Vodafone trying to charge me 2.8k for 3 hours internet!!

[Stoddy1980]

Hi there all,

Im currently in dispute with Vodafone regarding a £2800 bill they have sent me for having my phone connected to my laptop. Here is the letter I have e-mailed to them, any thoughts or advice are welcome!



Dear Mr Sarin,

I am writing to you today regarding a bill I have recently received for data charges. The bill I have received is for £2808.98 for using my mobile phone to connect to the internet for a few hours on the 19th March.

My phone was barred on the 25th March, and I wasn’t informed by Vodafone that this was going to happen. My wife who is 8 months pregnant had to contact me at work to advise me my number was not recognised. My phone is still barred today.

I do recall using the internet that day. But obviously had no idea as to how much data was actually being transferred.

I feel that for charge of £2,383.71 (before VAT) does not reflect the use of 1.5GBs of data or 4 hours use of internet, especially when you are selling data packages for £15 a month for 3GBs of data. Which is double that data I have used.

Referring to the Terms and Conditions http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatch/Portal/appmanager/vodafone/wrp?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel =template11&pageID=PTC_00 50 on your website its states:

All Vodafone live! services offered free or under unlimited subscription are subject to our fair use policy. If, in the reasonable opinion of Vodafone, your use is excessive, we may ask you to moderate your usage. If after we have asked you to moderate your usage, you fail to do so, we reserve the right to charge you for the excessive element of your usage at your price plan's standard rate or to suspend or terminate your service in accordance with your airtime and/or price plan terms and conditions.

I am concerned that this is clearly not normal usage on my part as I’m sure you can see on my account and I have been penalised for ‘a first time offence’, without any warnings, or notifications that I was nearing or exceeding my limit. There should be measures in place on Vodafone’s network to assist the customer in these situations, especially when the penalty charges for going over the limit are so severe. When I signed up to this data plan, it was sold to me as ‘unlimited’ and I don’t recall being made aware of these excessive charges. I would describe these charges as exorbitant.

Being a customer with one of your higher tariffs I would expect fairer treatment than this in a bid for later customer retention. But as things stand, I cannot guarantee that I will be renewing at the end of my contract.

I appreciate that you are a profit making organisation in a currently volatile market with strong competition and that I have of course used ‘some’ data. Based on this I made an offer to your customer services team to sign up to your 3G data plan at £15 a month for 3GB. This offer was rejected.
I would like to point out some wording from the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations (UTCCRs)

Consumer Direct - Unfair terms in contracts

“Although standard terms may be drafted to protect commercial needs, they must also take account of your interests and rights by going no further than is necessary to protect those legitimate commercial interests.”

I am sure you are aware of the media interest at the moment in Vodaphone’s data charges. You were on the BBC’s watchdog programme on Monday evening regarding excessive data roaming charges and there have been several newspaper articles.

Chippenham Man Receives 9 000 Phone Bill (from The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
Worker runs up £27k mobile bill - Mirror.co.uk

I would appreciate if someone could contact me to come to a reasonable and mutual agreement that will satisfy both parties.

Kindest regards,

[buzby]

There's no way they would charge that amount for data calls, unless you weren't actually using the Vodafone UK network. Had you roamed? If so all bets would be off as the charges for these are criminal, but the answer it not to use them for this. Also, it helps if you spel the network name correctly.....!

[Stoddy1980]

Originally Posted by buzby

There's no way they would charge that amount for data calls, unless you weren't actually using the Vodafone UK network. Had you roamed? If so all bets would be off as the charges for these are criminal, but the answer it not to use them for this. Also, it helps if you spel the network name correctly.....!

Hi Buzby, you'd think there was no way, but they have! I was in the UK at the time so not roaming. Im sure Vodafone spell it fone and not phone? I tried to be as correct as I could .

[buzby]

Good - can you provide a breakdown from the bill on the data amounts transferred and the amount charged (just to get an idea of hte billed rate). It is VodaFone (no PH) as in your penultimate paragraph!

[Stoddy1980]

Originally Posted by buzby

Good - can you provide a breakdown from the bill on the data amounts transferred and the amount charged (just to get an idea of hte billed rate). It is VodaFone (no PH) as in your penultimate paragraph!

Youre right Buzby, I missed that one! Oh well, I hope it doesnt affect my case. I have requested a breakdown today, should be with me in a few days they say.