Pathetic Service

Dear Vodacom

***/856061

I am writing to formally express my concern regarding the handling of my Fibre Line contract, which is currently active and set to expire in May 2026. In July 2025, I sold my property and, following an agreed extension with the new owner, vacated the premises on 31 August. On 1 September, I contacted Vodacom to initiate the transfer of my Fibre service to my new residence, located approximately five minutes from my previous address.

Despite multiple engagements with your Fibre call centre, I was informed that my new area does not have Fibre coverage. However, after consulting with several neighbours—some of whom are Vodacom Fibre customers— I confirmed that Fibre infrastructure was installed by Vuma approximately four years ago. This discrepancy prompted me to reach out again, but I was met with the same response: that no coverage exists.

Vodacom then offered me the option to switch to an LTE contract, which I accepted. Unfortunately, due to issues with my credit profile, the application was declined. Over the course of this process, I contacted Vodacom on at least ten separate occasions yet received no resolution. Having exhausted all viable alternatives, I requested the cancellation of my Fibre contract. This is where the process became increasingly frustrating. Despite explaining my situation in detail to the Fibre Cancellation department, I was repeatedly told that I would be liable for a cancellation penalty of approximately R7,000 due to the remaining eight months on my contract.

I respectfully maintain that I should not be held financially responsible for a service that Vodacom is unable to provide at my new residence. The inability to transfer the Fibre line, coupled with the declined LTE application, leaves me without access to the contracted service through no fault of my own. Regrettably, my interactions with Vodacom representatives—including a manager named Zahir—have left me feeling unheard. The responses I received appeared more focused on policy enforcement than on understanding the unique circumstances of my case.

As a longstanding Vodacom customer across both Fibre and prepaid services, I am deeply disappointed by the lack of flexibility and empathy shown throughout this process. I had expected a more solution-oriented approach, especially given Vodacom’s Stature and standing as describe below:

How do you process customer complaints?

To process customer complaints, listen attentively to the customer's issue, empathize and apologize for the inconvenience, investigate the problem to understand its root cause, offer and agree on a swift and clear solution, and follow up to ensure the customer is satisfied with the resolution. This process should be handled with calm, urgency, and a sense of ownership to restore the customer's confidence and loyalty.

Unfortunately, my experience has not reflected these principles. I urge Vodacom to reconsider its position and allow for the cancellation of my Fibre contract without penalty, given the clear absence of service availability.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to a resolution that aligns with both fairness, and the values Vodacom espouses.