things that you can get you issue across without resorting to bad behaviour.
10 Jan 2011 01:03:03 PM: I agree with you 100% i work in retail aswell the staff at my local Voda store have been fantastic infact i have become friends with alot of them only because i am always in the store having to send off a hand set or pick it up to find its still faulty and as i said to the staff i know its not their fault. I personaly find it to be a shame the network is so bad at the moment and with the personal information leak at the moment i am seriously concerned.
10 Jan 2011 02:37:18 PM: Vodafone Management is a disaster! Go the class action law suit. 9000 people lined up so far! I emailed ACCC yesterday as well as Today Tonight and A Current Affair. Vodafone deserves everyting it gets for poor planning, non-disclosure and misrepresentation.
10 Jan 2011 02:44:24 PM: Yes, but the staff don't. That's the whole point of this argument. Good luck guys!
10 Jan 2011 04:10:29 PM: I work for VHA and have 2 phones with vodafone that I've never had any real problem with... why should I feel guilty for selling something that works for me?
10 Jan 2011 05:19:07 PM: Yet, you can see complaint after complaint after complaint here, let alone the people that are apparently going into your stores and abusing you or over the phone and you think the network works?
10 Jan 2011 07:10:58 PM: Today spent wasting my time with voidafone,I have been away for the past week, prior to that I lodged a complaint with the TIO, Voidafone left a message asking me to call them re my complaint or text them, unable to do so as I didnt have coverage however did sent a text from my sons phone telling them this. o today I called the 1555 and decided to be call back within 10-15 mins, this was after being told at least half a dozen times that there was a technical issue and to call back. 2 hours later no response so I called 1555 again this time held on as the wait was 7-12 mins, another 2 hours so called back again, over 35mins was the reported as the wait, this time I did get a customer service person whom noticed I had a complaint and dumped me through to this department, alas they were now closed, ring back tomorrow. All I wanted was my password reset as they claim I had put a wrong one in and had not answered my secret question correctly 3 times,funny thing was I didn't even get a chance to answer the question as coverage was slow. so I called once again spoke to a supervisor, sorry blah blah blah, still waiting for the reset, not going to give them any more payments as I wont pay for nothing
11 Jan 2011 07:19:16 AM: Hmm, this is the wrong post to leave such a reply. This is to do with retail staff dealing with abuse - not customer care waiting times.
11 Jan 2011 02:12:42 PM: Directed to the 2nd poster you sir are the idiot rather then the man telling you that he is just doing his job. If you were a police officer and people give you the crap your giving this retailer wouldnt you feel annoyed as you are only doing your job. Yes i agree that Vodafone is hopeless but the employee is quite obviously a trained proffesional and would rather not be harrased by people like you. No offence to the poster but i wouldnt mind getting my contract ripped up as the converage is horrible but there is seriously nothing you can do about that. Also this employee isnt on the phone when you call up customer support and as it seems i would honestly rather have them to talk to then the people we do recieve. TO ALL FUTURE HARRASERS dont shoot the messanger, as there doing there job, if you intend to hurt voda there is a law suit, just dont harras there workers.
13 Jan 2011 02:42:26 PM: OP, the only reason I would come round the counter is to give you a big hug. I have the utmost admiration for anyone who has to deal face-to-face with the idiotic general public, having spent three of the most hateful years of my life putting up with verbal abuse down the phone because morons don't read the terms and conditions, and refuse to take responsibility for their own actions. Anyone who comes into a store and makes threats and intimidates as the customer is alleged to have done should be reported to the police (who sadly will do nothing no doubt).
13 Jan 2011 10:19:22 PM: VHA its management and staff are working hard to fix the issues at hand and find resolutions for all customers facing issues. Please note that the majority of employees both retail and call centre are not here to make your life hard, we genuinely want to help you, we have friends and family facing the same issue and we do feel your pain. Please give us the chance to do so without being rude or aggressive, it's much easier to go above and beyond for someone who is understanding of where we are coming from than it is for someone who is yelling,screaming and name calling. This is the way bullies behave!
To the girl at the store I understand where you are coming from and you are doing an amazing job.
To the creator of this website, I understand your frustrations and I applaud you for taking action to rectify something that you believed to be wrong.
To all the rational people who have posted on this site, thank you for taking the time and effort to air your grievances.
We are aware that there are issues with the network, and I am not one to make excuses so I won't. We are working to Increase our capacity and the only thing I can say is I hope this is fixed soon.
I myself work for VHA and have done so for many years, our network has never been as good as Telstras- but bare in mind it was you the tax payers who paid for and set up their infrastructure when the network was owned by the government- be that as it may I choose to work for Vodafone for the culture that it encourages throughout the company it is an amazing company to work for.
I am saddened by the comments made about our customer service as this is an area that we are normally complemented on and this issue needs to be adressed along with the network. After all what's the use of having a fantastic network when you dont have fantastic staff to back it up- we are not Telstra after all.
14 Jan 2011 08:52:46 AM: I'd like to see how would you react if you were in our position... The employees made the company, if you think your company is not given the right service SUGGEST other options instead of looking at the customer as if we were rude idiots just for pleasure. YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS BAD now that everybody is telling it to you VODAFAIL do you think you could listen and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? sometimes I wonder how is this legal, ACCC where are you?
19 Jan 2011 02:56:20 PM: i have worked for vf and 3 for 5 years and man.... i'm looking to change my job . getting so much shit from ignorant customers has just taken its toll. it's not like we get paid more for getting shouted on. We really try to help you, but if people can't give us a break. idno.. i do understand from customers' POV, but it's just not fair to the workers. Stop "my friend told me..." rah rah rah. If they can do a better job, go to them. Why ask if you can't believe what we say?
20 Jan 2011 06:13:12 PM: There are multipule reasons for network problems. Just a couple are: the 2100mhz signal is banked up because of IPhones (3GS) and upgrades.
If you choose a phone that is 850mhz capable you will have a better experience. 850 is what telstra call the "next G" network, it is not as fast 2100 (but still broadband speed).If you are having trouble suggest to customer care or Vodafone consultants that you would like a I phone 4 or the new Black Berry bold or HTC desire HD. 850 has more then double the frequency range and penetrates buildings, mountains etc.

Telstra had the same "teething" problems 4 years ago.
I am proud that I look after all of my business clients and if our network is really not achieving drsirable results for their business then I go to great lengths to help them out of their commitments. In saying that it is quite rare that I have to go to those lengths.

