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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11969 Someone from SA thinks vodafone is Pathetic 3 Coverage at 11 Jan 2011 10:03:20 AM
Vodaphone merged with 3 (via Hutchison) more than a year ago and yet they have not merged their networks. You can drive from Adelaide's northern suburbs on the main highway to Darwin and back and not touch one 3 network. I guess they make too much money with Internet roaming charges. Merge your companies -> MERGE YOUR NETWORKS! Give customers what they are paying for.
12 Jan 2011 09:47:50 AM: You are joking right? 3 roam with Telstra currently, if they were to share networks with Vodafone you'd get far less reception. I was up in Alice over the xmas period and I did get coverage there. No extra roaming charges. Then again I have a BB so roaming BIS (internet and email) is free.

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11968 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is at 11 Jan 2011 10:03:15 AM
Try turning your phone to the 2G network.

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11967 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is at 11 Jan 2011 10:03:06 AM
i have no reception in such a QLD natural disaster crisis!.
i phoned vodafone they are supposably linking the 3g network with another network??? why would you do this now??????? how about after the flooding!!!!!

i cant contact anyone family or friends or relitives to c if there ok???

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11964 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Completely Down at 11 Jan 2011 09:59:12 AM
What the hell ? Telstra, Optus and everyone else gets reception !

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11963 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is No coverage at 11 Jan 2011 09:53:13 AM
I live right in Brisbane city. At the moment there is no network coverage. Tried turning the phone on and off and still nothing. This has been going on since around 10am. I am expecting a call about a job this morning, and because of vodafones incompetence, i may not receive this important call.
11 Jan 2011 12:51:20 PM: You haven't noticed a little disruption in town. Worry about swimming home mate. Everyone is calling. Try again.

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11960 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is at 11 Jan 2011 09:50:11 AM
I have been with Vodafone for over 4 years and in the past 6 months I have been disgusted with the level of customer service. Ques on hold of up to 1 hour and when I do finally speak to someone they can offer me no help, that is if they can speak English. The stores are not much better, advising I am the only one with these problems...any of these sound familiar:

No Coverage
Calls Drop Out repeatedly
Poor Battery Life, I have to charge my at least twice a day
Text and Voice Message delays, sometimes I don't even receive them

I am at a loss as to what to do, no one seems to be able to help me and I am locked into a contract for the next 18 months!
13 Jan 2011 07:56:42 PM: Some of that sounds like your handset mate.
13 Jan 2011 08:07:41 PM: Pretty much what everyone is experiencing on the Vodafone Network

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11957 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is bad reception at 11 Jan 2011 09:45:21 AM
my line allways drops out while on a call ,, as iam typing this letter i have no reception 2-3 times a day even at home in broadbeach there are no bars on my phone .. .. everytime i call vodaofone after my reception is back i tell them about the problem and they say that the problems are getting solved .. its been over a year and i still get the same drop outs and no reception..

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11956 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Extreme at 11 Jan 2011 09:43:25 AM
No network coverage, call technical support and either get told to hang up or the line goes dead, can't contact Vodafone in any way.

Unable to use 3G as I don't get calls, calls drop, messages sometimes arrive.

Complete farce.


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11954 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is unreliable at 11 Jan 2011 09:39:30 AM
Vodaphone network has failed during the SE Qld floods with no voice calls or data - not just a few bases which have flodded but the whole network in Brisbane and Gold Coast
11 Jan 2011 12:57:19 PM: Funny I texted my aunty in Toowoomba earlier with no problem.

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11951 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is MAJOR FAIL at 11 Jan 2011 09:32:46 AM
Havent had coverage for over and hour and when I call my phone from work it just drops out the call... rang a store in Burleigh they werent even aware of wahts going on and have only realised there phones arent working...and on top of this I made a network complaint so I can leave and go to OPTUS they better let me go now FOC.

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11947 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is An epic Dismal Fail at 11 Jan 2011 09:29:32 AM
Calls will not go through, messages delayed by up to 4 days, internet connection on the phone is slow and very useless, when receiving calls, the call instantly drop out and most of all poor network coverage.

As for the Vodafone staff, they are not much at all.

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11946 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is No service Brisbane CBD at 11 Jan 2011 09:29:02 AM
Network down since 8.30am now 10.30am. No calls in or out. Telstra is fine.

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11944 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is RECEPTION IS ALMOST NON EXISTANT! at 11 Jan 2011 09:26:47 AM
I made the mistake of movng to Vodafail prepaid in April last year, when i bought my iPhone outright.
I have HOPELESS reception, EVEN in Sydney City! I have countless number of times come and gone from work, i live on the Illawarra Line, with "NO SERVICE".
I ALSO have call drop outs, and the Internet????? O.M.G!!!! What Internet??????
Almost worse than the calling reception!
My friends keep telling me to just port my number, i can't tell you how CLOSE i am.
Just as well i'm on prepaid, and this is a very good option.
God forbid i am never in an emergency, and desparately need to contact family.

11 Jan 2011 09:16:19 PM: So unlock it and buy a $2 Virgin SIM or whatever you're on prepaid that means you have no commitment.

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11940 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is epic at 11 Jan 2011 09:18:03 AM
Trying to contact daughter to tell her to go home from work as road about to be cut due to floodwater and surprise surprise - no network in Brisbane today. Vodafone now putting lives and safety at risk. Thank God for the Telsta landline.

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11936 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is at 11 Jan 2011 09:14:07 AM
I have absolutely no reception here. I'm in the heart of Brisbane city!

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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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11933 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is ridiculously so at 11 Jan 2011 09:09:33 AM

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11932 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Epicly Fail. at 11 Jan 2011 09:07:25 AM
I cannot get reception AT ALL in the rain! So close to throwing my phone in the pool.

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11928 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Extremely at 11 Jan 2011 09:05:04 AM
There is now network coverage at all, but I have my wireless coverage on my computer but no coverage on my phone... cant contact them either as only have mobiles and computer

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11927 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Epic at 11 Jan 2011 09:01:08 AM
The service is just getting worse. I would have believed with all this negative media attention and even the issue of apology we would have seen some improvement, but it's actually becoming disgraceful.

I had raised a complaint on the 7/01/2011 which came through email today (11/01/2011) advising that my handset needs to be troubelshooted.

I've had different phones and sims and still the exact same problem regardless.

