6 Jan 2011 03:02:13 PM: boo hoo.

do you live in the blue mountains or something

26 Dec 2010 10:25:21 AM: Contact TIO.Document EVERYTHING.Better if you make your contact number not a VF sim. Keep a rough diary of your whereabouts offline.

26 Dec 2010 09:26:39 AM: We unblocked your stores IP and your first post is off-topic. Your IP has now been blocked.

26 Dec 2010 08:44:30 AM: btw, people = relatives, not VF support...

26 Dec 2010 08:20:53 AM: If you are looking to cancel you'll have to contact Customer Care, retail stores don't have the access required to cancel contracts.

26 Dec 2010 10:18:54 AM: I would call the TIO and get the ball rolling.

26 Dec 2010 10:27:09 AM: Contact TIO.Document EVERYTHING.Better if you make your contact number not a VF sim. Keep a rough diary of your whereabouts offline.

27 Dec 2010 11:50:13 AM: TIO, TIO and away you go.

I've had to do it with both Optus and Vodafoney at different times. After being given the runaround for weeks. ONE CALL to the TIO ( who will give you a completely different complaints number at the carrier in question). And I was released both time IMMEDIATLY !

They can do it when they have to. They just don't want to.

26 Dec 2010 12:49:50 AM: Contact the TIO and keep a record of everything, AND the time you spend trying to get what you are paying for.

27 Dec 2010 07:10:55 AM: told turning off the 3G to go onto the 2G? This would give you less signal strength, and less available network areas because the 3G is more powerful. Is that what they call a fix? What a joke that is!

27 Dec 2010 07:14:07 AM: Thats not what people are paying for. A less powerful coverage and less area reception for the same price? You are joking aren't you? Yeah, LETS change back to the 2G network, but keep paying the same cost. Is this what Vodafone are making people do to fix the problem? You are being ripped off blind people!!!

25 Dec 2010 08:03:56 PM: true story

25 Dec 2010 08:19:26 PM: That's not true.

26 Dec 2010 12:59:00 AM: I did a search on the first few wordss and found http://www.google.com.au/search?q= percent22As an employee I can confirm that the issue is %22&hl=en&num=30&lr=lang_en&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs= so,it looks as if it is true it is one another forum.

26 Dec 2010 04:23:28 PM: It is true, in fact its on the Vodafone blog.

27 Dec 2010 07:17:30 AM: busted! @ 25 Dec 2010 10:19:26 PM - Go you vodafone worker, working overtime for no pay haha

27 Dec 2010 08:25:29 AM: yeah notice the free calls were for a saturday... too bad if you are a contractor and thats you main form of contact during the week did help those people did it.. The reception in the city even is quite often poor. the phone has no reception then an hour later it rings with a message from a missed call... yet you have not moved.

26 Dec 2010 06:16:30 AM: Lucky you, still managed to call them. Me?? NOT AT ALL!! calls always failed til now.

27 Dec 2010 05:33:08 PM: Yeah I had same issue. If I was able to actually get through I could talk for a couple of minutes, then dropped out, and had to wait to get another call to connect for it to drop out after 5 mins! so frustrating!!

26 Dec 2010 10:37:16 PM: I don't understand if its that bad, just change networks, thats what I did.... Or see the positive in it all, your phone bill will be way cheap as your not making many calls... ;-)

27 Dec 2010 06:51:33 AM: That is what everyone wants to do is leave. Release everyone from the contracts vodahone Now!

27 Dec 2010 12:30:52 PM: "see the positive in it all, your phone bill will be way cheap as your not making many calls... ;-)" - um, FAILED LOGIC. People are already PAY FOR THE SERVICE ON A CONTRACT/CAP. A SERVICE THEY ARENT RECEIVING OR GETTING WHAT THEY PAID FOR..

26 Dec 2010 01:20:07 AM: Years ago most Coles Myer staff at the customer face to face level were no better, and that's when I knew the problems were further up the food chain. That proved true, and one result was the jailing of someone very high up, and other major legal action involving very senior people. I would rather not describe the history, and current health of the Coles Myer group at all inaccurately- it's not too hard to look it up.

26 Dec 2010 11:28:21 AM: And look at Myer now, they separated from Coles and went back to the traditional way of running things and they have improved their customer service so much! I went in twice over Christmas and I couldn't stand still in the place for longer then 30seconds without having the offer of assistance. Things can change guys, what may be shit now won't always be shit.

26 Dec 2010 03:54:09 PM: I think it's fair to add that it will always be sh!t until Vodafone, like Coles Myer, wonder where all their (customers and) profit went, and change the people up the top, so that positive changes can be implimented throughout the business.I believe Coles Myer had to sell off their jewel, Officceworks, in order to stay in business. It gets more interesting, but off-topic. You may have found that level of attentiveness almost anywhere because retail has been very very slow this Xmas.

27 Dec 2010 11:30:59 AM: Thats what I love about these websites, anyone can say anything whether its true or not. Coles Myer did not sell Officeworks, Wesfarmers bought Coles Myer. Officeworks is still part of that group - and still a crap place to shop in my opinion. Vodaphone is not a 'bricks and mortar' retail type business, so comparing them with Coles Myer is nonsensical. All Telcos are accused of poor customer service, some complaints are deserved but I would hazard a guess that many are made by born whingers!

27 Dec 2010 07:22:09 AM: hahaha funny but soo true!

24 Dec 2010 03:29:05 PM: join the class action

24 Dec 2010 04:18:57 PM: Well what did you want him to do, get out his screwdrive and fix the network just for you??.... fool

24 Dec 2010 04:19:42 PM: I doubt this would have happened. Are you telling us the full story? And can was safely assume that you weren't aggressive or cussed?

If so, then you need to complain to the store manager so (DON'T POST NAMES -Vodafail) can be disciplined.

24 Dec 2010 04:20:09 PM: can we*

24 Dec 2010 04:33:19 PM: I saw something similar happen at bondi junction store today. It was no fault of the customer.
Help ACCC, Vodafone needs the boot.

24 Dec 2010 08:02:04 PM: Seems like another example of receiving a 'bad reception' from Vodafone.

24 Dec 2010 09:19:48 PM: I also got incredibly bad service at the VODAFONE BONDI JUNCTION store on the bottom level of Westfeilds. I decided to go in for 1 last ditched attempt to get some help before canceling my contract. The staff were useless, unhelpful and rude. I even told them I was considering canceling my contract... Still nothing. No concern whatsoever. I walked out and right into Telstra next door and signed up on the spot.

25 Dec 2010 10:36:39 AM: I thought there were rules about posting staff names..

25 Dec 2010 10:58:44 AM: There is, the posts have been edited. We take posting personal details quite seriously and would ask everyone to refrain from doing so. If you are concerned details have been posted and we have not moderated them straight away, please email someone@vodafail.com

25 Dec 2010 11:20:06 AM: Thank you Vodafail, a response like that will make the staff feel a bit more secure about responding here.

25 Dec 2010 11:38:40 AM: Yea it's a bit tough to get through reading all the posts very quickly but we're working on speeding up the process. Ideally we would like constructive comments from both sides but it's understandable that a lot of people are quite upset with the service they've received. I know I certainly am and hopefully this forum brings all those issues out in the open.

24 Dec 2010 04:20:57 PM: Vodafone is actually making substantial investments in its network to improve its performance. Many news papers have been reporting this already. Please read around first.

24 Dec 2010 04:29:41 PM: Above poster, Vodafone have been all talk no action? Its all good saying they are making investments but is there any real evidence of this todate? Nope....

24 Dec 2010 04:37:04 PM: Of course not... If you made an announcement that you were spending $500 million in improving the network yesterday do you expect that you can finish all the necessary infrastructure tomorrow (or within a months time)? All staff know the amount of hard work and progress the company is trying to make through internal bulletins that have been distributed every week updating us.

24 Dec 2010 05:31:16 PM: and i take it YOU are an employee? why dont u make a we love vodafone site and leave this one to us who are treated like shit

24 Dec 2010 07:13:39 PM: Yes... I am an employee. I love how its changed from a talk about the facts (i.e. the network) to a personal attack on myself now. Yes, I admit our network isn't perfect, and there are some things that I'm not a real fan of in the company but at least I'm stating the facts. I empathize that some customers may not feel like they are treated well, but this isn't the case for a majority of customers. There are so many Vodafone employees who really go the bounds to deliver great customer service.