I am sorry that the company I work for and love is frustrating so many people. But I know it will be fixed.
Customers you may want to leave now but down the track you will experience great coverage at the most competitive prices on the market.

I hope you can stick with Vodafone and support a business that is driving mobile phone prices significatly lower for the Australian Market.

Vodafone will fix their issues they are not new to this. As a brand they are the largest mobile provider in the world, (one in four mobiles are Vodafone mobile).

And I applaud the creator of this website and hope that more people will create wiki sites for companies to hear their complaints ( a insurance flood victim one possibly?)

cheers.
21 Jan 2011 09:03:04 AM: How fail are customers?????????

That just says it all!

It never ceases to amaze me how so called 'customer service' representatives fail to understand the fundamentals of... well, customer service! With 25 years experience dealing with the public, I understand completely the trials and tribulations that dealing with the public present. Indeed, 'Customer Service' jobs are possibly the toughest and most underpaid of jobs, made more difficult by the apparent severe lack of proper training most customer service reps display; either lack of training or simply an innate lack of ability to put training into practice.

I agree, a fair percentage of customers appear to be 'morons'. I agree, customers sometimes do and say things that make it difficult to 'service' them in an appropriate way. I agree, customers can be rude, aggressive, and damn right offensive at times... enough to make even the most proficient customer service rep want to pull out a 44 magnum and do some damage.

Excellent customer service is primarily about relationships. The top 3 'C's' of excellent relationships are; Communication, Communication, and... yep... COMMUNICATION!! Vodafone is a TeleCOMMUNICATIONs company that, from my perspective as a customer, seems to have a huge COMMUNICATION problem. Go figure!

Apart from the CEO apology, which I only found out about via following Vodafail, Vodafone has not once COMMUNICATED with me to acknowledge there are issues with it's network. Why is it left to vodafail to gather all the intelligence about network failure and customer issues? Why isn't Vodafone being more proactive in regard to placating it's customers and solving their issues? If Vodafone is being proactive, why, as a PAYING CUSTOMER, don't I know anything about it?

Poor COMMUNICATION: Strike 1!

To all the Vodafone staff on here venting about angry, moronic, and stupid customers: PAYING CUSTOMERS have the right to be angry, moronic and stupid. It's YOUR JOB to deal with them in a professional way regardless of your personal opinion. I'm sure I speak for almost everyone when I say, I make NO APOLOGY for the diversity of the human condition that makes every HUMAN different and approach situations in different ways; ALL of us PAYING CUSTOMERS have the RIGHT to NOT fit in the BOX that YOU call 'normal', or that YOU are happy to deal with! If you don't know how to deal with an angry customer, go back to skool and get some training! LEARN that angry customers are one of the BEST types of customer to have (Yes you read that right, BEST) and can ultimately be the most rewarding to deal with! Angry customers present you with huge OPPORTUNITIES; You turn an angry customer around and you have a customer that will sing your praises until the next millennium and leave a beaming, satisfied smile of your face for a job well done! It's a shame none of you seem to have a grasp on that! Learn EMPATHY, PATIENCE, LISTENING SKILLS, QUESTIONING SKILLS. Did I mention EMPATHY? If YOU can't be bothered to learn how to deal with all types of people, then get another job! Publically bitching and moaning about the very people who ultimately PAY YOUR WAGES, AND PROVIDE YOU WITH A JOB isn't a very smart move on so many levels, there isn't enough space to discuss them here!

Gross lack of service ability: Strike 2!

Also, angry customers help uncover holes in your product and/or service. It's up to Vodafone (read Vodafone staff) to effectively identify and resolve those holes. It shouldn't be left to fester this much so that Vodafail comes to life or PAYING customers have to invest valuable time and energy to make lots of noise and fuss to force those holes to be filled; It's NOT OUR JOB, but we, as PAYING customers, sure have the RIGHT to make lots of noise and fuss when YOU fail! Unfortunately, as the coal face of Vodafone, it's the role of the customer service rep to face the brunt of customer dissatisfaction in a professional way. If Vodafone management don't have the nous to provide the front line staff with effective mitigation facilities, that's NOT the PAYING CUSTOMERS problem... it's YOURS!

Apparent lack of ACTION: Strike 3!

Fundamentally, it is the PRIVILEGE OF ANY BUSINESS that a customer decides to had over hard earned money for products and services. That's a fact that seems to have been lost on not only Vodafone, but across the consumer sector. Companies like Vodafone that lock customers into contracts, lock phones to the network, etc, make it difficult for dissatisfied customers to switch suppliers. Unlike a high street retailer where, as a customer, I have the choice whether to go back or not at no cost to me, I can't just ditch Vodafone without having to buy a new phone or lose money on the phone I already have. That just adds to the misery and frustration of poor service, be it from Vodafone staff or the network. PAYING CUSTOMERS like me are kind of like caged angry lions. Vodafone has 3 choices. 1) Release the lions: unlock our phones and/or allow us to exit contracts at no cost. 2) Give the lions a better enclosure: FIX the damn network! 3) Make the lions more angry: Keep poking us with the sticks of bad service in exchange for good money and watch what happens... I can assure you, it's not gonna be good!

21 Jan 2011 05:50:40 PM: Some of you clowns should slow down a little on the individual that wrote the original post. Spitting your vitriol and hissing your anger only goes to prove that the point made about abuse from customers must be all too real for the sales people. For s start it's only a phone for heavens sake. From reading the emotion blurted around this web site one could be forgiven for thinking that you all have nowhere to live tonight. I sympathise with your phone issues (although only mildly) and appreciate that you are entitled to expect a certain standard of service. However, that doesn't give any of you the unfettered right to abuse people just because your having a 'tanty' over a phone. I would be horrified if my 8 year old carried on like some of the goons on this site. Far from being subject to a class action, the employees of Vodaphone should prosecute some of the mindless fools roaming (sorry couldn't help the phone pun) around this site. I would gladly represent the person who wrote the first part of this thread. As for the idiot that threw a phone at the dealer he should have been prosecuted for common assault. It's hard to believe that this is modern Australia when we have a few disaffected phone 'freaks' thinking that they have the right to assault and abuse their fellow Australians over such an inconsequential thing as a mobile phone. Grow up the lot of you!
21 Jan 2011 06:02:20 PM: Couldn't have said it any better myself
21 Jan 2011 06:47:44 PM: 21 Jan 2011 11:03:04 AM Comment is full of truth
21 Jan 2011 07:59:59 PM: I love the comments about the fact that vodafone use the same towers as optus/ telstra or whoever, it cracks me up. How can 3 people on 3 different networks in the same 10 metre radius as each other all have varying levels of coverage? Oh yes and all using the same model iphone. No shock to anyone to hear that me on vodafail had the worst coverage and the others had near perfect reception.... Go on, justify that someone
21 Jan 2011 08:05:58 PM: In addition to the above comment, it was not on one occasion, and in different spots around town... hmmmmmmmmm?????!!!
21 Jan 2011 10:05:50 PM: In reply to comment @ 9 Jan 2011 09:47:29 PM:
... Also with the whole Vodafone's security breach - funny how they forgot to mention telstra also use the exact same system as us...