- Call dropouts
- Calls sent direct to Voicemail or Engaged tone
- 0% throughput for data service

I honestly cannot believe they still think this is somehow related to the handset. I know it's most likely procedure for them to troubleshoot the phone in the first instance, but they did not even acknowledge the current network issues across Vodafone.

I have however sent back a blazing response advising i will be keeping a log of all dropped calls, undelivered calls from customers and data throughput for the next month and cancelling my service if there is no imrpovement as a breach of contract on Vodafones part. Oh, and seeking legal action for lost revenue.
11 Jan 2011 10:59:12 AM: And the reply back was to troubleshoot the phone, despite the fact i already advised i had tried other phones with the same result. Interesting though, as soon as that reply came through i no longer see 2G or 3G data and Voicemail wont display.

I'm curious if they are just trying to piss me off further?

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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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11924 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Epic Fail at 11 Jan 2011 08:51:11 AM
The reception on my phone is consistently dropping out, sometimes for hours at a time. I have had numerous conversations with Vodafone customer support, however I am told EVERYTIME that it is my phone itself that is the problem. I am instructed to find another phone to use for a period of time so as I can determine whether the issue is actually my phone. I have previously done this only to satisfy the request of the vodafone support team, to no avail. NOT HAPPY JAN

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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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11920 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is INTOLERABLE at 11 Jan 2011 08:34:43 AM
My mate moved house into a low reception area (read NO RECEPTION) about 3 months after signing with Vodafone. Because he signed up whilst at an address with "coverage" he cannot cancel his contract without paying it out. So he has about 1y9m of ZERO reception in his house to go or pay $1,800 to get out of the contract. Vodafone are being complete jerks.
11 Jan 2011 08:53:19 AM: That's bullshit, ring the TIO, as this is just another classic example of that useless telco stewing another customer over. It's a mobile phone, it's supposed to be able to be used wherever you go.
11 Jan 2011 01:14:18 PM: Hahaha isn't cute how naive some people are...

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11916 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is CALL TIO!!! at 11 Jan 2011 08:23:55 AM
HAHA - I have been in my contract with Vodafone since last 3 weeks with my new HTC Desire HD. Live in 4000 postcode, no 3G at all, call drops, crappy connections list goes on.

Vodafone are going to let me out of my contract and hand my handset back.
I am going to go to Telstra where the 3G is good and I get coverage as per stated on their coverage maps.

I wish I could invoice Vodafone for my time wasted on the phone to their ridiculous hold times and bad service.

Fk Vodafone!

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11913 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Unbelievably bad at 11 Jan 2011 08:14:34 AM
There is one thing that Vodafone is good at. Texting me to let me know my $90 bill is due and texting me to remind me to pay my bill.

I get these texts just days after having multiple call drop outs, and literally no service in Strathfield one afternoon and having to go pay to use a PAY PHONE, having multiple texts being charged and never received by my friends over a 4 month period, me never receiving my friends texts, not having any reception the entire time I was in the Hunter Valley on a holiday.

As of today I am now using Optus but I am hoping they would be kind enough to waive the last bill since I was rarely -and at times- never receiving their service so what the heck am I actually paying for?


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11911 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Extremely at 11 Jan 2011 08:11:06 AM
I have wireless broadband and it is so unpredictable - when it will work and when it won't i.e. half the time the Internet doesn't work so I have to use an Internet cafe to use the Internet to complete my assignments. I am paying full price for the service, so why do I have to go and pay extra to use another service? It is outrageous and the reason why I choose vodafone at the time was because it was a large company with a high coverage rate. And sometimes when the internet does work, it is extremely slow - leaving me to wait for ages for it to upload one page. I have been trying to contact customer care various times and they have a large wait so they said they can call me back in half an hour. When they did call me back in half an hour, I had to wait again - so I hung up as I was busy. I also have a contract with vodafone for mobile and there isn't very good reception most of the times and sometimes embarrasingly my phone cuts of in the middle of conversations. I have been very unhappy for a while.

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11909 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Extremely at 11 Jan 2011 08:02:17 AM
I have wireless broadband and it is so unpredictable - when it will work and when it won't i.e. half the time the Internet doesn't work so I have to use an Internet cafe to use the Internet to complete my assignments. I am paying full price for the service, so why do I have to go and pay extra to use another service? It is outrageous and the reason why I choose vodafone at the time was because it was a large company with a high coverage rate. And sometimes when the internet does work, it is extremely slow - leaving me to wait for ages for it to upload one page. I have been trying to contact customer care various times and they have a large wait so they said they can call me back in half an hour. When they did call me back in half an hour, I had to wait again - so I hung up as I was busy. I also have a contract with vodafone for mobile and there isn't very good reception most of the times and sometimes embarrasingly my phone cuts of in the middle of conversations. I have been very unhappy for a while.

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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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11900 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Epic Fail at 11 Jan 2011 07:30:20 AM
I moved into a brand new house in the quickest growing suburb in NSW - The Ponds. This is a new development in the largest growth area of NSW - Kellyville district.
I had to buy a house phone because i get NO SERVICE at my house!!
Wakeup Vodafone!! Its the largest growth area in NSW!!
To make matters worse, they just opened a Vodafone store in Rouse Hill. The funny part is, you cant even get reception outside the store!!

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11899 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is No Reception at 11 Jan 2011 07:27:45 AM
I live in the Northern Rivers (NSW) and experience inconsistent reception with my Vodaphone iPhone. I can see three bars, pick up my phone to make a call or write a text and almost as soon as I touch the phone I lose all reception. Other times I just don't get any reception at all. I use my phone for work and can't afford to miss calls like this. I have similar problems in Byron Bay, Lennox Head, Bangalow and Lismore. Pulling my hair out!!!

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11898 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is bad at 11 Jan 2011 07:16:59 AM
no gsm coverage in post code 2000

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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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11896 Someone from ACT thinks vodafone is at 11 Jan 2011 07:12:47 AM
I tried to call my girlfriend who is also in Vodafone and all I got was a call failed message. This happens about ever second day. How hard is it to connect to another handset on the same network? Fail Vodafone.

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11894 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Terrible at 11 Jan 2011 07:04:39 AM
Have had numerous issues with Vodafone over recent months. For a complete train trip from Sydney to Woy Woy, I only received a maximium of 2 minutes reception (1-2 bars.

Further to this, I have had significant delays in receiving voicemails and am regularly droppping out of phone calls.

I am now very frustrated by the fact I am paying for a service that I am essentially not receiving. I am sure that when I signed the 24 month contract, my agreement to enter into it was formd on the basis that reasonable services - especially network coverage, would be provided. I will be investigating my options to withdraw from the contract if the problems cannot be rectified.

