Nightmare Vodacom iPhone 6 contract from hell

<p>I took out a contract with Vodcacom on 11 April 2017, for an iPhone 6 on a Smart S+ package, at the Vodacom shop in Eikestad Mall, Stellenbosch</p> <p><br />The damn thing is still not working properly. </p> <p> </p> <p>From the beginning, there was some kind of problem with my number: I couldn’t access the important “USSD codes”. More precisely, I couldn’t check my balance or buy data bundles. For instance, if I dial *111#, then “1” for Balances, then “1” for Summary, I get the message “An error has occurred, please try again later”. </p> <p> </p> <p>(Moreover, I wasn’t able to connect to 4G, until eventually after about 5 visits to the Vodacom shop, they finally solved that problem. But I can’t connect to data anyway - see below - so it is hopeless.)</p> <p> </p> <p>About three weeks ago, I got an SMS saying I had “run out of data” - even though I had been on wifi the entire day (!) How could it have taken off my data allowance if I was on wifi?? </p> <p> </p> <p>Moreover, I am on a Smart S+ package. This is an open contract. It is impossible therefore to “run out of data”!!! You should just go onto out-of-bundle rates. I am still able to call other people. No doubt I am racking up a HUGE bill, but I wouldn't know... since I am unable to check my balance!!</p> <p> </p> <p>Of course, with my USSD codes not working, it is impossible for me to buy data bundles. So I have no data. </p> <p> </p> <p>I have spent countless hours at the Vodacom shop in Eikestad Mall. Jannie, the manager there, has been very professional and polite, which I would like to commend him for. However, he has ultimately been unable to help me, since it is a network issue. Indeed, he determined (long ago) that the problem is definitely ON THE NETWORK. It is NOT my phone, since when I put my sim card in his phone the same problem occurs on his phone. It is NOT my sim card, since he has done a sim swap TWICE but to no avail. </p> <p> <br />He has reported my problem many times to Vodacom. They keep saying they are “escalating the problem” and that “someone will phone me” but nothing ever happens. A few times, in fact, the problem has been marked as “solved” - without anyone ever phoning me to see if it was solved (it wasn’t!). That one makes me really furious.</p> <p> <br />I have also personally spent countless hours on the Vodacom helpline, especially with Nthathisi from Vodacom Solutions. She has been polite but has ultimately also been unable to help me. She refers my problem to people in the “back office”, who promise they will “phone me”, but they never do. I am left with no-one to contact about my problem.</p> <p> </p> <p>I am totally furious. I would love to just hand back my phone and Vodacom to cancel my contract there and then. Why should I have to pay for contract if they are not providing me with a usable product???</p> <p> </p>