Vodafone TV retirement plan: September 2022

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448 posts

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#2887915 17-Mar-2022 21:47

I'm far more annoyed about the waste of resources in recycling all these boxes (not to mention ones that will inevitably end up buried in landfills regardless of the lack of common sense in that action). Climate change is real, now, and the ICT industry contributes an enormous amount to it.

@Apsattv:
A solution could be vodafone whip up a quick app and new firmware to redirect the linear feeds to the Freeview ones. Making the box stiill usable and no longer an ewaste paperweight.

... technically the apps could be maintained too. Another option would be to add a DLNA or Chromecast client so we can cast whatever to it.
If the TiVo is anything to go by, that would only be feasible if it were community supported. (No income stream from it.) Sadly Sagemcom (manufacturers) won't allow that. (Quote @Samson in an earlier post to this thread.) Like most in our industry, they value their IP ahead of the environment.

Ironically, we have bought a TiVo. A lot more than four years old, and still works very well, with community support.
Having looked at various alternatives, I am (still) left with the conclusion that making a multimedia device is not easy. I hope that Sky get their new box right.

Steve

GSVNoFixedAbode

55 posts

Master Geek

#2887969 18-Mar-2022 08:09

SteveC: I'm far more annoyed about the waste of resources in recycling all these boxes (not to mention ones that will inevitably end up buried in landfills regardless of the lack of common sense in that action). Climate change is real, now, and the ICT industry contributes an enormous amount to it.
Sadly Sagemcom (manufacturers) won't allow that. (Quote @Samson in an earlier post to this thread.) Like most in our industry, they value their IP ahead of the environment.

Steve

I'm in this camp rather than upset over refunds (or lack thereof). The waste of resources, and creation of so much e-waste is far more important than the now-dated IP of the manufacturer. It would probably be cheaper for Vodafone to cover any per-device cost of licencing and offer a method of re-flashing than to pay out on partial refunds. THe H/W is solid. Get some new firmware to run OpenSource software and I suspect may would be happy.

antonknee

1133 posts

Uber Geek

#2888043 18-Mar-2022 10:26

sansom:

Detailed reply which is too long to quote

Thanks for the detailed response - it's good to see the thinking behind what Vodafone has stated publicly. Please note all references to "you" mean Vodafone, and not yourself personally Hamish.

I still think you've got this badly wrong from an ethical and "what's the right thing to do" stance.

My opinion is also that it's probably borderline legally speaking - a reasonable consumer wouldn't have purchased this if they'd known it would stop working within a couple of years, meaning they lose their recordings, ability to watch Freeview, and access to the apps/services on the device (which VF do not actually provide ie a customer doesn't expect there to be an issue accessing Netflix because of VF for example). Particularly given Vodafone's marketing of this device as "the one".

I urge you to really do the right thing and refund the full cost of the box to your customers. An extra $80 per unit, when you yourself have said it didn't sell well, is not going to cost you very much. Instead you've spent time and money coming up with an overly complex and probably unfair scheme, to pinch a few pennies on a failed scheme that you're writing off.

I think Vodafone are doing themselves a huge amount of reputational damage with this, on top of a program that has already been plagued with issues. This is a move straight from the bad old days of Vodafone IMO, and really doesn't reflect the renewed organisation VF seemed to have become.

eracode

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#2888056 18-Mar-2022 10:49

antonknee:

I think Vodafone are doing themselves a huge amount of reputational damage with this ....

Unfortunately it's probably not a 'huge' amount because there aren't huge numbers of owners and some owners won't be too fussed about the whole thing. I'm thinking it's a cynically well-calculated risk by VF despite being very poor form.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

sub3

31 posts

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#2888060 18-Mar-2022 10:56

I think the refunds they've offered sound reasonable. You're never going to please everyone.

jen1001

256 posts

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#2888191 18-Mar-2022 12:53

sansom:

Hi guys, we have been listening and I have been talking with the team about the points you've raised around the VodafoneTV buy back and refunds.

Thanks Hamish, that was really helpful.