24 Dec 2010 10:43:02 PM: There are so many Vodafone employees who really go the bounds to deliver great customer service..............and that great customer service is what exactly???? I really would like to know.

27 Dec 2010 07:34:38 AM: you cant blame the worker obviously, its not at his level to do anything, as its a total network problem, the local guy that answers the phone cant do sh!t about it and should just say. I believe they would try to do whatever they can,and try all day to do it, but to just tell you they cant fix anything, they wouldnt have a job tomorrow would they, cos they would be sacked. Anything an employee would say here, would be only half the real matter of fact, as is with any employee stating their own workplace.

24 Dec 2010 06:07:44 PM: Welcome to the site. Can't really comment about Vodafone in India but it is interesting to see that Vodafone can have dubious practice elsewhere. As far as the calls to your dear father are concerned suggest the following: 1/ In Oz there is something called a silent number, supposedly to prevent cold calling to your landline, it also removes your number from the phone directory (White Pages) odd thing is you have to pay for a service you don't want!! Oh the irony! 2/ Script your father or the person that answers the phone a short message to the effect that is the calls persist you shall be taking legal action for harassment and reporting the matter to the Telecom Sector Ombudsman (TSO). 3/ Change your number...........only as a last resort!!! Good luck and let us know how you get on.

24 Dec 2010 07:35:01 PM: Completely agree. What an eloquent post. I too feel for most of the voda store employees, and the ones I have spoken to have been nice and understanding of the issues since they are experiencing it themselves. But there are a handful commenting on this website who are bitter to the point of being rude and arrogant. I hope they realise they are just making themselves and vodafone look even worse.

27 Dec 2010 07:42:18 AM: it is against Company Policy to comment either good or bad regarding Vodafone if you are an employee of the Company, this is directly for the media spokesperson for Vodafone to make, not for you to act apon. Consider yourselves warned, but for the rest of us, BRING IT ON - TELL US AND THEM HOW IT REALLY IS!

27 Dec 2010 09:09:04 AM: Have you not heard of free speech. Anybody and everybody is entitled to it without someone issuing threats. If they submit an honest view that is good enough. Any Company the resorts to threats against it's own staff is on the to
oblivion.

27 Dec 2010 09:28:43 AM: Agree, have they paid the money they owe India yet

27 Dec 2010 10:26:51 AM: No, just about every mid-large size organisations have policies which ban employees from making public comment. They do so at risk of having their employment terminated. Right or wrong, companies employ specialist communications people to handle media etc.

27 Dec 2010 01:09:32 PM: Yep they're known as "spin doctors" because they can twist and turn anything into a fine yarn. If an employee of a company is told to pull the wool over the customers eyes that is wrong, they should be encouraged to tell the truth not the "spin" as dictated by the PR companies. They are contracted and paid well to distort the truth. I should know because I am one of them, but VF is not one of my clients.

27 Dec 2010 01:12:22 PM: Since when is lying acceptable corporate or social behavior?

28 Dec 2010 10:34:52 AM: "27 Dec 2010 11:09:04 AM: Have you not heard of free speech" - I certainly have and what's more I actually know what the phrase means and no, it does not mean that a person can say whatever they like.

25 Dec 2010 01:59:27 PM: Last I checked our network team is actually based in Aus. Makes it hard to physically work on a network whilst overseas, logically. However the Customer Care team are still able to check the status etc from overseas. Seems you were misinformed.

26 Dec 2010 11:46:45 AM: 'the last time you checked' ??? when was that - 2003??? you know what i'm talking about - nice try vodafail

26 Dec 2010 01:06:19 PM: Actually last time I check would be less then 2 months ago. It's up to you what you chose to believe, I know trying to assist on this site is a lost cause because everyone is too busy seeing red but I haven't lied about anything yet.

24 Dec 2010 06:11:29 PM: Welcome to the site, just goes to show that Vodafail is in a global meltdown. Your antipodean cousins and others share your pain.

26 Dec 2010 04:08:39 PM: And yet, Vodafone has( and absolutely no doubt will again,) claimed to have had phonecalls that NEVER happenned. Really, these days, no matter who it is, it is prudent to keep records. Though, it is difficult to prove the non-existance of a phone conversation that never happened without a sub-poena. In your case, possibly easier. It would appear Vodafone are not slackers in deception skills.

27 Dec 2010 12:05:14 PM: Agree strongly appears It does appear that Voda has some major structural and cultural issues. Lets wait to see when the financial markets realise this company is destroying shareholder value. Watch the share price with interest. http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=VOD.L

24 Dec 2010 10:12:31 AM: Yea good idea, also if you are not comfortable posting but have some information you would like to release, email someone@vodafail.com - I've spoken to some staff and they have said they suffer similar issues with reception and dropped calls but they can't talk about it.

24 Dec 2010 11:01:02 AM: There's been no official gag order sent to our store, but don't expect many stores to post as Vodafail itself has started block store IPs for "spamming", even if most posts are an attempt to defend or assist.

24 Dec 2010 02:31:43 PM: Yes that is correct, we have started blocking a few stores from posting because they posted a significant number of comments with little content. This included directly insulting individuals, racist and derogatory remarks. Some of the posts from stores were informative and quite good however of the over 40 posts made on a single day, only 5-10 had relevant content. I cannot spend all day constantly moderating the rest of the dribble that was posted by your stores.

24 Dec 2010 07:22:05 PM: So far we had blocked two stores from posting due to excessive low content and off topic posting. We have now removed this block however please contribute constructively like some of the other stores / vodafone employees that we have not blocked. We want a frank and honest discussion about the issues so stay on topic. Thanks -Vodafail.

25 Dec 2010 02:23:35 AM: One avenue IS the TIO. Don't expect it to be easy or satisfactory. It is better than not doing anything. And ultimately, the customers pay the costs of the fees.They don't learn a lesson. If they had been learning anything, why are contracts and plans still so confusing and why is the never-endingavalanche of phones launched onto the market STILL so full of dogs- dogs that are sold into our market after overseas countries, when they know what is wrong with the phones, and still they turn up here? I would like to meet ONE person who got the phone they thought they paid/are paying for, that is working satisfactorily after 3 months, without going in for repairs.
If you want to hurt the telcos stop "upgrading", and stop spending so much money on the latest wizz bang toy/status symbol, passport to the "In Crowd". Phones are sold prepaid at about ten times the per month price.I have heard too many times that the iPhone 4 costs $6.45 to make, so all the parasites in between that $6.45 and you take their cut. A "fine" here, a broken contract there- a slight dip in profits. BYO mobiles, but them secondhand- I don't know-THINK OUTSIDE THE BLOODY SQUARE!

25 Dec 2010 10:38:41 AM: It costs a lot more then $6.45, do some checking on Gizmodo and you'll find out the real price.

25 Dec 2010 01:50:09 PM: I did some checking, and there was a lot of variation on the numbers- even though the different websites may have all been sourcing their info from the same sources- (and they may not be reliable),but even @ $140, that's still a lot of fat.And I hope the screen is less fragile than on the one before. More than once I have heard different people almost bragging that they were on their 3rd screen (is the subtext "I'm hipper than you because I've had my status symbol longer than you"? or "I'm cool with this year's object of desire being so fragile"?)

25 Dec 2010 02:09:00 PM: $140 would seem closer to the mark, but there are two things to keep in mind with this though. Markup will always occur, in every industry with every product. Companies are in business to make money. Heck, bread at your local Coles costs .20c to make, and sells for $3-4, percent wise a massive mark up. The second thing to remember is that Vodafone don't set the price, Apple do. When it comes to companies holding control over the how's and why's of a product, Apple is the worst. The limited stock is due to them, the way it's sold is due to them etc. Oh and I just noticed the comment about Prepaids being as much as 10 times a monthly cost... It's a single outright payment vs 24 months contract, you'd be crazy to think that $179 (Most expensive of the prepaid range) is more expensive then a contract.

