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Vodafone hikes prices but lets customers exit contracts


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Old 16-06-2015, 17:52
Everything Goes
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Vodafone are increasing calling prices on selected plans. If you are one of these customers and don't like it then you can leave! Vodafone are they only network who has still signed up to Ofcoms Chocolate Fire Guard no price increase guarantee, everyone else used a loophole and opted out.


From 10 August 2015, there’ll be a single price of 37.5p (excluding VAT) a minute for the following plans:

4G Red, Red, Red+, Red Business, Essentials, Your Plan Small Business, Business Single plans, Your Plan, Standard Bundle, Red Bundle, Red Value Bundle, Business Premier and One Net Express Single plans.

The tables below give more details. You’ll see that some of our excess charges will increase in price, while others will drop, but it should become simpler to understand your costs when making calls on our network.

We appreciate this may mean your monthly bills increase by more than the Retail Price Index of 0.9%, so we’re giving you the opportunity to end your agreement with us without charge. To do this, simply write to us within 30 days of the receipt of this communication at Vodafone Customer Care, Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2FN.
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/campaigns/...-of-bundle-5b/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/06..._prices_37_5p/
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Old 16-06-2015, 18:12
lightspeed2398
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Having looked at the table it's not too bad to be honest, for the amount that I call these numbers I'd probably rather just know it's the fixed price, it even goes down in some cases. Fair play to them as well for offering people to get out early, this is more making it right than Three IMO.
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Old 16-06-2015, 18:23
maverickjesus
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How do those charges compare with other providers out of bundle charges? (assuming they have announced their post-Ofcom review charges).
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Old 16-06-2015, 18:35
maverickjesus
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Looks like EE's AC is now 44p: https://ee.co.uk/help/add-ons-benefi...9-and-118#what

Haven't spotted the others yet.
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Old 16-06-2015, 19:01
d123
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Looks like EE's AC is now 44p: https://ee.co.uk/help/add-ons-benefi...9-and-118#what

Haven't spotted the others yet.
You are comparing 2 different things, this thread is about Vodafone charges for out of allowance calls (landlines and UK mobiles) which is being charged at 37.5p + VAT.

In an effort to make similar improvements to our own pricing, we’re simplifying our excess charges. These charges – also known as out of bundle charges – are what you’ll pay if you exceed your monthly allowance, or if you don’t have a monthly allowance.

From 10 August 2015, there’ll be a single price of 37.5p (excluding VAT) a minute for the following plans:

This option to cancel isn't about the new access charges for 0845, 0870 etc.
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Old 16-06-2015, 19:15
maverickjesus
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07* and 08* numbers aren't included in normal Vodafone bundled minutes, so effectively ALL of these calls are 'out of bundle/excess' charges. You can plainly see that in the table, so yes its entirely relevant.
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Old 17-06-2015, 00:36
Rush
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I'd love nothing more than be able to leave Vodafone free of charge, sadly though I have unlimited minutes, so i've got no chance
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Old 17-06-2015, 08:11
nightflyer
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So this affects every Vodafone customer doesn't it, regardless if they have unlimited minutes? Or are all the numbers affected included in the monthly allowance?
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Old 17-06-2015, 09:28
voodoofish
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I'd love nothing more than be able to leave Vodafone free of charge, sadly though I have unlimited minutes, so i've got no chance
Vodafone sent me a text message about this with a link to that page which says if you got the text you can leave early free of charge... I get unlimited minutes included too but I think the point is if you do ring any of those numbers they wouldn't come out of your included minutes anyway so the price you'd pay is going up.

I don't actually want to leave Vodafone but respect that they're giving users the option - again compared to Three they do seem to be treating their customers better! Ridiculously, even though I don't want to leave it might make sense for me to do so just so I can re-sign up and get another Quidco bonus...
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Old 17-06-2015, 10:18
paulker
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I haven't received my letter or text yet. When I get it I am just going to go onto sim only. With 2 lines I will save a fortune.
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Old 17-06-2015, 13:04
Rush
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Vodafone sent me a text message about this with a link to that page which says if you got the text you can leave early free of charge... I get unlimited minutes included too but I think the point is if you do ring any of those numbers they wouldn't come out of your included minutes anyway so the price you'd pay is going up.

I don't actually want to leave Vodafone but respect that they're giving users the option - again compared to Three they do seem to be treating their customers better! Ridiculously, even though I don't want to leave it might make sense for me to do so just so I can re-sign up and get another Quidco bonus...
Hmm. I've not received a text, my bills are usually £41 but i've never been under £55, even with unlimited calls and texts. I wonder what the criteria is for receiving a text? I might have to give them a call.
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Old 17-06-2015, 13:16
moox
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I don't actually want to leave Vodafone but respect that they're giving users the option - again compared to Three they do seem to be treating their customers better! Ridiculously, even though I don't want to leave it might make sense for me to do so just so I can re-sign up and get another Quidco bonus...
I'm not sure what 3 has done that you're comparing it to. Their price rise is along the same lines - but they are mostly targeting people out of contract, so they can already move to someone else any time they want.

