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

Vodafail Updates

26 Mar 2012 - Update
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
Previous Vodafail Updates...
24 Apr 2011 - Update
We are receiving many reports and stories from Vodafone customers across Australia that they are unable to send SMSs today. Vodafone has confirmed the issue is affecting everyone but they have not provided an explanation or any timeframe for a resolution.

We recommend filing a complaint with Vodafone over the next week and contact the TIO if Vodafone is not able to resolve your issues. If you are impacted by current SMS issue, calling Vodafone support is likely to be a long and fruitless exercise so just check the Vodafone network webpage for updates. UPDATE: Vodafone has just stated the issue has been resolved.
1 Apr 2011 - Update
Thank you for your ongoing support. Last night I (Adam Brimo) received the Choice Consumer Champion Award. I accepted the award with great humility and an appreciation for your support and trust in the vodafail campaign. In addition to all of the TV, radio, newspapers and websites that have covered Vodafone's issues, I'm particularly grateful to Travis Symonds and David Clifford for their help in maintaining vodafail.com. Along with my family, my partner Melissa Ran and everyone at the ACCAN and Choice Magazine for their efforts on behalf of consumers.

Over the past month Vodafone has announced some significant changes including new investment in their network and customer service staff. If these changes are implemented successfully I'm hopeful things will improve for their millions of customers however please follow our instructions on how to lodge a complaint if you are currently having problems.
14 Mar 2011 - Update
Over the weekend our web hosting provider had some serious network and hardware issues that caused vodafail.com to go offline for approximately 12 hours. We were only able to restore access to vodafail by switching hosting providers and restoring a recent backup. Unfortunately our regular daily and weekly backups are not immediately available and we are working with our hosting provider to restore any comments or posts that might have been lost. Thank you for your support.
22 Feb 2011 - Update
Thank you for your ongoing support. Vodafone has just released a comprehensive announcement on the issues that customers are facing and what is being done to rectify those issues. It details the causes of the problems, what is being done to address them and Vodafone's plans for the future. Two items that sound promising are the addition of 300 more call centre staff and updates to their network status page that show the progress of their $1bn in network upgrades.

We are pleased with the improvements Vodafone has announced and encourage everyone to let us know if your service is getting better or still failing. Thank you for taking the time to share your stories and experiences with us over the past couple months; Vodafone appears to be listening. If you are still having issues then please follow the steps on how to lodge a complaint.
7 Feb 2011 - Update
Thank you for your ongoing support. Two weeks ago we submitted a report to the ACCAN, ACCC and ACMA. On February 4 2011 we received formal confirmation from the ACMA that the report has been received. The ACMA said that the report has been reviewed and accepted as a contribution to the 'Reconnecting the Customer' enquiry. They also noted that they are taking the issues seriously and are in discussions with all parties.
21 Jan 2011 - Update
We have produced a report on the issues facing Vodafone and submitted it to the ACCAN, ACCC and ACMA.
17 Jan 2011 - Update
We have noticed that some of the comments being posted are increasingly angry or racist. We understand that this is a difficult time for some Vodafone customers however taking out your frustration on Vodafone employees is wrong. Please ensure that you remain respectful when dealing with Vodafone staff. If you are continuing to have issues with your Vodafone service please use the appropriate channels described on our 'How To Complain' page.
14 Jan 2011 - Update
We wish everyone affected by the flooding in Queensland all the very best as they begin the difficult task of recovery. Our hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy.

The flooding has impacted Vodafone's services across Queensland however Vodafone is releasing regular updates on the situation. In light of the recent privacy breach, Vodafone has fired a number of employees and is investigating the matter with the NSW Police. If you are concerned about the privacy of your details, you can view your options on our privacy complaint page.

We have just launched 'Vodafail Local', a page that brings together all of the pain / gain stories and coverage data for your Australian postcode. Feel free to send us any feedback you might have on this page or on our Vodafail in general.
10 Jan 2011 - Breaking News
Yesterday the Sun-Herald reported on an extensive privacy and security breach affecting all Vodafone customers. Today the Australian Privacy Commissioner will begin an investigation into the privacy and security breach.

If you are concerned about the privacy of your personal information, we have setup a page detailing who you should contact to file a complaint. We aim to provide further updates on this situation as it develops. Vodafone emailed us yesterday stating that Vodafone has briefed all their staff on the current situation and released a statement on their website.
09 Jan 2011 - Breaking News
The Sun-Herald has just reported on an extensive privacy and security breach affecting all Vodafone customers. The implications of this security breach are deeply concerning to all Vodafone customers and represents the latest and most widespread problem affecting Vodafone. Vodafail.com believe the security breach warrants a serious, comprehensive and prompt investigation by the Privacy Commissioner and the Australian Communication and Media Authority.