25 Dec 2010 11:35:52 PM: I'm no fan of Apple- (though I almost entered the world of Steve when I almost bought an iPod Classic, because I got a lot more storage for the money than a few 16G memory cards on my phone, and because I thought, on my pc, that Quicktime sounded better than anything else I had.I found a better,much less consumerist way to do what I wanted, and for less money.) What I was really writing about up there was about, in some measure, WE are part of the problem and we make it too easy for the telcos to rip us off.I think they factor in that they're not going to get away with selling dog phones, and bad reception and billing "errors" with everybody.They also know that they will wear most of us down to just accepting sh!t bcause it is too timewasting and debilitating to keep trying to right wrongs. Dumb- really dumb, is to assume it's going to be different when you"upgrade" to the new shiny dog, with a lousy telco, who will not have changed since the last time they failed to provide what they took your money for.I dare not suggest collusion, but I can't help noticing(except for Telstra) how similar, if not identical, the telcos prices are for phones and plans.(I have not researched that thoroughly, because going on a plan hasn't been something I've seriously considered.) I think we have crossed wires about the pre-paid thing. If a basic plan for a phone is,eg, &29 a month, if that phone is available pre-paid (not from Mobicity- that's different), that phone seems to cost about $290 before it drops into the bargain bin.BTW- bread costs more than that to make,and goes stale,which means its not all going to be sold,and complying with health regulations is a cost,etc etc.BUT, since most people eat bread and don't have/make/want to bake bread there is the opportunity to make a high profit. Perhaps the ACCC could take Apple on if they had hard facts about Apple's behavior, unless laws about what you've just described have changed since a few highly publicised court cases a few years back. Something, from where I'm looking,has given most of the telcos a sense of security that they can carry on the way they do. Having said that, I still think Vodafone,by far, is the worst.

25 Dec 2010 11:43:50 PM: The absolute, no one even close, WORST!

24 Dec 2010 09:12:57 AM: Thank you very much for informing us of the investigation. We will be sure to spread the word.

24 Dec 2010 09:55:58 AM: I've just signed up. Hopefully this goes ahead.
I can actually quantify my losses.

24 Dec 2010 10:53:12 AM: Thankyou just signed up hope this goes ahead as long as Vodafone is shown it's in the wrong I'm Happy & if any monetary gain awarded be a bonus to us all.

24 Dec 2010 07:47:26 AM: There are emergency situations everyday !!!, they dont have to be large scale to make a significant impact on you life. The simple act of telling your loved one that you will be home later than usual, AND CANT DUE TO NO NETWORK!!! has stress on everyone thinking that you have been killed or injured. Does the public need this level of stress and humiliation placed on their everyday lives. VODAFONE or VHA what ever you call yourselves these day, open your wallets and start spending some real money, no just band aid fixes

24 Dec 2010 04:25:18 PM: Although contacting a loved one wouldn't be possible if you didn't have proper network reception; in terms of a large scale emergency (life-threatening), you can dial 112 and your phone would use any network (voda or not) to connect you to authorities.

27 Dec 2010 12:20:48 PM: what about all our doctors and ambo's and firey's on call? if my service goes straight to voicemail half the time how are they sposed to be contacted in an emergency???

24 Dec 2010 07:41:03 AM: Thanks Two Thumbs down. it took me 3 trips to my local Vodafone dealer and 3 calls to so called customer service just to port my number across. WOW what an efficient company.

25 Dec 2010 10:19:47 AM: port your number to or from vodafone?

25 Dec 2010 07:19:32 PM: Ported my number from Vodafone to Telstra. The friendly folk at Telstra were so efficient, my number was ported before I even took my new phone out of the box. Turned my new phone on.in the Telstra store and it already had my number working.
There's no way in hell that would ever happen with voda.
By the way, been on Telstra for two days now. It is unbeluevable. no call

25 Dec 2010 07:20:37 PM: No calls dropped and amazing data speeds

26 Dec 2010 08:29:27 AM: Actually porting is handled by an external company that deals and accesses all Telcos, so it's not Telstra's efficiency that helped it. We frequently set up phones in store ready to go with ports daily. The number one cause for porting problems is incorrect account details provided to the telcos, so well done for getting it right, not many people fo :)

27 Dec 2010 07:27:45 AM: When I changed from Optus to Vodafone (mistake) I had to port my number through calling a Vodafone service (in India of course) despite being assured that my phone would be ready to go when I took it out of the box. This took them 4 days to organise as their systems were 'down'. So while it might be an external service that actually ports it, it still took Vodafone ages to actually arrange it.

27 Dec 2010 11:22:34 AM: Good advice and it works. Well almost they still try after 5 months. They have stopped now that I told them that they are harrasing me and I will press charges. NO more calls.

24 Dec 2010 05:25:53 AM: Where you drunk or on drugs when you were awake at 2.30am writing this message?

24 Dec 2010 07:10:43 AM: Clearly a married frustrated guy who cant get any from the missus, so he stays awake at night listening to everyone else misery stories. Vodafone is crap, get it in your head.

24 Dec 2010 07:26:00 AM: Unaustralian... what a freak

24 Dec 2010 08:05:57 AM: Yes of course, complaining is unaustralian, unamerican and unpatriotic. Complaining changes things and challenges people, governments and companies.

24 Dec 2010 08:16:42 AM: This is a democratic society, what that means is that we as citizens of this great country have the freedom to speak our minds, to whom ever we like. You say complaining, I say FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!, Vodafail, Keep up the good work.

24 Dec 2010 08:29:40 AM: WTF has divorce or cheating got to do with not having a network? In this instance being silent is where you sound the smartest.

27 Dec 2010 11:56:54 AM: what a complete muppet LOSER.. NOT MARRIED OR DIVORCED OR CHEATING (sounds like you are a very SAD person with a very SAD life, really WTF are you on about?), but cant get ANY signal bars at my workplace, a major university about 20 mins from the CBD..

Drive from Adelaide to Melbourne frequently, and have NO ACCESS for HUNDREDS of kilometres, on the main highway between 2 capital cities..

WHAT A BUNCH OF TOOLS

24 Dec 2010 12:06:32 AM: The good work? Employing you?

24 Dec 2010 05:26:52 AM: You obviously never use your phone. Or are very lucky. Well done!

24 Dec 2010 07:12:14 AM: Vodafone employee, stop trying to fool us! we know your a shame just like your company!, talk truth next time.

24 Dec 2010 07:27:00 AM: Yup keep using your Nokia 6130... will never let you down!

23 Dec 2010 09:54:54 PM: Actually it's all about me..........the customer.

23 Dec 2010 10:22:27 PM: Yeah your the customer , if u don't like them ... Leave they probably don't like u either! I'm a customer at alot of places everyday and don't feel the need to be a complaining waste of space , if I need to say something I say it and don't blame the individual person who is working their butt off in a thank-less job! I'm sure u wouldn't jump onto a website as soon as u had a good experience. Grow a pair and move on

23 Dec 2010 10:48:32 PM: On the contrary, only the other day I complimented someone on their customer service with a web comment and I followed it up with a phone call as well. The sales person, company rep, customer service agent, call it what you will is the shop window for the Organisation. They are the front line staff, the first individual that a customer deals with. As far as growing a pair is concerned, I have grown a pair and they are bigger than yours.

23 Dec 2010 10:55:47 PM: This isn't a matter of not liking the company, it's a matter of Vodafone advertising and selling a service they know they can't provide. Then they understaff their service centres so that people can't get their problems resolved. The people who work in Vodafone stores should be just as upset with Vodafone as the customers for making their jobs infinitely harder.

23 Dec 2010 11:09:05 PM: Hmm just to easy to not tell the truth online , isn't it. As far as the staff being the front window, I agree but does this mean they should be treated Like crap? They have the same issues with phones etc , instead of being rude , getting pissed off or ruining your health and others by being/ stressing others out just go to a different company ! If u had the choice of Vodafone and before even seeing if it worked ( personal responsibility ) pay your contract out and go! It's always someone else's fault , no one forced u into that shop.

23 Dec 2010 11:14:48 PM: Well let's hope there is some good from this website and the customers and staff can enjoy Vodafone ! Maybe some direct letters to the CEO asking for a direct response from him!

24 Dec 2010 11:30:18 AM: you are making gross assumptions that all customers treat the staff badly. sometimes frustration boils over, but what steps are Vodafone management taking to help alleviate the problem for staff and customers?
and as for the previous comment - "It's always someone else's fault , no one forced u into that shop." pardon? I entered a contract. I pay them, they supply service. I'm still paying them but where is my service? both phone and customer!