Hmnn .. perhaps Telstra has access restricted to specific IP's and only allow secure VPN access ... bit different than Vodafone's generic password, non VPN, allow connection any IP shonky setup.

Oh .. hang on, I forgot about the non-expiring password.
18 Feb 2011 05:33:45 PM: To the person that posted this:

If you choose a phone that is 850mhz capable you will have a better experience. 850 is what telstra call the "next G" network, it is not as fast 2100 (but still broadband speed).If you are having trouble suggest to customer care or Vodafone consultants that you would like a I phone 4 or the new Black Berry bold or HTC desire HD. 850 has more then double the frequency range and penetrates buildings, mountains etc.

Telstra had the same "teething" problems 4 years ago.
I am proud that I look after all of my business clients and if our network is really not achieving drsirable results for their business then I go to great lengths to help them out of their commitments. In saying that it is quite rare that I have to go to those lengths.

I am sorry that the company I work for and love is frustrating so many people. But I know it will be fixed.
Customers you may want to leave now but down the track you will experience great coverage at the most competitive prices on the market.

I hope you can stick with Vodafone and support a business that is driving mobile phone prices significatly lower for the Australian Market.

Vodafone will fix their issues they are not new to this. As a brand they are the largest mobile provider in the world, (one in four mobiles are Vodafone mobile).

And I applaud the creator of this website and hope that more people will create wiki sites for companies to hear their complaints ( a insurance flood victim one possibly?)

cheers.


You obviously have no idea what you are talking about and it is dangerous Vodafone representatives such as yourselves that is increasing the misconception of the Vodafone network: 2100 is not as fast as Telstras 850 not even close 2100 tops out at max 3.6 MBPS and Telstra's next G is now deploying 20 MBPS. At least educate yourself before you pass yourself off as a so called expert.
12 May 2011 11:25:56 AM: The reason you are abused on a daily basis is because customers have totally lost faith in this companies ability to solve any sort of problem. I work in retail and am immensely grateful that the company that I work for do not have policies that force me to argue and fight with customers. I absolutely hate that I can't go into a Vodafone retail store and get my problems solved. Retail staff need more powers and much more training so that they can deal with these issues instore, rather than telling people to call customer care over the smallest issues. Remember, the number one annoyance for customers are policies and procedures that ruin the customer experience, if you can change/remove these then you are one step closer to success.

Also, curious if there is a legitimate way for employees to pass feedback onto higher ups? Surely being at the frontline of these complaints means they might have some ideas on how to improve the situation?
21 Jun 2011 11:26:09 PM: No matter how infuriated you are with service from any company, that is no excuse to use violence or assault to threaten, intimidate or bully a response. There are channels in place for this sort of thing and as frustrating as it may be, any retail staff member who knows the law and or feels threatened enough can have you put up on assault charges for even 'saying' that you will hit them etc.

Granted, its frustrating, I left Vodafone about a year ago, apparently before all the trouble and went to telstra. Needless to say, I can apply many vodafail stories to my Telstra experience. So much so that I returned to vodafone, only to discover my calls drop out, and my internet is at times unusable. It is frustrating and annoys and irritates me to no end.

I do not however, and will not ever consider going into a retail store and attempting to threaten or intimidate staff in their workplace. I now work in law enforcement and have seen too many people go to jail because of this behaviour. Do not let a phone companies frustrations put you in prison for what could be up to 5 years, longer if second or third offence.

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11501 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is DEAD at 9 Jan 2011 06:52:44 PM
I phoned customer service only to be put on hold for nearly 3 hours ( which i took photography evidence ) I explained this to the spokesperson only to be told " you will get 25 % of your currant bill " I then asked how much is my " new " bill ? Um sir I have taken of $ 15 .00 that's right fifteen dollars !! Now you do the math - a bill of $ 225.00 at 25 % discount does not equate to $ 15.00 off my total bill , I then asked him again ? his reply -please sir can you tell me how much this total would be ? That is nothing to proud of Vodafail.... Ohhh Vodafail you're done it again

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11499 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is DEAD at 9 Jan 2011 06:51:39 PM
I phoned customer service only to be put on hold for nearly 3 hours ( which i took photography evidence ) I explained this to the spokesperson only to be told " you will get 25 % of your currant bill " I then asked how much is my " new " bill ? Um sir I have taken of $ 15 .00 that's right fifteen dollars !! Now you do the math - a bill of $ 225.00 at 25 % discount does not equate to $ 15.00 off my total bill , I then asked him again ? his reply -please sir can you tell me how much this total would be ? That is nothing to proud of Vodafail.... Ohhh Vodafail you're done it again

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11491 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is FAIL x million at 9 Jan 2011 06:30:11 PM
I have an iphone 3GS and here are the problems experienced with VODAFONE:

1. Internet - constant problems: always states that it is "searching". Connection always drops out.

2. Reception - calls constantly dropping out no matter what suburb I am in (city or country). Also, when trying to make calls it constantly says "FAIL". I sometimes have to dial a number 20 times before it connects.

3. Delayed text messages and voicesmail - I receive SMS's / Voicemails 2 or 3 days after they were sent to me.

4. Phone freezing all the time - especially when the phone is ringing and I'm not able to answer the phone as the phone functions have frozen.

5. Changes / updates made on the Vodafone website and then being incorrectly charged because the systen did not recognise/confirm my updates.

6. Customer service is appalling, being on hold for too long, calls being disconnected whilst on the phone is a vodaphone customer service rep.

I am EXTREMELY unhappy with VODAFONE and will support this site and do my part in order for VODAFONE to pull their heads in and get their act together.

I have plenty of more stories to list but I will be here all night.