If you are concerned about the privacy of your personal information, we have setup a page detailing who you should contact to file a complaint. We aim to provide further updates on this situation as it develops. Vodafone emailed us earlier today stating that Vodafone has briefed all their staff on the current situation and released a statement on their website. We can only hope there's more detailed information to come.
04 Jan 2011 - Latest Update
Vodafail.com has just surpassed 10,000 pain stories! Thank you for sharing your Vodafone experiences with us over the past 22 days. Our collective voice has led to national media coverage of the issues, apologies from Vodafone and the most detailed release yet of Vodafone's network upgrade plans. However the problems are not yet resolved and we encourage everyone to follow the steps on how to complain, share your reception problems with us and enter how long you spent on hold. As you hopefully get your issues resolved let everyone know how you did it and what you received. Sharing your experiences will help keep the public informed and keep the pressure on Vodafone to improve their network and resolve your issues.
03 Jan 2011 - Latest Update
Happy New Year! We'd like to give a big THANK YOU to all of you who shared your stories and contributed to this website, as well as the media: Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, ABC News / Radio, The Age, News.com.au, The Daily Telegraph, Delimiter, iTWire, Whirlpool, ZDNet, Channel 7, Channel 9, Channel 10, Sky News, ACCAN, 2GB, 2UE, 3AW, 6PR, MTR1377 and other media outlets for helping to raise awareness of Vodafone's issues.

We have been pretty busy over the past few days and have added a few new sections to Vodafail.com. We have a new section called 'Share Your Gain' for you to enter your success stories, whether it's leaving Vodafone without penalty, free credit or resolved network problems. Then we created the On Hold Again' page where you can enter how long you have waited on hold and see the hold/callback times of others.

All stories posted on Vodafail.com also now have a link to share the story on facebook and the coverage map has been updated with the over 12,000 responses recieved from over 1,500 postcodes. All of this data shows that you are not alone in your problems and enables everyone to discover and understand the issues.
30 Dec 2010 - Late Breaking Update
At the meeting yesterday morning, we demanded Vodafone provide current and detailed information on complaints procedures and resolutions for aggrieved customers. They have gotten back to us and created a page on the Vodafone website detailing how your issues will be handled (including termination of contracts and compensation in some cases). We requested greater disclosure around the timeframes for the oft mentioned network upgrades and Vodafone is yet to produce such plans, but hopefully they will be provided in the coming days. However you are likely still suffering, so please keep us updated/share your pain so we can collectively hold Vodafone accountable.
29 Dec 2010 - Breaking Update
I started this website hoping to gain the attention of Vodafone so that they acknowledge our problems and get them resolved. This morning I took your complaints and suggestions to Vodafone CEO Nigel Dews. He and his team are well aware of our issues and are focusing on how to solve them. It is now up to Vodafone to announce how and when your specific problems will be solved. Vodafone has clearly taken notice however this website will remain open until our main issues are resolved. I am appreciative and humbled by the support and coverage this website has achieved yet it is a testament to your complaints and contributions. We understand that this may be a frustrating time for customers however please remember to be calm and respectful to Vodafone employees and each other. We cannot personally resolve any of your issues but we can keep you informed and direct you to the right people.
28 Dec 2010
The media coverage and support we have received from the Australian public has been truly unexpected, overwhelming and humbling. We are confident that Vodafone is taking steps to resolve these issues and we hope that they communicate their progress to their customers. We understand that this may be a frustrating time for customers however please remember to be calm and respectful to Vodafone employees. Thank you for your ongoing support and we look forward to these issues being resolved soon. Visit this page for information on resolving your issues.
27 Dec 2010
Thank you everyone for all your support, the amount of media coverage we have received is unexpected. We are glad that frustrated customers have found a place to air their Vodafone problems. With coverage continuing the pressure will be on Vodafone to solve your problems and show you that they care. We will have more information later in the day.
26 Dec 2010
Happy Holidays everyone. Today Vodafail.com and the issues customers are having with Vodafone were discussed on Sydney radio station 2UE. These issues are real, ongoing and finally being acknowledged by Vodafone. We will keep up the pressure and keep these issues in the media as best we can with the hope they are resolved soon.
23 Dec 2010
Vodafone has issued an apology for the litany of network and customer service issues that we know too well. The apology mentioned Whirlpool, the Sydney Morning Herald and unnamed blogs; which the ACCAN reckons is Vodafail. This apology provided no new information, no timeline for resolving the issues and ultimately no new action. It did reference Vodafone's network upgrade plans due to be completed at some point in 2011 (long time away). Instead it recommended customers email and contact the same address and number that we have tried for so long. Just this morning Vodafail received a notice from Facebook that our logo has been removed from our Facebook page due to Copyright infringement. The Delimiter has a great article on the complexity of the problems affecting Vodafone.
21 Dec 2010
Today we have been contacted by Vodafone (they are definitely aware of this growing community) requesting that people do not post personal details of Vodafone employees. If everyone can avoid doing that and stick to their horror stories of low reception and dropped calls that would be great. We have also just introduced the ability to comment on other people's stories, so if you're feeling someone's pain (or if you're not) feel free to comment.
21 Dec 2010
Pressure on Vodafone is increasing and it appears they will be upgrading their network in the coming weeks. Too little too late most likely and it doesn't change what we've been through! With over 1100 stories of people in pain, we have introduced a rating system to showcase the best / most painful stories. We have also been contacted by two companies to offer deals to disaffected Vodafone users, if you can get out of your contract, then switch!
20 Dec 2010
With the Vodafone issues continuing, the ACCAN (Australia Communications Consumer Action Network) is looking to find out more information about your issues. If you have spent a long time trying to resolve your Vodafone issues (with vodafone, and who hasn't) then the ACCAN wants to hear from you. Email them on info@accan.org.au with details of your situation. They won't be able to get you out of your contract, that's a job for the TIO, but it will help with their investigation.
19 Dec 2010
Vodafail now has almost 800 stories of people's pain with Vodafone, this is a huge amount but only the tip of the iceberg. Vodafone has over 4 million users (not for long though) and many are still suffering (like me) however we aren't standing by. Some people have asked how to express their frustration and spread the world about the sorry excuse for a company that is Vodafone. Just tell people. Spread the word about Vodafail today!
18 Dec 2010
WOW thanks so much for the support and sharing your stories. I really appreciate the coverage in the SMH for shining a light on the practices of Vodafone and your experiences with it's service. I have spent over 4 hours on hold with Vodafone this week, trying to get my issues solved and out of my contract. In those 4 hours I made this website but sadly I am not out of my contact. More importantly though, regardless of whether you and I are out of our contract, millions of others will still be suffering. So we encourage everyone to contact the TIO immediately!
16 Dec 2010
Hey everyone, thanks for sharing, I feel your pain. The more people that know about our issues with this useless company the better, maybe Vodafone will even start paying attention.