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11892 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Extremely Poor at 11 Jan 2011 06:55:52 AM
I have an iPhone 4. This is my 4th handset in 3 months and my service continues to drop out each minute. After hours on the phone, Customer care tell me to ring Apple, Apple says its nothing to do with them and tells me to ring Vodafone again, ring customer care back and they tell me to take it instore. the store tells me that they have no authority to touch apple handsets and that if its a network issue that customer care is the only place that can help. So yesterday I spent 5 hours on the phone to customer care in a vodafone store, after being transfered all over india they tell me that there are no outages in my area and that there are tower upgrades planned for the future and this my be causing my problems. I get them to transfer me to cancellations and begin the process of rescinding my contract but supprise supprise vodafone will not acknowledge that there is a network issue (after I was told that there was by tech support)so here i am now with a service that I can not use and a company they will not help. If any business owner ran there company like this they would be shut down by the ACCC so why can Vodafone get away with it?

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11884 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is reception at 11 Jan 2011 03:05:38 AM
Trying to message and call and can never get through

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11876 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is reception failure at 11 Jan 2011 12:12:19 AM
Loosing signal I freequently face. I have been using vodafone for 3 years and not happy with the service.

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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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11867 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is destroyer of worlds fail at 10 Jan 2011 10:03:34 PM
I haven't yet recieved 4 bars of receptions since changing to Vodafone. I am in the middle of main cities, and I often battle poor reception.
I don't even get any reception at all in my own home. How awesome is that?

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11865 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Over it! at 10 Jan 2011 09:57:52 PM
So sick of the 3G coverage in the Redlands area.

I freaking can't stand how when i need to do important business related things NO WEBPAGE WILL LOAD, It's slow!! or it even half loads!!! resulting in me losing potential clients, you people have already lost me 4 people in 2 weeks because i can't get back to them over mobile because of the lame drop outs!


And when i don't require the 3G internet! IT WORKS...

The amount of times I've needed to transfer money on the spot and can't and having to cancel a transaction with a line up behind me is because of you vodafone!!

I'm so over your crap and lame excuses. I've been a customer of yours for 7 years and I'm over it.

Absolute waste of my time!!!

Spend the god damn Cricket sponsorship money on fixing your damn coverage!!!

Telstra here i come!

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11860 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is less fail then this site at 10 Jan 2011 09:25:15 PM
Now this page you can freely share your thoughts of the company and blame what every telecommunication problem has.

All companies at one stage make mistakes by over charging customers, waiting calls and reception issues except for telstra(which you pay a fortune for). They all perform repairs and expansions, YOUR ON HOLD FOR ANY PHONE COMPANY for 20-30 minutes, i was on hold the other day for half an hour. The representatives are doing there jobs. There is always a high call volume,but they were kindly to help, i transfered one of my numbers and talked to them about my bill enquires, i've been a long term customer and too see people complain about reception and privacy issues is totally not entirely the companies fault.There is always scammers and leakes of all information completed illegally...eg wikileaks. The media has portrayed the story like any other story to make it even worst or enticing to sell papers and gain viewers.

Your on hold on the phone cause no one knows how to use a phone, in particular an iphone!

ITS VERY ENTERTAINING WATCHING A BIG COOPERATION FAIL!

easy steps such as switching you handset to 2G mode will help out with regards to making out goin calls. Reception isssues aren't always on the company.It can be your headset or the materials your housing is made of or if your in a rural area.

There is sometimes dirty people that will come to your door and sell you something or representatives on the phone. I got a F@#%ing call from telstra saying to move over there network they promisd me all this crap and i knew it was false. they said they were gonna weavier all my cost to move over and alter stated they'll give me 200 for the cancellation fees. It is not directly linked to the company.

THIS IS WHY YOU GO INTO STORES AND KNOW YOUR CALL RATES, COVERAGE, COST, etc.
and if you do have an issue i sure they'll be glad to help


DON'T get rolled

If you are struggling with reception issues im pretty sure vodafone are kindly to help if your patient enough. Nothing will happen with a click of a finger.

My friend at his house couldn't get vodafone reception or any other network other then telstra working there. The team at vodafone had launched a investigations an gave him a waiver to leave the company.

AND IT'S NOT THE BEST JOB TO BE IN A CALL CENTRE. people are very racist in there comments to the people that try to assist you.

NO ONE IN AUSTRALIA WANTS THESE JOBS!


Face the facts guys, your gettting a deal so what if your calls drop out once or twice a day.


your getting better value with the company.


IF YOU CAN'T MAKE CALLS AT ALL i'll definately be pissed of my self

most of you sound like do have an issue with the company and its understandably to be frustrated but who sold you the phone and why did you join in the first place?

are we all trying to get free phones and compensation
everyone has there own experience with a company.

Technology is growing and companies need to find a better way to check coverage that are more accurate and if not the customer should receive incentives that are reasonably they are will receive.



10 Jan 2011 09:35:16 PM: RE: most of you sound like do have an issue with the company and its understandably to be frustrated but who sold you the phone and why did you join in the first place?

I called directly to the callcenter of vodafone, to get 24 months contract, because on the vodafone website they promised me 100% fast 3G coverage in my area.....

Not the person on the phone warned me off problems in my area, nor did the website....I never have 3G and hardly can make calls or receive calls, so they ripped me off......


11 Jan 2011 05:41:35 AM: I like the rant above - im sorry some of the call centre staff recieve abuse, racism or what ever is said to you. However the fact remains Vodafone is a bunch of liars, they have intentionally decieved people with misleading ad's and false information. When i toured India my phone had better coverage then what it does here in the middle of Sydney. As for your assertion that Australians don't want jobs maybe you should have a bit of a loiok at yourself and how racist you are?
17 Jan 2011 10:20:04 PM: The above was almost definitely posted by a PR of vodafone haha

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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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11851 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Bad reception at 10 Jan 2011 08:25:05 PM
To be honest, I'm note sure if I can make a complaint towards 3 on this site, but 3 is own by Vodafone and I think they merged already and I've been told 3 now are using Vodafone network as well. I found they're really S*&%! I live in Inner city but have the worst reception ever! Either keep dropping or no reception at all! I am using one other provider and they have good reception anywhere I go. What's going on Vodafone/3???
10 Jan 2011 11:45:40 PM: I suggest you google "Vodafone and Three merger" and read the many articles.
VHA is a 'merger' between Vodafone Australia and Three Mobile (formerly Hutchinson 3). Since the merger 3Mobile users are being effected because they used to roam onto Telstra's secondary GSM network when out of reach of the small coverage of 3Mobile cells. Telstra withdrew the arrangement and now 3Mobile users roam onto Vodafone's network. The effect of this is that Vodafone's already stretched network is now overloaded and beyond designed capacity. The result is poor facility for both 3Mobile and Vodafone users. If you are having troubles with 3Mobile then you will have to take that issue up with them and perhaps the TIO. It does not relate to the core matters covered by this site!

