I currently live in St Ives in NSW and about 6 weeks ago moved service provider from Three across to Vodafone because I wasn't getting good coverage on both my mobile and internet connection. Vodafone and Three are affiliated and Three advised me that this would be a good option due to the fact that the area I lived in did not and could not provide me with a good coverage. I was also given the option of upgrading from an iPhone 3 to an iPhone4 for no extra cost on a plan. At first the mobile coverage improved substantially, then about 10 days before Christmas the coverage kept dropping out until all I could receive was the odd intermittent voicemail or text. It was extremely frustrating as I am self employed and I rely on my mobile for work. Then on 16th December, my partner was involved in an accident and he tried to contact me but couldn't get through and could only leave me a voicemail. I received this as I was driving and had to race home to get a spare mobile (with Telstra connection) to be able to call and discover that he had been taken to hospital! It was an extremely anxious and scary experience. We all rely on mobile phones for our communication needs and especially in an emergency but this was just unacceptable. Two days before I had attempted to contact Vodafone but I was advised that the call wait was in excess of 40 minutes. I then called Three who put me directly through to Vodafone. They advised me that they would have to test the area coverage and would get back to me within 72 hours. Seven days later I had a voicemail message from a technician to say that he was very sorry but there was nothing they could do because I lived in a "bad" area although they were attempting to improve their coverage there - a case of like it or lump it!!! On Saturday 18th I visited a Vodafone shop who advised me that it most likely my phone that was the problem, not the service but could only suggest that my phone be sent away for repair and would likely take a few days. No loan phone could be offered as a replacement - so I would be left without a phone altogether!
I am writing this from the UK, I arrived here on 21st December to spend Christmas with my family and the service has not improved, in fact it has got worse. The coverage is intermittent, but mostly non-existent. I tried to get the advice from a Vodafone store here in the UK and they advised that it wasn't the phone that was at fault, it was definitely the coverage.
I was relieved to read the internet news that there is going to be class action against Vodafone as this has not been a good experience. I will definitely not be paying my bill and will be changing service providers as soon as I return to Australia.
Alison