Thank you,

Belinda



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11461 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is a joke of a company at 9 Jan 2011 04:24:01 PM
same problems as everyone else. constant drop outs in calls, text messages taking ages to send through, and i'm better off getting a mobile dial-up account cos it's faster than my current internet speeds. i'm lucky if i can talk for 2 minutes on the phone. and customer service is a joke. i cancelled my contract after days of talking on the phone to vodafone and am now with optus' $59 cap. it might be more than $45 and i don't have unlimited (aside from text) but at least i have a solid, constant 3G reception (emphasis on the 3G). i'm pretty happy and i hope it stays that way.

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11460 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Poor service overall at 9 Jan 2011 04:23:32 PM
Just joined September last year and thought could bare the bad service but with today's privacy breach, this is the last straw for me.
I am glad a website has been set up and i am going ahead to loge complaint and action against Vodafone.

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11457 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is 11 out of 10 on the fail scale! at 9 Jan 2011 04:21:30 PM

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11454 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is at 9 Jan 2011 04:18:11 PM
I have been a customer of Vodafone since 1999. For approximately the last two years, the customer service has been appalling. I have one year remaining on my current contract and I am looking to cancel this contract. I travel a lot to see my family in New South Wales. A majority of my trip, I do not have coverage, despite being told by Vodafone for several years that "it will be up and running by....". I had an incident with a snake this week on my return trip home. Had anyone been bitten, one of us would be dead. I spoke with Vodafone about this on Friday and they apologised for the "issues I have in my life". I now have to speak with the "Network Team" for them to confirm that there is no coverage in the area where I travel before I can cancel my contract without incurring any cancellation fee - funny that, considering I can't get through to this Network Team. I have today attempted to send an email but the "email form is currently out of order".

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11433 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is About as FAIL as FAIL can be! at 9 Jan 2011 03:10:04 PM
I loved 3... It had it's moments, but for the most part gave me great coverage and phone service... not particularly brilliant customer service, but most things were available online.. so not particularly worrysome... Then VodaFail takes over, and my calls drop out, my text messages don't send, or send multiple times. My voicemail costs go through the roof, because the phone never rings when someone calls me, and when I go in to see about getting a phone repair, I'm told that it's not under warranty... despite the fact I was told it would be for the contract term by 3.

The Vodaphone guy I spoke to said that "vodaphone is the only provider who provides a warranty that coveres the full contract term"... lot of rubbish that is. I'm sure everyone does that now.. something to do with a decision of the ombudsman..

But he said something else interesting... apparently there is a difference in how you ROAM depending on whether you are with 3 or with Vodaphone. If you are with 3, your phone will only roam from 3G Vodaphone, to 2G Vodaphone, and to 2g optus if that fails... Vodaphone customers will roam onto 3G optus...

So why the difference. I'm a paying customer - your company bought my company... so why am I treated differently... you're not billing me any differently!!!
9 Jan 2011 03:25:35 PM: 3 took over vodafail
9 Jan 2011 03:42:14 PM: Actually it was a joint Merge ;)

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11414 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Telstra is starting to look good at 9 Jan 2011 01:43:30 PM
I have been with vodafone for about five years, I am just back from holidays (Canberra to Toowoomba up the East Coast and back again by car). Largely no reception, no data, messages coming through anything up to a day late, emails coming through anything up to a day late. This includes many of the towns I passed through or stayed in, not just between towns.

Customer service is a joke and having to deal with Lara is a nightmare and more than enough reason to change carriers. I will be going in to speak with a real person at a vodafone outlet and working out how much time I have left on my contract on Monday.

Come on guys, you are quite happy to charge me 89 bucks a month for this, lift your game. Telstra is starting to look good again...

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11412 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Further to my fail at 9 Jan 2011 01:35:22 PM
Further to my post below (11409) the reason why I rang Vodafone customer service in the first place was because I would send a text and the recipient would get about half a dozen duplicates and I would get charged for every single one. I would also get up to 30 'reminder' texts a day to recharge. When I complained about that, the person said that 'it was the system there was nothing they could do.' Jesus Christ, well who designed the system? Robots from another planet?

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11409 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Extreme fail at 9 Jan 2011 01:30:32 PM
Hello everyone,
I was a vodafone pre-paid customer for years until about 3 months ago when I switched to Optus. At one point with Vodafone, I spent over three hours a week (at over an hour each) on hold with 'customer service.' In one week, I was booted out of the queue by failed reception three times after being on hold for an hour. After that horror week I said 'F THIS' and switched to Optus. I haven't looked back. When you ring Optus, you actually get a person to talk to and I have never spent more than 2 minutes on hold. They also take the time (even up to 30-45min) to talk you through your issues and ring you back when they say they will. Vodafone is the biggest fail in history and I hope they go bankrupt NOW. God, they fail so hard.
10 Jan 2011 03:59:17 PM: thats because optus has no customers.

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11406 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is useless since Three merged at 9 Jan 2011 01:20:27 PM
Vodafone had been great for me until they merged with Three. I had just left Three, but joined cause I had heard of the great customer service at Vodafone. At the start, even though there were some glitches (ie: Blackberry Storm), I was looked after and had ready access to a customer service rep who could help me.

My contract ends soon and that impression has steadily decreased. I lose reception in town, I leave a city and completely lose coverage, I spent 2 hours on hold recently, only to get transferred again.

I know where I won't be signing up with soon when my plan renews.

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11378 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is VODA IS THE WORST NETWORK at 9 Jan 2011 11:50:02 AM
NEVER SIGN TO VODAFONE I was called on tues to confirm that I would be home for a ph delivery friday and only to be told friday afternoon that the handset will not arrive until mon/tues. 4hours in total on hold to find out what was going on only to be offered a $30 credit and told they understand. BULLSH!T you work until 530am only to get up at 9am to wait for a handset that never arrives and then you will understand. i have had trouble time and time again with vodafone... recontracting, customer service, instore problems... NEVER AGAIN!!

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11374 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is has no customer service at 9 Jan 2011 11:38:54 AM
paid for a pre paid top up online through there website , it directed me to a pay pal account , never received the top up , took 2 trips to there store 4 phone calls to customer service with no help at all, ended up getting a refund thru pay pal 4 weeks later & cost me $1 to withdraw from pay pal , GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE VODAFONE, have since disconnected my internet connection, next will be my phone
9 Jan 2011 01:01:51 PM: Virgin has the same problem. Vouchers only work if you go to a store and pay cash for them.

