@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.

 

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.

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. 

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.

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

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.

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!!!

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.

@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!!!

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!

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

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.

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