Vodafone 'free texting' billed for

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juha

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#9273 4-Sep-2006 11:30

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3786375a28,00.html

Even if it wasn't an official Vodafone promo SMS, you have to wonder why they're so keen on getting slammed for bad PR...

Juha

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#45320 4-Sep-2006 11:37

Vodafone have been to the public in the past many times

News
Radio
Holmes show
Its on there website about hoax SMS
Its been on there IVR

Don't beleive it until you hear it from Vodafone how much clearer can they make it

They just want someone to blame and get something for nothing they deserve to be charged

http://www.vodafone.co.nz/aboutus/hoax.jsp?item=hoax

[Moderator edit (JF): {URL Hyperlinked}]

sbiddle

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#45321 4-Sep-2006 11:37

I don't see why Vodafone should compensate anybody - just because people are dumb enough to keep forwarding TXT's to their friends.

These sorts of things happen continually, maybe Vodafone should be making an example out of the person who originated the SMS, it'll only take them a few minutes to track the original message source.

Had these messages been sent out with a faked reply path and sender as 'Vodafone' (which isn't difficult to do) then it would be another story.

johnr

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#45322 4-Sep-2006 11:41

I had some friends forward me that SMS

and my reply was don't be a retard all your life

The adults need a kick in the bhind too

simon14

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#45362 4-Sep-2006 18:32

I'm not on PrePay and i didn't hear about the texting fault on Friday.

HOWEVER, the point of PREPAY is so the user doesn't have to worry about jacking up huge bills; the customer knows they can only spend as much money as they have topped up with, hence the term "prepay" - you pay for the calls before you use them.

If Vodafone charged customers for the fault on Friday by deducting funds the next time that user tops up, that wouldn't be classed as "prepay" now would it? That is why IMHO, Vodafone should not charge users for their system fault on Friday.

PREPAY means paying before you use the service, not paying after you use the service!

johnr

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#45363 4-Sep-2006 18:44

Faults happen and people have abused the fault

BrentR

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#45364 4-Sep-2006 18:45

The onus is on the user to check their balance, if they find a fault and exploit it then they should be charged, if they are stupid enough to believe they are getting a free text day because "their mate told them" then too bad IMO.

Most people "I assume" are on Prepay beacuse they're too young to go on contract or have a disinterest in signing a contract or have adverse credit history.

BrentR

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#45365 4-Sep-2006 18:45

johnr: Faults happen and people have abused the fault

I concur

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johnr

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#45367 4-Sep-2006 18:48

If I was on the dole and there systems broke and they paid me too much bet I would have to pay it back

simon14

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#45369 4-Sep-2006 18:50

Jeffthechef: The onus is on the user to check their balance, if they find a fault and exploit it then they should be charged, if they are stupid enough to believe they are getting a free text day because "their mate told them" then too bad IMO.

Most people "I assume" are on Prepay beacuse they're too young to go on contract or have a disinterest in signing a contract or have adverse credit history.

80% of Vodafone customers are on PrePay, i dont think most of those are kids.

As far as i'm concerned, PREPAY means PRE PAY.... simple as that.... you can say its the customers fault as much as you want but at the end of the day, everyone knows what PREPAY means and for those who don't, here si a simple definition for you :)

"Prepaid refers to items paid in advance. Some examples include giftcards, phone minutes, preloaded credit cards, and prepaid tolls, among many other items.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prepaid "

freitasm

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#45370 4-Sep-2006 18:52

simon_nz90: PREPAY means paying before you use the service, not paying after you use the service!

Nope. Prepay mean having a credit into your account to guarantee payment of services. Services are always charged AFTER they are used. The company doesn't know how much you will spend on a phone call. They offer you the ability to place a phone call to the maximum time converted from your current balance. But the money is taken off of your account after the call is completed, no before.

This may not be the case in some billing systems (TNZ) where there is actually a "block" on an account amount at the moment the service starts being used. Pretty much like paying petrol stations with your credit card directly at the pump, or a hotel when you give the credit card when checking in.

johnr

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#45371 4-Sep-2006 18:53

This was still and outage and people have can not expect a system to run %100

They know the costs and the promos that are running at the time

simon14

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#45372 4-Sep-2006 18:55

freitasm:
simon_nz90: PREPAY means paying before you use the service, not paying after you use the service!

Nope. Prepay mean having a credit into your account to guarantee payment of services. Services are always charged AFTER they are used.

Exactly, so once that credit is used up, they can't then charge you before you next top up.

simon14

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#45373 4-Sep-2006 18:58

johnr: This was still and outage and people have can not expect a system to run %100

They know the costs and the promos that are running at the time

I don't expect their system to run perfectly 24/7, but when it does fail, the company should suffer, not the customer.

Assuming many prepay customers are kids, and all knowing free texting is on weekends, I could see how many children could be confused by this.

freitasm

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#45375 4-Sep-2006 19:05

simon_nz90: Exactly, so once that credit is used up, they can't then charge you before you next top up.

Actually, they shouldn't offer the service until your credit is restored after a top up. Telecom does not.

sbiddle

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#45380 4-Sep-2006 19:38

simon_nz90:
Assuming many prepay customers are kids, and all knowing free texting is on weekends, I could see how many children could be confused by this.

How could somebody possibly be confused?

If people are dumb enough to believe an SMS from a friend that said that SMS was free for the day then who's fault is it? Did the sender say Vodafone? Did they ring 777 to check? No, they probably forwarded that SMS to a mate, checked their balance, thought they were onto a good thing and so kept on sending SMS's to all their mates saying that SMS was free for the day.

These sorts of things do the rounds continually, how many SMS's have you ever got that say to pass it on to 10 friends and receive a $10 credit? Apart from stopping dumb people from owning phones what can networks reasonably be expect to do, run filters on their SMSC like a spam filter to stop people sending crap?

Johnr has pointed out the best comparison - if you get overpaid when you're on the dole you have to pay it back. If you exploit a system then you should be charged. If you sent SMS's on Friday you should (and would have) had that balance deduced from your account. End of story. Fullstop.

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