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11373 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is words can't comprehend at 9 Jan 2011 11:34:18 AM
After getting an i-phone 4 on a plan from vodafone I have had non-stop problems with it ranging from no reception to dead battery life, when I took it to the store that I purchased it from as its battery would no longer stand up for more than 3 hours when charged to 100% the woman informed me that it will take at the minimum 5 days for a new phone or my repaired phone to be returned to the store. This means that I will lose all of the information gained on my phone and I have only had this phone for less than a month. Until this is repaired I will not be paying my bill as I am not using the phone, I don't even have the phone! Vodafone's customer service is ridiculous and after being with another phone service provider I thought that service could not get much worse, apparently I was wrong.

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11357 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is VERY fail at 9 Jan 2011 10:38:55 AM
My husband signed a contract for 24 months in April 2009 for a Blackberry Storm paying $79/month. The phone had to go back a few times for fixing. Until the last time, in middle 2010, it stopped texting. He called Vodafone many times and they always gave him the same procedure, after waiting for a long time. The customer service attendants could speak/understand proper English. One of the shops sent the phone to the repair service and wanted to charge him, even though the mobile was still under warranty. After many calls and weeks without texting, he finally got a new phone after saying he was going to put a formal complaint with RIO. These were like magical words. The new phone given to him was not a Blackberry Storm, it was a very cheap model on a $19/month plan, while he still has to pay $79/month. If it is not enough during the last months his phone has been unable to make or receive calls when he is at home due to the poor service (we leave in the Eastern suburbs where should be good service according to Vodafone coverage area). I have found Vodafone extremely frustating! Never again!

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11336 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is massive fail at 9 Jan 2011 09:28:49 AM
In May I signed a contract for $29 a month which gave me $150 calls and mobile broadband of 1GB. After several months of being under my usage capacity (I was only using 350-600mb of data and around $120 of phone, I received a bill for $220 stating that I had used 11GB of data although data usage on my laptop was saying only 350mb had been used. I rang to complain about this and after extensive wait times I was told that I must have used it or someone else has used it and that I must be downloading movies and music which I had not. I live by myself and am the sole user of my laptop. I got an itemised account and noticed the download times were when I was at work and that the downloads of up to 2GB at a time were being taken of my usage and that the computer was online for up to 5 hours at a time. After repeatedly telling my complaint to many different people at vodafone they took off the excess charge for that month and they told me to get my computer checked which I did and as I suspected my computer was fine and no downloads had occurred. I called them to tell them to check that my bill was not being combined with somebody elses bill and they said it hadnt. I stopped using my computer for a couple of weeks as I was scared this would happen again. Guess what? It happened again. The next month I was charged $227 with another 11GB of downloads! I checked the times of these domnload and again they occurred when I was at work and during the 2 weeks I didnt use my computer. Again I called to complain and they took the excess charge off the bill and gave me 1GB for free to use to monitor what was happening. Of course this was all used up and not by me. I was sent another excessive bill and by this stage I had had enough. I was sick of being put on hold, it interfered with my work, it caused me a lot of stress and sleepless nights. I finally called them and to told them I would call the TIO and consumer affairs and that I wanted my contract cancelled free of charge! Finally they cancelled my contract free of charge. The next month I got another bill texted to my mobile saying I owed -$11.00! Due on 15 January! It took me 3 days to get through as I kept getting a message saying too busy and to call back. Ridiculous! When I did get through I told them how can I be billed for a credit that they owe me $11.00! The customer service guy said that this was a goodwill gesture but I would not be getting the money as they had to put my account in credit to cancel the contract! How is this a goodwill gesture after what they put me through! I now have prepaid mobile broadband with another provider and have been using my computer a lot more than when I was with vodafone and am still going nowhere near 1GB a month! I do not use vodafone any more and never will again.

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11322 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is All of them out of ten at 9 Jan 2011 09:11:46 AM

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11314 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is The worst ever !!!!! at 9 Jan 2011 08:50:27 AM
I want out of my contract. Poor service, and now my personal details on the web. I am sorry Vodafone, you do not deserve to operate in Australia.
http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=562010&vId=
9 Jan 2011 10:15:32 AM: Amen. Though I shudder about them operating in a third class economy.
20 Jan 2011 01:45:49 AM: It's our Underbelloids I worry about.No doubt they are completely without scruples- sort of like a telco- Underbellyfone.

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11308 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Apalling at 9 Jan 2011 08:34:50 AM
I was a loyal Vodafone customer for 14 years, even rung by them on numerous ocassions and told they considered me a 'VIP Customer' (what a joke), when late last year my automatic direct debit payment failed for the first time. I was away on holiday at the time and within 2 days they had completely barred my service. Even their Customer Service admitted I had an excellent payment record. It was the last straw for me and I finally gave up and have since switched carriers.

I also just couldn't stand 'Lara' anymore who could never understand what I wanted. And what security is it when you have to speak out loud all your private security PINs and codes for others around you to hear ? Management decisions by idiots. I won't even start on the endless unproductive calls I had to their Customer Service centre over the years.

Bye bye Vodafone, you deserve all the pain you're getting.
9 Jan 2011 10:17:15 AM: Lucky you for getting out. I'm certain that Lara only understands Hindi.
10 Jan 2011 09:24:07 AM: Be careful, I was chastised by people on this site for making "racist" comments when I mentioned the heavily Indian accented call centre staff. Anyway it's not Hindi Lara understands it's Urdu.

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11298 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is at 9 Jan 2011 08:08:04 AM
Have been trying to figure out why my "My Vodafone' online account username has been disabled... Have been trying to sort out the problem for about 2 months now. It happened in September but somehow resolved itself in a few days without me having to do anything. Have sent through an email but keep getting automatic replies. The last one wanted information to make sure that it was my account. Decided that I didn't want to give my passport number, driver's licence details or 4 digit pin to an automated reply. Trying to contact customer care resulted in a minimum wait of 45min over 3 phone calls. Gave up and tried to go in store in Geelong. The staff huffed and puffed when I asked for help (I was the only one in the store at the time) then with a minimum amount of help told me it wasn't there area and they couldn't do anything.
Going to try to contact customer service again tomorrow as I'm still not able to get online as all...

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11292 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Extreme Fail at 9 Jan 2011 08:00:22 AM
I have been a loyal Vodafone customer for nearly 8 years, and I can still remember when Vodafone had fantastic customer service and great reception. I actually used to get calls from Vodafone to check up and see if everything was OK. Of late, you'd be lucky to get through to an operator in less than an hour of waiting on hold!