23 Dec 2010 09:41:39 PM: This is a precursor of things to come, probably best to get the ball rolling on the complaint process with the TIO.

24 Dec 2010 09:44:49 AM: Your port hasn't worked due to you not providing the correct details, that's not Vodafones fault or responsibility. In fact there's even a section on the paper work dedicated to porting and it asks you to provide the correct details. Either call or visit your local store and give them the correct details, will be quicker then Customer Care.

24 Dec 2010 10:11:50 AM: Have you returned the phones and have they stopped billing you?

24 Dec 2010 01:58:11 PM: Haven't returned phones yet, I'm still looking for another provider. As for billing me not hundred percent sure. They offered to waive my monthly costs earlier but have yet to take them up on it.

25 Dec 2010 02:34:40 AM: Are you still paying UNTIL you return yourphone?There are some good enough pre-paid phones around at the moment, and a couple newish telcos offering what looks like much better deals. Amuse yourself with something other than your phone. Your phone does NOT define who you are, any more than what brand of cigarette used to define who you were, or what tribe you aspired to belong to.

23 Dec 2010 09:55:48 PM: Are you for real?????

23 Dec 2010 10:53:50 PM: Wait, so Vodafone just blinding creates plans and caps without checking the capacity of their network? That's not entirely unsurprising but it is a new level of incompetence.

24 Dec 2010 05:30:11 AM: You're a weirdo. That's like saying don't blame the RTA for not fixing potholes in the road. Blame the fact you have a car!

24 Dec 2010 07:28:47 AM: OP. Stick to your Nokia 6130 and keep of the net. Thanks.

24 Dec 2010 10:07:43 AM: If you bought a phone based on Voodoofone ads featuring that phone and Ruby Rose, and that ad showed that phone being able to do such and such,(if you signed up with VF), did you know that you were signing up to that phone NOT being able to do that? No, because you don't find that out until AFTER you get the phone and all the settings. Then you phone VF about incorrect charges, only to be told that that phone is "incompatible with receiving that service".
To sign up for anything with VF after THAT would be a case of knowing that there's a good chance that you are likely to be ripped off.The ACCC needs to do its job and publicly expose Voodoofone for its numerous breaches of the Trade Practices Act, fine them so it hurts, and make people awawre just what a shonky operation Voodoofone Australia is. It will hurt shareholders financially as VF has ripped customers off. Maybe those shareholders will make the people responsible pay, because it seems the TIO and the ACCC and the government can't be bothered.

24 Dec 2010 11:25:16 AM: this is classic! I can only get an iphone on an account with Vodafone (in NZ) and yet it's MY fault the phone doesn't do everything THEY claim it will??

especially like the reply at 12.53.50am!

23 Dec 2010 05:58:35 PM: It's not the staff members choice, they aren't hiding them from existing customers, the system prevents them from doing it. Standard process for an upgrade is like this: Go into account, select new plan, enter IMEI number. As soon as an iPhone4 IMEI is entered the systems stops and doesn't let the staff proceed.

What the upgrade customers get though is a credit to their account when they upgrade over the phone, as well as being able to upgrade from the 21 month mark. New connects don't get that benifit.

Moral: It wasn't the staff that made the choice so don't act like they are decieving you.

23 Dec 2010 06:37:08 PM: proves that voda dont care about their existing customers

23 Dec 2010 06:44:24 PM: How does giving them a $30 credit, 3 months off their contract and a dedicated line prove that?

23 Dec 2010 07:26:45 PM: to the above poster. i have been fighting for months. i am not one of those people who is nasty when i come into store but i have been fighting. i have been having problems for 6 months. i have had ten sim swaps. 10! i finally this week have been released from my contract after 6 months of fighting. if voda knew about this problem before the public did why weren't they giving people this credit when they were ringing up with these issues?!?!?! why make so many of us suffer for months on end?!?!?! they didnt have to say the extent of the problems. just some sort of timeframe. in those 6 months i was told we are upgrading we are upgrading we are upgrading. upgrading to what? bare capacity? history with optus, telstra overseas networks would have told them how many people they could support on their infrastructure. why sign up all of these people when you cant support them. i can understand there has been some impact with everyone onto a smartphone like fat kids on cupcakes but not like this. anyone who wore massive termiation fees for leaving vodafone out of sheer frustration (over netowrk issues only) in the last six months should have their cases reviewd. look back to see if you got charged loads of connection fees and got overbilled too and see if you have a case as well

23 Dec 2010 08:07:07 PM: If you come into my store and try to trick me or call and try to trick me our little interaction and my ability to service your needs will end then and there. I don't need to be tricked to be trained up or to prove your misguided point. Having iphones in store is random and rare. Having a guaranteed upgrade processed through the upgrades team is a certainty and the extra freebies is icing on the cake. New customers are being treated secondary not upgrading customers. I urge you never to try that in my store. I won't be pleasant if you show a lack of respect and courtesy to any of my staff. -Store Manager

23 Dec 2010 09:12:59 PM: well said mr store manager :)

24 Dec 2010 07:22:05 AM: @ Store manager - and just where exactly is your store so that we can avoid trying to trick you????

24 Dec 2010 08:20:00 AM: Hey Mr Big man Store Manager. we dont need you to tell us to leave your store, your company is doing that job for you.

24 Dec 2010 10:29:37 AM: Store Manager- Just because people are Voodoofone customers, I don't think it is appropriate to speak to them like a primary school teacher. Voodoofone customers are not stupid and bad, and they will grow up and leave Voodoofone forever, while Voodofone has to engage in the practices outlined above to get new customers. Not unlike the ploys of the tobacco companies in the past.Aaah- I see now- I think I know where former tobacco company employees have found employment.

24 Dec 2010 11:10:36 AM: Listen to yourself, "Voodoofone", what are you 12? Perhaps if you acted like a normal person you might be treated like one. Making claims about staff when you have no idea just makes you seem ignorant.

24 Dec 2010 11:46:04 AM: 1:10:36 I'm sure it would be enriching if you illuminated us with what "normal" means to you? And please highlight the claims you allege I have made about staff. I do plead guilty to being ignorant of how disgusting Voodoofone is. I have been punished- I became a customer.Oh- and congratulations on using personal attacks instead of trying to defend the indefensible. It (the ad hominum) probably works well on Voodoofone customers, who must be stupid.What else would explain how they came to be Voodoofone customers? Apart from the sharp practices outlined by the first poster? Apart from believing false advertising?

24 Dec 2010 12:05:51 PM: A normal person would both understand that the staff are hired to perform a job. A childish title like "voodoofone" doesn't achieve anything other then show how much of a sad individual you must be. As for "personal attacks", you started of by referring to staff as ex tobacco spokespeople, associating the stigma of known PR Spinsters to simple sales people. Last I checked we weren't giving people cancer and claiming otherwise. The so called logical fallacy you refer to of vodafone customers being stupid is your comment, not mine. The thing is that this site represents the vocal minority not the happy majority. We still make sales, and we still have happy customers resign at the end of their contracts.

This whole post was about a person trying to decide a store in order to obtain a phone, one that is such a consumerist device at that. How is that the sales persons fault?

24 Dec 2010 12:08:12 PM: Should clarify, that's happy customers re-signing up. The iPhone doesn't have the greatest display for these text boxes.

24 Dec 2010 09:40:18 PM: 02:05:51 PM Please read what I wrote before carefully- It may have SUGGESTED that some ex -tobacco employees found employment with Vodafone. You would not be one as you have really only demonstrated fairly amateurish technique.Clumsy deceptive paraphrasing, a little bit of schoolteacher, quite a bit of personal attack, hyperbole, obvious lies,etc. Oh, and BTW, are you really oblivious to scientific publications, and the educated opinion of Dr Charlie Teo, possibly Australia's most skilled brain surgeon at present, on the correlation of mobile phone use and, in particular,brain tumours? Like tobacco products- not quite Law Court "proof"- but something just short of it.But, good chance that Voodoofon's share of the responsibilty will decline, partly because so many of its customers have so much trouble getting a signal to their handset.

