Contract "upgrade" is a ****

This will not be resolved since Vodacom are sharks, but I thought I'd share my story anyway. Below is the exact transcript from Vodacom Customer Care via Facebook. But in essence, the TL;DR version is: If you want a service provider that upgrades a contract and doesn't charge you double, don't use Vodacom, rather use MTN.

Transcript of Facebook Conversation: My name is Warwick {removed} and my cell number is {removed}. I must admit that I find your practices to be disgusting, and as soon as my contract expires I will be moving to another service provider. I just tried to upgrade my handset now, since according to my contract I am due for upgrade in November (the 20th). I tried my luck yesterday, and I was allowed to upgrade (yay!), but when I got my confirmation sms, the price was R1000 and not the R599 quoted on the site.

I found that odd.

When you customer representative phoned me this morning, she explained that I can upgrade, but I still need to pay for my current handset until April, so that's why the price is higher.

I was with MTN for 12 years before moving to Vodacom, and never in the 12-years I was with MTN did I ever encounter anything like this. So in essence I would be paying for two contracts.

The lady on the phone said that it's not two contracts, I'm still only paying for the one, but I need to keep paying for the handset. This is not an upgrade. There is no incentive to stay with Vodacom if this is the case.

Why would I want to take on a new handset and still pay for the old one? Why is "upgrade" even an option? The price difference between "upgrading" or simply getting an entire new contract is only around R170, so explain to me where the value lies. So I really can't see any value to a continued relationship when I can get a better deal from MTN. Good Day

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Hi Warwick, Thanks for connecting with us. We would hate to see you go. We would like to look into it. Please could you let us know which device you wanted to purchase and please send us your reference number.

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Sure thing! The device was the Samsung S10e Prism Green at R599 per month. My reference number is:{removed} ID number: {removed}

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In order for us to authenticate you as the legitimate owner of the account and access your profile, we would need you to answer the below questions: 1) Debit order date 2) Bank name and type of account 3) Address on statement

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1) {removed} 2) {removed} 3) {removed}

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Please note that your customer care center just called me, and once again told me that I can upgrade, but I need to keep paying for the old handset until April, which I already knew hence the initial complaint. I must say that at this point I don't feel heard at all

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And now I got this email from them: Good day Warwick Levey We acknowledge the receipt of your email. As per our telephonic conversation on cell phone number {removed}.

Kindly be advised you are allowed to upgrade on the 18th month of your contract. Please note you will pay for the old handset till you complete the 24th month of the previous contract.

To which I rep****: Please note that as per my initial email once my contract expires I will be moving back to MTN since they don't use practices like that at all. So you have lost a client. I will be sure to actively tell everyone I meet to avoid using Vodacom.

Judging by the numerous complaints online this seems to be a common complaint with Vodacom, and as a company you clearly don't understand the concept of "upgrade" since there is no upgrade, it's an early renewal of a contract that has no financial incentive for me, but gives you a legally binding customer for another 24-months. It's disgusting.

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Be more like MTN! "MTN they start the new contract on the next billing month and the last few months fall away, and you start paying the new phones handset charge. So in essence you save the last 2 or 3 months handset charge - MTN actually give you a reason to upgrade a few months before the 24 months is up."

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Hi Warwick. As per our brief chat today, should you choose to upgrade prior to your contract end term date, you would still be liable to pay the remaining handset installments up until the 24 month is completed.

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Ya'll keep saying that like I don't know that. That is the core of my complaint. So as per my initial mail, you've lost a client.

You were the ones who said you'd hate to see me go and so on. Had you not rep**** and accepted that you'd lost a client then so be it.

There is no incentive to be locked into another 24-month contract, so anyone who chooses to renew the contract and pay for two handsets is frankly an idiot.

There is no "upgrade" here - your companies policies are frankly unbelievable - and that's why you have so much hate on Hello Peter.

From a marketing perspective, Google "paying for old handset after contract upgrade" and you will find the first page littered with people complaining about Vodacom. There isn't even a brand listed in the search and your band is top!

That is something in and of itself. As a human I know you don't make the policies and there's nothing you can do as a person, but as a company your policies suck are appear to be borderline predatory