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11849 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is extreme at 10 Jan 2011 08:07:50 PM
Vodafone, I have to walk around my yard to get coverage and if I leave the hill I live on I get no coverage. I am constantly booted off the network, can contact no one about problems and I am very un happy. I have been a loyal customer and thought it was just me in my area but hey you guys are taking advantage and now I find out you have not protected private information. What is going on! What are you going to do about it and should I be looking elsewhere for secure and efficient service that I can rely on. I spend a lot of money on a yearly bases with this company and I am very sick of all the probs. Do something for me.... sick of the constant non service and network breakdown.I cannot rely on vodafone!!!!

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11847 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is very at 10 Jan 2011 07:57:54 PM
we have been with vodafone for a very long time! my husband was going to leave the company and go to Telstra, because of the coverage issue. He was told within several months vodafone woul have coverage everwhere in Australia, and was offered a $10 month discount! He is still on the same plan, so am i, but we cant even get coverage in our home, except for a tiny area in the dining room. The calls are always dropping out and reception shocking at times. could you tell me where we stand with my contract. Were on a $29 month contract each and not happy! Please can you advise us if we can get out of the contract! Thank you very much! Pam.
10 Jan 2011 08:05:11 PM: Hello Pam, you should have no dramas at all. Firstly try and escalate the issue through Vodafone, explain the problems and that you are not happy with the lack of service you are receiving. If they are unable to help you, escalte your issue to the TIO. The link at the top of the page titled 'How To Complain' contains a link to the TIO.

Best of luck, and let us know how you go.
10 Jan 2011 08:07:46 PM: oops, I meant escalate* hehe, my spelling is terrible >_>
11 Jan 2011 03:26:09 PM: I'm paying $99 and can't get through to Vodafone to cancel my contract! I hope you have more luck than me!

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11841 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Redonk at 10 Jan 2011 07:51:28 PM
Phone reception drops out constantly. Even though I'm in the center of the city on the Sunshine coast.. Pretty sure you said you had coverage there..

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11833 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is hardly can be connected at 10 Jan 2011 07:21:26 PM
I am hardly able to send SMS and making call from vodafone network, I only lived within 10kms of CBD.


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11830 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Not for people who want to speak to each other at 10 Jan 2011 07:11:06 PM
Just moved from Telstra - what a big mistake - poor coverage at home and work in centre of Sydney
10 Jan 2011 09:33:45 PM: WTF! Why would you leave Telstra? I just broke my contract with VF and switched to Telstra....F@*k, what an improvement.

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11828 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Borderline fraudulent at 10 Jan 2011 07:07:29 PM
I am in Cairns, QLD. According to Vodafail, the area I work (Edmonton) they cover the entire suburb. I do not get even one bar on my phone, my phone only shows 'Emergency Only'. I have to walk 50m down the road to get two bars to make a call. I recently changed to Telstra, they enabled me to keep my existing phone number, and I now have five full bars where I work - go figure. If they are advertising extensive coverage and it is obvious that no coverage exists, and they take your money, then isn't this fraud? Definition of fraud - 'Obtain a benefit by deceipt'. The benefit to them is a financial gain through decieving the client that they will be provided a service. The deceipt is that they actually do provide a service. No service, take money = fraud.

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11827 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Fed up of "hanging in there" at 10 Jan 2011 07:05:58 PM
Is it worth sitting on hold for 0.75 hours so far to complain about coverage?
10 Jan 2011 07:12:30 PM: Nah...........quicker to go to the TIO.

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11825 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Worse than Shocking at 10 Jan 2011 07:01:07 PM
Join the class action and lets get our money back. Im not paying $129.00 for fluctuating reception. Its 2011 i dont see why i still have to hold my phone as high i can to search for flowing reception. Your service is rediculous. I call to cancel yesturday and was on the phone for 116mins before the opertaor told me that i have to call during the hours of 8am to 5pm. Why did your stupid usless voice recognition transfer me to an area that is closed.

Click below and sign up. Time to get the show on the road.

http://www.piperalderman.com.au/vf/

i give vodafone and optus equal rating. If only telstra wasnt a rip-off. I love thier service.
10 Jan 2011 07:05:42 PM: I do agree that Tesltra are slightly more expensive, but worth every penny (imo). Fastest web browsing speeds (on 3G), Best Coverage...I guess the old adage, you pay for what you get applies.

In relation to your situation, the TIO may be able to help alot quicker. Check out the 'How To Complain' link at the top of the page.

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11824 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Extreamly Poor at 10 Jan 2011 06:54:10 PM
I was fishing at Stanwell Park where i had a missed call from a family member who required emergency care. I went to answer the call and it continually dropped out. Thankfully my uncle was with me who had full reception with Telstra. I worry that if i was alone and required emergency services. I continually loose my network and recieve error messages. I am currently also recieving sms upto 10 days late. I am still currently recieving people happy new year messages 10 days later. Over 15 times i have been left without recpetion for more than 15mins. Enough is Enough. See you in court Vodafone. Your service is not worth $79 a month. I think walki-talkies are more reliable.
10 Jan 2011 07:49:03 PM: i think 2 cans tied to a piece of string would get better service then vodafone.

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11820 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is Very at 10 Jan 2011 06:33:09 PM
The reception drops out everywhere and it is impossible to get an internet connection half the time. Emails and sms's take forever to get through. Had friends sms us to say they were on their way to our house at 2.30 pm and we got the text at 9.30 pm-after they had left. Sick of it.

