Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › Are Vodafone charging for access to the 5 'free' mobile sites?

Foo

522 posts

Ultimate Geek

#24456 24-Jul-2008 15:10

I wondered if anyone else had noticed data charges for visiting any of the (temporarily) free sites linked to from the Vodafone live website?

I visited a couple today on my phone and noticed my prepay balance dropped by 10 cents (which I assume was the minimum charge for 10k of data). I disconnected and reconnected and visited the site again and each time my prepay balance dropped by a further 10 cents.

Anyone else noticed this or am I going crazy?

1 | 2

131 posts

Master Geek

#151126 24-Jul-2008 22:51

Foo: I wondered if anyone else had noticed data charges for visiting any of the (temporarily) free sites linked to from the Vodafone live website?

I visited a couple today on my phone and noticed my prepay balance dropped by 10 cents (which I assume was the minimum charge for 10k of data). I disconnected and reconnected and visited the site again and each time my prepay balance dropped by a further 10 cents.
Anyone else noticed this or am I going crazy?

I think they charge for everything now. They are charging like a wounded bull for everything these days.

Gamefreaks

17 posts

Geek

#151231 25-Jul-2008 11:04

Websites such as facebook and trademe should be free so long as you're accessing them through vodafone live, ie going directly to www.trademe.co.nz will incur charges.

If this is what you're already doing then I suggest you call customer service and have a job logged to have them investigate with either their billing or tech team.

MattD

663 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#151235 25-Jul-2008 11:18

I must have misread yesterday but it looked like it was referring to Youtube, Facebook, Trademe and others all free over Vodafone, but did not see Vodafone Live branded anywhere. On same page it also referred to new casual $1 a day.

Just went to check and VF site is down... at 11am!!

OK, so we got busy . . .

Due to high level activity we can't serve your request.

Please check back in 15 minutes.

MattD

663 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#151237 25-Jul-2008 11:22

ok, back up now... and yes Vodafone Live, but not on front page.

https://www.vodafone.co.nz/mobile-data/mobile-web.jsp

on tab How to get it..

To access these sites you simply hit the Vodafone live! button on your mobile and go to the Hotlinks section. There you’ll find links to the available sites.

Then from 28th July just hit the Vodafone live! button, and you’re away.

dpresha9

48 posts

Geek

#151253 25-Jul-2008 12:08

I've always wondered this too, I had a fair bit of credit but I am sure it went down after I browsed using the hotlinks. Meh its only a few cents here n then so didnt really figure the need to try get it back..

But a side note, if I had any power of vodafone, I would make sure to test my self-service portals work before I introduce anything that can make customers lives hell. In about a week from now, we'll be payin $1 per call to sort out their mistakes that we've noticed but they haven't. You'd think they'd at least get the billing part figured?

Will the CSR's have the ability to refund the cost of the call if its a problem from Vodafones end?

robbyp

1199 posts

Uber Geek

#151256 25-Jul-2008 12:19

dpresha9: I've always wondered this too, I had a fair bit of credit but I am sure it went down after I browsed using the hotlinks. Meh its only a few cents here n then so didnt really figure the need to try get it back..

But a side note, if I had any power of vodafone, I would make sure to test my self-service portals work before I introduce anything that can make customers lives hell. In about a week from now, we'll be payin $1 per call to sort out their mistakes that we've noticed but they haven't. You'd think they'd at least get the billing part figured?

Will the CSR's have the ability to refund the cost of the call if its a problem from Vodafones end?

You can get a refund on the $1 if it is a vodaofne problem you are phonin about. However I assume you have to request it, then argue about it with the monkey on the other end of the phone, if you can understand what they are saying.

Foo

522 posts

Ultimate Geek

#151281 25-Jul-2008 13:54

I was referring to the five sites they have links to from the Vodafone live site.

These were (have listed the mobile web address too):

Facebook (m.facebook.com)
Trademe (m.trademe.co.nz)
Bebo (www.bebo.com/c/mobile)
YouTube (m.youtube.com)
Wikipedia (vf.instinct.co.nz)

Hmmm, I just went to each of those sites now and noticed my account didn't get charged. I wonder what made it drop 10 cents when I only browsed the mobile wikipedia and mobile trademe sites yesterday.

Another quick question: when connecting to the web should I use VF NZ Gateway or VF NZ Internet? I know that VF NZ Gateway is the WAP gateway as per this thread http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=40&TopicId=19638 but does it really matter which is used?

I just want to be sure to use the correct one when I start using prepay data when the 10mb for $1 a day goes live.

A final question (promise!): With the new charges being introduced, will texting bal to 777 still be free? I use it a lot to see what my balance and think it would be really rude if this came at a cost.

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

Gamefreaks

17 posts

Geek

#151302 25-Jul-2008 14:59

You only get charged if you're a prepay customer and you speak to somebody in their customer service department.
All self service options are free and this includes the 777 IVR, txt's to 777 and using Manage Your Account on the Vodafone website.

cranz

675 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#151312 25-Jul-2008 15:18

And CSR's are most certainly not "monkeys" robbyp..

cafeg

697 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#152175 28-Jul-2008 19:53

And what if we can't get to Vodafone live ?
I've never been able to go there from my JasJam/Htc ..

Perhaps they should make a web version of the live site and make it free to get to from your Vodafone mobile thru their network so we can all use it ?

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79263 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#152176 28-Jul-2008 19:57

cafeg: And what if we can't get to Vodafone live ?
I've never been able to go there from my JasJam/Htc ..

Perhaps they should make a web version of the live site and make it free to get to from your Vodafone mobile thru their network so we can all use it ?

It doesn't matter now. Everything is charged except the Vodafone Live! homepage.

Foo

522 posts

Ultimate Geek

#152181 28-Jul-2008 20:04

Yes, it's a completely moot point now. I'm looking forward to being on prepay and not being afraid to use the internet without it costing an arm and a leg.

Although I still wonder when connecting to the web should I use VF NZ Gateway or VF NZ Internet? Does it really matter?