Recently on twitter, I placed a tweet relating to network coverage problems on a competitor network. Vodafone help tweeted asking if they could be of assistance as if to imply their network was able to mitigate the problems on their competitors. A complete mis-representation that I would compare to false advertising. What's pathetic is they seem more intent to signing up new customers and offering "help" to customers on competitor service providers than their own customers. I left Vodafone years ago after several months of call drop outs (one during every all on average).

I have had nothing but poor service and signal from vodafone for the past 3 years. I was sold a iphone 3 by one of there stores in an area that dosnt support this phone and its signal. I then complaind several times and told them i would cancel my contract due to these issues. they sent me a iphone 4 and it arrived on the 18th/1/11. since then i have not been able to use this phone due to it being doa. i have called them 12 times in the last 4 days only to have been on holed an average of 47mins then to be told when i wasnt hung up on that the people i needed to speak to were not open or not there and then was disconected only to have to ring and wait the 45-50mins before speacking them again. I still have not had this issue resolved. All i want is my hanset to be replaced by a Vodafone store so i know it works before i take it home.

I have been with vodafone since june 2010, and in that time i have found the service to be of the lowest quality. My internet drops out all the time and then i have to disconnect the re-connect again, some days it takes ages to load pages.. As for my mobile, the service drops in and out all the time sometimes i cant get thru to my partner and my friends dont get get text messsages for hours...Im sick of ringing customer service i have rang over 15 times and everytime it takes 35+ mins to speak to someone, they are rude and you can barley understand them...Im sick of being treated like i dont matter im on a contract for both i pay good money for poor sevice i want something done about this now....Upset Vodafone Customer Diana

i hate vodafone where i live in wollongong i get very little signal both with calling and internet usage. even if i have full reception as the number is dialling my reception drops down to zero. whenever i call vodafone there is always an un expected error and i have to dial and try again, that sux, and when i do get someone i have no idea what theyre saying so at the end of the conversation i dont know what they said or did regarding my enquiries, lol. they always dismiss any problems and always look for a quick fix......not happy

The report you have provided is most excellent. I can only fault your example of Johnson and Johnson (USA). The actions by J & J would have been to appease the US Food and Drug Administration. Unlike the soft approach by Australian agencies,the FDA can shut down a drug company immediately!

My experiences with Vodaphone were in its infancy through Digicall Direct. My business partners entered into a contract for three handsets and that is when the trouble started. The handsets were unreliable and the replacements, although the top line Nokia of the time, marginally better. Back then It was a bit easier to talk to the Australian help desk and even to the Network engineer ( I am a communications Engineer). He was able to improve my reception at home, however as upgrades were made the problems came back. The network had too few towers and limited capacity. The engineer indicated that this wasn't going to improve in the short term . This resulted in my refusal to pay my bill (of mostly ring back disgruntled clients)and went with another carrier.

Been with Vodafone since 1993. Got to the point where i'm sick to death of drop outs, slow 3G and not receiving voice mail,one of which i've still not received from my wife nearly 3 months on!!! Makes me wonder how much other business i have lost.
Also their insurance policy isnt worth the paper it is printed on. You are locked in for 24 months on contract, yet warranty on an iphone lasts 12 months. Mine stopped working for "no apparent reason" (according to Apple) yet they wouldn't replace it as i was 31 days out of warranty period? Excellent way to treat a customer on a business plan that has spent $80 month since 1993 ($16,000 +)

Hi I used be with 3 and that company it's NO1 and becouse I saw the campo cup from vodafune I did the contract I thought Voda it's NO1 but the service and reception is no good at all. Service you have to wait for 30 min at less and at the end you problem wod't be fix from 1 time you have to call again and again. and the reception wooooow I'm with Voda since JULY 2010 until now I didn't see in my dam nokia N97 full reception. I'll never ever renew my contract with Voda again. And they told me you have $450 but when I checked with web site I found only $410 when I asked they told me that before tax.
Thanks Voda....

Good report, hopefully this sends a well needed kick up the backside that will get them to work on the issues quickly.

I really think that's a great report, and how you pointed out they should be apologising enormously to customer's not just putting the blame on everything else. Oh, what do you know, my colleague just had her phone lose service even though it was showing 5 bars.

They are totally useless and don't want to acknowledge anything. And for all these staff members coming on, stop playing the victim, no one is saying it's you but maybe rethink how you treat customers first.

I've just read your report to the ACCC and ACMA - well done on keeping it focused on facts and figures without letting the emotion overtake the points being made.

I had my first experience with the phone service yesterday, after signing up for internet action in December. Wait time wasn't too bad, but when I got through, I found the staff member disinterested in my call. I repeated my details 3 times, to be told that they couldn't find my account. I repeated my problem 3 times before tiring of the charade and asking for a superviser.

The superviser, when I got through, had the full details of my account and situation, but gave me misleading information (I'm on a plan which is half price for the first 6 months, but it's not been credited - STRIKE 1. I was told that the half price starts at month two - STRIKE 2. I was told that they couldn't help me on the phone, I'd need to go into a store - STRIKE 3....and to 'have a good day').