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11815 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is very at 10 Jan 2011 06:17:00 PM
I beleave vodaphone brought out 3 as I'm with 3 from the moment they switched system my reception took a dive for the worst so my intrest in all this is has any one else put this to you That it might be 3 customers being affected as well ? . I also noticed that no news reports have mentioned this. I just hope that my privacy has not been breached along with other 3/vodaphone customers. Tank Kurt
10 Jan 2011 07:02:49 PM: Again, 3 and Vodafone are both owned by VHA. Vodafone did not buy 3.
10 Jan 2011 11:21:33 PM: I suggest you google "Vodafone and Three merger" and read the many articles.
VHA is a 'merger' between Vodafone Australia and Three Mobile (formerly Hutchinson 3). Since the merger 3Mobile users are being effected because they used to roam onto Telstra's secondary GSM network when out of reach of the small coverage of 3Mobile cells. Telstra withdrew the arrangement and now 3Mobile users roam onto Vodafone's network. The effect of this is that Vodafone's already stretched network is now overloaded and beyond designed capacity. The result is poor facility for both 3Mobile and Vodafone users. If you are having troubles with 3Mobile then you will have to take that issue up with them and perhaps the TIO. It does not relate to the core matters covered by this site!

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11814 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Pathetic Service - NO RECEPTIOM at 10 Jan 2011 06:13:48 PM
I have NO reception hardly anywhere I go. All my freinds who are with Telstra & Optus always get coverage where I dont - and to get out of my "contact" will be close to $500!!! FOr a service that doesn't work! My wireless contact just ended and I called and cancelled it and they seriously asked me if I wanted to transfer it to a freind of family member..... AFTER 20 MINUTES OF ME TELLING THEM ITS CRAP AND HAS NO COVERAGE!!!

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11813 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is question at 10 Jan 2011 06:13:41 PM
can '3' customers on a plan leave without exit fees for all the poor coverage?
10 Jan 2011 06:14:45 PM: Horse says so
10 Jan 2011 06:17:32 PM: what does that mean? ^
10 Jan 2011 06:29:07 PM: not without a fight. try to resolve it with vodafone, if that doesnt work try TIO (check out the 'how to complain' link at the top of this page.
10 Jan 2011 07:04:53 PM: If you have poor coverage on 3 you will need to resolve the issue with 3. Vodafone Customer Care does not have access to 3 accounts, so you will need to ring 3 Customer Care.
10 Jan 2011 11:39:51 PM: okay thank you everyone for your help :)

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11810 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is criminal at 10 Jan 2011 06:09:22 PM
Thanks to the maps and info on the Vodafail website and other sources including the ACMA databases; I have been able to identify the locations and radiation patterns of the VHA Vodafone cells in the immediate area surrounding the suburb where I live in inner Brisbane. The results were interesting. I live approximately 450 metres from the nearest cell which has 2 antennas with radiation patterns facing directly towards me. Every day I have full and long interruptions to my ability to make and receive voice, SMS, and data on my personal Vodafone service.
In contrast my work phone (identical handset to my personal one) is on the Optus network and also uses the same physical site for its cells and has an identical radiation pattern from its antennas and NEVER has any interruptions to the service and has any break in service for voice, SMS or data!
I am sick of lost/missed calls, dropped calls, delayed/interrupted voicemail, SMS delivery delays of hours and days.
Vodafone you are not providing the services to the level that I was led to believe when I signed my contracts, you have failed to meet your obligations under that same contract and your network usability has dramatically deteriated since I contracted you to be my provider.
On a recent trip to a major NSW rural centre (A major town with a large University) I discovered the hard way that only EDGE data was available on Vodafone in the area instead of the 3G data services available on Optus and Telstra. Whilst this may be due to the handset not being 900MHz capable but that does not explain why my 900MHz compatible Vodafone USB modem with wifi docking station was also only able to obtain EDGE data services at approximately Dial-up speed!
Voda you suck!
10 Jan 2011 06:34:07 PM: Well said! Vodafone are failing to keep up their side of the contract.
11 Jan 2011 01:26:59 PM: I'm in a large rural town with an uni and I am admiring my beautiful full bars of 3G signal strength. Never have an issue here. I love my Blackberryand I love where I live.
13 Jan 2011 07:22:01 AM: Lucky you :-)
Maybe all of australias vodafone customers should move to your rural town. I finally found a spot in sydney 500meters down the road from me where I had 4 bars of reception in 3G.. I got so excited i had to youtube something. NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE REGARDLESS OF WHERE I HAVE BEEN IN SYDNEY !! Anyway... Then I moved about 10 meters and lost signal.

Vodafone you dont deliver a service you deliver unforgettable stress and pain.

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11804 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is No Reception at 10 Jan 2011 05:32:24 PM
I live in Gosnells WA and must say the Vodafone coverage here is very bad.
Can not make and recive calls at my house as it drops out everytime.
Even outside.
Have emailed Vodafone with no reply twice..
What a SHAM.

Jeff WA
10 Jan 2011 05:44:52 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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11803 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Extreme!!! at 10 Jan 2011 05:31:35 PM
I've been with Vodafone for almost 3 years now and I've seen it get progressively worse!! I recently got Pre-paid Broadband and it's absolutely crap! The reception SUCKS, and it constantly drops out or just refuses to connect. When it comes to phone reception, it started off fine but now I hardly get full bars and sometimes have to walk around the house to get it.
I will definitely be changing networks. Todays blunder is the last straw.

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11801 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Not a laughing matter at 10 Jan 2011 05:28:27 PM
I have been a customer of Vodafone for many years and, until recently, havent had any major troubles other than busy music festivals. For the past few months I haven't been able to connect to the internet, or if i do it disconnects in a matter of seconds, my phone has dropped out and I have been experiencing trouble areas where my reception almost never works. I rang Vodafone (foolishly assuming that my years of loyal payments would make them want to help me) and waited on hold as patiently as possible to be told that my phone network had to be checked for 72 hours before I could even try to cancel my contract, and if I did then I would be charged money for doing it.
As I havent heard back from them I assume I will have to call again and am predicting Vodafone will tell me that there's nothing wrong with my connection and that the problem must be a defect in my mobile (which it is not).

Does anyone have any advice on how I can cancel my contract without being charged a fee? Surely they have breached my contract by not providing me with the service that was promised. And now I hear about all these security issues!.. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I don't want to continue paying for- or be charged for leaving- this substandard network.
10 Jan 2011 06:48:31 PM: I am currently going through the same thing. I tried voda help but am now going through the TIO (theres a link for them in the 'How to complain' at top of page)
10 Jan 2011 06:52:45 PM: sad to see how far vodafones fallen

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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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11796 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is at 10 Jan 2011 05:13:12 PM
Living in North Wollongong in 2010 you would think think that mobile phone reception would be high but no. I constantly have no signal and the 'Network Lost' message on my iphone screen. I occassionally in one corner of the townhouse have one bar of signal but this means it takes a long time to load anything and if i dare go for a walk in the house or go to get something the signal will drop and i will lose my call. I have no signal in Westfield Figtree and often when i am driving i will lose signal which is scary considering i commute and hour to work, i would hate to ever break down as i wouldn't be able to call anyone. I am very often inconvenienced by this and regret getting a contract with vodafone, i am a very frustrated customer...