What is this?

In short I am a disgruntled Vodafone customer after using the service for less than 6 weeks. After my relentless attempts to contact Vodafone customer support to resolve my issues (the usual dropped calls, no reception, poor battery life and delayed voicemail messages) I have no choice but to create a website to express my dissatisfaction to the world.

In this big world sometimes you feel like you are alone in your problems. Thanks to this Sydney Morning Herald article, I know I do not suffer alone. And since we are not alone, we should probably join forces (revolution, protest etc.) and let Vodafone and the TIO know of our plight.

Making this website made me feel a little bit better. In order for you to feel better, share your pain by posting your experience and opinion with vodafone.

Update (3/1/11): Vodafone agreed to release me from my contract on December 21 and I have just switched to another provider. This is a good solution for me personally and I hope the attention this website has garnered can help others in similar situations find solutions suitable to their individual needs. Vodafail.com is not affiliated with and does not officially endorse any telecommunications company.


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Someone from WA thinks vodafone is Be carefull recharging useing the phone app on pre paid with credit cards. at 26 Mar 2012 07:15:22 PM
Today i sent 2 requests to recharge my pre paid mobile account via my phone useing my CC Card ($100). The money had been taken out twice but still no credit...They gave me $10 credit so i could call my bank to confirm and yes my bank had confirmed it then i got got disconnected as the $10 had run out. Vodafone said i had to fax through the details and i will get the money back in 6 to 11 working days and no compensation in anyway. I just had to suck it up.
Even though ive wasted a few hours on the phone with them and not been able to make any more calls all day because i didnt want to give them any more of my money. Not a happy.
Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is at 26 Mar 2012 03:59:05 PM
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY SMS CANT RECIVE SEND SMS AND IF CAN IT IS LAGGING
MY RECEPTION IS ALSO DROPPING OFF.
Someone from SA thinks vodafone is No Coverage Kadina/Moonta at 26 Mar 2012 03:36:17 PM
Just looked at the Vodafone Coverage Checker and it says no coverage for Kadina & Moonta area's so whats going on with the coverage map displaying no coverage for these areas to date.
Supposed to be a coverage improvement but the coverage map previously showed coverage for these areas, now it shows nothing in Kadina & Moonta SA

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