Mobile broadband problems with Vodafone
I recently purchased mobile broadband from Vodafone to use with my laptop. Their returns policy is 14 days and I guess it was my fault that I had assumed all would be well and I could just use their service when I was ready. As soon as I started to use it I found that websites would take 10-15 minutes to load and then as soon as you clicked on a link it would take another 5 minutes to load or not load at all. I am not good with computers so wouldn't have known where to start so thought it best to contact Vodafone customer services.
It often took a while to get through. Twenty minutes was the average time and they were mostly foreign people. So trying to speak to them on a mobile in a bad signal area with someone who has an accent was very hard work. They were as helpful as they could be though. After speaking to someone at Vodafone a number of times and trying out various things, they told me it was most likely a problem with my laptop and I would need to get an engineer to look at it. I did this and if anything afterwards it was even slower with sites at times not loading at all!
It was supposed to be a case of plug in and go...
I spoke to Vodafone again who finally determined I was having the problems due to the mobile signal where I lived and I would have to pay for a signal booster. I was not happy about this at all as I was not told initially that the broadband could be affected by the mobile signal. It was supposed to be a case of plug in and go.
In the end I had to tell them I was not paying for a service they could not provide and asked to cancel my mobile broadband 'service'. Cancelling wasn't exactly straightforward either. It took me 3 calls and the best part of a month to cancel my contract. The first time I phoned their systems were down so they couldn't help. The next time I called they said they could offer a discount and that was it. The last time I called I insisted on speaking to a manager. I felt that my only way out was to tell a white lie so I told them I was due to work from home a couple of days a week and needed access to the Internet. It seemed that was the only way I could get out of the 2 year contract I had signed up for. I had a mobile phone attached to the contract, so when they cancelled the broadband they the also cancelled my phone so I had to get that reinstated.
Please be warned, if you are looking to purchase mobile broadband that you make sure the signal is sufficient in your area to support it.
Comments from visitors
I bought a dongle for my phone, and the service was terrible. So I went back to the shop and they sold me sure signal. The service was still terrible, but I moved house and with all the problems, the dongle and sure signal were forgotten. When I arrived at the new house neither worked. I complained and was given help, but the signal was slow, laborious and exasperated I asked my neighbour if I could use her wireless in exchange for walking her dog. Great. Till I let the house and moved into a flat in the grounds, where the neighbours signal didnt reach. I tried the dongle, it failed. I called Vodaphone and they sent a new sim card. Still didnt work. Tried the sure signal...boriiiiinnnggg! So I finally gave in and paid rotten old BT to put in broadband. Im fed up now because Vodaphone refuse to cancel the contract for equipment that doesn't work and never has worked. I cant cancel the DD or they will cancel my phone.
They really have all the power, dont they!!
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Stuart Westley - 11-Apr-11 14:31
What is it with these people? Why are they so awful? When are UK customers going to witness proper regulation to weed out this type of company and consign them to where they belong?
Bargain basement without the bargain is spot on.
There is talk of 3 quitting the UK market - something CEO Kevin Russell said about inferior frequencies and if there isn't a change then 3 are done here.
Well, whatever that is, I hope for the benefit of the British public that 3 don't get what they want. If they don't and do indeed quit the UK market then I'd happily drive them to the airport if it means we're rid more quickly :)
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Now they really do make you want to bang your head against a wall.
Terrible company/network who just cannot be trusted with sales, billing, customer service promises and service quality. In other words - anything and everything. Two years ago the major gripe with 3 was that a customer would have to repeatedly make contact with 3 regarding network problems and would have to repeat all details everytime because nobody at 3 made a note of the conversation. This problem STILL occurs at 3. That's how awful they are and how they have systematically failed to improve. 3 is a bargain basement service (the cheapest) except there is no bargain, just headache after headache.
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Harsh But Fair - 19-Oct-10 18:42
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I use the Utility Warehouse Discount Club/F87143 you may nor have heard of it but it IS a major plc company based in the UK in London.
Hope this helps
bestbillsaver.co.uk
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bestbillsaver.co.uk - 22-May-10 15:43
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As the local shop is only a few miles away I kept making myself a nuisance until they sorted it and reinstalled the old software.
What concerned me also was the lack of customer care and apparent the indiffrent, casual attitude from the staff.
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bridlington1 - 25-Mar-10 11:56
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bridlington1 - 25-Mar-10 11:50
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I have had similar problem with Vodafone, cut a very, very long story short. After 20 calls (exactly) I have given up and they still wont cancel my broadband contract after I took it back within 7 days (no signal)... that was 6 months ago and they have just threatened me with a default notice. I have now taken this up with ofcom and they are dealing with this for me but in the mean time I have a nice default on my credit report for no reason at all. Customer services at vodafone enjoy playing ping pong with you... they just like to keep brushing you off to other departments and 1 girl even shouted at me as I said please dont put me through to another person as you are the 6th person ive been passed over too, and she then put the phone down on me... they are absolutely outrageously, terribly bad at customer services!!!! STAY AWAY!!!
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VFone-PingPong-Games - 25-Nov-09 18:55
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since 2 weeks I getting only 3G with low speeds.
today I vent to one of their shops to find out what the hell is goin on.
what happenes was: ive rang the technical support where I was spoken to one of their advisor who wanted me to understand I have no problem whit the modem because HSDPA and 3G are the same there is no difference between them. well I dont wanted to speak with her any further and i've tryed another call.
fortunately ive found a technical person who told me the signal is very good in my area I supposed to get the best. if not try to reinstall the modems software.
ive done it and still getting full signal 3G with 0.4mbit/s down 0.04uploads which is not 1.2/1.2mbit/s what I used to get.
if any1 here had the same problem please tell me the solution or any advices
thanks very much
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...if I get a decent signal then so be it Philzester.
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real world customer speaking f - 13-Sep-09 13:16
They're more powerful than you think, some people believe they are too much so in fact. You have to also consider those who live underneath the masts. Do you want them all burnt to a crisp so you can download your episodes of Hollyoaks?
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The area coverage is hit and miss to say the least.
If I try using it in my home, or anywhere in my villagem I get no signal, only GPRS which is like using narrowband at home or worse.
If I make the short trip, just 0.7 miles to the edge of my village where the industrial estate is, I get a full signal !!
These mobile phone relay transmitters must be so low powered its unreal
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