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11794 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is VERY FAIL at 10 Jan 2011 04:53:10 PM
I have full reception and 3G coverage however nothing will load on my internet unless I switch off, then back on or go into flight mode and turn it off again.

I may get a missed call and if they leave a voicemail, will not get notification for maybe a day or two at times.
10 Jan 2011 04:54:09 PM: I forgot to mention... am in the Western Suburbs of Sydney... Penrith to be exact!

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11793 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is at 10 Jan 2011 04:50:04 PM
I run my own personal training business, and vodafone is costing me my clients!! My phone has no reception for hours on end, cuts out at least 3/4 times during a conversation and is not consistent with Internet coverage/ connection for emails! I am sick of vodafone and want my contract dis continued without paying the rest of my contract! VODAFONE IS COSTING ME CLIENTS!!
10 Jan 2011 05:16:22 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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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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11788 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is digging an even deeper hole ? at 10 Jan 2011 04:30:23 PM
After contacting them today to cancel a contract which they said they were previously allowing, I was told that 'I' have to prove in '3 ways' how Vodafone has failed me ? I was told, "you can say poor coverage" or something else, and then told how 'I' have to document it and then go to a store to "prove it". Obviously after their little team meeting this morning this is the new directive, but are they kidding ? Idiots !! Good luck with your PR disaster, makes for a really great case study in PR FAIL !!
10 Jan 2011 04:40:18 PM: BPity the poor Voda employee I met today. He's a Business IT student and absolutely exasperated and embarrassed. My "canceled" contract has been reactivated within hours!!
10 Jan 2011 04:43:03 PM: Contact the TIO, it will be much quicker and alot less painful :) Check out the 'How To Complain' link at the top of the page :)

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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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11783 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is terrible at 10 Jan 2011 04:16:22 PM
repeated bad reception and now loss of all contactsand sim failure due to security breach,have been on phone for last 4hrs trying to get through to customer care.This is a private number but god help people with a buisness.

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11782 Someone from WA thinks vodafone is Moderate at 10 Jan 2011 04:06:18 PM
From Friday 07/01 friends on Vodafone have been unable to call or send text messages to my number (Telstra NextG). Fruther testing shows they cannot perform these actions to any Testra mobile, but other networks seem to be receiving communication.

Anyone else experiencing this specific problem?

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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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11778 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is JUST A IDEA! at 10 Jan 2011 03:57:10 PM
How about a class action agaist 3/vodafone Breach of contract . Failure to provide an acceptable level of coverage and service !
10 Jan 2011 04:00:13 PM: YES! YES AND YESSSS!!!! This is "Vodabusted"
Just found out my phone still connected after canceling today!

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11777 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is at 10 Jan 2011 03:50:01 PM
Vodafone's reception is a joke!!! After going to the store just to buy a normal prepaid phone for my work they talked me into buying an iphone with a 24 month contract paying $80 a month. The reception doesn't work much in the city let alone in ANZ Head Quarter's building, my calls drop out, i get a message 8-9 times a day telling me to change my service connection, my text messages dont send for 3-4hours and it take 4-5 hours for me to recieve any texts.

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11775 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Selling products and services illegally and against Consumer Protection Laws. at 10 Jan 2011 03:45:50 PM
I have all the usual problems, as stated on this forum;

faded calls, dropped-out calls, no messages recieved, phone doesnt ring when a call comes through...:-<

My issue No 1. Now, im not an expert in the telco industry, so how am I to know whether it is my phone or Vodafail coverage? Why should I have to make this distinction, is this not Vodafails and my phone retailers job? Why cant they resolve these very basic issue, and why are they marketing AND CHARGING for these obviously faulty products and service!!

Issue No. 2 Why as consumers, are we not covered by the basic consumer laws that state, when you buy a service or a product that fails to meet the requirements that are being paid for and that were laid down in the contract, you are entitled to a return, credit refund, or total refund?

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11773 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is failing badly at 10 Jan 2011 03:42:29 PM
I live in point cook, sanctuary lakes, there is no reception at home or even in my drive way, occassinaly i can get a clear signal but most times none. I miss out on voicemails from work and from colleagues asking me to work. I also miss out on calls from family overseas. This has been frustraing the past year. I hope they fix the problem.

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11771 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is at 10 Jan 2011 03:36:11 PM
Having absolutely no reception for my usb modem at all, unable to even connect and still being charged normal amount for this stupid service!!! wasting money on the 30 min + phone calls i was making every week to speak to someone i couldn't understand, being put on hold and then being told "someone will call you back mam" too many times i have waited and waited for someone to call back and no one ever does! its completely obvious that i have had connection problems as one of the operators told me that he could see no usage on my account for 4 months!!! its a joke! THEN....they try and make me pay a cancelation fee for wanting to cancel my contract!!! and they wonder why a totally genius website like this has been created!!!

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11767 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is no coverage but promised. at 10 Jan 2011 03:20:51 PM
Many tourists from overseas are told vodaphone will work in Lightning Ridge. But there is no service here ( Telsrtra, optus, mob 3 are all OK ). They get really angry. Esp at weekends when they cannot buy another phone. I have tried to talk to vodaphone with no response.The ombudsman says go to ACMA they say go to the ombudsman. Please put a sign at sydney/Brisbane airport and shipping terminal do not buy vodaphone if visiting Lightning Ridge. Last year we got 26,000 visitors. People lost and in aircraft also get angry when their phone does not work.

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11766 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is NEVER EVER AGAIN at 10 Jan 2011 03:20:26 PM
Office 7 KM from Melbourne CBD and no signal , calls always drop out. Advised to get new phone . Done that ! Still the same . I was then advised that it must be the tower/network ! It will be up graded over the next 3 months (9 months ago ! Contract has 5 months to go then HALLOOO! TELSTRA / OPTUS

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11762 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is No reception where promised ! at 10 Jan 2011 03:15:11 PM
Lightning Ridge, NSW got 26,000 visitors registered last year.
Many and others were from overseas and had been told their vodaphones work here.
Some stay for up to a week buying opal. Vodaphone does not work in L.Ridge. People refuelling aircraft, lost etc are very angry that their phones do not work. Many are told by vodaphone that they will. Please put a sign at sydney/brisbane airport Vodaphone does not work in L Ridge.I have tried talking to voda sales staff and emailing. The ombudsman said go to ACMA who said go to ombudsman. I am not a customer !!!!!

