Why does Vodafone write-off carry over minutes and data when you switch to a better plan?

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › Why does Vodafone write-off carry over minutes and data when you switch to a better plan?

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

568 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1929175 4-Jan-2018 16:44

Linux:

Starscream122:

frednz:

Linux:

@frednz I could go into far more detail right into the counter tables in the database and how different they work between the 2 prepay plans but it's not my place to sorry, Lets just say it's more technical than Vodafone actually wanting to remove the carryover

On the new capped carryover plan you don't lose any carryover when changing the plan bundles

Linux

Thanks for this information. From what I can see on Vodafone's web site the "My Flex Prepay" plans allow you to carry over only 500 unused minutes and up to 3.5GB of unused data when your plan renews, is that correct?

On the old plan, you could carry over up to 1200 unused minutes and 6GB of unused data over the maximum allowed period of 12 months.

And with the "My Flex Prepay" plan the carry-over minutes and data, as with the old plans, last for up to 360 days.

So, it looks like the Skinny carry-over data plans are much more generous (1800 minutes max and 15GB data max) and the Skinny monthly plan costs only $16 per month. So, why stay with Vodafone?

I have a friend that works @ Skinny and he said his plan data goes over 20GB when it renews and he's seen customers call up with 2k - 3 k mins on their accounts.

@Starscream122 You are talking about something quite different capped carryover is working as designed it's an accounting / finance thing, The caps are set at a limit it's not a system restriction if Vodafone wanted to change it to 40GB and 4000 minutes they could, It's just preset limits

Linux

So Vodafone and Spark will loose too much money by not having these limits in place. I see! It's funny how both Vodafone and Spark have a carry over limit of 500Mins and 3.5GB of data... One would wander if they are the same company or use the same finance company!

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1929409 4-Jan-2018 19:42

Linux:

richms:

Power companies also dont advertise to their existing customers about plans with lower rates. If you are happy with the value you are getting and not looking for better deals, why would they tell you that you can have things cheaper if you ask?

Cause people want things handed to them on a golden platter with cotton wool on the bottom some people just can't think for themselves

Linux

I'm not sure that Vodafone customers should be expected to be constantly looking at advertisements on the back of buses to let them know that their mobile plans are out of date. It wouldn't have hurt Vodafone to have automatically changed all the $19 a month customers on to the new improved plan seeing that the cost of the new monthly plan remained at $19. And all the carry-forward minutes and data from the old plan should have remained intact.

You say some people can't think for themselves, but some can, like, for example, asking how many days there are in a month. Now, for Vodafone to change the renewal of the plan from once every 30 days to 28 days, is an example of how to make more money from people who were previously charged once every 30 days. Now, why did they have to do that?

richms

28187 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1929410 4-Jan-2018 19:44

They have changed to 28 days because most people are paid weekly or biweekly so will be able to time the topups to having money.

That would hurt them as they would have had people who previously paid more now paying less, which is the exact opposite of what a business wants.

Richard rich.ms

Hammerer

2476 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1929412 4-Jan-2018 19:58

frednz:

Now, for Vodafone to change the renewal of the plan from 30 days to 28 days is an example of how to make more money from people who were previously charged once every 30 days. Now, why did they have to do that?

Vodafone didn't change "the plan". They introduced a new type of plan with a different renewal period.

Other companies had already introduced weekly and 28-day periods so they also had to respond to the competition. It was always a problem trying to compare monthly plans with those using multiples of weekly periods. I always use more than one mobile company so the new plan makes price comparisons easier.

The new plans have some disadvantages compared with the old ones but overall they are an improvement on what I had before. I can change my plan for each new period to reflect my usage. The Vodafone app for Android continues to improve and makes it easy to manage multiple phone accounts.

However, I do agree that Vodafone could communicate price decreases more clearly. At present I have to use the app to check my plan settings to know that I can get to lower prices. If I hadn't then I would have missed the price drop from $20 to $14 for my plan quotas.

Rickles

2938 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1929446 4-Jan-2018 20:50

Interestingly, my electricity supplier does provide an annual total usage figure, and offers the option of changing to another plan that would in effect save the consumer money ... they compare a couple of plans over a year based on my previous annual usage, as well as the full pricing structure.

Nothing to do with 'carry over' or pre-paid services, but does show what one company can do to keep customers apprised.

Linux

11428 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1929466 4-Jan-2018 21:19

frednz:

Linux:

richms:

Power companies also dont advertise to their existing customers about plans with lower rates. If you are happy with the value you are getting and not looking for better deals, why would they tell you that you can have things cheaper if you ask?

Cause people want things handed to them on a golden platter with cotton wool on the bottom some people just can't think for themselves

Linux

I'm not sure that Vodafone customers should be expected to be constantly looking at advertisements on the back of buses to let them know that their mobile plans are out of date. It wouldn't have hurt Vodafone to have automatically changed all the $19 a month customers on to the new improved plan seeing that the cost of the new monthly plan remained at $19. And all the carry-forward minutes and data from the old plan should have remained intact.