The staff at the store was clearly frustrated with the customer care area, but also decided to take out their frustration on me. The situation, I'm told, will be resolved before my next bill....anyone want to give me odds on that happening?

Thank you for the site - not just to vent, but to see that I'm not the only person to have this experience. I've never heard of a good experience with an Indian call centre, but I don't think it acceptable to give me wrong information just to get me off the phone.

Great thinking with this website. your cute too !!!

Well done Adam for creating this site, and for compiling a report for the ACCC.

My partner is a Vodafone customer, our housemate too, and I'm a 3 customer. I'm originally from Geelong, but since moving to Melbourne 12 months ago, my service has been ridiculous.
One house I lived in was right in the middle of a blackspot in my street - mind you, there was not a single thing to obstruct and create a blackspot - but if I had have gone to the end of the street or go next door, I was fine. Sitting outside was the only way I could capitolise on my already poor reception.

My partner's service isn't the greatest either - and I find it funny that we're both with the 'same' company, yet he will have no service and I will have full service, or vice versa.
He also doesn't receive voicemail notifications and gets phonecalls from people complaining they haven't heard from him in relation to their message!

I'm sick of my txts never sending, and finding them in my drafts folder days later.

Adam, you are a champion!

Thank you for all your time and effort in creating this website and this report. I am having so much trouble with my reception and have failed to get any satisfactory resolution. I work in the heart of Melbourne and I get "no service" on my phone for 90% of my workday. I am pursuing this with their customer service (so far have logged over 4 hours of just "hold" time in the past 2 days) but am continually being passed from person to person. Luckily I am persistent and am willing to keep fighting to get away from them and out of my contract. But I often think (having so much time while I am on hold waiting for them) about the people who don't have the resources or the capacity to follow up so rigourously. I am so frustrated and angry with Vodafone and am willing to spend countless hours of my time chasing them to get my contract cancelled, but what about those who can't do that. Who get stuck on a 2 year plan with average to no service? So thank you for your report, I hope it helps all those people out there who are unhappy with their service and who are unable to do anything about it.

I'm so glad you took the time to make this website. I got so fed up with Vodafone's total lack of customer service that I switched to a new provider. Their contempt for their customers is breathtaking - I have had conversations with customer service reps who would flat out tell me there was nothing they could do about my particular issue (which was usually pretty normal, eg - I'm having trouble paying my bill via your automated pay by phone service - can you please help?) so I was left with no recourse. Except take my business elsewhere - so I did. You suck Vodafone. Shame, because you were the best there for a while. What happened?

Firstly congratulations on the preparation of the report. I have always thought that there is a wealth of information in the posts that identify a systemic failure from Vodafone on many counts.

I think that it is worth highlighting that although there are many government, semi government and industry bodies such as the TIO involved in overseeing this area they have been remarkable quiet in this whole debate. It seems that whilst there is a large number of organisations they are somewhat fragmented and and apparently powerless to act.

It has also become painfully obvious that the various regulations and codes of have practice have loopholes that allow the continued poor service to exist because they cannot be enforces.

I and others I believe are also greatly disappointed in that the attention seeking Stephen Conroy when it comes to the NBN or the internet filter cant seem to get enough publicity but is earily silent when this significant failure in delivery of contracted services occurs from Vodafone.

There is a huge opportunity to learn from this experience and tighten up laws and regulations to provided enforcable service levels onto mobile carriers and provide a mechanism for consumers to escalte issues and to eventually break contracts with no penalty should that ultimately be required.

I am also very disapponted in the company Vodafone not acknowledging the issues and publicly stating what remedial steps they plan to take over what timeframe to rectify the issues. Clearly there are massive problems within Vodafone and also with their network. They seem to be toughing it out and hoping the uproar dies down and they can go back to business as usual.

The other issue that I believe to be addressed is the imbalance of power between a consumer and the company. If the company fails to act or provide the contracted services there is seemingly no immediate penalty or solution. However if an individual fails to pay their credit standing is affected and debt collection measure can be put in place.

The Vodafone website is always so slow to load!

Whats up with that?@!#?

I always wondered if i was only who had ntwork issues with Voidaphone. but now with so many people having the sma eiisue, i'm no different either. I'm with Vodaphone sonce 8 months now now & use my Wireless broadband to access my official emails & use VPN. but low connectivityy to vodaphone network has given me a lot of trouble.

it is shocking.
I called support 6 times and I had to wait 1 - 2 hours for each call. 3 of these calls were gone after an hour of suffering, and I had to call again, so 3 of the calls took 2 hours of waiting.
Customer support is in India, and I think that vodafone should bring the operation to Australia and close their pathetic mumbay customer tormenting centre. I am thinking to switch to Telstra now.

I live 4kms from Melbourne CBD. I have both mobile phone and broadband with them and neither are reliable. I have to go outside to talk on my phone and even then it drops out consistently. Mobile broadband - pfft! It's a good day if the coverage is upgraded from very poor to poor but even then it drops out.

