Vodafone mobile Shared Data, is not quite "Shared" data..

Forums › One NZ (including Farmside) › Vodafone mobile Shared Data, is not quite "Shared" data..

kenkeniff

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#147400 18-Jun-2014 10:32

After a lengthy call to VF support this morning trying to setup Red Share I finally found VF Shared data is not quite "Shared" data (not like 2degrees anyway)..

My setup;

I currently have a phone on the Red Super plan with 5GB data /monthly.
And a Tablet SIM with 1GB data /monthly.

I was looking to setup my devices like I had them on 2degrees; "sharing" data from my Phone to tablet.

They way this would work on 2degrees is that when using my Tablet data; it would first use the 1GB on the SIM then begin using the 5GB from my phone, turns out this isn't the case on VF.

The experience;

Visited VF shop yesterday to setup shared data, told can only be done via call center.
Called 777 this morning & ended up at VF Business, told to call Sales back after 8:30am.
Called VF Sales back > transferred to VF Business > transferred back to VF Sales > 50min later >

The result;

After lengthy holds and multiple people checking with other people it seem that not so obviously you can't actually "share" data with any other plan;
You have to put the other devices on a special "linked" plan ($29 for Phone & $0 for Tablet /monthly) which means my Tablet can't stay on it's existing plan with 1GB data & use shared data too, I have to choose one or the other.

I also enquired about using my Tablet while roaming and was told that it costs $5/day for each device (Phone & Tab = $10) unless the Tablet is linked to the Phone on the 'Red Share Tablet' plan in which case it's $5/day for both devices (which I'm a bit skeptical about so got them to make a note on my account that that's what they confirmed with the Roaming Team).

Dynamic

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#1068238 18-Jun-2014 10:39

You have to put the other devices on a special "linked" plan ($29 for Phone & $0 for Tablet /monthly) which means my Tablet can't stay on it's existing plan with 1GB data & use shared data too, I have to choose one or the other.

Unfortunately you can't have everything. IMHO the offer is more than reasonable - you'll just have to adjust how you manage your plans and data usage. There is nothing wrong with a $0 SIM and adding the occasional data to-up.

Shame about the hold time and shuffle between staff. It's a new-ish offering and their staff will be getting to grips with it too.

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freitasm

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#1068266 18-Jun-2014 10:52

Different policies but still shared. If it's a real problem stick with 2Degrees. If you want the ease of roaming, go with Vodafone.

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kenkeniff

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#1068278 18-Jun-2014 10:59

Yeah I accept the "that's the way it is, if you don't like it blah blah blah.." argument..

Fact is at least 5 different VF staff couldn't tell me this straight up and isn't all that clear on their website or advertising.. how is the lay person supposed to figure it out?

Just posted here as an FYI for other who may be looking at switching from 2degrees (before signing a 24 month contract!).

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#1068281 18-Jun-2014 11:00

In this case then you have a point. Misinformation is a plague.

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konfusd

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#1068282 18-Jun-2014 11:01

I'm a little surprised that you were told only Customer Service could add Red Share... it can all be done in store as long as numbers aren't being moved between accounts.

Retail staff should all have gone through the training about it before it launched. However, it's not until you actually go through the motions of setting up Red Share that some of the details become apparent - such as not being able to share that extra 1GB. This is because the 1GB tablet sim is just a plain old Data proposition, which gets discounted every month by virtue of having a Phone on Red Super. The shares on the other hand are a seperate, special proposition since they have no data package of their own.

Note that the 1GB tablet SIM doesn't count towards your Red Share allocation - you're allowed one shared tablet per mobile in the share group, up to 5 tablets (and 4 shared + 1 'master' mobile)

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konfusd

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#1068284 18-Jun-2014 11:04

kenkeniff: before signing a 24 month contract

A 24 month term is only needed if you're getting a rebate on the master Red mobile... if you're happy with the mobile you've already got (or pay outright) then open term is absolutely fine :)

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#1068285 18-Jun-2014 11:06

kenkeniff: Just posted here as an FYI for other who may be looking at switching from 2degrees (before signing a 24 month contract!).

I don't mind contracts, but just in case you or someone else had not spotted it, the Red Essentials Open Term @ $69/month has no contract. That's the one I picked.

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kenkeniff

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#1068290 18-Jun-2014 11:12

konfusd:
kenkeniff: before signing a 24 month contract

A 24 month term is only needed if you're getting a rebate on the master Red mobile... if you're happy with the mobile you've already got (or pay outright) then open term is absolutely fine :)

That was just a stab at my own ignorance for not establishing 100% in writing the specifics of the plan before signing up to it.

chewster

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#1068292 18-Jun-2014 11:19

Hey sorry about all the shuffling around between departments there, agree not a good look and opposite to what we want experiences to be like. As above there was pre-launch training, so quite frankly it is surprising that you've been transferred around at all.

I'm guessing you're on the $169/month Red Super which includes 4GB data + 1GB bonus (for 6months) and includes a separate free Mobile Data SIM that has it's own 1GB data entitlement.

You could add a free Red Share SIM which is currently $0/month for the life of the connection, if added soon, but that will be $10/month if you add the Red Share Tablet plan too late. Effectively the Red Share Tablet connection would become a 'sibling' of the 'parent' Red plan. Share connections don't have any entitlements of their own so need a parent Red plan.

Could also look at plan change from the Mobile Data SIM you have (again assuming) to the Red Share Tablet which would then be linked to your Red Super because under same billing account.

I believe store should have been able to do new Red Share Tablet signup &/or plan change. But if not then our Sales team on the phone can add a new Red Share Tablet plan and our Plan Transfers team on the phone should be able to switch your existing Mobile Data SIM over if you wanted to go with that.

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kenkeniff

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#1068401 18-Jun-2014 12:58

KieranReid: Hey sorry about all the shuffling around between departments there, agree not a good look and opposite to what we want experiences to be like. As above there was pre-launch training, so quite frankly it is surprising that you've been transferred around at all.

Mate it's like anything; since switching over to VF recently I've dealt with some sales staff that have been absolutely excellent (VF Queen St) and others who really didn't want to be there at all (VF Westfield Henderson), same goes for call center CSRs.

Generally though the service has been more positive than not; and the support you guys provide on the forums etc especially helpful.

Thanks