You say some people can't think for themselves, but some can, like, for example, asking how many days there are in a month. Now, for Vodafone to change the renewal of the plan from once every 30 days to 28 days, is an example of how to make more money from people who were previously charged once every 30 days. Now, why did they have to do that?

@frednz are you reading my posts or actually taking any of this in? I explained why the carryover in very little detail could not be moved to the new base plan, Remember the plans are not upgraded but actually complete new plan and don't work the same way as the old plans in anyway

1) Why would Vodafone not automatically change customers to the new pans for a start the customers that have carryover data / minutes built up would lose these bundles! This is the very reason why you started this thread in the first place

2) Customers are getting far more value these days than a few years ago and companies like Spark , 2Degrees , Vodafone have share holders that would like a ROI and I would also like them to have money to keep upgrading our fantastic mobile networks we have here in NZ

I suggest you build a bridge and walk over it

Linux

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1929496 4-Jan-2018 21:58

Linux: If it really was impossible for Vodafone to honour the carry-over data and minutes earned by people in their old plans, then Vodafone could have added an appropriate amount to their credit balances that represented the value of this written-off data. Please be polite in your future posts!

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Linux

11428 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1929504 4-Jan-2018 22:09

@frednz Why would they have to honour anything? Customers did not have to move to the new plan if they did not want to and stay on the old $19 30 day plan it was 100% customers choice to move

If Vodafone had forced customers from the old plan to the new plan then they would have issues with customers complaining about moving from a 30 day plan to a 28 day plan as well

You don't seem to get these plans are chalk and cheese! Another major difference was the older $19 30 day plan offered unlimited calling to VodafoneNZ mobiles during the weekend and the newer 28 day plan did not,

So once again you are not comparing Apples with Apples,

I worked in some way on 100% of prepay plans grandfathered and in market as of today

Linux

11428 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1929509 4-Jan-2018 22:15

I go back to the days of MotorMouth , Nights&Weekends , Anytime Prepay plans that were on the old logica IN and then moved over to the ALU Surepay platform 2004

Linux

Edit: They also had a Business Prepay plan if I remember correct

Starscream122

568 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1929510 4-Jan-2018 22:17

Linux:

I go back to the days of MotorMouth , Nights&Weekends , Anytime Prepay plans that were on the old logica IN and then moved over to the ALU Surepay platform 2004

Linux

Edit: They also had a Business Prepay plan if I remember correct

Haha the day's of being Ripped

We should all think ourselves lucky. it wasn't that long ago where it would cost $10 for a 100b data add on and $6 for 50Mb

Linux

11428 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1929512 4-Jan-2018 22:19

Starscream122:

Linux:

I go back to the days of MotorMouth , Nights&Weekends , Anytime Prepay plans that were on the old logica IN and then moved over to the ALU Surepay platform 2004

Linux

Edit: They also had a Business Prepay plan if I remember correct

Haha the day's of being Ripped

The days of zero included SMS and 20 cents an SMS boy was I pleased I was staff at 0.00 cents a SMS

Linux

Starscream122

568 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1929513 4-Jan-2018 22:21

Vodafone free text weekends!

those were the day's

Linux

11428 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1929514 4-Jan-2018 22:22

Starscream122:

Vodafone free text weekends!

those were the day's

First was free text Thursdays or Tuesdays (can't quite remember the day it was) in about 1999 sometime

Linux

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1931653 7-Jan-2018 10:16

Rickles:
Interestingly, my electricity supplier does provide an annual total usage figure, and offers the option of changing to another plan that would in effect save the consumer money ... they compare a couple of plans over a year based on my previous annual usage, as well as the full pricing structure.

Nothing to do with 'carry over' or pre-paid services, but does show what one company can do to keep customers apprised.

If they were offering the low user plan, then by law they have to do that. Google low user regulations NZ if you are interested in reading the actual law itself.

I got a similar letter from Contact. Only I was on a grandfathered fixed term plan that had a cheaper price than currently offered plans. And despite the letter implying that I could save money by changing. It was actually cheaper to remain on the old plan.

Rickles

2938 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1931654 7-Jan-2018 10:27

>I got a similar letter from Contact. Only I was on a grandfathered fixed term plan that had a cheaper price than currently offered plans. And despite the letter implying that I could save money by changing. It was actually cheaper to remain on the old plan.<

I can understand that ... usually sign-up plans often include an inducement for a fixed term, and revert to whatever the customer wants (if they continue with that provider), after expiration. What this topic originally started with was instances where customers almost languish on higher payments when the provider could operating 'in good faith' and tell one that better deals are available.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5