Vodafone $1 a day for 10MB in court

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freitasm

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Topic # 87946 11-Aug-2011 09:31

This is a bit too much. The Vodafone $1 a for 10MB in court, according to NZ Herald.

Sorry, but I disagree with the case. I always thought it was intended to be $1 a day or part of it. Some people can't understand things explained to them in plain English and get all up... I side with Vodafone on this one.

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Hammered
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Reply # 504823 11-Aug-2011 09:34

freitasm: I always thought it was intended to be $10 a day or part of it.

$10 a day?

freitasm

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Reply # 504825 11-Aug-2011 09:37

Sorry, $1 a day. Fixed the text...

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oxnsox

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Reply # 504828 11-Aug-2011 09:40

Agree with you Mauricio. Even the parking analagy given by VF council is a valid one.
When you put your money in the meter for a set time, nobody expects a refund if they leave their space having only used half of it.
These sort of people are set to lead a very frustrated existence

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Reply # 504829 11-Aug-2011 09:43

I have always understood that it was $1 within a day for data upto 10MByte, simple as, basically as soon as you opened the connection the till rang up $1 and you could continue to take 10MByte within the day, then things change.

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Reply # 504830 11-Aug-2011 09:44

depends really. If, as the article claims, Vodafone's website did say that people would only pay for what they used, then I think they have a point.

Telecom have an identical '$1 a day' plan, yet only vodafone has been taken to task by the comcom, so it must be about how it was described rather than the plan itself.

from the article:

"Vodafone's website said customers could pay $1 for 10MB and would be charged only for what they used."

clearly that is not how the plan actually works, so if the website said that then they misled customers (whether intentionally or unintentionally)

freitasm

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Reply # 504832 11-Aug-2011 09:46

NonprayingMantis: from the article:

"Vodafone's website said customers could pay $1 for 10MB and would be charged only for what they used."

The complaint probably left out "after the 10MB" after the "charged only for what they used"...

[joke]

Or, another idea... Remember the hoax "Internet explorer users have low IQ"? Yeah, about that.

[/joke]

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DonGould

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Reply # 504833 11-Aug-2011 09:47

Seems like a fair and sensible case to me.

The CC is sending a clear message that products have to represent value, be clear and not present bill shock risk.

Personally I looked at that $1/10mb thing and just saw warning bells. Same with the 'free live zone' thing that they're still to be fined over.

In a world where consumers are used to paying for a $20 mobile top up for calls at ~90c a minute, they understood the value the were getting. When you've done your time your phone just stops working. $10 for 1000 text messages is the same.

The whole data space was simply not working for consumers. I'm not saying it's an easy situation to sort out at a technical level.

But it strikes me that the CC is saying that if you can't come up with good technical/product packages then simply don't sell.

It will be interesting to see how the judge rules.

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freitasm

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Reply # 504837 11-Aug-2011 09:51

On that point you are right. For a "normal" consumer, monitoring 10MB on a mobile phone is rocket science. There's no way the telcos offer a reliable metering system today. None of them.

On the other hand, they are not in front of the judge because of metering, but because of the value charged for less than 10MB a day.

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Hinko

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Reply # 504839 11-Aug-2011 09:52

freitasm: This is a bit too much. The Vodafone $1 a for 10MB in court, according to NZ Herald.

Sorry, but I disagree with the case. I always thought it was intended to be $1 a day or part of it. Some people can't understand things explained to them in plain English and get all up... I side with Vodafone on this one.

Interesting. I think 2degrees prorata the charge don't they?

Maurico, where do you stand on http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=40&topicid=87870 where I question whether the NZ Casual Data Rate may be a Rort?

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Reply # 504841 11-Aug-2011 09:55

Hinko if you don't like the $1 per day then add a data bundle this offers better value. Matt advised in that thread he was passing on feedback only.

freitasm

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Reply # 504842 11-Aug-2011 09:56

Please back on topic.

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oxnsox

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Reply # 504852 11-Aug-2011 10:07

At the time wasn't there mre to the offer... something along the lines of 'data was $x per MB or pay $1 a day for up to 10MB.'
My understanding of it, at the time, was you could pay the casual (per MB) rate or $1 a day for 10MB. To me that said I had the choice of paying only for what I used, or buying a bundle.

But maybe I simply just understood it the way it was intended...

Hinko

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Reply # 504858 11-Aug-2011 10:20

I use the casual data and I studied the information in detail and I found it to be unclear. The answer came from studying the charges following use where it became clear that downloading a byte accrued a $1.00 charge. While I think that is confusing and excessive I still did it. So on the one hand $1.00 might not be that much (sympathy to Vodafone / Mauricio's stated view) on the other hand Vodafone is a significant market player who has a duty to be clear and fair. (sympathy to complainants) I did not find the information clear. Given the CC has decided to formalise the complaint they will have considered their prospects for success. I also await with interest the decision in the judgement.

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Reply # 504862 11-Aug-2011 10:26

freitasm: On that point you are right. For a "normal" consumer, monitoring 10MB on a mobile phone is rocket science. There's no way the telcos offer a reliable metering system today. None of them.

On the other hand, they are not in front of the judge because of metering, but because of the value charged for less than 10MB a day.

Yes. I suspect this is more a shot over the bow rather than an attempt for a direct hit.

I agree with the parking meter suggestion, but would also agree that the product wasn't very clear that it was a simple 'parking meter' type of product. I recall questioning it myself at the time, and if it doesn't make sense to me (who does have a little more understanding of rate plans than most average Joe, but perhaps less than Johnr and Salty) then I'll agree that it's not clear.

I wonder if this is as much about CC now just wanting to clean up all the outstanding issues and give Vodafone management (and in fact all telco management) more empowerment to just do better business moving forward?

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Reply # 504864 11-Aug-2011 10:28

I've always understood it to be 'casual rates' Eg. $1 a meg or whatever it is, 'capped' at $1 for the first 10meg, then back to casual rates.

Just like how Telecom used to run $10 text. 20c a text (Casual rate) for the first 50, then the next x many free. Then back to casual rates.

I don't see the issue. It's a good deal for casual users, and anyway, its a dollar - hardly worth a lawsuit over.

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