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11757 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is very fucking fail at 10 Jan 2011 03:07:24 PM
reception sucks

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11756 Someone from ACT thinks vodafone is AWESOME at 10 Jan 2011 03:07:03 PM
Let me guess, 80% of you have iPhones? or smart phones?
iPhones have killed the network
the rest of you just wanna bi**h online
10 Jan 2011 03:19:21 PM: If vodafone want to blame the iPhones then they shouldn't sell them. If you offer the product, you support it with your network. Simple as that.
10 Jan 2011 07:41:37 PM: MY girlfriend and i both own iPhones and have perfect recption. But the less than 5% of people not getting coverage that they find acceptable, regardless of the handset they are using should be able to receive a compensation or leave their contract without penalty
16 Jan 2011 12:22:47 PM: So stop offering "unlimited" and phone data plans like 6 Gig for $20. You sell something and then complain it's not your fault when people try to use what they've sold you????? What planet are you on?

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11751 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is mega uber at 10 Jan 2011 02:39:41 PM
Constant call drop outs when I live in a major urban area, on top of a hill, and even the top level of an apartment building.... it should be ultimate coverage here! It caused a family arguement as someone thought I was hanging up on them and then couldn't get through when they phoned back.... Thanks Vodafail on causing a few tears!!

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11750 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Not at all at 10 Jan 2011 02:34:39 PM
I have found Vodafone fantastic, i have been with them since 2001. (both NZ and AU). Staff are great, never had a problem with them at all. counter staff have never been anything but helpful. found the coverage better than optus by far. the phones themselves have never been a problem - nokias, sony ericssons.
10 Jan 2011 02:57:05 PM: Ive also never had all these problems, ive been with vodafone for 7 -8 years and phones has maybe dropped out 5times...
iPhones and all smart phones a S**T and thats why your all having reception problems
VODAFONE IS BETTER THAN TELSTRA at least you can talk to a person
10 Jan 2011 03:21:25 PM: hahaha did you get paid to write that comment? havent your realised half the time vodafone has 1 bar reception or no connection? vodafone better than telstra? hahahahha next joke please
10 Jan 2011 03:54:39 PM: obviosly not paid much, cos comment aint worth s#@t
10 Jan 2011 07:19:59 PM: Not everyone is experiencing network issues. This post just proves it. I'm sitting in Benowa (5 mins out of Surfers) and I have perfect reception.
Just because you have a problem, it doesn't mean that everyone does!
10 Jan 2011 07:30:32 PM: @ 10 Jan 2011 09:19:59 PM, We realise not everyone is experiencing problems, as a matter of fact I have a friend that swears by Vodafone. However this site is just a small percentage of the customers that are experiencing major network problems, and believe me alot of people do not know about this site nor do they post on websites about this sort of stuff. If everyone did know about this site and posted about the problems they are experiencing you could guarantee the number of posts would be alot bigger.

@10 Jan 2011 04:57:05 PM, it is funny, I keep hearing vodafone employees blaming the iphone and smart phones in general, yet they work perfectly fine on Telstra and Optus networks. The only inconsistent is the Vodafone network that cannot cope with the extra bandwidth smart phones require.

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11749 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is Megafail at 10 Jan 2011 02:33:49 PM
In short: for the last month (and for some time before that but not to
the same extent), I have experienced terrible service from Vodafone.
Calls dropping out repeatedly, text and voicemail messages not arriving
or being very delayed, network dropping out completely and needing
repeated reboots of the phone, and extremely slow data. This is in every
location, not just at my home.

My experience of calling Vodafone has been:
1. The network team telling me it's a problem with my phone (iphone 3GS)
2. The iphone team telling me it's a problem with the network
3. The network team telling me that it is a problem with the network at
my house but that I then needed to talk to the iphone team
4. The iphone team telling me that is incorrect and I have to deal with
the network team to troubleshoot
5. Call dropped out
6. Spoke to the technical department who told me there was no problem
with the network at my house
7. Asked to speak to the disconnections department after being sick of
waiting and getting shuffled around
8. Disconnections department telling me that there is a well documented
issue with the vodafone network in Melbourne due to the 3 merger but
they could only disconnect me without a fee if I spoke to the network
team
9. I informed her I didn't want to wait another 45 min on hold so could
she have network call me back
10. Waited for call back, never happened
11. Called back and spoke to technical team who said they could only
escalate me to network if I troubleshooted with them which I couldn't at
the time as only phone around was my mobile which I was using
12. Called back later on my partner's phone, kept waiting over 45 min
only for the call to cut out
13. Next day spoke to technical team again, troubleshooted but this did
not help
14. Advised that could only escalate further if I could document 3 drop
outs at my house over 72 hour period, and if claiming a widespread
problem it must be 3 drop outs in each of 3 different documented
locations
15. Over weekend have had repeated delayed texts, call drop outs and
ridiculously slow data but in widespread locations including my home.


I emailled this to Vodafone customer help because i couldn't bear to deal with Lara and her mega wait time and this is the reply I received:

"RESPONSE:
Question: Why is there an unusual or unexpected charge on my current bill?
Answer:
View our online Bill Explainer here

If you notice unusual or unexpected charges on your bill, this may be due to the following reasons:

1. If this is your first bill since connecting to Vodafone, all standard charges for new accounts are charged from the date of connection until the start of the next bill cycle, plus one month of access charged in advance. This monthly fee charged in advanced will cover the next billing period. On your second bill, there will only be one monthly access charge. This is for your next billing period and is paid in advance. If you change plans, part of the monthly access charge that you have paid in advance wil be credited on a pro-rata basis................" etc. etc.

What the...?


10 Jan 2011 02:58:30 PM: iPhone are very bad, there reception is crap on every network ive tried i have a blackberry now with vodafone and its perfect
10 Jan 2011 03:22:05 PM: Vodafone call centre person told me that it is my iPhone's fault because they need too much bandwidth. HOWEVER - 6 months ago and all before that, my service and data speed were perfect! They can't blame the product. And besides that, by selling me a phone on a 24 mth contract they are endorsing it and agreeing to support it, so its just rubbish. It's the network and nothing else.