25 Dec 2010 06:50:18 AM: Oh so because you suggested it, it somehow isn't a personal attack? So if I suggested that you were an idiot that wouldn't be a personal attack either? As for the work of Charlie Teo, (who's relevance to someone decieving a store to get an iPhone is a bit of a stretch), you'd be a bit naive to think that salespeople aren't aware of the the required SAR reading for all phone which represent how much radiation a phone produces whilst in a call. All phones being sold in Australia, and most civilized countries as well, are required to stay under the limit, and currently all phones Vodafone sell are legal. So please, find out some evidence of Vodafone giving brain tumors and also denying that they do give brain tumors, as that is what your insinuating.

Also no one is impressed with your supposed intellectual responses, all you come as now is someone looking for a fight. Perhaps the Vodafail staff should ban you for trolling, not like you've created any discussion of merit. Oh and that reminds me, as your posts are wildly of topic, where have I lied at all like you claim, go forth and provide a breakdown with proof.

25 Dec 2010 10:49:05 AM: Ok enough on this. Please do not personally attack people or draw obviously inappropriate comparisons between sales staff at the stores and cigarette company staff. We will not hesitate to block people from posting who consistently post low quality content. Please settle down, take a deep breath and enjoy the holidays. Thanks for your understanding -Vodafail.

25 Dec 2010 02:44:32 PM: 08:50:18 AM: Your last,almost incoherant rant, I think, demonstrated perfectly what I had written.Particularly clumsy deceptive paraphrasing. However, I'm not here to critique your performance in manipulating people, which,I believe, is exactly where YOU came into this post."deceiving a store"? A Voodoofone employee wailing about deception is priceless!That has actually made me laugh!We can stay very much on the topic of deception and Vodafone if you like.8-D I think the initial poster was writing about something else- Actually- well done-steering the attention away from that, and then employing the time-honored tactic of when the bullying doesn't work, whine to someone with more power. Personally, I hope the Moderator gives you a taste of what it's like to complain fruitlessly- then you may get a bit of empathy for most the people on this site and what they have experienced.

25 Dec 2010 06:07:04 PM: Have you actually read the initial post? It does clearly state he tried to get one by telling them he was with Optus, then revealing he was with Voda. Sounds exactly like deception to me, in fact there's numerous posts by people about said deception. I noticed you avoided pointing out the lies as well, couldn't find any or prove anything eh? The moderator actually warned you as well, not I. Move along, your time here is done. I'll be moving upwards to talk to normal people and assist as I can.

25 Dec 2010 06:49:13 PM: Yes please move on. The post at 23 Dec 2010 09:26:45 PM made a number of valid points and the VF employee made a number of valid points too. However the last few comments on both sides haven't been very useful or helpful. I can see you are both quite passionate and have contributions to make, so please keep it substantive and move along to different posts.

23 Dec 2010 06:38:34 PM: and dont let anyone tell you that it is just your iphone. my bf has a galaxy and it still drops out, my sis has a htc desire and it drops out.

25 Dec 2010 10:21:51 AM: Get over it, it says on the website and the phone that the bill in my vodafone, and 1512 is not updating properly, it is being resolved and in the operating system, where it matters, it will be correst. If you know you have paid it, you will be fine love ;)

23 Dec 2010 04:53:36 PM: Perhaps you should consult that dictionary more, your spelling is terrible.

23 Dec 2010 08:28:14 PM: no predictive text

27 Dec 2010 01:30:53 PM: Update from me. I got a phone call on Xmas eve advising that a specialist network rep would investigate all my issues. He waived this months entire bill (yet to be confirmed) and advised that I would receive a call the following day (Xmas day) to update me on the progress of their investigations. I queried whether they would be making followup calls on Xmas day and was advised yes. It is now 27th Dec and I have had no update and no calls from them whatsoever. I sincerely doubt that my bill has even been waived as promised. Stay tuned.

29 Dec 2010 01:54:59 PM: Another update from me, got a call from same guy as before in the 'high priority' complaints team (?) forgive me I didn't catch the dept name clearly. Not only have I been offered a waiver of this months invoice but also assured if this doesn't turn out well I will be released from my contract without financial penalty. I'm impressed not only at the tone of the response I have received but the fact I actually got a call back. I honestly don't want to change service providers. I hope this does get better! I guess I worded my complaint email rather well...Stay tuned. PS: Can't really confirm bill has been waived until I receive following invoice...

23 Dec 2010 03:24:33 PM: also, I was in Liverpool last Saturday, for around 15 minutes i couldent even connect to the Vfone network, i had to use a pay phone to locate my wife, then amazingly i got full reception, i did re noot my phone, go into airplane mode and back , reseat sim etc etc, sll failed.. just had NO signal. now i cant even trust that i can make phone calls so its back to living in the 80's were i have to use a pay phone, by the way its an iphone 3gs so that band could of bene dodgy, but still unacceptable..

23 Dec 2010 06:44:05 PM: you could say it was iphone but my bf has a samsung galaxy and his phone drops out too. we both work in bris cbd and its shit. iphone 4 had issues in the states but not here. i think it was the white one too because it is made out of different materials to the black one which is why they held off on selling it here. people who use iphone 4 on optus or telstra dont have problems.

23 Dec 2010 06:02:13 PM: We got 15 in store today, some people will be getting theirs for xmas :P

23 Dec 2010 06:45:49 PM: what a great staff member you are. pretty much rubbing it in the original posters face that they probably won't get one. you can see why vodafail started!

23 Dec 2010 08:26:40 PM: Nah. It's just random that they got stock. I've not had any for days.

26 Dec 2010 10:48:32 PM: I'm sure you would of been told prior to upgrading you wouldn't of been receiving your iPhones before Christmas? All this is pathetic! I'm sure none of you would appreciate attacks like this at a personal and work level? The company I work for isn't perfect, but when some thing goes wrong, I sure do stands by them! Everyone makes mistakes and things go wrong! It's not like Vodafone have turned around one day and said that today, there will be a lack of reception! Give the vodafone employees a break! If you were dealing with all this whinging all day I'm sure you wouldn't be the happiest people around either! I personally think if you really do need your phone that much and can't handle the service not working properly until this unfortunate issue gets resolved, you have very sad boring lives! Go get some sun! I'm sure everyone will be compensated some how for this issue!!

23 Dec 2010 11:34:47 PM: Maybe it's just you. This has been the best job I've ever had. The rewards, treatment, flexibility, pay has been phenomenal. Sure it's hard dealing with spoilt and unreasonable customers all day, but the good customers outweight the bad. Either you're lying about being an employee or someone pissed in your handbag.

23 Dec 2010 11:37:15 PM: That's just because you couldn't hack it being employed bet you are on the doll now

23 Dec 2010 11:37:16 PM: That's just because you couldn't hack it being employed bet you are on the doll now

24 Dec 2010 10:44:24 AM: 1:34:47- Is VF now trawling this site trying to find sales employees? How about VF paid them a lot of money for a while, and sooner or later, most of those people turned up work, but never worked a full shift, and never phoned to say they'd be off sick- they just didn't turn up, sometimes not for weeks,still being payed, and then, if confronted, they'd say they were aware you might have some issues and "sorry la la la ("Babe") ?

27 Dec 2010 11:25:07 AM: On the doll? One of those inflatable ones for lonely, ugly guys? That could be a let-down.

27 Dec 2010 12:00:16 PM: wow how sad are Vodocrap trolls posting here in DEFENCE of this crap provider..

Wow, how sad is your life..

27 Dec 2010 02:34:04 PM: Where do I get a Vodadoll? Would still provide better service than a call centre operator...harharhar...

23 Dec 2010 03:03:50 PM: Probably to let you know you have a credit.

23 Dec 2010 09:44:48 PM: i remember the good old days. they kept sending you a paper bill saying that you are owed $XX credit and then charge you $2.20 per month to remind you and it ate up what they owed you

27 Dec 2010 09:32:05 AM: I had a fight with voda over $127.50 after 4 months of fighthing with them and getting cut off i went to the tio and voda ended up letting me out of the contract
now 8 months later i still get a email bill saying i'm $127.50 in credit they could not be any more hopeless if they tried !!!

27 Dec 2010 10:30:16 AM: I have been waiting 3 years for Telstra to give me a cheque or credit to my bank account rather than issuing credit notes each quarter. They've promised numerous times to send me a cheque but it never happens

23 Dec 2010 03:06:43 PM: You also took some responsibility, communicated your issue and reached a satisfactory conclusion. All customers experiencing difficulty should follow your example. However you may receive a no answer for various reasons. You may have to suck it up and accept that you signed a contract.