Now let's not get started with the reception! I have noticed a steady decline in coverage since around 2 years ago. I run an IT company and travel all around Sydney. I have zero reception in a high apartment in Homebush, and zero reception in Alexandria in my office. This means any time I'm at home or work, I have zero reception! Home/Office would account for around 70% of my time so that means missed calls and lost revenue from jobs I could have taken on! Even out and about, I call 20 times in a row and kept getting the dreaded 'Call Failed' message! This is with full reception!

Vodafone's 'broadband' speed is a friggen joke! It's seriously slower than dialup when it works, and that's probably only half the time.

Vodafone get your shit together, as a mobile phone company we as your customers expect our phones to work when we need it, not when it suits you! Not much of a 'contract' when Vodafone doesn't fulfill its end of the bargain!

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11268 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is Not Providing An Acceptable level of service at 9 Jan 2011 04:48:57 AM
I have had the same Service problems as Most- Delayed text send and recieve, dropped called ,etc. i decided to complain via email. The Alarm Flags in my head were raised when on the Vodafone Site i was required to enter my PIN NUMBER on a Non Secured Site (ie: the Secure Icon Was Missing from Vodafone Page). I hesitated about this but i guess becauase of anger at poor service i continued.
Now i read of a MASS distribution of Vodafone Client Details on the internet. NOW I AM VERY CONCERNED. Be Careful Dealing with Vodafone. YOUR PRIVATE INFORMATION IS NOT SAFE.

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11258 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is failblog fail at 8 Jan 2011 11:40:13 PM
I went on their website to get my phone unlocked so I could use it overseas with an American sim card. I paid the fee, went through the steps to the letter and the website said that a customer service representive will ring me within 7 days to confirm. On the evening of the 7th day I went into a Vodafone store just to check that it had been unlocked. His repsone "connect and sync it with itunes". Didn't even look at the phone, ask for my details or call anyone to check. Assured me this would work and said that he'd taken 100 Australian iPhones over to the USA and they'd all worked with AT&T sims. So when I get there, I purchase an AT&T sim, low and behold, it won't connect. I then had to purchase a temporary phone over there just so I could contact people. When arriving back in Australia I called Vodafone to tell them the problem and they refused to refund the unlocking fee claiming that there is no guarantee that it will allow American sim cards and this should have been explained to me by the customet service consultant who never bothered to ring.
9 Jan 2011 01:08:27 AM: "Assured me this would work and said that he'd taken 100 Australian iPhones over to the USA and they'd all worked with AT&T sims." was this a shop employee? Why do you think they would be taking phones to the US? Why do you also think anyone would take so many with them, personal or business its simply unheard of. Its amazing you think someone in that position would even test 1/10 that many in AUSTRALIA yet alone overseas.
VodaPhone is fail, but so are you.

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11244 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is 7 fails! at 8 Jan 2011 06:45:09 PM
We purchased a broadband modem today to use the internet wireless whilst on our holiday leaving tomorrow. My parents require a constant connection for business purposes, and unfortunently this is required whilst on holidays.

We attempted to add credit to it, but Vodaphone tells us via their website that the number is invalid!

To make matters worse, my father had to speak to a representitive from a call centre in India who didnt have any concept of Customer service.

Poor effort.
9 Jan 2011 05:48:34 AM: If you purchased a broadband modem it already has credit on it.

$79 6GB lasts three months.

How long are your parents going on "holiday" for with their "critical" business requirements?

Posted from my Vodafone USB stick which has no problems.
9 Jan 2011 07:15:26 AM: re : 'Posted from my Vodafone USB stick which has no problems'
people run their business' from their holiday locations. its a fact.
re : 'a broadband modem it already has credit on it'
thats if you buy it from Telstra or Optus.
you are a dickehead who is on the vodafail payroll.

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11232 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Customer service incompetence at 8 Jan 2011 03:50:01 PM
I was put through to so many different people and my problem was never resolved, I spoke to people with incredibly impenetrable accents who could barley understand me and my problem of no reception was never solved. I went into the stores and rang and rang and I swear to god was on hold for an entire week! I lost work and they are in no way going to compensate me. They have however cancelled my contract. At least!
I am now not sure which company to go through?
8 Jan 2011 04:28:57 PM: Telstra, they can be expensive but they have really good reception and fast 3G almost everywhere

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11231 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is terrible at 8 Jan 2011 03:43:35 PM
This complaint has to do with their customer service. After buying the new Desire HD I wanted to use my old phone number from Optus(L) and the Vodafone employee said no worries. So we went through all the form etc, no worries. I leave the store and after the expected change over time of an hour my new phone still has no reception. To cut a long story short, I have no visited this store 5 times in 4 days and still can't use my phone. Thats ok Vodafone, I didn't want to call my family anyway...
11 Jan 2011 02:34:54 PM: As an employee of VHA i can say that this does happen from time to time, but in most instances it is because either Voda or the other carrier has incorrect details or you provide an incorrect billing account number i.e. it is a human error.

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11198 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is as failed as failed can get at 8 Jan 2011 11:30:54 AM
We were with 3 and have no issues with them, with Vodafone taking over 3 we decided to upgrade our phones and move to Vodaphone. We have been with them for about three weeks now and have yet to have a time where our phones can actualy ring each other ( even in the same room we cannot connect at times). Our young son just got his first pre paid with Vodaphone and we cannot even ring or get a text fro him ( worried parents). From our view we have been ripped off with lousy network coverage, dropouts and lousy customer service, if we had known how bad they were we would have stayed with 3 or gone to Optus or another telco. Vodaphone are shocking.

