Help/Advice Sought - Early Termination Fees & VF

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BarneyC

62 posts

Master Geek

#25398 20-Aug-2008 13:38

Back in '07 Paul Brislen highlighted Vodafone's position on Early Termination Fees over on this thread (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=40&TopicId=15550).

Given that ETF's are rapidly being dumped by carriers worldwide where does VF NZ stand right now?

I ask only because after being a loyal (and suffering - believe me they have been a major pain in my butt) customer for over 6 years, having had 3 contracts and always paying bills in a fairly timely fashion I am now being told to pay a $240 ETF if I wish to cancel the current 3 year contract a year early.

If I was switching to Telecom, or even resigning to another VF plan there would be a degree of relief for this ETF, but I'm not I'm leaving the country in a bit of a hurry for family reasons. Now I want to close this account cleanly, pay up a final bill and walk away before anyone suggests just getting on a plane and letting VF swing for the ETF fee.

Of course getting through customer services to anyone that can actually make a decision, rather than follow VF doctrine, is a mission in itself.

Can anyone help with a contact?

nate

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#158399 20-Aug-2008 16:52

Unfortunately we've also been recently stung by Vodafone with an ETF - I signed the contract agreeing to the terms, I knew the penalties of terminating early, so have just had to take it on the chin.

I wish you the best of luck getting out of it, but a contract is a contract.

billgates

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#158414 20-Aug-2008 17:16

TBH, you get a cheaper plan and a usually a free/cheaper device when you sign up to a contract. The company makes up for that loss by signing you on a 1,2 or 3 year contract. Unless you have recieved major billing errors over the years or have had service unavailable/downtime in service for a long time then I think it would be fair for you to pay the ETF.

Regs

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Snowflake

#158415 20-Aug-2008 17:17

are you planning on returning to the country in the near future? you may be able to "freeze" your account for 3 or more months (of course these months will be added to the end of your term again though)

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blaXoid

30 posts

Geek

#158971 22-Aug-2008 15:02

Personally I was considering going on the Txter plan but have been put off by the 24 month term.

I mean it's fair enough if I were getting a subsidized phone, but I'm not, it just seems greedy now.

BarneyC

62 posts

Master Geek

#158977 22-Aug-2008 15:30

Look, we're heading of on OE for 3 - 5 years but VF have had a decent 3 figure sum out of me every month for the last 6 years plus. Even on the current contract they have more than made up for the fairly minimal "subsidy" they offered (in all fairness they were charging nearly double the grey market rates for the phone I had) and each month I don't come close to utilising the package I pay for so VF are definately quids in here.

Needless to say after several days of the issue being "escalated" within customer service I've heard not a peep out of VF, nothing, zip, nada - other than an automated customer service survey which I declined to take.

nate

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#159002 22-Aug-2008 16:37

BarneyC: Look, we're heading of on OE for 3 - 5 years but VF have had a decent 3 figure sum out of me every month for the last 6 years plus. Even on the current contract they have more than made up for the fairly minimal "subsidy" they offered (in all fairness they were charging nearly double the grey market rates for the phone I had) and each month I don't come close to utilising the package I pay for so VF are definately quids in here.

I've just left ihug (who own Vodafone) after being a customer for 10 years because of a dispute. Unfortunately, there is no reward for customer loyalty anymore.

BarneyC

62 posts

Master Geek

#159005 22-Aug-2008 16:42

I hear you. Can't say I'm going to give Vodafone UK much of a look now, not that VF NZ would care methinks

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bazzer

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#159006 22-Aug-2008 16:43

I haven't read the linked page, and I'm not trying to be unhelpful, but you signed the contract. Why should they let you off, and not everyboady else (i.e. scrap the ETF)?.

This is the exact reason I won't change my plan, like blaXoid, to TXTer (which would be a pretty good fit to my usage now), because I refuse to sign up for a new contract when I'm not getting anything out of it. I don't buy the excuse that it's a great plan so that's why they are locking me in. If they are losing money on the plan, they'll lose a lot over the 24 months I'm signed up to it. My girlfriend signed up to Telecom on a 12 month Flexi plan (another pretty good plan, I think) and got a free phone! Seems a good trade off. If they had phoens that appealed to me, I'd do the same. Anything longer than a year is really pushing it unless there's a good incentive. I would never sign up to a 3 year contract.

blaXoid

30 posts

Geek

#159177 23-Aug-2008 18:10

^ What's really funny is that Vodafone is essentially shooting themselves in the foot, because they are not getting my guaranteed $40+ a month. Maybe Paul can see the stupidity behind contracts without subsidation incentives? I would love to give you my money guaranteed Vodafone, but I dont like commitment

, especially when I get nothin for it!!