23 Dec 2010 12:49:52 PM: Well you're thinking wrong, the 3 network has not changed with the merger, both networks are still seperate.

23 Dec 2010 07:34:49 PM: Even worse cos its supposed to have HSDPA which I connected to without any problems on my visit in September 2010 but now I have neither 3G or 3.5G (HSDPA). I have just tried to connect and I had to reboot the USB modem 4 times before I made a very slow connection (took 15 seconds to refresh 1 page) and over 1 minute to load Vodafail "share the pain" page. Thank heavens my iphone is on Telstra 3G which works a dream.

23 Dec 2010 08:53:03 AM: vodafone your farkin useless

23 Dec 2010 03:08:26 PM: Don't call in Martin Pl at lunchtime or on New Years Eve.

27 Dec 2010 07:00:59 AM: what if there is a fire or an act of terrorism?

28 Dec 2010 10:45:10 PM: Newcastle? Telstra is probably the only company who have full coverage on the highways and country roads.. I'm with optus and it doesn't even work half the time.

23 Dec 2010 11:36:54 PM: 4 years with '3 is the magic number' on my end mate. You've got it good!

26 Dec 2010 07:48:16 AM: Yeah i was being sarcastic. I work for both and i dont really care. We get payed, well....

23 Dec 2010 07:29:57 AM: You live in Adelaide. Need i say anything else?

23 Dec 2010 08:58:39 AM: Now that's nasty,

Test Date: 23 December 2010 9:48 AM
Connection Type: Cellular
Server: Adelaide
Download: 5 kbps
Upload: 0 kbps
Ping: 645 ms

Need I say anything else......

23 Dec 2010 09:46:40 AM: Its nasty to put down one person but its ok to put down a whole company. Yes i think he is on too something here detective.. Perhaps the killer used a candle stick?

27 Dec 2010 10:48:13 AM: I HAVE BILL ISSUES TOO

23 Dec 2010 07:32:07 AM: calls dont use much of the network....its data usage that clogs the network!

27 Dec 2010 07:03:30 AM: haha reminds me of "B Clear and Simple" all those years ago (they went under i think)... $1000 bills on a $30 contract weren't even unusual back in the day because they repeatedly billed for the same calls or billed by calls made by other customers on the network. My guess from reading this site is when B went under, all their staff went to Vodafone.

23 Dec 2010 12:05:32 AM: New website idea : Customerfail.com

23 Dec 2010 01:14:43 AM: Yep- you could make the argument that Vodafooey customers are stupider than most. what does that say about a company and its shareholders who knowingly prey on the feebleminded?

23 Dec 2010 07:32:59 AM: hahaha Customerfail.com, that would get more posts then this site!!

23 Dec 2010 02:45:06 PM: There is another option- www.notgoodenough.org

22 Dec 2010 10:46:03 PM: Whilst they don't treat every customer as a sale, they will try to deflect your query and send you on your way regardless of whether your issue is resolved or not.

23 Dec 2010 07:36:03 AM: the teams in the store can not do all aspects of the business, people seem to think that the store staff can change the world but that is why they are a RETAIL store not a Complaint/aftersales team!!

23 Dec 2010 03:58:23 PM: Yep. We are not Mobile Messiahs (well I am I touch them and they start working but generally we're not).

23 Dec 2010 05:52:43 PM: most of the comments here (vast vast majority) are not against vodafone store employees - they are against the network coverage and telephone customer troubleshooting service. And I don't think commentors here expect the store employees to solve their problems, but SOMEONE within the company should be able to help. If you are a VF store employees, instead of getting upset at customers or this website, get upset with your company for not supporting you. You are the ONLY face-to-face contact customers have (is it the customers' fault that there is no other real person they can see to help them?) and your company has put you in the line of fire in Australia. You send complaining customers to the department responsible according to your company's rules, and the customers are given the run around with no help. It's not your fault, but where else can the customers take out their frustration? Better this website than in your store!

23 Dec 2010 08:38:23 PM: Yeah but this is an excellent forum to educate more then 1 customer at a time how the real world works.

23 Dec 2010 11:42:36 PM: I don't know, my local store takes very good ownership of the issues I have faced, and there have been MANY. Even issues that I could have probably fixed myself over the phone, they have offered to call for me to have it processed quicker. I guess retail assistants vary.

24 Dec 2010 05:28:21 PM: wow wonder if a vodafone employee wrote this post

27 Dec 2010 12:14:59 PM: IF YOU WEAR A VODAFONE SHIRT YOU GET TO HEAR MY COMPLAINTS.

You repsresent the company, end of story. I dont care if you are the CEO or the fkn cleaner, you have a Vodafone shirt on, you are Vodafone. None of this "Im only retail staff". RETAIL STAFF ARE THE PEOPLE SELLING THIS CRAP SERVICE

22 Dec 2010 10:21:27 PM: Haha yea, no worries, all in good fun.

23 Dec 2010 05:40:22 AM: 03 9639 0899
it's on the Internet.

22 Dec 2010 09:06:23 PM: thankyou. couldn't have said it better myself. does nobody remember the iphone 4 debacle when they first came out? no reception.

22 Dec 2010 09:20:01 PM: I have an HTC Desire HD, the issues are the same regardless of the phone.

23 Dec 2010 05:42:15 AM: Ummm, the reason most people who are having problems are iPhone users is because most phones sold are iPhones. It's an accurate reflection of the population of smartphone users!

23 Dec 2010 08:09:28 AM: I'm on a blackberry curve, and previously a HTC Touch Dual. Drop-outs are same regardless of both those handsets

22 Dec 2010 07:51:30 PM: That's adorable say Hi to your Nan for me.

22 Dec 2010 07:57:16 PM: Iphones are the worst phone made for someone wanting it as a phone! enjoy your over priced ipods douche bags!

22 Dec 2010 07:49:31 PM: "Deceptive and misleading".... the guys working in retail stores are not telecommunications engineers! Way to kick someone for trying to help you.

22 Dec 2010 08:11:17 PM: The guys in the stores are retail sales people. They are not trained to trouble shoot . You are lucky that they even tried to help .

22 Dec 2010 09:35:27 PM: what you dont realise is that a sim swap is actually all that can really be done from a store level. Retail staff are there as a point of contact for sales purposes aswell as basic issues

23 Dec 2010 05:47:04 AM: The salespeople in the store are knowingly participating in deceptive and misleading conduct. I'm not blaming the for it as they are under orders from Vodafone. But the fact is, that they are helping trap unsuspecting customers.
And before you shout "buyer beware", you have to admit that there are many tech-unsavvy consumers out there. For example, the elderly. They depend on salespeople to tell the truth.

23 Dec 2010 07:17:05 AM: yes its true there are many tech-unsavvy customers they seem to be the ones who can live their lives without their phones and arent the ones complaining or even mentioning reception issues etc

23 Dec 2010 04:03:06 PM: @9:17:05 Nail on the head mate. Just whingy people that want to fling birds at fruit and designing flight paths that can't upload their high scores that are whinging. 'Phone call? That's 10 menus in!'

22 Dec 2010 07:31:39 PM: /like

22 Dec 2010 07:52:08 PM: HA CLASSIC. note to telstra and optus.. last time i checked you didnt have perfect networks either?

22 Dec 2010 08:17:23 PM: nicely put :)

22 Dec 2010 09:19:16 PM: Making this website was just a nice way to pass the time while I was on hold to complain about the fact I couldn't receive or make voice calls half the day. That messages and voicemail were arriving a day late and the calls that did go through drop out.

22 Dec 2010 10:08:26 PM: Optus is the worst. They sold me a phone in a dodgy box that ended up being faulty. They don't even follow correct business rules because they're all franchised not company owned. A friend of mine is an ex employee and they used to use 90 points of ID instead of 100 and would exaggerate details in credit checks to get people approved. Last time I checked that was FRAUD

22 Dec 2010 10:11:04 PM: To QLD (original poster), tell it to the people who are relying on their mobile phones for business and work, only to find that they're not receiving calls. Tell it to people who are waiting for important phone calls/SMSs to come through for personal reasons. We're paying for a service that isn't being provided. I think people have every right to complain.