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11178 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is very poor service at 8 Jan 2011 07:01:22 AM
Running a business is already a lot of work.
After spending tens of thousands of dollars on advertising to increase the number of calls to our business, it is embarrassing and frustrating when the call drops out before we have a chance to take the customer's details. I thought this was something to do with the iPhone, however, after speaking with others with the same phone on different networks, this is not the case.
Vodafone is the only cause for concern. This is not what we signed up for.
8 Jan 2011 07:38:37 AM: Not what we signed up for bit it's what we pay for

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11174 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Just shoot Me! at 8 Jan 2011 06:11:57 AM
I've had years of struggle and hair pulling despair with vodafone, because they offer no customer service or coverage on areas they claim to have coverage.
Now I have new name for my pain VIRGIN MOBILE!
I wanted to start my new year with new service provider, so I went to the Virgin Mobile on-line store, because on this website somebody said that they have good customer service. I bought prepaid mobile phone, sim and Wi-Fi modem. Seemed simple enough, but they took the payment twice from my visa debit card.
I have spent the whole week begging them to return thee other payment, but they claim that they never took it. My bank tells me that they can see that Virgin mobile took two payments of $197.
I haven't been able to pay my rent or some of my bills, because they hold on to that $197 and refuse to let it go. I told Virgin Mobile that I cancel my order and have sent back all the items, hoping to get back the other $197 they admit taking.
Yes, they do have people eventually answering their phones at the end, but they can take ten days after receiving the goods back, before returning the first payment. The second payment may have been lost forever.
My bank and VIRGIN MOBILE MANAGER told me that it's my own fault to lose the money, because I went to make the purchase on-line! How stupid of me to use their official website, and Visa Debit card, for on-line shopping!
And I'm still stuck with Vodafone, because until I get my money back, I can't go shopping for new phone or modem.
8 Jan 2011 10:27:33 AM: Why are you wasting you time with anything other than Telstra NExtG? Your just moving from one cheap provider to another. Pay more, and get what you pay for.

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11164 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is Wont renew my contract at 7 Jan 2011 10:01:22 PM
I was already on a prepay service with Vodafone before i signed up to a contract. When i went to sign up for a 24 months contract, i had a bit of credit left on my prepay service already and i was advised by the sales rep that although he is signing me up on that day, i will be given a full month to use my existing prepaid credits, and he agreed not to date the contract. I also have a copy of the contract and it is not dated. Guess what? As soon as i left the store, he dated the contract and my first bill sent included the first month even though i had prepaid credits on my phone. I went back to the store, phone customer service but to no avail. I was told i am being unrealistic! Anyway i am glad vodafail is set up so customers including large corporations can make up their mind whether they want to associate themselves with such an arrogant company. I wont go any further about recent network issues i have been having in Nov & Dec...i have read too many on this website already.

Thank you VODAFAIL, good idea...

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11161 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Horrid at 7 Jan 2011 09:59:15 PM
I have Cover Me mobile insurance and have had to make a claim. I did everything by the book; made a claim via telephone armed with IMEI numbers etc.. everything good so far, good customer service and helpful advice.

Then I'm directed to hand my handset in to a Vodafone store - let the fail begin:

The store is Queen St Mall in Brisbane, QLD. I have to wait for 30 minutes before I finally get served by a young rep. He's not apologetic, more annoyed by the fact I want to make a claim because all he says is "why what's wrong with it?". Two things here: 1. I've already made an approved claim so just get on with it and 2. That's hardly the response I want to hear after waiting so long to be serviced.

He starts filling out the necessary forms to no avail - the store PC is taking too long, a problem apparently solved by going 'out back to the office'. So he slinks out of sight into a back office and leaves me waiting. This is when my attitude goes from 'lol what can you do' to boiling point. While he's out there reps keep moving in and out of the back office to get handsets for new customers. Through the thin gap the ajar door makes I see about 4 reps all sitting around fax machines, PCs and the lunch table laughing away. They may well be on their lunch break but when the guy who's filling out my app is among them it just makes it look like he doesn't give a fuck.

So I finally get to leave the store, my poor excuse of a temporary replace phone in tow (a Vodafone 736). But whatever, it's a replacement and nice to have a phone again. I make the journey home, plug the phone into the charger since it wouldn't turn on earlier due to flat battery - oh no wait it's not a flat battery, the replacement phone is faulty. Another adventure to the Vodafone store tomorrow. Yay :/
8 Jan 2011 08:49:35 PM: totally agree with ya, I had a few mates used to work for that store, they were saying that many of the staff just dont really care about customer service and would go to the back room to "have a chat" even customers are waiting. I guess thats why my mates have left the store :-S
9 Jan 2011 10:33:24 AM: Had the same experience but with an Allphones store. I am female. I was waiting to be served by an Indian male manager. A friend of his walked in, they chatted for several minutes totally ignoring, not even acknowledging my existence. I walked out. So it's not just Julia Roberts who has this problem!

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11129 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Very Poor Service at 7 Jan 2011 06:07:48 PM
On hold for a simple enquiry for 84 minutes. No longer wanting to hold, i googled vodafone complaints and found this site. So much for customer service!!

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11123 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Mega fucking fail at 7 Jan 2011 05:03:47 PM
I know that mine and my mums contracts are supposed to end this month sometime so I go into a vodafone store to find out the date and what we needed to do to leave after the plan finishes. My mum and I signed up for blackberry storms 2 years ago on the same day but apparently vodafone have just decided go add an extra 3 months to my contract without notifying me but couldn't give me an explanation as to why. I called the TIO and they've now lodged a complaint and said vodafone have no right to do that. Where do they get off doing this kind of crap? I've been with vodafone since 2005 and this is how they treat their customers? It's disgusting and their customer service really sucks.

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11122 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is NON-EXISTENT CUSTOMER SERVICE at 7 Jan 2011 04:44:28 PM
I have now been on hold with Vodafone Customer service for 3 HOURS AND 10 MINUTES!

FOLLOWING IS THE CONTENT OF AN EMAIL JUST SENT TO EVERY VODAFONE EMAIL ADDRESS I COULD FIND FOR COMPLAINTS, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MANAGEMENT:

"MY VODAFONE NUMBER: (0410) XXX XXX

Sirs

I dialled 1555 from my mobile in order to have a member of the Customer Support Team reset the password to enable me to log on to My Vodafone.

I HAVE BEEN ON HOLD FOR 3 HOURS and 15 MINUTES and just get a voice periodically telling me to "hang in there. We'll be with you very soon!"

When I did speak to Customer Service yesterday afternoon I was told the Vodafone Systems were down and inaccessible to carry out my request and that I should "call back in 24 hours".

It is out of frustration and desperation that I now send you this email.

I ask that you note my utter disgust and contempt at the poor level of service that Vodafone is providing to its customers and should I not have received a text message containing a temporary password allowing me access to Vodafone on line self-service features, I will cancel my subscription and forward the email to all national press agencies., It is with regret that I contemplate this step and also ask that you note that I herewith reserve my rights

Yours faithfully"
7 Jan 2011 05:18:34 PM: How one earth have you managed to keep a call up for 3.25 hours on a vodafone mobile?