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11748 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Total at 10 Jan 2011 02:24:24 PM
Woeful 3G coverage - Cabarita NSW. I am now operating on one bar of 2G cover in the very same place where I used to get six bars of 3G. Jumping thru hoops to eliminate any issues with my phone etc. Promises of call backs to advise where investigations are at - never happen. Hugely long wait times in support queues. I just want to cancel my service - nothing else. No compensation, just let mt quit!!!

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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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11744 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Extremely Fail at 10 Jan 2011 01:58:17 PM
Just tried calling customer care & after going through the menu i get "We have experienced a technical difficulty, you will have to hang up & try again"
Tried the 1300 number also & got the same result :O/

Ironically i am ringing as i have two weeks left on my contract & i want out as i can't get 3G reception where i am.

Not even being able to call customer support in business hours is a massive FAIL!!!

Thank god i will be rid of vodafone in a fortnight...

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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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11740 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is extremely poor at 10 Jan 2011 01:46:10 PM
They are arrogant, poor with billing, extremely poor with reception, hopeless when called ipon and thats when they finally take you off hold.

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11738 Someone from VIC thinks vodafone is at 10 Jan 2011 01:32:22 PM

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11737 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is very at 10 Jan 2011 01:32:13 PM
i have been a vodafone customer for 15 years. I am with crazy johns at the moment. i am going to see them soon to see if i can get out of my contract. I am thinking of going with three. although i think they use the vodafone network, friends of mine are with them and have no problems. when i go out country the three phone gets service and the vodafone/crazy johns one doesn't...
10 Jan 2011 02:24:37 PM: They are two separate networks.
3 customers are still using the 3 network and are still roaming on Telstra like me. Not to say that you may still have the same issue. Good luck.

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11734 Someone from SA thinks vodafone is So painfully slow at 10 Jan 2011 01:18:25 PM
Cant get coverage with this 3G wireless broardband. and when you do its so slow
it actually slows the whole computer, Recently I had to get the Vodafail software upgraded as the whole thing would work and now its worse. Programs not connected to the internet in any way go slower when I am connected. At one stage the whole thing locked up for just over an hour.

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11732 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is Very at 10 Jan 2011 01:07:05 PM
No or little Vodafone Broadband coverage in Merinda or Townsville even though the Vodafone website says I should have full access. If I wasn't on a contract I'd change over in a heartbeat.
10 Jan 2011 03:25:29 PM: vodafone are not upholding their end of their contract to provide you with the service that you pay for. so in reason, you should not be obliged to pay. forward an online complaint form to the TIO and they should get it sorted for you

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11731 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is Useless at 10 Jan 2011 01:05:12 PM
I just tried to make two 5-10 minute phone calls to two friends, and each conversation was doubled in length simply because the service dropped out 3-4 times on each call. Not only that, when I could hear my friends, the connection was so garbled that I couldn't understand a third of what they were saying. I live in Beacon Hill on Sydneys Northern Beaches, and the connection is worse than in some of the country areas I regularily visit. I've had better mobile phone reception and connections in towns like Cootamundra or Stockinbingal than I do in Sydney - one of Australias largest cities! This is pathetic, and as soon as my contract is up, I will be switching back to Telstra.

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11729 Someone from NSW thinks vodafone is beyond the fail at 10 Jan 2011 01:00:41 PM
Has anyone else had THIS fantastically handy feature added to their Vodafone service- Vodafone has apparently decided that sometimes my phone and I need a rest from the exhausting act of taking a call, and it will tell callers that "This number is not registered to receive incoming calls. Please try again later."

Thank goodness for this little message, which pops up completely randomly, irrespective of perfect reception, phone company, landline callers, SIM cards (tried three), or phone itself (tried two), because without it basically telling callers to Bugger Off in no uncertain terms, I would be ridiculously worn out by answering calls- perhaps ones inquiring about the job application I sent in with my mobile number splashed all over it (as my laughable "contact" number), and who knows, maybe it has saved me from the horror of actually getting a job and maybe earning enough money to get a couple of cans and a piece of string and found my very own super-reliable communication network.

The really big selling point of this feature is that thanks to being untamed by the easy-fix laws of Happens-Every-Damn-Time, I have no way of knowing when I am missing calls and therefore can not answer a call with a completely clear conscience, none of that ooh-really-can't-be-bothered-to-talk-to-that-guy guilt.

It also makes it an excellent party trick to take into the Vodafone stores, winning every round of Pin The Look of Bamboozlement on the Employee, not to mention Pass the Too-Hard Parcel- after three in-store attempts at "service", each time with a different version of "we think you are an idiot, have you tried pressing the power button until the screen lights up prettily and says ON?", I have been directed to call Customer Care...last time I tried that, I spoke with a lovely gentleman who very much enjoyed practising his English with me as we traded saying my address back and forth forty times before he could verify my identity. After that, I was pretty sure I didn't want to be me anymore anyway, and could only imagine how the technical service part of the call might go...So I saved the last shred of my sanity by doing what my phone likes best- hanging up.


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11727 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is EPIC! at 10 Jan 2011 12:42:19 PM
Last year i had to send the same handset off over 6 times in less than 12month for :repair" when i got it back each time it would FAIL in a new way so i would take it back. i was without a fphone for near a year. they then agreed to give me a free upgrade on a new contract when i got the new fone it wasnt compatible with the network so i sent it back but wasnt able to pick a new phone till they had gotten the old 1 back that i sent next day delivery 6weeks later they said they still hadnt got it yet, so i waited for the htc desier hd asked if it would be 100% compatible was told yes it would when i got it i found out it wasnt. During this time i was given bad service from rude customer care getting put on hold for up to 3 hours! never getting calls back and people who couldnt understand me. I have been with vodafone for 9yr this is the worst its ever been and i am concerned about my personal information i want out like yetsrerday!
10 Jan 2011 03:11:51 PM: thats the handset not the provider?
10 Jan 2011 04:38:53 PM: Similar to that's the car......not the road????
12 Jan 2011 12:23:22 AM: No, similar to your car is screwed, doesn't matter what the condition of the road is. If you have a car that keeps breaking down do you blame the RTA?
20 Jan 2011 01:03:11 AM: http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/909293/fromItemId/142
Oy Vodafone! Can't you read, or do you even lie when you make promises to the ACCC. It's not your buddies at the TIO.