23 Dec 2010 08:16:15 AM: I 2nd that last post. We rely on our wireless comms as much as electricity for our business. It's not like there are phone booths on every corner anymore, and if there were...there's no 3G there either :(

23 Dec 2010 12:54:09 PM: It's Telstra's fault there's no phone booths... Oh wait wrong site... better go find Telstrafail.com...

24 Dec 2010 12:37:56 PM: $500 billion in network upgrades? is that a correct figure? and in what part of our contracts does it state poor network performance is acceptable? is it next to the stipulation of poor customer service is tolerated? or next to the stipulation that the company you're signing this contract with may merge with another global network and completely offshore all customer service based activity, bar store staff, at their own discretion? I'm happy that Vodafone employees are happy in their jobs and feel the need to support the company when times are tough, signs of a good person with loyalty where it should be. but don't neglect the fact that your company is responsible to one entity first and foremost; the majority stakeholder, in this case, us the consumer. So it's your responisbility to give us the time of day to complain about service from your network when it's underperforming, and not roll your eyes when we go into your stores, or treat us like a number when we call your call centres. we give you the dignity of allowing you to upsell and speed read our contracts when going through the motions of your sales process, so please allow us the same respect when we decide your service isn't good enough anymore and use other channels to vent our frustrations.

27 Dec 2010 07:46:23 AM: Great to know a middle of the road telco like Vodafone can afford to spend half the GDP of Australia on "network upgrades". Is that you Russell Crow? I didn't know you worked at Vodafone.

22 Dec 2010 07:16:02 PM: iPhones - The Bain of Telco's worldwide.

22 Dec 2010 07:40:01 PM: They are investing billions of dollars in improving their network. if you notice a lot of customers with reception issues are using iPhones. definitely not a coincidence. more of a proven phone issue. Maybe take apples excuse and 'hold your phone a different way'

22 Dec 2010 09:24:44 PM: Except that the majority of people do not have iPhones, including many of those complaining about their problems.

23 Dec 2010 09:38:54 AM: actually no majority of complaints that i have seen are from people with smart phones and even within them the majority is with iphones

23 Dec 2010 09:41:04 AM: actually no majority of complaints that i have seen are from people with smart phones and even within them the majority is with iphones

27 Dec 2010 06:46:58 AM: I have two Perth friends with iphones on optus and we have conversations for hours at a time no worries, so it's not iphone that's the problem.

27 Dec 2010 08:32:11 AM: I dont have an Iphone and have the same issues. I thought it was my phone that was the problem so i went to Vodafone stored. i explained calls were dropping out, i had no signal at times, i was missing calls so i bought anew phone then had the same problems it no the phone cause its only 6 months old.

22 Dec 2010 07:24:56 PM: There are plenty of problems affecting people's lives all over the world. However these issues are affecting people's lives here in Australia. They are paying for a service that they are not receiving, dropped calls and poor reception are costing them money and creating stress.

Also, there looks to be a vodafail facebook group created by someone in Ghana.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=280862743083

22 Dec 2010 07:27:50 PM: because vodafone is the only network in australia which occasionally "drops calls"

its called a 'deadzone' you dimwitt.

and if the most stressful thing in your life is the signal on your mobile phone, you obviously live vicariously through other people

22 Dec 2010 07:40:07 PM: if your child has emergency medical issues that may threaten their life, and you cannot count on your telecommunications provider to keep contact with your child, I'm sure you will not feel this issue is minuscule or pathetic.


Also by your logic, anyone who has enough food to survive should not complain about anything? Having people who have the courage and tenacity to complain when something is not right, such as when companies take advantage of consumers, or when people's rights are being infringed upon, is how a society fights injustices and moves forward to a better society. That is why we have the ACCC, TIO and ultimately, the judicial system.

Third world countries face a whole host of challenges much more immediate in terms of survival than ours - that is true, but that does not mean we should all accept the status quo of our society because there is always room for improvement and it is up to all of us to make it happen.

22 Dec 2010 07:52:34 PM: If you do need to make an emergency call, from any network, and you find you have no reception, call 112. It will scour for an available tower no matter what network and use that one. I believe this feature also works worldwide.

22 Dec 2010 08:34:44 PM: Ahhh the courage and tenacity of internet users to complain via a specifically themed blog. A force for deep societal change.

22 Dec 2010 10:10:06 PM: ahhhh derr emergency calls can be made anytime anywhere with anyones reception. get it right

22 Dec 2010 10:39:10 PM: Original poster- I agree, but part of getting a grip is having the courage to take on bullies opressing or robbing people.

23 Dec 2010 08:37:41 AM: whoever this is SHUT UP!
We can all agree that there are bigger issues in life and all around the world. I, for one, am from a 3rd world country and am very privileged to be in Australia. HOWEVER, why should we be paying for services that are NOT being provided to us correctly when we could be using this money to better help those who you mention?

Stop trying to act like you're more superior because you're thinking about the people in 'real pain'. How much do you do for those who are more needy than you? Tell us, buddy. Have you even been to a 3rd world country? Maybe.

22 Dec 2010 10:11:18 PM: Let me guess you all have iPhones

22 Dec 2010 10:18:55 PM: I reckon you and I communicated with the same woman from Vodafone. Does her name begin with A? I was given the exact same response re improvements by Christmas, then an offer of one month free access (I'm only a few weeks into my 12 month contract).

22 Dec 2010 11:40:04 PM: To be fair, I've been on hold with them for ages at a time, it's mostly because moronic customers who don't listen to the prompts about Iphones are wasting the time of the people in where-ever the call centre is, the actual call centre staff are pretty good compared to some companies.

23 Dec 2010 08:49:06 PM: Yep.

22 Dec 2010 06:48:39 PM: To have roaming placed on your account is free, but all usage of the phone whilst roaming (either overseas or in a non serviced area) are charged on top of the cap. The staff member should have been clearer about that for you.

22 Dec 2010 07:19:05 PM: yeah, i know, that is what i was saying, i asked specifically if there would be ANY charges if i put roaming on, and she said no none at all.
That is why i was so pissed off, if they had TOLD me there was charges, i wouldnt of put it on my phone at all!!

22 Dec 2010 07:28:25 PM: Yeah as I said, the sales person should have been clearer in that regards. In that case as well the store should have called on your behalf and explained that due to misinformation it happened.

22 Dec 2010 08:37:38 PM: i ended up giving up after being told to go in store, then going in store and being told to ring up, this went on for a while, no one cared. this was about 6 months ago now, but after that incident ive been desperatly waiting for my contract to run out so i can switch to optus or something lol.

22 Dec 2010 06:51:49 PM: Probably because you used more than you were entitled to on that particular option. Wouldn't surprise me that you couldn't understand that it has a capped amount as you can barely spell.

22 Dec 2010 07:03:17 PM: For future reference roaming charges are standard across all net works. its cheaper to but a cheap pre-paid phone and sim whilst overseas if you can live without emaill, facebook, etc. it's what i do. But that sales consultant should have told you that and if she was a newy and didnt know you should have been credited for misinformation

22 Dec 2010 07:05:12 PM: agreed either you went over your cap or didnt realise that your first bill is always pro-ratered meaning that although you pay extra it is for time that you have actually used it. If you dont understand this go into your nearest store and im sure they will tell you the exact same thing after a quick glance at your bill

22 Dec 2010 09:02:24 PM: a hero is generally defined by someone who saves lives, this however is a dumb blog potentially destroying the lives of those within the company. hero? i think not.

22 Dec 2010 10:48:28 PM: Perhaps not a hero- but I, for one, feel more able to stay on Vodaf*ckyou's case, because I believe I am not alone.
I also think the ACCC and the TIO (and the Howard government) have made it a safe little playing field for all the telcos, and their shareholders, which could explain why Vodaf*ckyou thought they could get away with their behaviour of late. (I had no idea it was so bad).
Also, as the Chaser boys showed during APAC, sometimes you just have to "think outside the square" and shake things up a bit.

22 Dec 2010 11:09:10 PM: I think the fact that all of the issues are now being discussed more openly and Vodafone has now started to acknowledge that they are real says something. And it means that if people didn't complain on SMH, Whirlpool and this site, Vodafone would continue ignoring the problems and signing people up. The ACCC is investigating, the ACCC is on their case and the media is watching closely. If Vodafone loses business and has to layoff people then business will increase for the other telcos and they might hire some more. But from the looks of it, Vodafone should be hiring more customer service staff to deal with the workload.