Offering customers the ability to leave due to a whopping price increase is standard stuff.
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Old 17-06-2015, 14:06
ash45
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ive received one of these texts, nipped on chat to find a bit more info out (never stopped a service via writing to them always done via phone so wanted to know what needed to be put in said letter) only to be told that my account dose not qualify for early termination even though im a red 4g customer,

TBF id of loved a get out early as ive found them to be terrible in general and cant wait to leave just shows a good deal compared to the rest is not always worth taking in the long run

Ash
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Old 17-06-2015, 14:06
Rush
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I gave Vodafone a ring to ask them if I was eligible to leave, of course they had never heard of this! They assured me that my price plan charge was not going up? (i never said it was) I then read them the article from their website, (which they have also never heard of), then the man went to speak to someone to ask what the situation was, he came back and said I would not be able to leave my contact and they are not offering this to any customers.

So basically they are useless.
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Old 17-06-2015, 14:23
moox
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So basically they are useless.
I've had reason to deal with both EE and Vodafone customer services recently. I've always said EE had pretty bad CS, but Vodafone makes it look award winning. I also note that they've recently neutered their forum. It used to be actively monitored by VF staff and they'd offer to get in contact with you if you had problems, now it's Giffgaff style community support but with even less staff involvement.

Vodafone's menu system is even worse than EE's too, you can't speak to someone unless you press the wrong option until someone answers
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Old 17-06-2015, 14:38
BeccyJayne2247
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So if you received the text then you should be able to exit your contract with no charge? Even if you've just upgraded? I have unlimited minutes but I do occasionally have to call numbers that are out of my bundle and we have no landline phone.

I would be interested to know if I would be able to exit my contract!

The name of my plan (as stated on my online account) isn't even one you could see on their website when looking at their available plans (presumably because I've been with them a few years and just upgrade each time!)
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Old 17-06-2015, 14:44
jonmorris
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If you think you can cancel, surely you do as told and send a letter (signed for?) and see what happens.

Clearly customer service is trying to be clever by pretending it doesn't know anything to put you off. After all, many people have the right to cancel as per the Ofcom rules, but if they don't give notice then Vodafone will simply claim that it notified people and they were clearly happy.

I think it would be a major hassle to try and get out of the contract later on.
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Old 17-06-2015, 15:11
paulker
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As a business customer I now remember receiving a letter a few weeks ago saying 08 numbers were going up but it didn't say I could leave. I threw it in the bin.

Anyway, I have now sent a letter off recorded delivery. Ill see what happens.
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Old 17-06-2015, 16:26
d123
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As a business customer I now remember receiving a letter a few weeks ago saying 08 numbers were going up but it didn't say I could leave. I threw it in the bin.

Anyway, I have now sent a letter off recorded delivery. Ill see what happens.
The increase to 084x, 087x etc numbers (the Access Charge) was a regulatory change implemented by OFCOM and does not give a right to cancel. It's people who are having their other charges (like out of bundle) increased that have the right to penalty free termination.
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Old 18-06-2015, 08:36
voodoofish
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I'm not sure what 3 has done that you're comparing it to. Their price rise is along the same lines - but they are mostly targeting people out of contract, so they can already move to someone else any time they want.
They changed their terms so they can put the price up mid-way through the contract - as it's in the terms presumably you can't leave It's based on inflation, so a lower increase, but you will have to pay it unlike out of bundle costs which you can usually avoid if you want to.
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Old 18-06-2015, 09:16
moox
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They changed their terms so they can put the price up mid-way through the contract - as it's in the terms presumably you can't leave It's based on inflation, so a lower increase, but you will have to pay it unlike out of bundle costs which you can usually avoid if you want to.
That's on new contracts and upgrades though, and like the Vodafone one, it's based on RPI. Vodafone appears to be letting people out if they can claim that the changes would mean their bill would increase more than RPI.

The scummy bit is that they previously promised not to do it at all, that they're so different
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Old 18-06-2015, 11:50
nigelbb
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As far as I can see this affects EVERY Vodafone customer for if all non-geographic numbers starting 084 or 087 currently cost 19.17p/minute in total & now will cost 37.5p just for the access charge they are bound to be more expensive. It looks like the opportunity to terminate the contract early even if like my wife you pay extra for 300 minutes calling 08xx numbers there is still the theoretical possibility that bills would increase by more than RPI.
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Old 18-06-2015, 23:01
secretmsgs
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As far as I can see this affects EVERY Vodafone customer for if all non-geographic numbers starting 084 or 087 currently cost 19.17p/minute in total & now will cost 37.5p just for the access charge they are bound to be more expensive. It looks like the opportunity to terminate the contract early even if like my wife you pay extra for 300 minutes calling 08xx numbers there is still the theoretical possibility that bills would increase by more than RPI.

Even though i am red 4g customer, i have made few calls on these 087 numbers and been charged 40p plus vat, so i dun't think so its working for everyone.

There are 3 different text links

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/campaigns/...jthbaynoqanwc1

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/campaigns/...jthbaynoqanwc2

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/campaigns/...-default-78888

confusing.
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Old 19-06-2015, 07:19
sethpet
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That's on new contracts and upgrades though, and like the Vodafone one, it's based on RPI. Vodafone appears to be letting people out if they can claim that the changes would mean their bill would increase more than RPI.

The scummy bit is that they previously promised not to do it at all, that they're so different

Not exactly true, they promise not to increase your line rental charge, they have never promised such a thing for out if bundle spend
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Old 19-06-2015, 10:11
catdogchicken
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So is it possible to get out of an EE contract too with this change?
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