And I thought it was just my problem. Tired of dropped calls, duplicate texts, unintelligible voicemail and getting "1 new voicemail" signal at 2am when there isn't any!

i have been a customer with vodaphone for now 2 years... stupidly i got convinced to join up with them for another contract - BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER! when i first joined up it was fine...then slowly things fell apart - i couldnt get through to the customer help centre - i would call and call and it would say techical difficulty and hang up! this would go on for days! sometimes i woul dbe on hold for 1/2 then get answered to then it would hang up! i wanted to pull my hair out! then once i was told the wrong info over the phone - i had a phone that was in my name that an ex boyfriend was using - i wanted to check that he was making payments etc - checked and confirmed and checked and confirmed with the guy on the phone - he said EVERYTHING WAS FINE- it turned out the info was completely wrong and i got a call from a debt collectors saying that payments hadnt been made for months!!! i was furious!
i dont know how i got convinced to sign up again and im so regretful - people have tried to call me - and they cant get thru - it goes straight to my voicemail and i live in the city of melbourne and i've always got one bar. what can be done here?

Missing calls and late voice-mails!

I sent an email to vodafone regarding the network issues ... First I received a Voicemail directly ...when I checked, I was in Bendigo CBD building and it said, Robin from Vodafone, contacting you in relation to the email you sent regarding network issues - please call 1555. I called 1555 waiteed for 20 mins!!

Second call was also missed - Robin called up again and the network got down, result - another missed call and received voicemail a few hours after!

since then no response. I was with Three for last 4 years and never this had happened in Bendigo - which is 3's roaming zone! With Vodafone - SHIT! Absolutely!

Adam, well done on setting up the website, managing all of the posts and now compiling a report. Let's hope the authorities can use your report to now make Vodafone be accountable for their substandard service.

I undestand that 3 and Vodafone are one of the same.
Their network continues to deliver below par , dialup is faster.

I would send a text to my friends and they would get the text 3 or 4 times. It would cost me money. So i called the call centre and they transferred me and then again and then again. When i finally got throught over sea's they said.
"We are aware of the problem many customers are experiencing this". I said ok, then what do i do about getting the money back. They then transfered me again... I was on hold for such a long time i used my whole 45 minute lunch break and didnt even get to speak to ANYONE about the problem or reimburesment!!!- Remind me.. why am i with Vodafone again? - Oh and i dont get any service in my house... If I walk to the street i do.. just not in my house... strange??!!

My smallbusiness is suffering, Vodafone sent me a band to put around the i-phone, to no evail.

I have another 20 months on the "contract"

fed up.

I think it is a great thing to do , good on you , thanks for your time , I have experienced a call reception dropouts and I could not use the internet, it was very frustrating, and when I call Vodafone I spend about 1 hour to speak to an operator, and they tried to reboot my mobile connection settings , but it did not help,they told me it could be my handset problem, and the funny thing was when they sent me the Bill online and when I clicked on the button where it says download the bill so I can look at the details of the bill, it wouldn't let me and says that (service not available try again later) , I tried for more than 15 times but unsuccessful, and every time I ring Vodafone I press the corresponding digit to go and speak to an operator, after waiting about 10 to 15 minutes, the line drops out by itself..We should all stand up for this and prosecute VF..
Good Luck keep up the good work. God Bless.....

Thanks for the report. And thank you for the website and inspiring me to not settle for next to no service. VF has one more business day until I tell the TIO that I didn't hear from them and to to take it further. I must be one in a long line of many.

I have photos where it says I have full signal and I cannot get network access and cannot dial to people. This network is crap. Wish I never signed that bloody contract. I want out!

Living 7km from Melbourne CBD you think that Vodafone 3G would work, NO it doesn't I cannot even get a connection to upgrade the useless software. Worse decision I ever made going to Vodafone. Never again

Shane Booth

Thanks Adam, for your hard work on this report and for standing up for Vodafone customers everywhere!!

i could not make calls at home even that vodafone told me i have full cover here with my iphone ! then they told me it would be much better to get a new handset , they told me to get the HTC Desire HD on a handset repayment plan .What i did , so i pay for my iphone cap $79 a month plus $25 a month for the HTC desire hd handset only plan ! The problem was that the new handset had the same problem " No service here at home " After a long talk over many days Vodafone canceled my plan and the handset repayment at no extra cost to me ,so everything is cancelled for free ! But i still think they have to pay me all my money back because i payed every month but could not use the phone !!! what can i do ?

Seriously incompetent service and zero communications ability from Vodafone about any of it.
The minute my plan is over I'm am leaving.

No words can describe the numbing sensation of dealing with these clowns. Even if an organisation actually set out to piss you off at every level, they could not reach the dizzy heights of this company.

I dumped them in the end but have still not had the issue of being abused in one of their stores in front of my children.

I do feel sorry for the individuals who make an effort with zero support but at the end of the day, they deserve to go under.

Fantastic report Adam, Vodafone customers owe you a huge pat on the back for fighting the cause.

Powerful indictment.

Thanks Vodafail, a very good report, let's hope that Vodafone stand up, listen and come to the party.