23 Dec 2010 10:55:50 AM: Keyboard hero is typically meant to be an insult to someone talking tough or making claims through the anonymity that is afforded by the internet.

The owner of the site is none of those things and provides a very valuable service. How can anyone take offence to a site such as this - other than paid Vodafone shills.

23 Dec 2010 11:45:28 AM: Thanks for the support, making this website was really the only option to show the amount of issues Vodafone is having. Calling the company does not good, the stores can't help and up until this week they were denying any problems existed.

27 Dec 2010 12:29:55 PM: "22 Dec 2010 11:02:24 PM: a hero is generally defined by someone who saves lives, this however is a dumb blog potentially destroying the lives of those within the company. hero? i think not."

To the person who wrote this. Now, here is a company that is now widely known for their failures as of late and as it was said previously, they would have kept ignoring their customers if it weren't for all the press. Maybe you should study a bit of economics and realise that entire markets (yes, even the telecommunications market) are based on the concept of competition between businesses. If Vodafone continued to ignore all these complains then they eventually would have failed anyway. The only people to be blamed for any "destroyed lives" are the people who run Vodafone as their failures are detrimental to their entire business. If this company isn't fit to compete in this market, then they deserve to fail, i'm not going to stay with Vodafone for the sake of the people that work for it and provide a half arsed service. I think instead i'll change to a provider that wants my business and is willing to work for it. The person that runs this website isn't a hero, yet he could be considered to be, without him, would Vodafone have become this accountable to their customers? In this day and age, businesses are based on relationship building with customers and if Vodafone continues to fail that, then they deserve to fail as a business.

tl; dr - lrn2economics

27 Dec 2010 10:14:01 PM: 22 Dec 2010 11:02:24 PM: a hero is generally defined by someone who saves lives, this however is a dumb blog potentially destroying the lives of those within the company. hero? i think not.

- you're the best.

i appreciate people's issues but who hasn't had problems with other networks before? i have had impeccable customer service from the representatives in store at vodafone and have had no issues with their service. in comparison to optus, i have much better reception. pity bad news travels faster than good.

22 Dec 2010 05:59:55 PM: so it should be. this a vent site not a pro site. if you want a pro voda site go make your own or visit their website. i would have to say that most people pro voda who have commented on this website work for voda. it is not just a few people who have been affected it is a lot. i work in an office block in the cbd of sydney. it is 35 stories high and everytime i go for lunch there are alway people whinging before they get in the lift about how bad their service is. even outside when we are having a smoke break people are whinging about their service and i have noticed it has gotten worse over the last 6 months.

22 Dec 2010 06:01:57 PM: hey think it more like the glass is half full.....with not being able to use your phone voda is reducing your chances of a brain touma or worse...you should be thanking voda for there care for your health!

22 Dec 2010 06:02:48 PM: Funny you mention the lift problems, Telstra lost a court case regarding their slogan "Works better in most places" for depecting a person in a lift using their phone. No telco's advertise reception in a lift, in fact if you look at the fine print most only quote "2 floors down, 4 floors up". Kinda unstandable it won't work in a lift, being that you're in a metal box surrounded by concrete....

22 Dec 2010 06:05:49 PM: i said before they get in the lift. mine works fine before i get in, once in it does drop, normal. when i got over 25 stories, it drops a bit, normal. i was told this when i signed up. plus i have had a mobile phone for ten years i know what works, what doesnt and what the universal problems are over the networks. i haven't seen anything like this in a long long time

22 Dec 2010 06:06:22 PM: I think the person replying was saying that people complained while they were waiting for the lift. Not that the problems were about the reception in the lift.

22 Dec 2010 06:07:46 PM: Are you the loser whose completely unrelated comment about getting laid just got deleted? Perhaps u shud have a look further down at all the UNdeleted comments that are on-topic pro-voda. Even the comment from the voda team themselves was kept. This website owner also complied with voda team's request that people not post personal details of employees and deleted comments anti-voda that gave out the CEO's contacts. Even though this website owner has no obligation to do any of that - the site is called VODAFAIL. You are welcome to leave.

22 Dec 2010 06:12:02 PM: Actually he does have an obligation to not publish details of staff, that would be breaching privacy as well as opening it up for harrasment claims and what not.

22 Dec 2010 07:07:43 PM: cant stand voda but do agree, staff names should not be published. we shouldnt go all hollywood and make these peoples lives hell. some of them are trying to work their way up the ranks with good intent, some are in uni, so lets not put it on them. if you have a serious issue talk to a store manager. they can argue for you. i have had many who have. i have always stayed calm and relaxed and have explained my pain and have asked them to call for me while i am there and to email their state managers and things so that i know that i have a direct contact. i also ask to look at notes put in the system so that my story is recorded properly. in the end i did not have to go to tio because enough evidence had been recorded

22 Dec 2010 07:13:19 PM: As the above person posted, you will get a lot further treating the staff with respect and understanding that they aren't the ones responsible for the faults your having. Majority of the staff are just students working part time to pay the bills. They will be much more inclined to fight for you if you treat them well then if you come in yelling and hurling abuse at them.

22 Dec 2010 08:24:57 PM: "most people pro voda who have commented on this website work for voda" - there are about 2000 people working for Vodafone/3 and about 4 million customers... I think a few of them (like myself) might be just lay-people who think that while some of the comments have real merit, others seem to be just a whinge-fest for any phone-related problem!

22 Dec 2010 09:40:06 PM: i can say as a staff member that customers who come in and treat us well we are definantly more likely to help out and try and go the extra yard or to for than those who come in and try and bite our heads off. truthfully you are only screwing yourself over and making our jobs easier

23 Dec 2010 11:03:02 AM: If I'm angry I want service - If I perceive getting poor service through my frustration of a poor company and it's customer support, I'll just leave, and have done. Being literally told to 'be nice' to the staff (as I have over the phone) to get service is an absolute joke. You aren't really doing your company or upset people a service with that sort of comment.

Vodafone make massive profits and peeps want to back their stuff up over consumers. Total fail. I'm not even with the network but consumer complaints should trump all defences, especially in these sorts of volmes.

23 Dec 2010 11:15:55 AM: im not saying dont be frustrated i would be aswell(luckily my phone is working fine..)i was referring to people abusing staff who can do absolutly nothing about your issue it gets you no where and just makes going to work something we dont look forward to. isnt the saying treat others as you urself would like to be treated?

23 Dec 2010 11:49:36 AM: That much is true - but I would expect that level of abuse to be perfectly frank for some period of time... In the first instance a calm agreement with them on their issue followed by a dont shoot the messenger message is usually more than enough to calm someone or make them realise their tirade is mistargeted. I've had customer service people who jsut 'think' I'm upset and in the first instance told me to be calm before talking to them - wow is that aggravating.

I admire and respect cusomter service folks - but it's with the knowledge they have to expect a certain level of verbal abuse at certain times. If it gets personal etc, that's obviously a vastly different scenario.

Vodafone should just be like 'we know we have some sweet deals on the market and people signed on in droves, sorry but that has stretched our infrastrutuce and we're in the process of fixing it'... Give timeframes, honesty and ultimately - customer service.

23 Dec 2010 12:59:33 PM: Get over yourself buddy, "expect a certain level of abuse"?! Where do you get off, no person should expect or deserve to go to work and get abused no matter what the company.

23 Dec 2010 01:19:43 PM: im not saying dont be frustrated i would be aswell(luckily my phone is working fine..)i was referring to people abusing staff who can do absolutly nothing about your issue it gets you no where and just makes going to work something we dont look forward to. isnt the saying treat others as you urself would like to be treated?

22 Dec 2010 07:07:53 PM: so it isnt the network its obviously your phone then....

22 Dec 2010 07:48:45 PM: hahahaha

22 Dec 2010 08:27:19 PM: slammed

22 Dec 2010 05:53:37 PM: Comments that do not discuss vodafone - either positively or negatively are removed for being off topic.

22 Dec 2010 05:53:48 PM: never, can only have it 1 way...cant have people thinking differently

22 Dec 2010 08:32:59 PM: Australia doesn't have free speech in the constitution, it is implied by court decisions. It is their website, they can moderate it however they want.

Also,

FREE TIBET

23 Dec 2010 04:26:42 PM: Yeah we don't even have rights. We never had a bill like the US. Cool huh?