VF Cable - Wireless router has broken - Vodafone say I need to sign up for another 12 months to get a new one?

Forums › One NZ (including Farmside) › VF Cable - Wireless router has broken - Vodafone say I need to sign up for another 12 months to get a new one?

50n0f508

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#196101 19-May-2016 10:59

I'm on Vodafone 'ultra fast' cable. My wireless router stopped working overnight. I called technical support today who put me through to sales/retention who said they can't send me a new router as they no longer offer the separate modem and router setup so they can only send a technician to install a new all-in-one cable modem/router. But to do this I need to sign on with them for another 12 months. I feel like they are using this to force me to sign for another 12 months of shoddy service by using this new modem/router. They have offered new terms - currently paying $99, would become $79 - but I think I would probably be best just buying myself a new router and being free to leave them.

Can any cable customers out there verify that they now install combined modem/routers for cable?
Are they allowed to not offer a wireless router replacement - should I insist on a like for like replacement?
If I buy my own can I use any wireless router or do I need to get something different because of the cable modem?

Spyware

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#1555423 19-May-2016 11:16

Any wireless router with an Ethernet WAN interface.

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#1555429 19-May-2016 11:26

I am on VF cable 100/10 and use the Cisco cable modem supplied by (and owned by) VF, plus various routers with or without wireless.

Any decent consumer router will work with the cable modem, and will probably be better than the combined modem/router supplied by VF.

Whatever you do DO NOT sign up for another 12 months. Cable has its problems - see the Krapi Cable Congestion thread

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Lias

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#1555430 19-May-2016 11:30

50n0f508:

Can any cable customers out there verify that they now install combined modem/routers for cable?
Are they allowed to not offer a wireless router replacement - should I insist on a like for like replacement?
If I buy my own can I use any wireless router or do I need to get something different because of the cable modem?

Yes, you can find a long thread about the new modem/routers and how crap they are over here
They can pretty much do whatever the hell they want, but you don't have to like it or stay as a customer.
Yes, you can, until a few years ago that was the only supported solution, they only provided straight modems, and you had to supply and configure your own router if you wanted more than one PC to have internet access.

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#1555435 19-May-2016 11:38

If you have a Cisco modem then you can plug any good router to use - it's your equipment.

If you have their new modem/router then they have to replace it, shouldn't have to sign again. It's their equipment.

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ghettomaster

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#1555492 19-May-2016 12:24

How old is the router that you are wanting replaced? Is it under warranty?

antoniosk

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#1555498 19-May-2016 12:32

freitasm:

If you have a Cisco modem then you can plug any good router to use - it's your equipment.

If you have their new modem/router then they have to replace it, shouldn't have to sign again. It's their equipment.

And there lies the rub my friend.

The wireless modem that goes downstream of the cable modem is NOT owned by Vodafone, it's a giveaway as part of taking a service with them. Ownership - and responsibility - transfers to the customer, but I guess some very very basic setup was done so the cable modem+router combo worked. Most often they were the nasty little Netcomm range, and was introduced to compete against DSL based offers who gave away single devices.

So the OP is in a slightly odd place... the device has died, but he could be replaced with a technicolor 2700d, which still requires a $400 cost (modem+callout)... hence policy of asking for new 12 month contract etc.

I won't debate the merits of whether is competitive or not. After all, this is Vodafone's customer to lose and as usual that policy of losing is being well executed (because retention costs money and no-one gets a bonus, whereas a loss can become a winback, and winbacks pay the reps $$. Even in 2016.)

To the OP:

1. Get your own kit. If you go to UFB, your setup will be as for cable as except the cable wire+cable modem will be replaced with Fibre Wire and ONT. Some ISP's may offer you a free downstream modem... but you're back into the above conversations.

2. Make sure whatever you buy is NOT a DSL-only device, and has an Gigabit ETHERNET RJ45 WAN port. This is compatible with fibre ONT's if and when. I don't know what's on the open market these days, but Apple is a safe if overpriced bet.

3. If you get the technicolor from Voda, you cannot take it with you to fibre unless you use Vodafone as your ISP etc. So dead end there.

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kharris

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#1555503 19-May-2016 12:33

I don't get this, why should you need to sign on for another 12 months to replace equipment that is faulty? I would say no and ask to speak to the retention team or go to ISP who's rate is lower than your current one anyway.

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50n0f508

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#1555553 19-May-2016 13:00

Thanks for all your input. The reason they won't replace without a new contract is because I am out of contract now. Given the appalling service I have had from Vodafone over the last year, I really don't want to commit to another 12 months so I've decided to buy my own router. I don't like the sound of this Technicolor modem and it would be a week before they could send someone out to install it.

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#1555555 19-May-2016 13:02

50n0f508:

Thanks for all your input. The reason they won't replace without a new contract is because I am out of contract now. Given the appalling service I have had from Vodafone over the last year, I really don't want to commit to another 12 months so I've decided to buy my own router. I don't like the sound of this Technicolor modem and it would be a week before they could send someone out to install it.

+1 A wise decision, Minister!

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Lias

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#1555569 19-May-2016 13:15

kharris:

I don't get this, why should you need to sign on for another 12 months to replace equipment that is faulty? I would say no and ask to speak to the retention team or go to ISP who's rate is lower than your current one anyway.

Because the router isn't Vodafone's property, ownership is transferred to the customer, and once the warranty is over, it's the customers responsibility.

Vodafone will replace it with their current offering, but because Vodafone do not allow user installs, only Downer/etc technician installs, this incurs a cost which they will balance with the contract period.

Incidentally Vodafone, always requiring a technician is a stupid inflexible policy, but one they seem to fiercely defend. A year or two ago I got offered a free router with a package. Despite the fact that it was never going to go anywhere other than TradeMe, they refused to just courier the box to me. They insisted I had to book a time with Downer for them to come and install it, even thou I was frustrated and loathe to let some minimum wage muppet from Downer near my network. In the end Downer didn't even show up but still wouldn't just give me the damn router. Poor old @NikT got involved and even he couldn't make headway against the internal idiocy and just ended up arranging for me to get a credit for the router.