I was with Sky and only switched to VF TV with my Fibre deal when Sky and VF cut ties with each other and got offered Sky Entertainment + Basic packages with a $10 discount so stuck with VF. VF TV was sent for free as part of the package

I got the email regarding the refund and was wondering if that would really apply in my case; I assume it was a mass email sent out to everyone who'd registered/activated their box.

Stu

Hammered
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#2888195 18-Mar-2022 12:59

Taking into consideration the environmental impact, I think the responsible outcome would be for Sagemcom to come to the party with a solution for the units to continue to be used as, say, an Android TV streaming box. I'm sure they could do it, but for whatever reason (possibly financial) they're choosing not to. Vodafone's hands are probably tied here. Sagemcom need to do the right thing for current owners and, more importantly, the environment.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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Tatou

235 posts

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#2888203 18-Mar-2022 13:11

I have to say selfishly I am more concerned that the broadband Sky box will arrive before VFT is cut off. I DO NOT want to get an aerial. In fact the house had one with all the cabling when I bought it 4 years ago and I ripped it all out because I had VFT and Sky via broadband!!!

DjShadow

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#2888210 18-Mar-2022 13:24

Stu: Taking into consideration the environmental impact, I think the responsible outcome would be for Sagemcom to come to the party with a solution for the units to continue to be used as, say, an Android TV streaming box. I'm sure they could do it, but for whatever reason (possibly financial) they're choosing not to. Vodafone's hands are probably tied here. Sagemcom need to do the right thing for current owners and, more importantly, the environment.

VF have included VFTV in their e-waste program for old mobiles. I did actually request a courier bag for this but it never showed up.

SteveC

448 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2888230 18-Mar-2022 13:39

@Tatou:
I have to say selfishly I am more concerned that the broadband Sky box will arrive before VFT is cut off. I DO NOT want to get an aerial. In fact the house had one with all the cabling when I bought it 4 years ago and I ripped it all out because I had VFT and Sky via broadband!!!

Has Sky unambiguously stated the new box will not need an aerial or satellite dish? Friend moved from VTV to the current Sky box because some sport they wanted was not available with a VTV package. They were ticked when Sky said they still needed a satellite dish. Friends thought that was so 20th century Sky would have no longer need it in the cities now.

PS - if anyone wants to put up their own aerial, PM me, I have about a kilometre of coax looking for a home!

quickymart

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#2888231 18-Mar-2022 13:39

Tatou:

I have to say selfishly I am more concerned that the broadband Sky box will arrive before VFT is cut off. I DO NOT want to get an aerial. In fact the house had one with all the cabling when I bought it 4 years ago and I ripped it all out because I had VFT and Sky via broadband!!!

Oh dear :( mind you I suppose you would have been in the same boat if Sky shut down tomorrow. Freeview wouldn't though.

Might need to dig out the old rabbit's ears!

michaelmurfy

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#2888238 18-Mar-2022 13:53

Can't agree more regarding the ewaste aspect here. I'm happy with the refund as I've gotten value out of my boxes and only paid $99 for the majority of them but the fact that because of some corporate politics these boxes are destined to being thrown out is simply not acceptable.

I don't care if it is Vodafone NZ, Vodafone Group or Sagemcom but it is just irresponsible to allow these boxes to be sent to landfill.

I've torn open a box here to go into further detail - here is some higher resolution photos of the main board (link expires April 17th): https://www.icloud.com/photos/#0554hGqGLHnMf49VwzBXu3G2A

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Stu

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#2888240 18-Mar-2022 13:55

DjShadow:
VF have included VFTV in their e-waste program for old mobiles. I did actually request a courier bag for this but it never showed up.

There's only so much of it you can reuse/recycle. The rest will be landfill or incinerated. Like a fair bit of e-waste.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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mattwnz

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#2888255 18-Mar-2022 14:29

Looking at the dates I miss out on the higher refund by just 2 weeks which doesn't make much sense. I don't think the extra two weeks of use is worth the difference in the refund.

IceFragmatic

88 posts

Master Geek

#2888259 18-Mar-2022 14:33

Can I ask all those not happy with the refund offer to sign the petition I started so Vodafone can see there is a reasonable sized group.

https://www.change.org/VodafoneTV

Thank you

John

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