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11121 Someone from ACT thinks vodafone is worst ever at 7 Jan 2011 04:32:57 PM
Just found out that I couldn't make outgoing calls or receive incoming calls(all diverted to the voicemail). No wonder my phone has been stayed silenced for a few days. But strangely the signal strength shown on the fone is with full bars.

Called the customer service, waited for about 35 mins, and hung up the call - srsly I got a life, I wont be able to stay over the fone for that much that that I could do loads of stuff.

There are heaps of onging issues with my fone, slow internet browsing (could not load a complete webpage at all, always stuck at 60%. and then fone died), low battery life (I assume this is with the fone manufacturer, but still, the fone sucks, why were they in the market at the first place anyway, QA check must have failed). And no flexible option (I asked to upgrade my existing plan to a more expansive one 6 days after I signed up this one, but they refused saying I either pay out the 23 months before i start a new contract or have my fone for a service).

I will never sign up vodafone again. This is the biggest mistake ever I made (stayed with 3 for 6 years never had a single issue.)

DONT EVER SIGN UP WITH VODAFONE THEY ARE EVIL!
DONT EVER SIGN UP WITH VODAFONE THEY ARE EVIL!

7 Jan 2011 05:59:50 PM: Not so much evil, just play the stalling game, keep buying time, even if they have to give you stuff to keep you, they will
7 Jan 2011 09:03:07 PM: as recommended by the TIO themselves your gonna have to just wait your turn and wait on hold, there is a call back option, no you do not have to wait on the phone
16 Jan 2011 01:35:51 PM: Voodoofone!

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11120 Someone from SA thinks vodafone is FAILED FAILED FAILED at 7 Jan 2011 04:19:38 PM
I CANT SEEM TO GET THRU CUSTOMER SERVICE AT ALL LONGEST WAITING TIME B4 I HUNG UP WAS 35 MINS AND MANY NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF CALLING 1555 .... GO TO A VODASTORE AND THEY CANT HELP ME THERE EITHER!!!! WATS GOIN ON??? THEY ARE THE WORST EVER MOBILE PHONE COMPANY IVE BEEN SUCKED IN WITH! IM STUCK IN CONTRACT FOR 23 MONTHS, MY NEW PHONE STUFFED UP ALREADY AFTER 4 WEEKS GOT IT BACK AND ITS MORE STUFFED! I GIVE UP!! MY BLOOD IS BOILING!
7 Jan 2011 04:22:23 PM: When in doubt give the TIO a shout :)

In other words, check out the how to complain link at the top of this page :D

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11119 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Disgraceful at 7 Jan 2011 04:13:24 PM
I am (was) a very long term Vodafone Customer who up until approximately 12 months ago was reasonably content with their service. I accepted poor coverage in regional areas and was constantly assured every time I took out another contract that 'the network was undergoing upgrades and would continue to improve'. It has since got progressively worse and is now completely unreliable and for the most part, unusable.
Living near the Brisbane CBD I now suffer continuous dropped calls, 1 bar of 3G (if I'm lucky), sporadic and poor data downloads, late SMS or voicemails, poor battery life due to continual network searching and an Iphone that works wonderfully as an Ipod and media device. It certainly doesn't run up a huge phone bill as it is spectacularly useless as a phone.
I also have a 3G mobile broadband USB device that has failed to work at all in terms of receiving my supposed 3Gig of free data per month. After numerous complaints and the standard 'technical investigations' Vodafone agreed to reduce my account by $10 per month after it admitted I lived in a poor reception area (7 kms from the CBD on a hill????).
So now I have a 3G USB device that serves nicely as a paperweight and an Iphone that I can listen to music on.
I now have to rely on a Telstra prepaid (a common theme from others on your website) to make calls. My constant complaints to Vodafone in relation to my phone reception was constantly met with the advice 'Switch your phone to 2G'.
If I wanted a 2G phone I would have damn well bought one. I paid for a 3G service and I don't have it. However their complaints system is so poor, wait times are so long, and requests are met with vague and generic 'investigations' or 'transfers to another team' that their expertise in bureacracy and spin rivals that of 'Yes Minister'or a team of spin doctors on Red Bull.
I contacted Vodafone last night (3 separate calls with an average 40 minute wait time) and advised I was cancelling my service. I was offered the same...wait for it...'technical investigation' (read stalling tactic)and advised I would have to pay the rest of my 18 months of payments (nearly $1200) to be released.
I am now working in direct support of the Queensland Floods in a senior planning position and my phone is critical to my work. I now have the phone switched off and transferred to another phone in order to ensure I am contactable.
I intend to pay the full amount as I am sick to death of dealing with customer service and their mythical 'technical investigations' (you don't need to be a communications engineer to determine that the network simply can't cope with so many smartphones competing for bandwidth)and leave in absolute disgust. Evidence will suggest that a bad customer experience generally results in advising at least ten of your friends of your experience. I intend to tell as many as I can to steer clear of this network as it continues to offer cheap deals and handsets with minimal or no reception.
I have contacted Australia's largest Telco who are very happy to match Vodafones price and guarantee the quality of their network. They also offered an incentive to transfer (they must be doing a roaring trade) and expressed they are dealing with many Vodafone customers who have given up in sheer frustration.
I am now nearly $1200 out of pocket and disgruntled with exceptionally poor serice and coverage. Quite simply I have had enough and will never go back to Vodafone.
I sincerely hope many others are released from their contracts, I have chosen to give up rather than spend my valuable time battling a huge corporation.
Incidentally I am more than happy for anyone from Vodafone to assess the veracity of my complaints and view for themselves the poor state of reception in and around Brisbane (not forgetting the national highway system, regional areas, inside buildings and in full view of Vodafone towers). I doubt however, that they will and fully expect the customer service offer of a 'callback; in 24 to 48 hrs (again a familiar theme on your website)will fail to eventuate, as will my 3G reception.

11 Nov 2011 06:57:27 PM: I had the very same problem and i went to the tio and i ported my number to telstra and i even ported my iPad number from optus to telstra the iPad number was a usb modem number and now i got rid of the optus modem and desposed it into a mobile phone recicabale bin but i would like to see how the vodafone 850 mhz band works and i can get the vodafone 850 mhz in my area but i can't get 2.1 ghz umts 3g on vodafone or optus at leased they are upgrading there towers to 850 mhz and 900 mhz and lte 1.8 ghz and lte is alot more robust then 3g umts 2.1 ghz